I’ve written about Green Works products in the past. I have always found them to be just as good as non-eco-friendly products and their new laundry detergent and stain remover are no different.

My boys have sensitive skin. Do you know where they get it from? Straight from me. And? Straight from FireDad. So they have a double genetic whammy of sensitive skin. BigBrother’s skin is a bit more sensitive in some ways (lotions, shampoo) while LittleBrother has some harsher issues when it comes to things like detergents. I also have an issue with detergent. I chose to wash my own laundry in the new Green Works detergent first just in case I was going to have a reaction. No reaction! No itchies! It’s fabulous. I do, personally, find it a bit too perfume-y for my liking but I have to admit: I have a super nose. I don’t think others would have a problem with it. It doesn’t bother me after the item has been dryed, just when I’m washing! The boys have had no reactions as well. Hooray!

As far as the stain remover, it’s just as awesome. The week that we got the stain remover, LittleBrother sat in pizza. IN KHAKI PANTS! Cue panic. I just pre-treated the pizza sauce stain, washed it like normal and, bam! No stain. I was super pleased with that fact. I’m sure it won’t be perfect but I haven’t found a stain remover that is just yet!

I do think we’ll be switching to Green Works laundry products, though I may go ahead and get the free and clear version (no perfume, no dye) of the actual detergent. There’s a $3 coupon on their website if you’d like to give it a try as well!

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[Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Clorox Green Works and received a bottle of Green Works Natural Detergent and Stain Remover to facilitate my review and a $20 thank-you gift certificate.]

Need a Christmas present (birthday/baby shower/etc) idea for a mom who identifies as “green” or otherwise eco-conscious? I have the perfect gift: ReUsies! ReUsies are reusable snack and sandwich bags. We were sent two bags to test out and, let me tell you, I’m a convert.

A friend of mine started using reusable snack bags last year. I looked at her like she had two heads. It seemed somehow more difficult than taking out a plastic bag and tossing said plastic bag when we were done. Then I started to realize that I was using one to two plastic bags every time we left the house. Not great. As a mom who does try to utilize eco-friendly products, I realized that my plastic bags were not all that friendly. At all.

ReUsies are 100% cotton lined with leak-resistant nylon and are secured with Velcro closures. The nylon inside makes them easy to clean out. I know you’re thinking about crumbs and such but, trust me, they’re very easy to clean out. Furthermore, we’re a fan of the Velcro because my kids can not only open them on their own (unlike the plastic bags) but they can close them as well! We haven’t had an accidental spills since we’ve started using these baggies!

There are two sizes, snack and sandwich. The sandwich baggie is bigger. Here’s a picture of the two together so you can eyeball the difference. (Measurements mean nothing to me. I’m a visual/word girl.)

Right now, we are using the bigger bag for pretzels and the smaller bag for Cheerios. We did use the larger bag for a sandwich when we were on vacation at the beach so I can attest to the fact that it will hold a sandwich quite well!

To clean the bags, you simply toss them in the washing machine, dishwasher or sponge clean them inside out (that’s what we do). Simple simple simple!

And so, if you have an eco-friendly mom to purchase a gift for this holiday season, think about some ReUsies. They’re currently having a 10% off sale if you buy 3 or more. Just enter the code 3ORMORE at checkout. There are tons of fantastic fabric designs so go check out the store. Load up on three or six or nine for the Green Moms in your life!

Tomorrow I’ll have a review for the kid who always asks, “Whyyyyy?”

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[Disclaimer: I received one sandwich and one snack bag in exchange for my honest review thanks to ChicExecs.]

A few weeks ago, I received an email from Feuerwear. They were interested in having us review a bag since we were a fire family. I hopped over to their website and all but yelled across the room at FireDad that he had to come look at the computer. Immediately. Why? Feuerwear makes bags (everything from purses to laptop bags) out of… recycled fire hose.

RECYCLED FIRE HOSE!

