How to Remove Cat Hair from Upholstery [VIDEO]

Tired of going through a dozen sheets of sticky paper on your lint roller only to still be left with a massive amount of pet hair on your furniture and clothes? Don't feel like lugging out the vacuum and its upholstery attachment every time you need to spot clean fur from your favorite chair?

Check out my latest video to see how to quickly and easily remove cat hair, dog hair, rabbit hair, ... any kind of pet hair (or pet fur, if that's what you'd rather call it) without a lint roller or vacuum!

4 Ways to Keep a Litter Box Smelling Fresh

I get lots of questions on how to clean a kitty litter box and how to keep it smelling fresh. Here are my tips.

Use a clumping kitty litter.
I've been using World's Best Cat Litter for years. It's made from corn and doesn't contain any fragrance or scent. I try to stay on top of smells by scooping out poop and clumps at least once a day. The nice thing about World's Best is you can flush solids down the toilet. I once had a total of six cats and kittens and my apartment didn't smell at all. (They have a multiple cat formula too.) I swear by World's Best, but there are other natural clumping brands out there, including Beth Anne's Finest.

Add baking soda.
Cover the bottom of a kitty litter box with an entire small box of baking soda. Cover that with a layer of kitty litter about three inches deep. This should keep things pHresher and extend the amount of time in between full litter box cleanings. When we moved we had a kitty litter emergency and had to buy a bag of the clay kind from the corner store. This helped keep things from getting too funky. You can also keep an open box of baking soda near the litter box to help absorb odors.

Feed your cat good food.
Ever eat something bad and your poop just didn't smell right? Well, the same thing happens to our pets. Most canned critter food is down right terrible. Invest in high quality food for your cat. Her poop will smell less offensive and she'll be healthier. Lucy loves Wellness canned food. Remember every cat is different. Try a variety of healthy foods until you discover what your cat likes. A good natural pet supply store will have many choices. (Whiskers in NYC East Village is my favorite!)

Wash the litter box.
This is kind of obvious, but yeah, you need to dump all the litter out and wash the box occasionally. Exactly how often depends on what kind of litter you use and how many cats share the box. Every other week works for one and two cat families.
1. Dump everything. // 2. Rinse and dump water into toilet. // 3. Put 1/2 cup baking soda to the box. Fill with warm water. Add a few drops of fragrance-free dish detergent. (I like Seventh Generation.) // 4. Soak for 15 minutes. // 5. Scrub // 6. Empty and rinse. // 7. Dry and add litter.

Thanks so much for reading this blog entry! I hope it was helpful. Wanna keep nerding out about creative green living? Let's stay connected: Newsletter // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest // Bloglovin' // YouTube

6 Ideas for Exercising with Your Pet

Written by guest blogger Maya Rodgers.

(via)

Obesity is one of the leading causes to diabetes and other health related issues. Not enough attention is focused on family pets and their weight. Harmful diseases are at higher risk when your pet is overweight. So next time you go to burn some calories bring along your pet! Not only will you be helping out your pet, but a partner of the furry family is a great addition to your workout. Whether it’s with your dog or your cat, there are some workouts that give you the results you’re looking for as well as giving your new exercise buddy a chance to enjoy their time outdoors.

Jump In
Simple activities such as taking a dip in the pool on a hot summer day can lead to happiness. Seriously, it’s that easy sometimes. Give your canine the same taste of happiness by sharing this activity with them. Many of the muscles in your body are at work when you swim. Besides burning calories and offering a great workout for your dog, swimming is particularly beneficial to animals with joint pain or arthritis. Next time you’re poolside be sure your pet is there with you.

Mind Games
Not only is physical exercise beneficial to your canine and feline friends, strengthening your pet’s mind is important as well. Food puzzles are a great way to occupy your hyper pet as they try to retrieve food from the toy. Puzzle toys help to stimulate pets’ brains. During the act of solving the puzzle, cats and dogs will improve dexterity and build their coordination.

Thrill of the Chase
Another exercise that can work with both cats and dogs is completing sit-ups with a laser pointer or small flashlight in your hand. The constant and random movement of the light will capture your dog or cat’s attention. They energy that they exert in pursuit of the light will serve as their workout.

Block After Block
Jogging with your pet is a great way to stay healthy. This workout will build endurance, burn calories, and strengthen muscles--plus your dog gets a chance to release all that pent up energy. Take a jog around your neighborhood. If your neighborhood isn’t exactly pedestrian friendly, try your local park. Be sure to check into your park’s rules concerning pets and off-leash areas.

