Call me what you will, but I love spring cleaning. I love the idea of starting fresh, opening the windows, airing things out, and letting the sun in. I love the communal focus on simplifying and addressing parts of life which are generally overlooked throughout the rest of the year. Reorganizing closets, cleaning out cupboards, being thorough about things which I am not usually so thorough. Its therapeutic. Though it has not yet been established as a week or month-long national holiday, I want to celebrate it by sharing some spring cleaning happiness here.
Sweeping self portrait.
New all-natural cleaning products.
I would trade laundry for dish-washing any day.
I found this book by Ellen Sandbeck at a bookstore a couple of years ago and picked it up. It has since become one of my very favorite resources on environmentally conscious cleaning at home. It has tons of great research, interesting cleaning tricks, and is also funny. To my author-struck happiness, Ellen has agreed to do an interview here on fotosympathetique! So if you have any spring cleaning questions for her, or questions about green cleaning, please share them here and I will be sure to pass them along. Look for our interview at fotosympathetique in the coming weeks!
fotosympathetique 
Down the drain… Here’s my question:
We have a septic system in our back yard, so I’m well aware that whatever I put down the drain goes straight to my very own yard/ garden/ ecosystem…any advice on what not do use or better yet, what too use to keep my enviromnent healthy and safe?
So, no matter how often + thoroughly I scrub my bathtub (with Bon-Ami and a little natural all-purpose cleaning spray), it still has a weird smell: not quite mildewy, but in that neighborhood. I’m about to resort to splashing bleach all over…but before I do, is there a more natural option for deep-cleaning/bacteria assassination?
Thanks for your questions! I will pass them on to Ellen –
White distilled vinegar will kill mildew, and once the vinegar dries, the smell disappears. Vinegar is actually good for beneficial bacteria, so it won’t hurt your septic system at all.