Not only is that cool (or, really, hot) and great for our environment but it’s a fantastic idea. (At this point, FireDad lamented the fact that he had not come up with the idea.) We looked through the many color variations of their one-of-a-kind bags available on the site’s store before FireDad chose a red hue Scott laptop bag which is supposed to fit laptop up to 17 inches. (More on that later.)

And we waited. The company itself hails from Germany which, by the way, tickled FireDad all the more. His language in high school was German and he randomly pulls out rusty phrases. (As a side note, in case you haven’t figured it out, feuer means fire. Do not confuse it with the word Fuher. Feuer is pronounced: foy-err.)So, recycled fire hose bags from Germany rank high on his list of Very Cool Things. After waiting for about two weeks, the bag arrived in a huge box. Upon unpacking everything, we were delighted at how stinking cool (or, really, hot) the bag is/was/will be!

It looks great. And, as you might be able to tell in some of these pictures, it has some great functionality as well. In addition to being made of recycled fire hose, the strap is repurposed safety seat belt (as is the waist belt) and truck tarpaulin (tarp). Those are great items to be repurposed, don’t you agree.

Features of the 17-inch bag include:

• Notebook sleeve: removable, padded
• dimensions: 40.8×28.5×3-4.5 cm
• 2 inside compartments (pen loop/phone holder)
• A4 compartment with zipper
• adjustable strap & waist belt

So, does FireDad’s really big honkin’ somewhat over 17-inch laptop fit into this totally awesome laptop bag. Yes. FireDad’s laptop measures in somewhere above 18 inches. It’s just a big, honkin’ laptop! We’ve never found a bag to fit it. We agreed to review this bag from Feuerwear knowing that my smaller laptop might be the lucky recipient of such a cool (hot) bag. You’ll be happy to know that his laptop doesfit. We removed the removable, padded laptop sleeve, cheered when the laptop slipped into the bag and replaced the padded sleeve around the big, honkin’ laptop. Hooray!

Not in the market for a laptop bag (13 inch, 15 inch or even bigger than 17 inch)? Feuerwear also makes bags for everyday use. Two different sizes of messenger bags, a “shopper” bag, a nice size handbag and a fannypack. The best thing is that you can get each bag in a variety of colors as fire hose comes in a variety of colors! From whites to oranges to reds to grays to blacks. You can be stylish, colorful, hot as a firefighter and eco-friendly all at the same time.

And if you order the 17 inch Scott bag, your kids can then play fire truck in the box.

(I think they’re going around a bend in that photo, leaning out the side. Must be a big fire they’re racing off to!)

I am very pleased with FireDad’s laptop bag. In fact, for BlogHer 2010 next year, I might steal it so I can continue to properly portray FireMom in the real life setting. I feel that these bags would make great presents for firefighters, fire family members or others who are really conscious about repurposing materials and being eco-friendly. Add in the fact that every single piece is one-of-a-kind and people are bound to feel quite special! I think Feuerwear bags would make a really HOT gift for anyone this upcoming holiday season. (It’s upcoming folks! I swear!)

To learn more about these unique, Earth-friendly bags, please visit Feuerwear online. They’re also on twitter: @feuerwear. If you end up purchasing a bag, could you let me know! I’d love to see a picture!

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[We did received one free Scott 17-inch laptop bag with intent to review. We gave the bag a good review not because it was free but because it was so darn awesome. We blog with integrity.]

I’ve talked about Electrolux on this blog before… remember? Remember how I drooled over the red washer and dryer? I mean, that was a pretty sweet looking washer and dryer. Remember how I told you that it washed and dryed in 38 minutes? Remember how the thought of that seemed impossible and oh-so-lovely at the same time? It didn’t seem like it could get better, did it?

Think again. Because Electrolux just rolled out their eco-friendly washer and dryer in a new shade. Wait for it… KELLY GREEN. SEE?

Okay, it’s a bit of a pun on their relationship with the super amazing Kelly Ripa. But, guys, listen. That’s my favorite color in the whole world. I currently am writing this post while wearing green yoga pants and a green tshirt. Earlier, the shoes I had on were green as well. If I believed in socks in any temperature above 50 degrees, I’d be wearing green socks as well! Despite what Kermit said, it is easy being green.

