Super stinky soccer socks (and cleats)! Help!

Wanna know the score? One down, one to go. As in, my first grader's soccer season in now over. And my third grader's finishes this Saturday. Don't get me wrong. We love soccer! But after all these weeks, some of its charms have diminished. But, before we chant the season's final '2-4-6-8! Who do we appreciate?' let's take a moment to talk about de-stinking smelly soccer socks, and the cleats that foster the atrocious smells. With an email from Cathy:

Help! What to do about soccer socks? They are stinnnkkkyyyyy! Even after washing with a double dose of laundry detergent, oxygen bleach, and borax, and an extra rinse, they smell just awful. Hanging them out to dry helps the smell to dissipate, but with fall weather coming on, that will no longer be an option. They smell so bad that odor permeates the whole room that they are in. I've tried soaking them in borax solution, but that didn't help. Vinegar? Soaking them in baking soda? How do you do a vinegar rinse in a front-loading machine? The origin of the smell is clearly the stinky soccer cleats, so advice about those would be good too.

When I first read this email, I was a little stunned. Having two little girls who 'play' soccer has not led to such stinkyness, and for that I am grateful. By 'play,' I mean, it's all about the snack after the games. Although, as my third grader's season has shown, now that they play on a big field and have positions, they do a heck of a lot more running. So the stink may be just around the corner for us. Perhaps next season. But enough about me. Back to Cathy. Cathy mysteriously answered her own email with one line: 'Bac-Out has done the trick!'

Bac-Out is a product made by BioKleen. I know many people who love it. I have some, but am baffled by it. I haven't figured out how to use it. So please do share any tips for de-stinking soccer socks, cleats and power user tips with Bac-Out. Our stinks await!

Shower tile experiment: green cleaners vs. Soft Scrub with Bleach

For the longest time, I have been meaning to conduct an experiment. Clean the shower tile, celebrity death-match style, pitting two green cleaners side by side with (cue ominous music) Soft Scrub with Bleach. Please don't ask me why I have the very un-enviro Soft Scrub in my house. I plead the fifth. But I will share that putting white tile with white grout in our large master shower was regrettable. I don't regret many things, but this one, oh lordy. We were swayed by a beautiful magazine spread of a spotless white bathroom remodel, with the bright white on white in the shower. Little did we know what we were getting ourselves into.


As for the green cleaners, I tried Bon Ami for the first time on the shower tile and grout (for whatever odd reason, I'd only ever used it for sinks and toilets before). And I made up a home-brewed version of creamy scrub, using a recipe from womenandenvironment.org. I cut their recipe in half, since I didn't know how well it would work:

1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup liquid castile soap (I used peppermint)
2 tablespoons vegetable glycerine
2-3 drops of anti-bacterial essential oil, such as lavender, tea tree or rosemary (I used tea tree)

Mix together and store in a sealed glass jar. Shelf life: 2 years.

Truth be told, I was skeptical of the green cleaners. My experience with them so far has been that they work, but not fabulously. A lot more elbow grease is often required. Or they can be total flops, like the laundry stain treatment we came home with from our Master Recycler class. The stains my kids get on their clothing made a mockery of that home-made stuff.

So back to the shower tile. Bon Ami? It worked, but frankly, I didn't really love it. I either didn't always get it wet enough, or else, got it so wet that I was washing most of it down the drain. And it pains me to say this, because for the most part, I really dislike smells in cleaners, but its lack of smell kind of bugs me. After spending an hour scrubbing the shower with an old toothbrush, I want something to 'show' for my work. Sure, there's the absence of soap scrum and mildew, but I wanted the air to convey a little fresh clean scent. Some people probably love Bon Ami's un-smell.


