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Organic Housekeeping: In Which the Nontoxic Avenger Shows You How to Improve Your Health and That of Your Family While You Save Time, Money, and, Perhaps, Your Sanity
A comprehensive, "green" guide to home care explains how to create and maintain a nontoxic, hypoallergenic, clean home using safe, readily available products, with practical tips on how to alleviate cleaning agents and personal care products that contain toxic chemicals, how to clean every part of the home, and simple remedies to get every job done. 50,000 first printing.
426 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
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1272 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
November 3, 2009
It's not literature, but I'm very excited and I've got to tell people! The grime-cutting power of hot, plain white vinegar is unequalled by anything on the commercial market. Who knew??!!
My shower stalls and floors, both hardwood and linoleum, have never gleamed as they do now. My mother-in-law's antique walnut table was beginning to resemble a Grauman's Chinese Theater for felines, with the prints of little cat feet seemingly cemented into 12 years' worth of commercial furniture polish build up. As of this morning, the crud is gone and the table's rich patina is completely restored.
Next on my to-do list is homemade laundry soap and dishwasher soap.
I'm saving tons of money--money to buy more books to write about on Goodreads!--and feeling virtuous about helping to reverse negative effects on the environment.
My shower stalls and floors, both hardwood and linoleum, have never gleamed as they do now. My mother-in-law's antique walnut table was beginning to resemble a Grauman's Chinese Theater for felines, with the prints of little cat feet seemingly cemented into 12 years' worth of commercial furniture polish build up. As of this morning, the crud is gone and the table's rich patina is completely restored.
Next on my to-do list is homemade laundry soap and dishwasher soap.
I'm saving tons of money--money to buy more books to write about on Goodreads!--and feeling virtuous about helping to reverse negative effects on the environment.
March 20, 2011
3/18/11 Okay, this is a little creepy, but I totally just reread this, cover to cover! I love that she is a dog person. I love the down to earth cleaning advice. Since reading it the first time, I've started drying my clothes on the line and using baking soda and vinegar for most cleaning, and I'm just as sketched out as ever about all of the chemicals we use everyday.
This book is surprisingly comprehensive - a great reference.
*****
From 6/4/10: I didn't expect to find much of interest here, since ... how do I put this? ... I don't really clean. Ever. I mean, I wash the dishes, but I never mop - isn't that what dogs are for? I don't need a book to remind me of all of the tasks I never perform.
But I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book is about a lot more than the best way to scrub the tub, and ended up getting quite a few good ideas from the book for greener and cheaper living. Inspired by this book, I finally installed a clothesline in our backyard, and bought some dishrags with scrubbies to use on dishes.
I also took note of her method of getting a duvet inside a duvet cover - she has a simple answer to this problem that I have been struggling with my whole life! Genius!
Anyway, I recommend this to anyone interested in green and frugal housekeeping or (shudder) cleaning.
July 22, 2018
I loved this book to the extent that I'm going to buy a copy to have on hand. There's chapters on reducing clutter, waste prevention and numerous "maintenance" tips for various parts of your house. I love the recipes for creating your own cleaning supplies.
November 8, 2008
I got this book at the library hoping for some homemade recipes in order to cut down on chemicals I use and also money spent buying the chemicals.
What I found was so much more!
Very helpful tips about organizing your entire house, decluttering, how to clean faster , simpler, and more efficient. Plus, the entire book is written upbeat and is actually entertaining!
I've already renewed it twice because I keep using it as a reference as well. I'm going to have to buy a copy to keep, it's a very well organized book and easy to look up a solution to a specific problem. This book is VERY useful!
What I found was so much more!
Very helpful tips about organizing your entire house, decluttering, how to clean faster , simpler, and more efficient. Plus, the entire book is written upbeat and is actually entertaining!
I've already renewed it twice because I keep using it as a reference as well. I'm going to have to buy a copy to keep, it's a very well organized book and easy to look up a solution to a specific problem. This book is VERY useful!
