the ecomoderate

Cooking is one of my passions but when it comes to cleaning the cook top I always seem to procrastinate and the food gets caked on around the burner to where it’s impossible to get off. I have been looking for a non-toxic cleaner to clean my cook top for quite some time now and was about to breakdown and by Brillo Pads when I noticed the Earthstone International Kitchenstone.  They contain no harmful chemicals and are non-toxic and completely safe around kids and pets. It’s also made from -recycled materials.  So into the cart they went.  They worked great on the stovetop and have also worked great on my pans. I would suggest trying out a spot to make sure it doesn’t scratch the surface. There are two in a pack and I barely used a quarter of one for my cooktop…which hasn’t been cleaned in months!  I bought mine for aroubd $3.50. Much cheaper then wasting away Brillo Pads.  They also do not absorb ordor causing bacteria like sponges and do not scratch porcelian.  The company has a bathroom stone and one for the grill which I am trying next!  You can view all of their products and info about the company at their website.

Happy Scrubbing.

I’m back and refreshed. Boy it’s definitely a challenge to add another bundle to the bunch but well worth it. As many of you know, it’s hard to be conscious every day of being eco-friendly when your running around trying to get your errands done, your family fed and happy…oh and you fed too. I stumbled upon this great website called Simple Steps from the Natural Resource and Defense Council. They advocate SimpleSteps and BabySteps to becoming more eco-friendly and it’s a great resource for the crazy, busy who still want to make an impact.  I’m adding it to my favorite website list on the site.  The one section I really can get into is their ” Got A Minute?”, “Got A Morning?”, and  “Got A Month?”. Here’s a sample for you to think about.

Got A Minute?: Don’t rinse dishes under running water, just scrape them and put them in the dishwasher. Skip the dry cycle and use the “energy saver” or “light wash” setting.

Got A Morning?: Install a faucet aerator that can save 3 to 4 gallons per minute when you turn on the tap. If you hand wash dishes, don’t let the tap run. Scrape food off the dishes, soak them in a soapy wash bin and then rinse in another bin.

Got A Month?: Research new Energy Star dishwasher models. If you have an old machine, consider upgrading to one with soil sensors, more wash-cycle options, and the ability to air-dry your dishes. Check out the Energy Star website’s for a list of models.