The home-made creamy stuff? I loved it. It worked as well as Soft Scrub with Bleach and to tell you the honest truth, I was prejudiced to believe that it wouldn't. That it would somehow be inferior. Yet, I love how the mint and tea tree oil made a clean, fresh scent that was not overpowering. I didn't feel I needed to wear rubber gloves to clean. I will be interested to see if the tea tree oil fights the re-buildup of mildew as well as the bleach treated tile. I don't relish cleaning the shower tile with such gusto any time in the near future. I want the tile to stay clean for as long as posslbe (note: we do squeegee or towel dry our shower after each use, so that the moist conditions for growing crud are minimized).

Soft Scrub with Bleach? No question, it gets the job done fast and fairly painlessly -- although I do wear gloves when I use that stuff, and run the shower fan to suck some of that smell out of the air. I'd really like to finish the jar we have, and never, ever buy it again. I will confess that I only ever use it for the grungy tile and grout, and for lighter cleaning, like the sinks, I opt for something greener like Bon Ami. Moderation. Mea culpa. Please forgive me? I blame it on the damn white tile and grout!

Got bedbugs? Use a dog, not chemicals to get rid of them

Ever since we decided to move to Columbus, Ohio, several people have said to me, "Oh my gosh! I just read / heard on the news / heard on the radio that they have a major bedbug problem!" Oh, goody. Yes, it does appear that Ohio is under bedbug attack: Columbus is #7 on the 'most bed-bug infested city' list. Portland, you might not be on the list, but bedbugs are here, so watch out! Chemicals are typically used to combat bedbugs, but those little critters are becoming super resistant to most of them. DDT was used to fight them in the past until it was banned in 1972. Even if it were still in use, bedbugs have become resistant to it. (And for a good laugh, read this Newsweek article about conservatives blaming environmentalists, who worked to ban DDT, for the bedbug problem.)

But now there seems to be a growing demand for a non-toxic method for getting rid of bedbugs: using a highly-trained dog to sniff 'em out. Today The Oregonian ran an article about April, a bug-sniffing dog who works for Sprague Pest Solutions. April can sniff out the eggs, nymphs and adult bugs in a room in two minutes. She's about 90-95% accurate, whereas a team of humans would take two hours and be about 40% accurate at finding all of the bugs in one room. Go April! There are canine bug sniffers in Ohio and no doubt the need is driving more pest control businesses to train more dogs throughout the country.

Hopefully we won't have to deal with this problem, but it's good to know that there are alternatives. I'll take a little dog slobber over chemicals any day.

Remove soap scum with a razor blade

I know, this is gross.

I went a long time without really giving our shower tile a thorough, deep clean. I kept thinking we were going to remodel the bathroom, so why bother? Well, that hasn't happened, so it was time to tackle the scum. But how? It just so happened that my very handy father was visiting a couple of weeks ago, and he said that he uses a razor blade for these kinds of jobs. Really? Wouldn't it scratch? Nope, not if the blade is new. So, since he's awesome like that, he went and razor-bladed our bathroom tile. Now you see it...

...now you don't. And no scratches!

You don't need to use a lot of pressure, just gently scrape it off. Gone. Then you can follow-up with a paste of baking soda and water, using a scrubbing pad (lightly) to work it in, then rinse with water. I've also read that full-strength vinegar will give it a nice, clean shine. This is the magic tool I'm talking about:

From what I've read on the interwebs, you can also use it on glass shower doors.

Have you had success removing soap scum using non-toxic methods?

Order a free copy of the OEC Eco-Healthy Homes Checkup Kit

The Oregon Environmental Council has just released a free* 28-page toolkit designed to help homeowners create and maintain the healthiest living environment possible. There are so many unregulated chemicals in products throughout our homes -- and not just cleaning products -- and the Eco-Healthy Homes Checkup Kit will help you figure out how best to keep air quality good, keep pests and pollutants at bay as well as making good choices about personal care and cleaning products, plastics, household furnishings and much more. An extensive checklist is provided to help you identify areas that you have under control or that need attention. There's some great info here (love the tip about holding a piece of tissue near your bathroom fan to make sure it's working or needs cleaning!) that will help you take steps to a healthy home.  