September 21, 2009
I went ahead and bought this book because it is awesome. I tried just making note cards but i had gobs of notes. Everyone must read this book!
I am going to read it again now that I am going to move into a different home with different land..
I am going to read it again now that I am going to move into a different home with different land..
July 24, 2023
There was a lot of good information/ideas in this. My main complaint is the section where she tells us indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air…well some of us are allergic to pollen and can’t keep our windows open 😡😡
July 15, 2018
Not very practical for a busy family. This is overly detailed.
March 2, 2010
This book is actually far more awesome than I anticipated. As a person who has been dabbling in Organic Housekeeping for years, when I dabble in housekeeping at all, I thought this was going to be mind-numbingly basic "vinegar" and "baking soda" kind of book. It's actually a lot more, and even goes to the root of many of our household problems. Cleaning would be easier and require less chemicals if we had less clutter to attract mess, if we took off our shoes at the door like the europeans do, if we built our houses with better materials, if we had good ventilation and circulation in our house (less mold!), and so on. Anyway, i got this from the library and it is not exactly the most thrilling read cover to cover, but if I owned it - and make no mistake, I wish I did - I would find myself referring back to it and picking it up all the time. While I was writing this review, I thought of three things I need to look up before I take it back to the library. I like that it has real situations that I encounter constantly, and not just crazy shit that has no basis in reality -- like how to get red wine out of my white sofa with $17 "organic" cleaner from whole foods -- we only drink clear liquor and beer in this house, and our sofa is the same color as our dirt, and if i ever spend $17 on a cleaner, it better preform miracles.
half-read
October 10, 2008okay, i love this because it is precisely keyed to my new (mostly uninformed) paranoia about plastics and chemicals. and the book is pretty great. but there are small suggestions that maybe the author is mentally ill. exhibit A: she has a rolodex that shows where every item in her house can be found, down to the numbered marked drawer. hmm.
May 29, 2020
Excellent book. I highly recommend this book for so many reasons. Just a couple are...it's easy to read and has so many helpful tips for green housekeeping. I'm not renovating, but I would say it's a must-read if you want to make healthy home decisions in relation to your renovations.
September 30, 2018
Useful and informative, especially for someone who has never thought about the chemicals in their home and how they might be affecting their nervous system and health.
July 13, 2010
I haven’t finished this book yet but I’m not sure I ever will. I borrowed it from a friend thinking that it would be a book full of Earth-friendly cleaning recipes. While it is Earth-friendly it is not a user-friendly book.
First of all, there are no clearly laid out recipes in Organic Housekeeping. A book like this ought to be able to be used as a ready reference. Got a tub with soap scum? Look up “bathtub” or “soap scum” in the index, and you should be able to quickly reference instructions. In this example the index references the following pages: “138-139, 145-56, 149-52, 154-55”. Notice how most of those overlap? If you scan the pages carefully you may find what you’re looking for, but it’s not going to be easy.
My other major complaint is the author’s use of scientific citations. As the proud recipient of a scientific education I feel that Sandbeck picks and chooses her references very carefully to validate her beliefs. While that is, to some degree, what we all do, the manner in which she does it grates. For example, this is part of her explanation for why she does not recommend the use of fabric softeners:
Rosalind Anderson, Ph.D., and Julius Anderson, MD, Ph.D., of
Anderson Laboratories, Inc. published a study entitled “Respiratory
Toxicity of Fabric Softener Emissions” in the May 2000 issue of The
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. When the doctors
exposed laboratory mice to air that was contaminated with the fumes
from fabric softener sheets, the rodents developed irritation of the
eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, and some had severe asthma attacks.
Fine, she found a study that showed fabric softener sheets were toxic to mice. A brief scan of the paragraph shows that it was done by two self-employed scientists. We don’t know anything about their lab, it’s tagline might be “Slinging Mud At Big Corporations Since 1988”. A closer reading shows that the study was actually published in a journal which appears to be reputable. If Sandbeck had started her citation by mentioning the journal and followed it up with the names of the authors, no institution mentioned, my eye would only have picked up the journal. And at that point I might have been more likely to swallow the information that Sandbeck was attempting to convey. I know this is nit-picking, but it colors the feeling of the entire book. It seems that Sandbeck has strong opinions that she tries to prop up with carefully selected scientific studies.
