Helpful Household Hints

Here are 10 common items that can be used to help create a healthier environment for the body, mind, heart, and soul:

1. Baking soda does everything from deodorizing wash water to cleaning drains.

2. Vinegar cleans glass to chrome and clears drains; use baking soda and vinegar together for drains.

3. Bon Ami is a good alternative to chlorine bleach-based cleansers.
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4. Borax (20 Mule Team) is a good, all around natural cleaning agent.

5. "Simple Green" or "Awesome" are also natural, nontoxic A to Z cleaning products.

6. Therapeutic grade essential oils are not only good mood elevators but are also awesome cleaning / disinfectant aids. Note that this grade of oil is different from vegetable oils; these essential oils are the naturally occurring substances that are a plant's immune system and that have been properly distilled and tested for purity and quality.

7. These easy-to-grow houseplants help filter formaldehyde, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide out of the air: Schefflera arboricola, spider plant, English ivy, white butterfly plant, tree philodendron, peace lily and Diffenbachia camille.

8. Try "micron" filter vacuum bags to capture the tiny (micron-sized) dust and mold particles in the air when you vacuum.

9. A shower filter can reduce the amount of chlorine released into the air by the hot water in your shower.

10. . A half a lemon or lemon pieces (even ones with some of the juice squeezed out) of are great for freshening sinks and garbage disposals.

Pam Taylor is a registered counselor, specializing in Spiritual Response Therapy, nutritional counseling, Therapeutic Touch, and subtle energy. She also has a background as a full care nursing assistant, dialysis operator, artist and writer. Currently Pam lives in Seattle where she works with clients both in person (yes, she does make house calls) and at a distance. For further information or to schedule an appointment, she can be reached at 206-784-3081.