* Free to residents of Oregon. If you live outside Oregon the toolkit is $2.50.

Experiments in DEET-free mosquito repellents

Green blogger Diane MacEachern recently conducted a creative test on mosquito repellents, that motivated me to try to replicate her results. She tested four options, one per appendage:

• Burt's Bees
• Essential lavender oil
• Vanilla extract
• Cutter (with DEET)

She was surprised and pleased to report great success with the lavender oil and vanilla. No bites!

My kids are at farm camp this week, and came home slightly mosquito bitten yesterday. So we dug out some bath oil that contains lavender oil and put it at pulse points -- I was afraid to truly grease them up, as we'd just applied a layer of sunscreen and didn't think the two potions would be doing each other any favors if mixed.

Our family will be going out camping in a few weeks, so I'll be interested to see if this lavender bath oil has any effect today. Perhaps tomorrow, I'll dig in the pantry and try the vanilla (although I'd guess this would be a fairly pricey option if you did a cost-benefit analysis). But as Diane said, you smell simply divine.

What do you use to repel the skeets?

The Story of Cosmetics: your fabulousness may be killing you

The green blogging community is abuzz over Annie Leonard's (The Story of Stuff) latest video, The Story of Cosmetics. (It's short -- you can squeeze it in.) The gist is there are tons of unregulated chemicals in our personal care products, many of which are considered carcinogenic, and the government isn't doing anything to stem the tide of the toxins coming into our lives. Babies are born with carcinogens in their bodies! So it's up to the consumer to diligently research and source alternative products with less harmful ingredients. Many of you are already doing that, but you are in the minority. Most of the truly non-toxic products are much more expensive than their evil counterparts and out of reach for many people.

Plus, many people don't want to change their products. They've come to rely on them. These products make them feel good about their appearance, odor and cleanliness. It's a hard habit to break. Over the past three years I've managed to transition all of my personal care products to ones I feel good about, with the glaring exception of my hair color. Six times a year I sit in the salon chair and have it dyed with a semi-permanent color by Revlon. I am thus far unwilling to either go gray (which makes me feel bad about my appearance) or experiment with a 'healthier' home color product, like the kind I see at New Seasons (which could spell disaster). I just put on my eco-blinders and figure some day I'll wake up and make a change. Not yet (though it will happen, I can feel it). I figure it can't be as bad as a Brazilian Blowout, right? That hair straightening technique has been giving people spontaneous nose bleeds and migraines thanks to its main ingredient from the formaldehyde family. (The company says the product is now 'hyde-free' but really? The replacement ingredient can't be much better.) But people love what it does to their hair, health be-damned.

Big cosmetics companies have very deep pockets and they continue to drive our desire to look youthful and air-brushed. (I love the line in the The Story of Cosmetics where Annie talks about an Este Lauder product, which states it will donate money to fight cancer if you buy it, but it also contains the warning 'may cause cancer.') If the government isn't going to grow some balls and take a stand, then it's up to us. There's a generation of kids -- mine included -- who need our protection and guidance in the cosmetics aisle.

Ah, vinegar. I love you.

Yesterday I deep-cleaned my entire kitchen with vinegar and water. (And I may have whistled while I worked.) Vinegar just makes me happy. It really gets the job done and I feel great about using it. I keep a spray bottle under the sink filled with a 1:4 ratio of distilled white vinegar and water ready for action: granite counters, Marmoleum floors, windows, appliances, greasy stove hoods, cork placemats, maple cutting boards, cabinet doors -- nothing escapes the vinegar treatment.

It's gotten to the point where I equate the tangy smell of vinegar with 'clean.' I used to feel that way about bleach. I know you can add essential oils to vinegar to dissipate the smell, but I don't. I just like it plain. It's comforting.