Reaching New Heights
If you live in a home with an ample sized backyard, take your dog off its leash and throw a Frisbee around. Lots of running, throwing and chasing is guaranteed to happen. Your dog will appreciate the time away from the leash. Challenge your dog by throwing the Frisbee up high. Watch as your dog amazes you with the height it clears.

Kitten Curls
This exercise is tailored for your cat. Did you know that lifting weights can serve as a method of toning your muscles as well as keeping your cat active? Tie a toy on a string around one of your dumbbells and allow it to dangle. As you do arm curls the toy will catch the attention of your cat and keep them busy. Grab your new workout buddy and try out these exercises. They’ll make you and your pet feel so much better in the end. Exercise helps to improve your overall health. That means you and your pet will look forward to seeing lots of each other for years to come.

Guest blogger Maya Rodgers is the mother of two children and always on the hunt for new ways to make the small things in her daily life more environmentally friendly. Her hobbies are diy projects, spending time with her family, and writing. She enjoys writing on her Pets and Pests blog in order to inform others on the tools she has learned as a pest control consultant at Terminix. 

Thanks so much for reading this blog entry! I hope it was helpful. Wanna keep nerding out about creative green living? Let's stay connected: Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest // Newsletter // Bloglovin' // YouTube

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Great Essential Oils for Cats

Essential oils work on our fabulous felines too! Just like dogs, cats respond incredibly well to essential oils. One of the many benefits of all natural essential oils is that they work fast and get into the bloodstream within 20 seconds of being applied. Essential oils do not build up in the systems like drugs do, so the essential oils do need to be reapplied as needed.

Our sweet and loving cats are small and sensitive. When using essential oils, use less than a drop of essential oil at one time. Use a half of drop for pregnant females and kittens. Dilute essential oils with coconut oil. Use citrus, melaleuca and pine essential oils with caution on cats and only when diluted with coconut or olive oil. Avoid these oils on kittens.

When applying essential oils to cats, apply the oils between the toes and on the pad of the foot when doing foot applications. Be sure to avoid getting oils in the eyes. If oils get into the eye, flush with milk as needed.

Important: The author is not a vet. This article is written for entertainment purposes and to offer inspiration for considering alternative treatments. This article is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease or physical affliction. Always consult your veterinarian before using essential oils or any home remedies on your pet. Click here to find a holistic vet in your area.

Great Essential Oils for Cats:

Frankincense: Anxiety, Colitis, Inflammation, Infections, Insect/Snake Bites, Scarring, Tumors, Warts
Helichyrsum: Bleeding, Liver Issues, Nerve Damage, Wound Care
Lavender: Abscesses, Anxiety, Allergies, Burns, Conjunctivitis, Inflammation, Tumors, Vertigo, Wound Care
Lemon: Anxiety, Electrolyte Balance, Immune Boost, Infections, Lymph Function, Claw Strength
Melissa (Lemon Balm): Anxiety, Chronic Cough, Depression, Flu, Herpes, Immune Support
Oregano: Bronchitis, Colds, Infections, MRSA, Ringworm, Step, Staph
Peppermint: Asthma, Bronchitis, Diarrhea, Fever, Heatstroke, Inflammation, Muscle Pain, Ulcers

Behavior: Chamomile and lavender oils are great for helping with behavioral issues. The oils can be diluted with fractionated coconut oil or olive oil and applied to the paws or diffused into a diffuser. These oils are also great for stress reduction.

Flea Repellent: In a large spray bottle, put 5 drops of rosemary essential oil and fill the remainder of the bottle with water. Lightly spray the cat, being careful to avoid the eyes. Reapply as needed for flea prevention.

Share this post. Tweet: Do you use any of these great #essentialoils for #cats? http://bit.ly/1NmbKUv via @itsolivialane

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5 Natural Ways to Keep Fleas Off Your Pets

A special post from my first guest blogger ever: Maya Rodgers. Hooray!

While flea collars, medications, repellants, and ointments are convenient and helpful in warding off fleas, they can be hazardous to your pet’s health – and sometimes even deadly. Signs of poisoning include vomiting, shivering, dilated pupils, tremors, and skin problems. Worse still is that many of the ingredients found in flea medications are harmful to children and adults. (I have, in fact, given my dog spot flea and tick treatments, but the warning label on these medications can be daunting!) Luckily, there are natural alternatives for flea prevention that will hopefully leave you and your furry friends both happy and healthy.

Guest blogger's dog, Mindy, tuckered out.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is full of healthy vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that are good for your pet. When used as a flea remedy, it can make your pet’s skin more acidic, which fleas hate. You can rub a small amount of ACV onto your pet’s skin, or dilute it with water, before spraying it on your pet. You can also bathe your pet in a solution with ACV, soap, and water. If your pet absolutely won’t bathe, use a flea comb, dipping the comb after each stroke into a bowl of warm, soapy, ACV water. If your pet can tolerate the acidic taste, try adding a small amount of ACV to your pet’s water bowl.

2. Essential Oil Spray
Fleas are naturally repelled by lavender and other essential oils, so a homemade spray would be a smart choice when used as a flea repellant. BUT lavender and some other essential oils are hazardous to cats, so make sure you pick essential oils that are cat-friendly. Here’s a great resource on how to make your own essential oil spray.

3. Add Healthy Nutrients to Your Pet's Diet
Your pet is more able to fight fleas when he or she consumes a healthy diet. Since most commercially processed pet foods lack certain vital nutrients, your pet may not be able to build up the natural immunities needed to ward off fleas. Adding natural ingredients like brewer’s yeast, garlic, flaxseed oil, and B vitamins to your pet's diet can aide in making them less tasty for fleas while boosting their immune system. However, before you add any supplement to your pet’s diet, be sure to talk with your vet about specific nutrients and amounts that are appropriate for your unique pet.

4. Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is known for its ability to kill off many different insects. Diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled onto your pet's coat, your yard, and onto carpeted surfaces to fight off fleas, BUT be sure to get food grade diatomaceous earth. This way if you or your pet ends up eating some, it won’t harm anyone. Let the diatomaceous earth sit on the carpet for 24 hours before vacuuming it up. Diatomaceous earth will likely need to be reapplied more than once before all the fleas are killed.

5. Nematodes
If fleas have progressed out of your home to your yard, or came from your yard in the first place, buy a container of beneficial nematodes from a garden supply store. There are many different types of nematodes (some of which can harm your garden, so be careful!), but the beneficial kinds can take care of many pests, including fleas. A last word of warning: Do not use nematodes and diatomaceous earth at the same time in your yard as the diatomaceous earth will likely harm the nematodes.

Armed with these five natural remedies, any flea will cower at the very sight, smell or sound of your pet. Or at least I hope they will! Though these natural remedies should help get rid of fleas, you may need to use them more than once, and it’s up to you to make sure the fleas never come back. Continue to make sure that your pet is healthy, both on the inside and out. Keep bathing and combing your pet regularly, and vacuum often. Lastly, if you’re ever worried that the fleas might return, you can always sprinkle another round or two of diatomaceous earth.

Maya Rodgers writes about pets, exercise, green living, pest control, and many other subjects on her blog: Pets and Pests. She gets her expertise on pest related topics from doing termite inspections and other pest-related issues for Terminix. She loves hearing from readers, so please drop her a line!

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How to Craft a Cat Toy with Fresh Catnip

I made four cat toys filled with catnip from my CSA share. Here's a detailed account of what I did. This should allow even folks with limited sewing skills to make a simple cat toy with ease in about 10 minutes.

I started with a bunch of catnip I dried myself a few weeks ago. (You can read how I did that here.)

Hanging catnip to dry.

I used scissors to snip only the leaves into a bowl. I saved the stems for composting since (according to a brief internet research session) they don't have the same cat crazing power as the leaves.

That bunch of catnip made about a cup and a half of catnip!

I gathered more supplies: scissors, marker, scrap paper, craft thread, needle, and felt. I drew a simple fish and cut it out to create a template/pattern.

Everything you need to make a catnip filled toy.

I placed two pieces of felt on top of each other and cut them into fish shapes using the template. (I used different colors of felt for fun, but obviously one color totally works). During this step, you might find that pinning the pieces of felt and the template together is very helpful. If you don't have sewing pins handy, just use the needle. That's what I did.

Starting at the corner of the fin (and pushing the needle up through the underside), I began to sew the two felt pieces together using a running stitch around the outside of the fish. Once I got to the bottom opposite corner of the fin, I stopped sewing and filled the fish with dried catnip using the opening.

While it did free my other hand to take this photo, using the template as a funnel wasn't necessary because my catnip was so chunky. If your catnip is finer, it may be helpful. 

I then continued sewing so that I stitched the fish closed.

The final stitch.

Success!

Slightly more advanced variations:

• Stitch a bead or button to the toy to create eyes. (Don't do this if your cat eats things that aren't food!)
• You can also create eyes with a french knot to stay on the safe side.
• Use a split stitch to create a smile.
• Try making toys in different shapes by drawing different templates.
• Use a sewing machine.  

Clockwise from top left: Tree sewed using machine (except for attaching trunk to top). Fish with French knot eyes and split stitch smile. Simple fish. Fish with bead eyes and split stitch mouth.

Other random tips:

• If you don't have lots of catnip but want a super plush toy, stuff some of the toy with bits of felt scraps. Just make sure you put in enough catnip for your cat to have a good time (about 2 tablespoons).
• Best thing about this project? As long as it has catnip inside of it, your cat will be happy so no need to really stress over how it looks!
• Squeeze toy every now and then to rejuvenate catnip. Putting it in the freezer in a plastic bag for a bit also works.
• Store unused catnip in a glass jar or small tin canister.

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

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Can You Stop a Cat from Scratching the Sofa with Vinegar?

I just read on vinegartips.com that you can stop your cat from scratching furniture by spraying it with white vinegar. Within two minutes of reading this, I sprayed our entire sofa. I would recommend that you spot test the interaction of the vinegar with the material of your furniture, but I was at my wit's end. My cat Lucy has been ripping it to ribbons for years so I am anxious to see if the smell deters her.

On CatsScratching.com, Veterinarian Christianne Schelling offers a plethora of tips for dealing with wayward cats. She suggests covering the spots your cat scratches with aluminum foil or double sided tape. Spraying scratched spots with pet odor removers may also work. (Yay! Another use for Nature's Miracle!) She also says shooting a cat with water while she's scratching might change her behavior, but that hasn't worked with Lucy.

Dr. Schelling emphasizes that it's equally important to provide cats with an attractive alternative scratching surface. That seems fair. Lucy loves to scratch her Emery Cat and the sofa. Our living room is a regular cat amusement park as far as she's concerned! But the vet recommends a sisal post at least 28" high to enable a cat to stretch the full length of her body, so maybe the Emery Cat isn't enough. You can buy a post for $60 or more (whoa!) at PurrfectPost.com. I'm thinking about making my own.

Have you had any success getting your cat to stop scratching the sofa? What worked for you? (Please don't suggest declawing because that's just mean!)

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

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Drying Catnip is So Easy!

I must confess, I'm not great about preserving bunches of fresh herbs. In fact, I am terrible. I use as much basil, rosemary, parsley, or mint as I can tolerate until it goes pale green or black, then toss it in the food scrap bag for future composting. Yes, I know this is terrible behavior as I am wasting environmental resources and money.

Catnip hangs to dry in the company of monkeys.

Yesterday, we got fresh catnip in our CSA share yesterday. My cat Lucy went bananas! She loves catnip so much!

Seeing how much joy Lucy got out of her farm fresh catnip, I knew I couldn't let it spoil. I decided to dry the rest of the bunch. It was already bundled together with a rubber band so I just tied a string to the bundle and pulled a label through the string. According to You Grow Girl, it's important to hang the bundle in a well ventilated area, out of direct sunlight. I hung my bundle from a random hook in the corner of my living room.

If all goes well, I'll have mold-free dried catnip in two weeks. (I'll be sure to let you know what happened.) In addition to watching Lucy go wild, I'm looking forward to drinking warm mugs of catnip tea before bedtime this winter.

According to WedMD, Catnip is known to be a gentle sedative for humans. It's also used to treat headaches, colds, fever, and indigestion, among many other health conditions.

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

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Love Animals? Boycott Animal Testing & Clean Green!

Did you know that most conventional cleaning products and/or their ingredients are tested on animals? These test aren't just done on rats and mice, but also beagles and bunnies. 

Rocket was rescued from a laboratory. Please vote for him as FuzzyNation SuperModel! He promises to use his title to be a voice for dogs still trapped in labs across America and the world!

Here are a few facts about the testing of consumer chemicals on animals:

• Animals are caged, poisoned, then euthanized. 
• Draize test, a substance is dripped or similarly applied to an animal's eyes or skin then any subsequent damage or irritation is assessed. 
• LD50 test, "lethal dose test" or the "fifty percent test." Examines the toxicity of a chemical or other substance by assessing the dosage needed to kill half of the animal test subjects.
• Performed to determine safety and toxicity data-- and to dodge lawsuits.
• Roughly 5,000 animals undergo testing for a single chemical. 
• Companies test a product when a formula is changed. The addition or removal of chemicals or new quantities of an old chemical are often cause for even "classic" products to be tested.
• Results don't accurately represent real world application. This is for various reasons, including the fact that we are not exposed to single chemicals at a time or even just the chemicals cocktail in a product. Instead we are all exposed to thousands of chemicals from our environment, medications, and consumer products. Animal testing can't address how these chemicals will interact with each other in our bodies and the environment.

Please be a friend to animals by choosing cruelty-free cleaning, personal care, and cosmetic products.

Leaping Bunny Seal

If a product is tested on animals, you can bet the manufacturer isn't going to confess to this on its packaging. Animal abuse isn't really a selling point! Look for the Leaping Bunny seal to easily identify cruelty-free products when shopping. The seal certifies that a product meets the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics' ethical standards. According to their website, The Leaping Bunny Program provides the best assurance that no new animal testing is used in any phase of product development by the company, its laboratories, or suppliers.

Another way to find cruelty-free products is to contact the folks who make it. Lots of industrious guys and gals on Etsy make green cleaning products, but they may not have become cruelty-free certified. While it's unlikely that a small indie company is testing on animals, reach out to them to find out about the sources of their ingredients and if they are developed without animal testing.

Making your own cleaning and personal care products is the best way to know what's going into them. It's important to keep in mind that just because a product isn't tested on animals doesn't mean that it is necessarily safe, natural, or healthy to us or the environment. Similarly, products that are tested on animals are not to be assumed safer or healthier. If you make your own products, you can be sure that they are healthy, eco-friendly, and cruelty-free!

Better Basics for the Home is full of a wide range of wonderful recipes for household and personal care products that are easy to follow. Author Annie B. Bond has a delightfully friendly tone. She shares helpful hints that make the book more than just a bunch a recipes, but a valuable tome on non-toxic living in general.

Additional Resources:

• Leaping Bunny
• The Humane Society of The United States
• Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

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Home for the Weekend: DIY Rickey, Dogshaming, & 718 Collective

Raspberry Lime Rickey a la Big Rick

My boyfriend Richard often treats us to delicious sodas made with fresh fruit syrup. Sunday, we enjoyed Lime Rickeys made with local raspberries from our Farm Fresh RI Market Share on our stoop.

Lucy and Richard enjoy chips and raspberry lime rickeys.

You can make your own too! First prepare raspberry syrup. (You can omit the lemon juice.) Then pour a bit of the cooled syrup over a glass filled about 3/4 of the way with sparkling mineral water, fresh squeezed lime juice and slices, and ice cubes. Yum!

Cat-shaming Lucy. She doesn't care though. Cats never do.

Dog-Shaming.com is my new favorite remedy for the blues! It's a hilarious website where people post pics of guilty looking dogs either wearing or posing near signs revealing their dirty deeds. Happy to discover cat-shaming exists too, though I'm not convinced cats can really be shamed.

I just started watching the web program Signified, a web-series documenting various LGBTQ artists and activists now in its second season. I'm catching up on all the episodes. I totally want to share this one featuring 718 Collective. "718 (seven/eighteen) is a Brooklyn-based band of chefs, artists, musicians, activists and healers with a vision that includes community meals, classes & internships, urban agriculture and food justice for all."  I think what they are doing is brilliant!



What am I reading?
This week, I had fun at Go Gingham, Sara's blog about "stylish, frugal living." I am totally adding it to the short list of sites I actually visit multiple times a week.

I found myself nodding my head and pipping in "Right on!" to Rita's post, In Defense of Home Arts, on her blog This Sorta Old Life. It was a response to Why I Hate Food, an article which had it's own compelling arguments, but I couldn't help but feel they were rooted in the author's personal insecurity rather than concern for "a generation of women who are tending (and butchering) rabbits and chickens, and raising vegetable gardens (often along with children)."

"Be yourself fully in all things. Being who you really are is the greatest gift you can give the world."--Amy Butler ♥ Did anyone else see the article about the pattern and fabric designer's gorgeous home in the September issue of Better Homes and Gardens? I find her spirit and style so inspiring!

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

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How to Clean Up Pet Stains Naturally

I love Nature's Miracle!

I'm all for DIY but there are certain situations where a store bought cleaner is actually the best choice. This is true in the case of pet stains.

Unless you are a scientist, it's best to invest in a bottle of Nature's Miracle. The bio-enzematic formula in this cleaner attacks the proteins and starches that compose various pet bio-blowouts (poos, urine, and vomit). More impressively, it does so without using synthetic fragrances or other nasty chemicals.

Nature's Miracle has a wide range of products designed for specific pet accidents. Just for Cats Urine Destroyer was very useful when I was training my kittens. I always keep a gallon of the original Stain & Odor Remover formula on hand. We babysit my mom's dog Coco often and it's useful when she misses the wee wee pad or pukes.

Nature's Miracle Stain & Odor Removal treats more than just stains originating from pets. I just learned from their website that the product was originally marketed for cleaning in preschools. That makes since. It removes all organic stains and odors, including foods, blood, vomit, feces, grease, dirt, grass, smoke, and perspiration. You can use it on carpets, floors (including wood), furniture, clothing, cages, litter boxes, and all pet living and sleeping areas.

I discovered Nature's Miracle at my favorite pet supply store, Whiskers Holistic Pet Store in NYC. (I love love love them!) You can find it at Amazon and any pet supply store that knows what's good!

Update/ Caution: This product contains isopropyl alcohol, which I recently learned is considered toxic. I've begun using Better Life Natural Stain & Odor Eliminator as an alternative.

Lucy didn't want to leave her box under my BF's desk for a photo shoot, but I figured only using a picture of Nature's Miracle with a cactus wouldn't cut it.

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

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Home for the Weekend: Pet Portraits, Hand Wash, and Hot Sauce

A few interesting green home and lifestyle related things I stumbled upon this weekend.

Robert Lucy's Sweet Painting of a Dog

Robert Lucy Animals: My friend creates awesome fine art paintings and colored pencil drawings of your beloved animals. Art can really make a house feel like a home and so can a pet, so obviously a pet portrait makes for the homiest of homes!

I suck at laundry. That's why I'm happy to have Leslie Reichert the Green Cleaning Coach in my life. At least now I know what I should be doing, including to add the soap to the water before I put in the clothing. Oops! Read Leslie's blog post to learn to hand wash like a pro.

Ruby's Red Wash

Speaking of hand washing: Has anyone tried Ruby's Red Wash, an enzyme-based green cleaning product designed to remove menstrual blood stains? I used it once on a little accident. It worked, but the blood wasn't dried yet so that wasn't much of a test. Can't wait to do a more thorough trial! Well, sort of.


JoJo's Sriracha is on Lucky Ant from Lucky Ant on Vimeo.

My friend Jolene makes amazing sriracha with locally sourced chiles and without refined sugar or any other wonky ingredients. Consider buying a bottle and supporting her efforts to raise money for professional equipment so she can take her hot sauce to the next level.  (More info here.)

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

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Spotlight on Baking Soda #6: Kitty Litter Box Freshener

If your cat can't use the toilet yet...

Cover the bottom of a kitty litter box with an entire small box of baking soda. Cover that with a layer of kitty litter about three inches deep. You'll still need to scoop out solids, but this should keep things pHresher and extend the amount of time in between full litter box cleanings.

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

 

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Create Abundance at Home #6: Have fun!

Plan an indoor activity that you, your housemates, and pets can all do together. It doesn't have to be a huge thing to orchestrate. 10 minutes of focused fun could be all it takes to get you and your family "into the vortex"/ space for allowing abundance.

My cat Lucy likes to chase a Superball down the long, thin hallway of our apartment. She also likes to attack the shadow of her cat charmer. My boyfriend Richard is excellent about spending Q time with Lucy everyday, but it's almost neglectful how seldom I take more than 3 minutes to play these games with her. When I am playing, I'm often not focused on the present. I'm thinking about all the other crap on my to do list. Ugh! Tonight is at least one night where things will be different. Game on!

Some other cat playing with the cat charmer.

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

 

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Gatsby the Cat needs a home

My client's very huge and very loveable cat needs a home. Bonus: He's dog-friendly!

Dear Humans,

My very sweet and snuggly and enormous and awesome cat, Gatsby, is looking for a home. He's beautiful and playful, he loves humans, dogs, and eating, and he is very, very good at cuddling. He can be a little ornery if he's left alone too much and/or gets too bored, but generally, he's a gentleman. He is looking for a home with a human or humans who will give him lots of love and snuggles. He loves dogs, and he may love cats, too, but I've never seen him with another cat. He's very tolerant of getting his nails clipped and he loves to be brushed. A photo is attached, and you can email me for more information.

Thanks!
Alex
Brooklyn, NY
 (Send me a text, email, or leave a comment here on my blog if you are interested and want Alex's contact info.)

Update 5/27/11: Gatsby found a new home! Hurray! 

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

 

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