We all know that baking soda can be used to clean everything from your counter tops to your teeth. But did you know that there are plenty of other eco-friendly cleaners that you can whip up with a few common kitchen ingredients? Here are five of our favorites.

1. Vodka laundry freshener

   The smarties over at Webecoist say a spritz or two of vodka on your clothes will freshen them up between washes. They swear that the booze scent evaporates quickly, along with the noxious odors you’re trying to kill. This isn’t technically a “recipe” since you’re not combining any ingredients with the vodka, but it’s too clever an idea to pass up. And, no, we don’t recommend mixing orange juice into your vodka-filled spray bottle.

2. Creamy soft scrubber

   Sure, those goopy white creamy cleansers do a great job of removing gunk from sinks and showers, but we can do without the fumes and chemicals. Care2 has a terrific idea for making a similar cleanser that won’t leave you gasping for air every time you use it. Put about 1/2 a cup of baking soda in a bowl, then add a little liquid detergent until the mixture resembles cake frosting. Scrub to your heart’s content without unleashing a cadre of chemicals into your home.

3. Glass cleaner

   To make your widows and mirrors sparkle, try the approach recommended by Green Homes. Add two tablespoons of white vinegar to a gallon of water, put some in a spray bottle and go nuts. If the smell of vinegar bothers you or evokes memories of that bad egg-dyeing session you’re trying to forget, use club soda or lemon juice instead.

4. Drain cleaner

   Oh, this one is fun! Eco-Friendly Cleaning says forget the caustic drain cleaner from the hardware store, grab a box of baking soda, a cup of vinegar, lemon juice and a gallon of hot water instead. Call the kids in to watch while you create your own little homemade volcano. First pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain and follow it up with the vinegar, then about 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Let it foam and fizz for a while, then rinse the drain with the bucket of hot water.

5. Furniture polish

   Lighter Footstep nails down a great homemade recipe for making your wood furniture glow. Fill a spray bottle with a cup of olive oil and 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Your furniture (and lungs) will thank you for not rubbing chemical-laden spray all over the place. As an added bonus, if all that house cleaning leaves you famished, spritz a plate of pasta with your new furniture polish, toss in a handful of basil, and there’s lunch!

Image by alancleaver_2000

The post Top 5 Eco-Friendly Cleaning Recipes appeared first on EcoSalon.

The problem with writing about sustainable seafood is that it makes you really hungry for seafood, which can be a challenge if you’re trying to limit your consumption. I figure reading about sustainable seafood must make all of you hungry, so after last week’s post on what to eat and why, I went out to the fish market and decided to whip up an ocean-friendly ceviché.

Ceviché is traditionally made with raw fish. The lime juice bathes the fish in flavor and “cooks” it, in a manner. During the process you will notice that the fish turns from translucent to opaque and develops a toothsome quality, as if it were cooked. If you would prefer to cook the fish, you may cut it into cubes, poach it quickly (for 30 seconds or so), drain immediately and then toss with the other ingredients.

For the Ceviché:

3/4 pound halibut (you could use farmed striped bass or other sustainable, firm-fleshed white fish), cut into cubes
Juice of 3 limes
Chopped cilantro to taste
One-half of an avocado, cut into bite-sized pieces
10 cherry tomatoes, halved (I actually used a firm plum instead of tomato. Try it if you still have plums in your market)
One-half of a large jalapeno (or a whole small one) quartered, seeded, and diced
1 small shallot, sliced thinly
Salt
Pepper
Aleppo pepper to taste (you can substitute cayenne if Aleppo is unavailable)
Freshly fried corn tortillas or store-bought chips for serving

Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate for 45 minutes to 2 hours before serving. Serve atop freshly fried corn tortillas like a tostada, or in a stemmed glass with chips on the side.

Image: cyclonebill

Recipe Copyright 2009 Vanessa Barrington

Note: please use organic, local ingredients whenever possible.

The post Ecosalon Recipes: Sustainable Seafood in Practice: Halibut Ceviché Recipe appeared first on EcoSalon.