By Laurel Reisen
Rowan Public Library
These days, more and more people are turning toward healthy organic foods to nourish their bodies. But have you ever thought about organic ways to clean your home? Rowan Public Library has several books to help you clean and maintain an organic, nontoxic and environmentally friendly haven for you and your loved ones.
“Green Clean,” by Linda Mason Hunter and Mikki Halpin, is a great starting point for organic home cleaning. This step-by-step guide is easy to use and it allows the reader to start “cleaning green” slowly instead of making sweeping changes to your cleaning habits.
In fact, one of the authors, Linda Mason Hunter, admits to successfully “cleaning green” in this same manner. This book goes through the house room by room, concentrating on tips and environmentally friendly products. Some of these products may be purchased in health food stores or online, but most can be made from the recipes provided. “Green Clean” is published on waterproof, polypropylene pages.
Ellen Sandbeck, also known as “The Nontoxic Avenger,” is an organic gardener and landscaper who communicates her expertise of organic living into your home in “Organic Housekeeping.” This book is not just a manual for an organic home, but for any home.
Sandbeck advocates organizing and throwing away clutter as a starting point on your journey to a healthier and organic home.
Her advice on an organic environmentally friendly home encompasses the entire home and family. Every topic is covered from laundry care, to car care to fire safety. The book abounds with advice on how to keep your rooms clean and healthy as well as personal care, child care and pet care.
Many nontoxic and organic cleaners can be made at home. “The Naturally Clean Home,” by Karyn Siegel-Maier, is filled with more than 100 recipes for making homemade nontoxic cleansers that can be used to clean your home, office and car.
Most ingredients can be found in your local supermarket, along with essential oils found in health food stores. Never heard of essential oils? Not a problem. The book contains a chart of essential oils and their beneficial cleaning properties.
Using these resources available at Rowan Public Library you will soon be on your way to healthy and organic home.
Summer programs: This year’s Children’s Summer Reading Program is “Get a Clue.” A parent or legal guardian must sign up in person at any location. Activities will be for children ages 1 through rising sixth-graders.
A new summer reading program for teens (middle and high school students) will run Tuesday through July 31 at all library locations. All programs are at 5:30 p.m., Tuesdays at East and South branches, and Wednesdays at headquarters.
Computer classes: Headquarters, Thursday, Internet Super Searching, 9:15-10:45 a.m. South, Google Class, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., June 19.
Displays: Headquarters ó display by Abdullah Mahmud. East ó Beanie Babies Galore by Maria Kenrey. South ó flutes and carvings by Jack Thomas.
Literacy: Call the Rowan County Literacy Council at 704-216-8266 for more information on teaching or receiving literacy tutoring for English speakers or for those for whom English is a second language.
Web site: www.rowanpubliclibrary.org.