This brings me to my last complaint. Ellen Sandbeck’s methods work for her, but I suspect that she is a long way from average. Her first chapter is very overwhelming. Before you get to any cleaning advice at all she states that you must organize and document every item in your home. A reader with a cluttered home, in need of housekeeping help, would probably drop this book onto a nearby pile and despair of ever getting their home clean.
In summary, I would skip Organic Housekeeping in favor of more succinct such as Clean House, Clean Planet or even a book from another generation of housekeepers such as Heloise.
First of all, there are no clearly laid out recipes in Organic Housekeeping. A book like this ought to be able to be used as a ready reference. Got a tub with soap scum? Look up “bathtub” or “soap scum” in the index, and you should be able to quickly reference instructions. In this example the index references the following pages: “138-139, 145-56, 149-52, 154-55”. Notice how most of those overlap? If you scan the pages carefully you may find what you’re looking for, but it’s not going to be easy.
My other major complaint is the author’s use of scientific citations. As the proud recipient of a scientific education I feel that Sandbeck picks and chooses her references very carefully to validate her beliefs. While that is, to some degree, what we all do, the manner in which she does it grates. For example, this is part of her explanation for why she does not recommend the use of fabric softeners:
Rosalind Anderson, Ph.D., and Julius Anderson, MD, Ph.D., of
Anderson Laboratories, Inc. published a study entitled “Respiratory
Toxicity of Fabric Softener Emissions” in the May 2000 issue of The
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. When the doctors
exposed laboratory mice to air that was contaminated with the fumes
from fabric softener sheets, the rodents developed irritation of the
eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, and some had severe asthma attacks.
Fine, she found a study that showed fabric softener sheets were toxic to mice. A brief scan of the paragraph shows that it was done by two self-employed scientists. We don’t know anything about their lab, it’s tagline might be “Slinging Mud At Big Corporations Since 1988”. A closer reading shows that the study was actually published in a journal which appears to be reputable. If Sandbeck had started her citation by mentioning the journal and followed it up with the names of the authors, no institution mentioned, my eye would only have picked up the journal. And at that point I might have been more likely to swallow the information that Sandbeck was attempting to convey. I know this is nit-picking, but it colors the feeling of the entire book. It seems that Sandbeck has strong opinions that she tries to prop up with carefully selected scientific studies.
This brings me to my last complaint. Ellen Sandbeck’s methods work for her, but I suspect that she is a long way from average. Her first chapter is very overwhelming. Before you get to any cleaning advice at all she states that you must organize and document every item in your home. A reader with a cluttered home, in need of housekeeping help, would probably drop this book onto a nearby pile and despair of ever getting their home clean.
In summary, I would skip Organic Housekeeping in favor of more succinct such as Clean House, Clean Planet or even a book from another generation of housekeepers such as Heloise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2017
This is a more comprehensive book than I have read on the subject. There are many, many tips that are very helpful.
Read
August 5, 2011En morsom og romantisk historie med form som en moderne brevroman, en e-postroman. Ved en skrivefeil kommer hovedpersonene i kontakt med hverandre da kvinnen i fortellingen forsøker å si opp et tidsskriftsabonnement via e-post. Mannen som mottar e-posten tenker ikke videre over det med det samme, men etter å ha fått et par meldinger til, leverer han et syrlig svar for å oppklare misforståelsen. Dette utvikler seg til en fast korrespondanse med humor og nerve. Spørsmålet er om det er lurt å møtes i virkeligheten og i hvilken grad det er forskjell på det virtuelle bildet og ens "virkelige" vesen. Kan forresten en virtuell romanse med et menneske man aldri har sett regnes som utroskap?
