Cleaning-Products Books

From the hallowed halls of Stark Research Corporation in Cedarburg, Wisconsin came this unlikely crossover publishing hit. In 1973, Norman H. Stark self-published a how-to book containing the formulas for over 225 household products. With a criminally unattractive cover, no frills prose, and green print (?), Stark's book was not destined for greatness. However, the book took off yielding reprints and multiple editions, including a 4th edition published by Andrews & McNeil. Either these formulas really work or they sound like they really work. (Or the world just needed "Eye Smog Protective Compound.")

This is one of the best books I've read on the subject. Very nicely laid out, extremely readable and full of down to earth (!) tips, instructions and ideas. Would highly recommend it.

As a supermarket cashier for 10 years and shopper for even longer, this is the kind of book I wished I could have written. It is not only entertaining, but educational and brings new light and uses for those supermarket products we often take for granted. Yet, I could never have written this book, because I'm sure the research required, while probably fun, also took lots of time. "Polish Your Furniture With Pantyhose" isn't just for reading; it is for using in real life. I actually stripped off two rooms of wall paper using the book's suggestion of a solution of vinegar. I haven't though tried SPAM to polish my furniture, but did use WD-40 which worked well. (My house just smelled like a mechanics shop for a few hours.) Also a good idea was Mr. Green giving us some product information and other interesting tidbits of information about the products featured. Even if your only goal of supermarket shopping is to check-out as fast as you can, you won't be disappointed if you check-out this book. I'm definitely looking forward to his sequel.

If you own a rental property and need to inform your tennents of their rights and obligations due to the recent lead law changes, this pamphlet is for you. In my atate I must supply every tennent with one and gat a reciept for the paper trail. And every new tennent must also get one. These are very hard to find and are the right item.

Sandbeck provides a witty resource for cleaning any home. In addition to tips on what household items work on which stains, she provides compelling synopses of relevant research that supports "green" housekeeping. I found the study on wooden versus plastic cutting boards especially compelling, along with the information about cleaning produce with a combination of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.

Since reading this book, I've managed to replace nearly all of my conventional cleaning supplies with vinegar, baking soda, borax, and hydrogen peroxide. My house has never been cleaner. Two thumbs up!

Green Housekeeping ... this is a very well written and informative book about all cleaning products and use of natural environmentally sound alternatives. It exposes how dangerous and toxic most cleaning products are, and shows how easily we can keep sanitary and sweet smelling houses without too much hard labor. A good interesting read and packed with worthwhile information. It could transform one's way of living. The author writes with humor and is easy to read, keeping information simple and easily understandable.

I had borrowed the same book from a friend (she paid $18.00) and I enjoyed it so much that I decided to purchase one. I did for less than $3.00 and in great shape! I will Never pay full price for book again. Thank you

Growing up using chemical cleaners, and not growing up with anyone who is chemically sensitive, I never thought about going through life without needing the stuff. This book was a real eye-opener. I picked it up as I am about to embark on owning a new home and trying to maintain it in an eco-friendly (and inexpensive) manner. I found the book thorough, entertaining, and reasonable. It covers a myriad of topics besides household cleaning; eco-conscious fabric/material/building choices, natural personal hygiene, safe lawncare/gardening, home safety, etc. I was not a big fan on how each chapter was set up though. For instance, while the theme may be "laundry," all the laundry info just seemed tossed in without any organization. It also would've been nice to have had a key with all the supplies recommended for each chapter. In order to get an idea of the supplies you would need in order to upkeep your home, you basically need to read through each chapter and just write down the supplies she frequently refers to (there's only a handful of products she refers to throughout the book so she could've even annotated them at the beginning of it). It's not that big a deal, it just would've made it more handy. Even though the chapters seem disorganized, its saving grace is a decent index, so you can get the info you need. While the book alerts the reader of all the toxins chemical cleaners provide, it offers them in an informative manner, not in a way that would make you feel guilty if you used them. I didn't feel like this book was preachy, which is something alternative living books tend to do. All in all, this is an approachable, helpful guide that just may change your life and make you think about your choices in the future. This would make an awesome housewarming gift.

This book is excellent, if you are looking for an easy approach to going organic in your home. The author is witty and not afraid to tell you like it is. Her tips are simple and attainable.

This book has a lot of great recipes and ideas for keeping your house green and clean. The paper used in the book can get wet, and it won't get ruined. I keep it with my regular cookbooks and refer to it ofte for help on making specific cleaning solutions.
It would also be a great gift book.

This book is amazing!! I is changing my life!! I bought this book for the recipes (which are amazing), but it has become so much more to me!!!

