Bon Ami- my new "Good Friend"

In French, Bon Ami means "Good Friend" and boy has this powder cleaner become just that to me.  I initially purchased it because it's free of toxic ingredients.  The packaging boasts "hypoallergneic", "no chlorine, perfume or dye".  With 5 simple ingredients (Limestone, Feldspar, Surfactant, Soda Ash, and Baking Soda), this is one of the most natural cleaners I could find without having to make it myself.  It was also made in 1886 before cleaning turned chemical.  

Initially, I liked it because it didn't leave a toxic smell in my house however, I fell in love with it when my daughter's wet project left a red stain on my (quartz) counter that wouldn't go away with anything and everything I tried.  I was seriously stressed!  What kind of paper & paints are they using in school anyway!?  Finally I broke out my new, unopened Bon Ami out of desperation (I didn't think it would work being that it didn't contain any harsh chemicals) and in less than 3 seconds, with some mild scrubbing, the stain was gone. 

Bon Ami can be used on counters, cookware and in the bathroom.  It should not be used on glass and mirror.  It doesn't scratch and the hundreds of reviews on Amazon will confirm that.  The most inexpensive way to purchase is on Amazon however you have to order 6 for Prime Shipping (comes to $1.02 per bottle).  If you are a minimalist like me and 5 extra items in your house will give you clutter anxiety, you can pay a little more at Target (free shipping with the Target Red Card).  Either way, I promise, you've made a really "Good Friend".  

A Cleaner with a "Purpose"

Many of the cleaners we use have harsh chemicals.  If you have a strong sense of smell like me, you can probably smell them when you get home after your cleaners were in or want to gag when you have to clean up a spill or stain. 

Well, gag no more because there are some alternatives that actually work. 

I have a few personal favorites.  They aren't perfect, however they are a better alternative to the common brands like Lysol and Clorox.  

Today I'll tell you about one of them- Seventh Generation All Purpose Natural Cleaner. 

The first thing you'll like about it is that it doesn't smell toxic like many of the others.  In fact, it does not have much of a smell at all because of the minimal amount of chemicals, lack of chlorine bleach and because it does not contain synthetic fragrance (believed to be harmful to health).  Secondly, you'll appreciate that it does the job.  

According to the packaging, Seventh Generation only contains 6 ingredients, 5 of which are considered "clean" (no pun intended).  The only one that is of some concern is Methylisothiazolinone which is a synthetic chemical that is potentially an allergenic.  A report released by the European Scientific Committee in 2003 concluded that insufficient information was available to allow for an adequate risk assessment analysis of this chemical.

I like that the first ingredient is water and the next 3 are plant based or plant derived.    

The best part of all is that's it's inexpensive!  I buy it from Target, however you can also find it on Amazon with prime pantry.