Leserens innsyn i historien begrenser seg til å få lese brevvekslingen mellom disse to, det er aldri noen forklaringer av handlingen utover det som skrives, hvilket gjør at man følger historien på likt nivå som de involverte, som jo heller ikke har andre referanser enn nettopp de stadig flere e-postene.
Denne anbefales om du har lyst på en hyggelig og litt annerledes leseopplevelse!
Leserens innsyn i historien begrenser seg til å få lese brevvekslingen mellom disse to, det er aldri noen forklaringer av handlingen utover det som skrives, hvilket gjør at man følger historien på likt nivå som de involverte, som jo heller ikke har andre referanser enn nettopp de stadig flere e-postene.
Denne anbefales om du har lyst på en hyggelig og litt annerledes leseopplevelse!
April 20, 2009
Pretty okay book with a few neat cleaning tips and tricks (mostly just using combinations of vinegar, borax and Murphy's oil soap) so nothing really outstanding or original. A little disappointed with the lack of recipes and not always vegan friendly ideas. The author is fond of wool, leather, feather/down filled pillows etc. Also when it came to the section for ridding the home of pests (mice/rats) the author recommended using snap traps because they're the most "humane" option. Actually advises against the use of humane live traps because rats are "dangerous" and mice will just end up being eaten by cats anyway. Even if that were the case, a cat eating a mouse is a hell of a lot more natural than setting up a trap that will snap it's neck and not always kill it quickly enough to prevent suffering/pain. Not really something I was expecting to read in a natural/organic book.
I was really intrigued by the methods of rain-washing and snow cleaning carpets though. Overall, the book has some neat ideas but there are definitely better 'green' cleaning books out there.
I was really intrigued by the methods of rain-washing and snow cleaning carpets though. Overall, the book has some neat ideas but there are definitely better 'green' cleaning books out there.
August 14, 2007
I've read several books on greening one's home and this has been the most comprehensive and practical. There are specific cleaning solutions for household tasks as well as adjusting one's cleaning attitudes. I just bought a 100% wool blanket from the Goodwill Outlet (yes, the rejects from the Goodwill Store $1.50/lb.) and can't wait to use her rain washing suggestion. The author also includes recipes for making your own dishwasher detergent and how to clean fruits, vegetables and meat using vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. Who would have guessed? My chemist partner approves.
There are descriptions of the benefits of rejecting conventional products in both the micro-environment of your home and the global environment. These descriptions are especially useful for people with allergies because conventional notions such as avoiding down comforters turn out, according to current research, to be exactly the opposite.
Overall, I hope I can one day own this book!
There are descriptions of the benefits of rejecting conventional products in both the micro-environment of your home and the global environment. These descriptions are especially useful for people with allergies because conventional notions such as avoiding down comforters turn out, according to current research, to be exactly the opposite.
Overall, I hope I can one day own this book!
August 21, 2007
Organic Housekeeping is a smart, healthy, guide-to-living manual. By no means have I read every page in the book, but it is indexed in such a way that if I have a question about something specific (such as what types of laundry detergent to use), I can find the answer. The writing is clear and often witty, and Sandbeck has a refreshing approach to cleaning and organizing (get organized so that "cleaning" is hardly ever necessary). Some chapters offer fairly scary wake up calls as they spell out the specific dangers of many of the chemicals present in our daily lives. Alternatives to many toxic cleaning chemicals are often simpler, cheaper, and much safer than expected. For example, boiling water will kill weeds just as well as pesticides (of course the remedy is easier to use in specific circumstances, such as when trying to kill weeds peeking out of sidewalk cracks).
I would recommend this book to anyone, whether or not they are "into" organic lifestyles.
I would recommend this book to anyone, whether or not they are "into" organic lifestyles.
May 20, 2010
I loved this book. Fantastic practical solutions and the approach that supreme tidiness does not equal supreme happiness for most of us. The author describes easy and quick things you can do to keep your home tidy and reasonably clean with the little bits here and there approach. Things like washing out the sink with the washcloths after finishing the dishes, drying the shower walls with a towel after drying off to keep out the mold ... all things that take about a minute when done regularly and about 50 times that if done once a month or less. I also enjoyed the bits about gardening and can't wait to pick up her other books.