As a new wife unfamiliar with the tasks required to keep a home, I found this to be a great help. She's really only covering the basics of home care, and offering a few recipes to get you started.

I think this book is really meant to be more of a jumping-off point for beginners: those of us who are new both to cleaning and to cleaning 'green'. Oldhats at cleaning and/or green cleaning would probably find this particular book tedious, however. For those, she lists several other books. I haven't read these, but if you're already cleaning green you might want to try Vinegar: Over 400 Various, Versatile, and Very Good Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of , Baking Soda: Over 500 Fabulous, Fun, and Frugal Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of (Lansky, Vicki), The Naturally Clean Home: 100 Safe and Easy Herbal Formulas for Non-Toxic Cleansers.

I purchased Green Clean after reading the positive reviews from this Amazon site. I was so disappointed in this purchase that I only made it half way through the book and had to come on line right away to warn others of this useless publication. The first half of the book details why you should clean green, as I am a novice to green cleaning I felt I would learn at least something new I had not heard before. Unfortunately, this was not the case as the author's state well known issues with our societies over use of toxic substances and the hazards of many of the chemicals on the market today. Not only was the information common knowledge and very basic but the authors stated these points over and over again in relentless fashion until I gave up reading the book in a linear fashion and moved on to try to find information regarding the actual cleaning of my home. This publication offers few recipes on creating your own homemade cleaners only about 10 real pages of recipes in a 200 page publication and short changes the readers by simply encouraging them to just buy green products already on the market. To make matters worse I felt the advice given on cleaning in this text condescending and ridiculous. Who doesn't know to hang up towels to dry, to attend to stains immediately if they can, or how to sort laundry? Green Clean seems to me better suited for a simple website than a publication, I recommend you save your money or purchase Better Basics for the Home.

The layout of this book is accessible and user-friendly. The first part of the book seemed unnecessary, with background on basic cleaning and organization princples, but the second half was packed with great information! With recipes for making your own cleaners, resources on green living, sources for commerical "green" products/lifestyle info, and detailed delineations on natural stain fighting, this book would be a great primer for anyone looking for suggestions on how to start going green.

After getting a 3-day migraine from using a commercial tile cleaner I have been exploring the world of green cleaning. I have learned a lot from this book. It is very user-friendly and there are many illustrations which make it easy to find what you are looking for as you flip through the book. I have tried some of the author's cleaning recipes and found them to work just as well as commercial cleaners at a fraction of the price. You don't have to keep buying spray bottles of cleaner everytime you run out - you just mix some more environmentally safe cleaner right in your own spray bottle. Very convenient. There are so many benefits to this style of cleaning; your health, your pocketbook, the environment. The author also tells you what chemicals to check for on the label and avoid if you are buying commercial cleaners.

It is a little preachy but ignore that for the solutions for cleaning are excellent, articles are informative and you will save money while dealing with cleaners that smell good, do not ruin your hands and will not kill your pets.

Revamping and cleaning one's home can take a toll on the environment, but it doesn't need to. "Green Up Your Cleanup" is something for the environmentalist who wants to keep their humble abode in good condition while keeping their carbon footprint small. With tips and advice good for the wallet as well as the Earth, even non-green freaks may find some useful information within. "Green Up Your Cleanup" is chock-full of ideas, and the very book itself is eco-friendly, spiral bound and made of recyclable materials for extra appeal to the inner environmentalist in us all.

My classroom has found this to be a great resource to start many Green projects to help their homes.

I bought this book with high expectations and tried almost all the recipes. The floor cleaner left my floor sticky and needed additional mopping to remove the "natural" cleaner, the washing machine detergent recipe was so potent it removed dies from dark clothing (i.e. all my husband's office attire), and the automatic dish-washing recipe left a nasty brown film over all my dishes, especially the plastics. Also, the vinegar rinse, and ensuing stench, required to sanitize the bathroom was not a big hit with my family. However, as a previous reviewer noted, the baking soda scrub recipe is very useful and a great way to cut down on cleaning fumes and costs. My recommendation is not to purchase this book but perform an on-line search for better cleaning recipes.

I'm offering presentations about Toxins in our environment and how it affects our health and lives.

I refer to this book continuously to look up ideas on how to do it better and provide it to my audience.

Great book, it explains the issues and gives solutions. Good in every household.

Bravo Norma.

As a professional eco-friendly interior designer, I find Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify & Energize Your Life, Your Home & Your Planet by Norma Lehmeier Hartie to be an indispensable tool for my work.

This book started the "green part" of my career. The sections on green living and green products for the home, along with the hundreds of resources, taught me everything I need to know--and where to purchase--green products for the home. There is also a chapter on organic and healthy food and eco-friendly personal care products and on cleaning supplies.