And Electrolux wants to help you be green. Not just in color (though, wow, what a color) but in how you live your life when it comes to the environment. And right in time for Earth Day (April 22), Electrolux is helping raise awareness and simultaneously raise funds for Global Green USA. How so? Simply go to Electrolux, click on the Plant a Virtual Flower link and, very simply, plant a virtual flower. For every virtual flower planted, Electrolux will donate $1.00 to Global Green USA which helps support their healthy green schools initiative across the United States.

The best part? Everyone who plants a flower? Is eligible to win the Kelly Green washer and dryer combo. One winner will have the NEW washer and dryer of my dreams.

To sweeten the deal, Mom Central is giving you another chance to win the glorious, beautiful, amazingly green washer dryer set on their site. Simply visit Mom Central and tell them which flower you planted via the Electrolux site and then share a laundry trip that helps you save time and energy. Mom Central will pick one lucky winner from all eligible entries!

So, in short: enter over at Electrolux, enter over at Mom Central and don’t forget about Earth Day yourself. Do something green for your family and for our planet.

I’m not really great at cleaning. It’s not that I don’t like a clean house. I do! But with two children age two and under, my priorities aren’t necessarily focused on the bathroom sink. Clean diapers, yes. A presentable mirror, well, no. However, I accepted the challenge offered to me to review Clorox Green Works natural cleaning products. I figured it would force me to clean my bathroom. Because, uh, otherwise? Well, let’s just say it wouldn’t have been on the top of my to-do list this Saturday morning!

Maybe I wanted to do this because I now have a two year old who is using the bathroom. Not consistently. Not on his own. But he’s in there. And he’s touching things. And I want those things to be clean. And while I want them clean, I don’t want the added worry of, “What if he licks the sink? Will he pick up some bleach residue and turn into an Ewok?” Yes, I think these things. Because? Two year old kids lick sinks. And they stick their hands in their mouth before and after washing their hands. And just a myriad of other ick-factors that make you not only doubt your cleaning regimen, as in how often, but what you’re using to clean with. Oh, scary.

And so, when I got the Green Works cleaning agents in the mail, I read the ingredients. I expected a long list of words I couldn’t pronounce. Nope. Take the All-Purpose Cleaner for example:

coconut-based cleaning agent (nonionic surfactant), corn-based ethanol, , filtered water and
biodegradable preservative, fragrance with essential lemon oil, contains no phosphorous or bleach.

Coconut, eh? I can get behind some coconuts. And so, without a scary list of ingredients, my next question is, of course, your question as well.

So, uh, does it work?

I put them to test in my, uh, not-so-clean bathroom. I don’t have a long amount of time for cleaning. I need things to work quickly so I can get back to important things like reading books, over and over, to BigBrother. And rushing him to the bathroom when he announces, “BIG PEE!” And changing Poo-Splosions made by LittleBrother. And feeding him at the tap every fifth second. You know, real life things. I don’t have patience for cleaning products that don’t work quickly or require too much eblow grease. And, man, my sink was DIRTY. Ew.

Much to my delight and, honestly, total surprise, the All-Purpose cleaner did its job on the sink with no problem. Or exertion on my part. Spray. Wipe. It’s clean. I was still wary when I picked up the Glass & Surface cleaner and sprayed it on my mirror. (Which was also, uh, not-too-clean.) I honestly expected streaks. No streaks! Clean mirror! Quickly! Hurrah!

So, all right, they clean efficiently. My next question is always the deal-breaker.

What’s it smell like? You see. I don’t like perfume-y smells. I have a sensitive nose. I don’t like flowery stuff. I don’t like over-bearing clean-y smells. And these products are none of those things. I fresh, lemon-y smell that doesn’t make you gag or overwhelm you by the time you’ve wiped down your entire bathroom. Even FireDad agreed that they smell all right.

Truth be told, I love this line. Will I still use bleach on some things that BigBrother can’t yet reach? Yeah, I’m sure. But am I going to grab the All Natural Toilet Bowl cleaner the next time I’m at the store? You bet your biscuits.