I got to wondering how vinegar is made. This explanation comes from The Vinegar Institute:

Vinegar is made by two distinct biological processes, both the result of the action of harmless microorganisms (yeast and “Acetobacter”) that turn sugars (carbohydrates) into acetic acid. Many of our favorite foods involve some type of bacteria in their production – from cheese and yogurt to wine, pickles and chocolate. The first process is called alcoholic fermentation and occurs when yeasts change natural sugars to alcohol under controlled conditions. In the second process, a group of bacteria (called “Acetobacter”) converts the alcohol portion to acid. This is the acetic, or acid fermentation, that forms vinegar. Proper bacteria cultures are important; timing is important; and fermentation should be carefully controlled.

I typically buy a gallon bottle of generic white distilled vinegar, which is made from corn. Not organic, of course. Typing that makes me feel not so great. There are organic white vinegars, like Spectrum Naturals, for four times the price.

Have you fallen in love with vinegar? How do you use it? For more ideas, check out The Vinegar Institute's Uses & Tips page.

How to naturally deodorize and clean a car's interior

Peee-yew! My car stinks. And unlike me, it's not the armpits (car pits?). But the whole inside. I'd guess we've u-picked at least a hundred pounds of strawberries and raspberries at this point, and you'd think summer berries might naturally perfume the interior space of a car? Well, not really. Given a little time in the hot sun, mixed with the various body odors we humans emit, that then coat the interior windows and hard surfaces with an oily, stinky slime. Not so much!

So, it's time for an interior car spa treatment! I did find that baking soda did a remarkable job removing the smell of kid vomit that filled our car once. Thus a dusting of baking soda, perhaps overnight, followed by a brisk vacuuming might de-stink and help the upholstered surfaces. As for the windows… vinegar? Lemon juice? Again, I fear the lingering scents might not be too sweet smelling. Perhaps if I wash the interior surfaces of the windows with vinegar or lemon juice, and let them air out with windows open overnight?

I'd love to hear your tried-and-true suggestions for naturally cleaning and deodorizing a car's interior…

Dryer balls: how do you machine dry clothes, avoid static and those stinky dryer sheets?

I was doing a load of laundry yesterday, and it dawned on me that we have yet to put up the clothesline and have not solar dried one single piece of clothing so far this year. It has been such a funny spring. So there we were. On the deck. The sun was shining nicely: not too hot, but pleasant. The kids were alternating between jumping rope, hula hooping and building fairy houses. I was reading a book, more or less undisturbed, while they played. That's when it dawned on me about the clothesline. And do you think I jumped right up and put my crazy clothesline system of rope and bungee cords into place? Nah. It was just too lovely to break the spell. But next time, I will. I promise.

So I went to the basement, and loaded our trusty dryer with the wet clothes. Then did something crazy! I threw some tennis balls in with it. I've been researching alternative static busting methods for clothes dryers. Sure, you can buy those spiky plastic balls. Or you can get some lovely felted wool ones that cost twice as much. Or I could continue to use the giant box of nasty chemically scented dryer sheets that I have had since my 8-year-old was an infant. Yet, I find that the more I eliminate unnatural scents from our lives, the more I am troubled by those that still are hanging on.


Thus I dipped into the world's largest collection of flat tennis balls, threw three in the dryer and crossed my fingers (If you'd like to try this at home, and are lacking the necessary tennis balls… Call me. I'll set you up). Survey says? It worked. Laundry was as static free as when I used a dryer sheet, but sans the fake chemical-induced 'springtime freshness' stench. There was one pair of girl tights that are synthetic that had a wee bit of static electricity, but everything else in the load was cottony and static free. Nice.

What do you use to eliminate static while machine drying your clothing? I've noticed the above mentioned spiky balls and wool balls at various shops (not to be confused with Alec Baldwin's Schweddy Balls of SNL fame). And Mrs. Meyers and other natural brands have their version of dryer sheets. Would love for y'all to weigh in on what you use and how it all comes out in the wash.