I utilize the tips on organizing and de-cluttering for my clients, too. (For those clients that simply can't get rid of stuff or organize, I give them the book as a gift! It works!)

The sections on Feng Shui are fantastic. Hartie makes difficult concepts easy to understand and execute. I also appreciate the fact that she takes Feng Shui into the 21st century and advises based on Western culture what makes sense. Superstitions based on eastern culture from 1000's of years ago are replaced with down-to-earth and timely advice.

As an interior designer, color is a big part of my job. Hartie incorporates the psychology of color into decorating and this works really well. For example, cool colors like purples and blues work best in rooms that need quiet--like bedrooms--because they will decrease your blood pressure and allow you to rest.

The book has tons of information, but it is easily understood and includes a good index for future reference.

Harmonious Environment is a must-have!

This is a great book for both the beginner and those working on clearing their environment. A very interesting read.

The most impressive aspect of Harmonious Environment is the cover of the book. I found the information to be very basic, idealistic, or common sense. If someone has lived in total chaos and now wants to morph into harmony, this is the book for you! If, however, you're already seeking harmony in your home, I would not recommend this book to you. Harmonious Environment is a primer and only for beginners.

This book has a little bit of everything - feng shui, zodiac signs, dowsing, recipes, and organizational tips. It's so full of information it can be a little overwhelming, but she does organize the book very well. I enjoyed the food recipes and the recipes for natural cleaning solutions. The author also states that dogs prefer positive energy and that cats prefer negative energy, which I have long suspected.

The book has too much of a mystical hoopla vibe for me, though. I stopped when she got to the section about the negative effects of tampons on my spiritual energy or whatever.

This book is full of very helpful tips on fixing and maintaining your boat. I especially liked the information on products that seemed especially helpful in cleaning and waxing the boat. I have used several and found them all to work as the author stated. It is a welcome addition to my library while I am restoring a fiberglass runabout.

This is a good book to have if you are a boat owner. We are repairing an old boat and really like the "quick reference guide" area in each chapter. It provides need-to-know information at a glance.

This book covers washing, cleaning, polishing etc your boat. There are instructions and a lot of ideas on household chemicals which can replace expensive boat-labelled products. There are a lot of product recommendations - not only generic advice. The downside of this is that a lot of the products described are not available in Europe.

Being boating enthusiasts, this book provided our family with the detailed information needed to keep "our baby" (Boat) in tip top shape! We have been looking for answers to the many questions concerning grooming and upkeep of our boat for years. We just ordered two more copies to pass onto other boating friends, as well.
Too bad they didnt make the pages water proof!!
This is the BIBLE for your BOAT! A must have! A must Keep!

Excellent book, buy it. Packed with insightful tips for the novice. If you are set to begin a boat project, start here.

haven't read the whole book, skimmed through it. it's a good reference book to have around the house. lots of quirky things to use to cure things or to even clean with that you would've never thought to use before.

It is very similar to other Joey Green book that I purchased in the same order, and I wish I knew that in advance.

This book is great! A friend of mine was reading this book at work and I looked at it and was instantly intriged. I had to get my own. So I went to Amazon and got one. I use it when I get sick mostly. I've had family and friends call me and ask how to I get rid of this cold, flu, sore throat and etc. I tell them give me a sec, I get the book and read to them. They say its great too. It really has come in handy and saved me tons of money, because I don't have to go to the doctor for everything. Definately think everyone should own a copy OR get a friend to buy it. LOL

mazing kitchen cures. I think it's a great book. It has helped my son with his son as he cant' afford a doctor visit every time the child gets a minor illness. like a cold. The suggestions really work.

I had seen an ad about this book with some of the remedies listed. I went and bought it just to see what I could find in there. As I started reading it, I saw ones my MOM used.

Say you're cooking and some grease gets on you, try Colgate toothpaste(regular). Canada Dry Ginger Ale is great for upset stomach (generic brand works just as well) for clearing up congestion. There were quite a few old family remedies in this book that I've used before. The author also lists interesting facts about the companies whose products he lists. He also explains in many of the remedies why they work.

The book is really helpful, but don't feel you can only use the brand names he lists. For example, the one about using Canada Dry Ginger Ale - I've used generic brands for years and you will get the same result. The Colgate one - I've used gel types and that works too. I'll probably be going through this book again and again. It's a nice reference for the price :)

I recently picked up another copy for a relative. Her kids found the book and SHE didn't see it again for a week. I didn't realize the kids would be so fascinated with the book. It's really a great way to have kids explore how things work. Again, a great reference.