Hi Kristimama, I thought I'd give you some of the things I have been using. First, I have absolutely loved my Lotus Sanitizing System -- you can read reviews and threads on Gardenweb about them. Some people love them; others hate them. I personally have had good luck since I got the upgraded model (I wouldn't recommend the LBU100 standard model as it's had a lot of problems). The machine ozonates water which makes it a sanitizer/disinfectant. Since you're just using 'water' to clean -- it's friendlier to you and the environment. I spray down my bathroom surfaces -- let them sit for about 5-10 minutes, then follow-up with a microfiber towel. It leaves everything shiny and clean. There's no smell and no chemicals to worry about. You can safely use it around kids and pets. The downside is that the product is expensive. The base model is over $100 and the higher-end model is about $150. Once I got a model that works as it should, I've come to rely on it and use it in the kitchen and bathroom daily. It is registered with the EPA and FDA as an approved food surface sanitizer. The other suggestions is to try a vinegar/water mixture with Tea Tree Oil added to it (about 20 drops). Tea Tree is a natural germicide and has mild disinfecting properties -- probably enough to get the troublesome germs out of the bathroom. There's lot of recipes for non-toxic cleaners on this site and you sometimes have to experiment to find one that works for you. For example, a lot of recipes call to add vinegar and baking soda with tea tree oil. I find that solution to leave a white film on everything if you don't rinse well, so I don't like using it. There are also a few new disinfectants on the market that are safer than traditional chemistry options. You can Google them to find out more. I tried one, PureGreen24, but found that it left everything kind of 'sticky.' The most important thing to remember when cleaning is that you're trying to remove as much dirt as possible. Not all cleaners are disinfectants. Regular maintenance cleaning will leave a surface sanitary (meaning most of the dirt and germs are gone). If you want that true extra step of disinfection, you must use an EPA registered disinfectant--most of which require proper application and safety handling instructions. I'm attaching a link on some of the FAQs of disinfecting. Hope it helps! Here is a link that might be useful: Soap & Detergent Association FAQ

ebear1271 I am in NY...believe it or not, I found two new products, one is Charlies Soap. I just got it 3 days ago..( read about it on the laundry forum) and I have to say..much better than seventh generation. My clothes smell really clean..a natural real clean.. love it! The only thing with the charlies is, I am not too sure how good it is on getting stains out. I also bought their all purpose cleaner, they said to use it full strenght for laundry stains to pre treat..well it didn't work good for me at all..( couldn't get a chocolate spot out of my daughters white shirt from ice cream) but I have read how other people had better results. they have a web site, www.charliesoap.com they have a first time buyers discount and free shipping. a small 3lb bag does 80 loads Now I am waiting for Shaklee products..lol..I read about that also on the laundry forum. (there is a clickable link on that forum) I actually just ordered it, and did not get it yet. I heard that was a great product too... people have raved about it as well. I figured I will give each product an honest try and see which one I like better and thats what I will stick with. The reason I started using the seventh generation is, it is truly natural and that is not easy to find these days, so many products claim to be, but are not and it's the only one I found local. with the seventh generation, I had to add borax or arm and hammer super washing soda. With Charlies, I added nothing and the clothes were much cleaner. From what some have written , they like Shaklee products better. Shaklee also makes a nature bright to put in the wash, I heard this was wonderful, not only for the wash, but for other purposes also and I heard this zaps out any stain. I also ordered their all purpose cleaner basic H.. it's a very concentrated, one 16oz bottle will last forever, and has multiple uses. For example , for a window cleaner, you only need 2 drops per 16oz of water...( you can buy their set of 3 bottles to make your different cleaning mixes)So..needless to say, I can't wait to try their products. Charlies is all unscented, but Shaklee comes unscented and one with a mild soft scent. I ordered the unscented. You should go to both web sites and read them.. when I get mine, I will try it right away... I will let you know what I think in comparison... so hold off the seventh generation.. I promise, there are better products out there, and I am more than happy to have found them! (not that 7th generation is 'bad' , I just feel that there are other truly natural products out there that work much better) stay tuned...Ree

No prior experience with Seventh Generation or Ecover products. I've tried Country Save detergent, and my advice there is to save your money. I use the Bi-O-Kleen premium because it contains enzymes. Detergents without enzymes just don't do a very good job. I chose the Ecover oxy bleach because it's the only one on the market that is a 100% pure percarbonate product. The only other way to get pure percarbonate is to buy it from thechemistrystore.com -- and that's a rather expensive proposition once you add shipping and handling. The Ecover product is a bargain by comparison, and they seem to be a wonderful company as well. I was so impressed with the Bi-O-Kleen Premium laundry powder that yesterday I ordered the dishwashing powder as well. I figure since I have a super efficient Miele, I can probably feed it a nice natural product and get good results. I also ordered the Ecover plant-based fabric softener, and will let you know how it goes. Oh and regarding the "mild disinfecting" properties of the Ecover and other percarbonate-based "oxy" bleaches -- I've never known oxy bleaches to be used as disinfectants, so it must be a secondary benefit. I wouldn't rely on the oxy bleaches to disinfect laundry -- if you need disinfection, add a few drops of chlorine bleach or some pine oil.

Well, it's not exactly brilliant, but the food shortages I've encountered in the grocery stores (much better now than two weeks ago), have made me much more aware of how much I waste. Normally, I will grab a paper towel to wipe up a spill or polish the faucet or whatever, without a thought. Now, I'm getting into the habit of using my old, retired dish towels for this purpose. We've always been pretty good about not wasting food, but I'm becoming even more vigilant these past couple of weeks. More meal planning, more using up things that are in the fridge and all with an eye towards less waste. While we are not yet low on TP, I am becoming more aware of how much I use. Rather than just pull a big wad off of the roll, I'm trying to use about half what I usually do and our rolls of TP are lasting twice as long. When this is all over, I am going to make an effort to retain these new habits as they are good for my wallet and good for the environment. Heh, I'm turning into my grandmother who was a young homemaker during the depression years...