4 stars instead of 5 due to the lack of organic cleaning recipes. I would have like to have seen more in this book then a couple of vinegar basics. Great for entry level, so i picked up "The Naturally Clean Home" to complete the picture, all recipes and tips/tricks. Perfect pair!!!
4 stars instead of 5 due to the lack of organic cleaning recipes. I would have like to have seen more in this book then a couple of vinegar basics. Great for entry level, so i picked up "The Naturally Clean Home" to complete the picture, all recipes and tips/tricks. Perfect pair!!!
March 16, 2011
I found this to be a great reference guide to all sorts of household cleaning routines and special problems. Although vinegar, other natural ingredients and their uses are explained in great detail, I was a little disappointed not to find any straightforward cleaning solution "recipes". Maybe this is because they are plentiful on the internet.
While I did find some new ideas to try, it would be impossible to accomplish or switch to an organic method for everything listed in this book. Hence, this is best used as a reference guide.
I did appreciate the reinforcement on personal products- bath soaps and washes, cleansers, all makeup products and perfumes- which are not regulated by the FDA and many of which contain very dangerous substances which are known to cause cancer and are banned in Europe and other countries. But this chapter was too short for my taste and the recommended products list was too.
While I did find some new ideas to try, it would be impossible to accomplish or switch to an organic method for everything listed in this book. Hence, this is best used as a reference guide.
I did appreciate the reinforcement on personal products- bath soaps and washes, cleansers, all makeup products and perfumes- which are not regulated by the FDA and many of which contain very dangerous substances which are known to cause cancer and are banned in Europe and other countries. But this chapter was too short for my taste and the recommended products list was too.
April 26, 2012
Wow! I definitely recommend this book to EVERYONE! I cannot believe how smart this lady is about EVERYTHING! She talks about organizing, cleaning, laundry, gardening, lawn care, stain removal, kitchen safety, carpet/wall choices, etc., etc. And being "organic" she talks about caring for all these things in a natural (and usually cheaper) way... as she says no one ever got sick from mud caked clothes but plenty of people are getting sick from chemicals in laundry detergents that are supposed to make our clothes clean but greatly affect our health! This is like the ultimate home management manual : ) I for sure sat down and read cover to cover because my ignorance in all these areas just continued to amaze me! And now that I'm finished, it will stay within close reach as a reference for pretty much everything!
July 25, 2010
I want to follow her advice and use diluted white vinegar for all surface cleaning.
That's pretty much all I got out of the book because I thought this book was about organizing and cleaning. But the book goes into how to select appliances, floorboards, paint, sinks etc. which I didn't care for and also labeling things and such which I had no interest in doing.
I had hoped she would talk more about reducing the amount of stuff you had, but she doesn't get into that at all, in fact, she recommends having duplicates of stuff so that they are not misplaced. Like scissors in the kitchen and then another one for gardening... why? because she is imagining a household that is big that the kitchen and the garden can't share a pair of scissors. hmm, I'm glad I'm not living there :)
That's pretty much all I got out of the book because I thought this book was about organizing and cleaning. But the book goes into how to select appliances, floorboards, paint, sinks etc. which I didn't care for and also labeling things and such which I had no interest in doing.
I had hoped she would talk more about reducing the amount of stuff you had, but she doesn't get into that at all, in fact, she recommends having duplicates of stuff so that they are not misplaced. Like scissors in the kitchen and then another one for gardening... why? because she is imagining a household that is big that the kitchen and the garden can't share a pair of scissors. hmm, I'm glad I'm not living there :)
April 24, 2008
In her book she doesn't recommend raw milk. I know there are those who disagree on raw milk but from what I've read there is nothing better than raw milk. Today's raw milk is also easy to store without cross contamination. www.realmilk.com
There were also a few other details in the book that I believe she goes to extremes with, but overall I really enjoyed this book. I've taken lots of notes, and after reading it I have started to use a lot more vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and basic cleaning tips for when I cook that I didn't really pay attention to before. I'm really enjoying the small chances I've made.
