Green Goes with Everything

I gave a friend a copy of this book, Sloane Barnett's Green Goes With Everything. A few weeks later, she told me she could only read it in small doses because she found it so alarming.

After I read it I understood what she meant. I knew most of this information in this book from various other resources, but reading it all together in one location can be overwhelming.

However it's information everyone needs to know, and Green Goes With Everything is worth the read.

I really like the way Barnett writes in this book. She's a news correspondent, and I can tell. She has an easy-to-read writing style - very practical, with lots of pop-out boxes of information you can look over easily. This would be an easy book to read in snatches of time - waiting in line at the post office or in the car for the children after school or the like.

In the interest of full disclosure, Sloane Barnett is the wife of Roger Barnett, the owner of Shaklee Corporation. She doesn't try to hide that fact - and addresses it in the introduction. The interesting thing is that this book is not a sales book for Shaklee. She mentions their products periodically throughout the book, but nothing like I expected.

Instead, she gives lots of research as to what goes into the cleaners available at the stores... and several different alternatives, including Shaklee's.

If you're wondering what the big deal is about non-toxic cleaners, and are convinced that your laundry detergent is "just fine, thank you," or love to put those plug-in fragrances all around your home, I'd encourage you to read this book. It will certainly give you something to think about.

I have an extra copy of this book I would like to give away to someone. So here's the deal - become a fan of my business, Healthy Homes, on facebook to enter a drawing. I'll have one of my kids draw names during the second week of January and send the winner the book.

That way you'll have all the information you need to get started on your New Year's Resolution to keep your house cleaner in 2010! (picture me grinning)

Help! Around the House

I am almost shivering in anticipation. I checked out a huge stack of books to read over the holidays. All of them are purely for pleasure... none business related. I can't wait!

However, I must finish writing about the books I've read already this fall. One of them is Help! Around the House by Don Aslett.

Aslett bills himself as America's #1 cleaning expert. He is certainly a hard worker and a prolific writer. I've read several of his books and it's amazing how excited he is about cleaning and finding the best, quickest and easiest way to clean.

He almost makes me want to clean. Almost.

Several years ago, I read his books and got on his e-mail list. At some point he sent me a survey to fill out. The topic was how to manage clutter and get kids to help around the house. The incentive was that if he quoted me in the book he was writing, then I'd get a free copy.

Well, I always have opinions on managing clutter and getting kids to help, so I filled it out, sent it in, and promptly forgot about it.

Some time later, I got my own signed copy of Help! Around the House in the mail. How fun! My name is mentioned in the credits, but do NOT ask me to find my quote. I paged through it then and couldn't figure it out. And now, many years later, I've finally read the book and still can't figure it out.

No matter what my quote was, the book itself is good. Aslett is a very engaging, easy-to-read author with a ton of practical hints, tips and ideas. The thing I like about this book is the many, many quotes from real moms with ideas they use. I also like that he doesn't hold up one system as the system to follow, but instead encourages us to find what works for your family.

I can't help but encourage families with children to choose non-toxic cleaners for your home. There are oh-so-many reasons to do so, which I won't go into right now. It's very important for the health and safety of your children. If you're concerned about costly or ineffective non-toxic cleaners, let me recommend Shaklee's cleaners. They work, are cost-effective and are safe. I grew up using them, and so are my children.

If you're a mom, or a dad, who would like to have a cleaner house, would like to have your children's help in getting the house clean, I'd recommend reading this book. You'll enjoy it, get some good ideas and even laugh out loud. I did!