Would definitely recommend it.
There were also a few other details in the book that I believe she goes to extremes with, but overall I really enjoyed this book. I've taken lots of notes, and after reading it I have started to use a lot more vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and basic cleaning tips for when I cook that I didn't really pay attention to before. I'm really enjoying the small chances I've made.
Would definitely recommend it.
December 17, 2013
Want to know how to clean your house without chemicals and keep it clean without learning the hard way from goof balls trying stuff out and pinning it to Pinterest? READ THIS BOOK, do what it says. It will save you a bunch of time and money. I was very happy with Green Housekeeping - even though I have been practicing it for several years now I learned plenty of new techniques and organizational skills. Much of it I already knew, and much of it was common sense but there were enough jewels of new tips and trick that it kept me happy with the book. This book is now a permanent fixture in my house as a reference.
November 9, 2009
This had a lot of good information in it but was really repetitive. Had it been more simply organized, it would make a great handy reference. The author does include resources and websites for some of the products and tools that she recommends, which I appreciated. Probably one of the best (new) tips I picked up from this book was that there are places, such as Mail Boxes Etc, that accept packing peanuts and reuse them. I don't know why I never thought to ask! I have bags of that stuff in my garage I've been trying to find a use for.
August 1, 2009
For starters, I'm hoping to get inspired to try cleaning agents which are not bad for me & my family, and that get the job done. I unwillingly gravitate towards the really toxic stuff which does the job fast. Used everywhere in this book is white vinegar - like for cleaning bathtubs & toilets. Other products the author recommends for various purposes are things like hydrogen peroxide, Borax, and baking soda. There's a plethora of information about "green" cleaning online, however I imagine this book has most of it contained more handily in its 420 pages.
April 7, 2011
The first thing I did after reading this book was chuck my plastic cutting board and buy a jug of distilled white vinegar. This book is more than just a list of recipes, it is a manifesto for green living. It includes quite a bit of research about chemicals and their effect on the environment, and why it is advisable to go for the natural alternatives. And it is very thorough. Ellen Sandbeck covers everything from everyday cleaning in the home, to indoor air quality, to fire safety. It would be worth buying a copy to keep on hand for reference.
September 5, 2008
What an amazing resource for any homeowner to have. I received this as a wedding shower gift and I really only started investigating it a few months ago. The laid-out steps of the process of cleaning may seem tedious, but it helped remind me that it doesn't have to take forever and I can be efficient. I also liked that every cleaning agent she recommends is a common pantry item. Plus the gentle reminder about the effect of these chemicals we are putting in our body is good.
October 4, 2015
This book is for the person that wants to green the way they clean. I found it to be a very interesting book. One thing that I really like about it is the plethora of research the author puts forth, but she includes where she found the information so you can look it up yourself. I found it to be a really good reference book and have pulled it off the shelf many times for all types of catastrophes. The author includes everything from soup to nuts.
March 19, 2008
Saw this recommended on the nest, so I got it from my library. It had a lot of good tips, but also a lot of stuff I really didn't need to read.... I guess others would feel differently, but do I need an in depth examination of all the bacteria that could be living in my kitchen? Not really--just tell me how to clean it. I did a lot of skimming through this book, but I did learn some really good things.
I'm glad I got it from the library (which I suppose is conserving too, right?)
I'm glad I got it from the library (which I suppose is conserving too, right?)
February 28, 2008
Great, practical, fun, informative. I am getting more and more radical in my options regarding my family lifestyle. I don't like to clean, organize, etc, but if I can find a reason, more than just clean, like health, lifestyle, sustainability then it makes sense. I am looking at the footprint I am leaving on earth... I used to make fun of friends who said that... and here I am!!
Great book, it just makes sense!
Great book, it just makes sense!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews