Consistently I write in this blog about the use of natural cleaning products.

My husband and I are considering all aspects of our home that we will be building green in the near future.  I was talking about Bidets as he was a plumber before working from home.  The subject came up because of our grand daughters that live with us and the toilet paper they waste and the number of times our toilets have been stopped up from them using way too much.

I eliminated paper towels from my home and now it was time to eliminate toilet paper.

Bidets are used in the European countries and have been for years.  In America they are just beginning to be seen as an option. 

There are Bidets that have heated seats, remotes that allow you to aim the water in different positions, warm or cold and high or low output.  I began researching these and though I thought of the water consumption, the electricity used with the fancier ones I believe they are much more economical and earth friendly than using toilet paper.  We use 36.5 billions rolls of toilet paper in the U.S. each year, this represents at least 15 million trees pulped. This also involves 473,587,500,000 gallons of water to produce the paper and 253,000 tons of chlorine for bleaching purposes. The manufacturing process requires about 17.3 terawatts of electricity annually. Also, there is the energy and materials involved in packaging and transporting the toilet paper to households across the country.

A Bidet also offers us better hygeine, especially feminine hygeine.

Three great reasons to use a bidet are: you will be cleaner, healthier and benefit the envvironment.

To me using toilet paper is primitive, costly to our environment and has no place in a green society.  When we build our new home there will be a bidet in every bathroom in the house.  I believe that once you use a bidet you will never go back to toilet paper.

This blog is about natural cleaning products and cleaning any part of your body is as natural as it gets.

 

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	•	Though women at this age may be healthy overall, they generally experience higher levels of stress compared to older women.
	•	During this demanding phase in life, getting the right nutrients and making sure that energy levels meet expectations are crucial.
	•	This is “the age of prevention” when it comes to skin care. Starting a good skin care regimen now is essential to helping reduce the appearance of fine lines down the road. Acne can still be a problem at this age, while too little sleep, too much alcohol, and smoking can dull skin.
	•	Don’t forget the sun protection. Too much sun now can set the stage for skin cancers of all types, including melanoma.

	As women enter their 30s, they begin a slow ending process of their reproductive years, known as perimenopause and menopause. In the U.S., one million women reach perimenopause each year, which can last up to 10 years before they reach postmenopausal years. Since each woman is unique, the duration and intensity of menopausal symptoms varies. Experiencing any 3 of the following symptoms may indicate that a woman is entering perimenopause.
	•	Moodiness
	•	Irritability
	•	Menstrual Changes
	•	Sleeping Disturbances
	•	Bloating/Water Retention
	•	Hot Flashes
	•	Mild to Moderate Depression

Scientific studies have shown that, along with a healthy diet and lifestyle, consuming phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) may reduce the symptoms of menopause.

These are also the decades when laugh lines and crow’s feet begin to appear along with a double chin. As skin-firming collagen and elastin begin to break down, skin starts to lose its firm, supple texture. Cell turnover rate begins to slow and skin may not retain moisture as efficiently, leading to a dry, dull complexion. Just as a woman’s skin begins to change, so does her scalp health. The result can be dull, brittle, or even thinning hair.

 

Maintaining strong bones, preserving healthy joints, and promoting heart health are major concerns for this age group. It’s important that the body is supplied with the proper nutrients to help prevent osteoporosis and heart disease.

At the same time, a woman’s skin has matured. Cell turnover now takes twice as long as at age 20, making skin look dull. Oil production has also decreased, leaving skin significantly drier and more prone to irritation. Skin has become thinner and more prone to wrinkles and drooping, while years of sun exposure make the skin tone uneven.

 

View all Shaklee Products here.

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Get full report on why Roger Barnett spent $310 million of his own money to buy Shaklee.

Back when Roger was establishing his career in investment banking, Roger Barnett made all the right moves: degrees from Harvard and Yale; jobs in London, Paris and New York City; and regular appearances in the society pages along with his wife Sloan.

Today they own Shaklee, the company had seen no growth in a decade but Roger saw the potential and with his innovative designs that appeal to the younger crowd sales now reach over $1 million a day many days of the month. Roger hits a gong from his office when sales reach a million on any given day and says that he is hitting the gong many days of the month and loves the feeling.

He could opt to place the products in stores or do TV spots but feels that other than just making money people need to know how Shaklee helps the environment and the importance of this. He feels that can best be done by the distributors that have been faithful to Shaklee for many years, that are up to speed on the environment and care about helping others.

What a breath of fresh air Roger and Sloan Barnett have been to a company that many people knew about but millions did not. They have raised awareness of the need to live a greener life and to the products that have stood the test of time since 1956.

Their son suddenly developed asthma and as there was no history of it in either family they began to change their cleaning products and when they found Shaklee and their son never had to be rushed to the emergency room again they went a step further than using the products, they bought the company.

Going from investment banker to CEO of a direct marketing company may have seemed a little risky from most views but Roger could not be happier with his investment.

We can’t all take such a step, however we can use products that are not only beneficial to the environment but will keep our children healthy.

With one bottle of Basic H2 you can make the equivalent of 5,824 bottles of 26-oz. (769 ml) of Windex.

For those that believe the products are too expensive that saves you a ton of money. I don’t know what Windex costs but if it were $1.75 that would save me $10,190.25. Imagine the impact that also has on our landfills.

If you believe you can not afford to use Shaklee, I say you can’t afford not to. I buy a few Get Clean Kits per year, give much of it away through my sites where I have people fill out the contact us forms for a chance to win free product and still have enough product to last me throughout the year or longer.

If you would like to view the Get Clean Kit click here. You get the products and the measuring devices plus the empty bottles to mix them in.

You won’t find Shaklee anywhere but online, some distributors keep some product on hand as they get calls from people wanting to know if they have some available to come by and pick up, this happens to me on a daily basis and most of the time I happen to have what they are looking for. If you have not tried Shaklee I recommend you do so today.

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Companies come and go it seems like on a daily basis.  Most fail within the first two years, Shaklee just keeps getting better even after 50+ years.  With the launch of the Global Ambassador in 2007 Shaklee went into world wide markets.  Shaklee will be opening in China Dec. 1st 2008. 

Not only is Shaklee bringing a business opportunity to other countries they are building factories for the products to be made in, warehouses for the storage and bringing jobs to the people of these countries.

In August they held their convention in New Orleans, a city ravaged by Katrina in 2005 bringing in much needed revenue to their local economy and those attending the convention went and helped build Habitat for Humanity homes. 

Giving is what Shaklee does and I can not think of a better company to align myself with.  As an environmentalist they meet all that I believe in, the products are natural and organic, the company is Climate Neutral and I feel as good at 57 as I felt at 25. 

Just when I believe Shaklee can not outdo what they have done before they somehow do.  When Roger Barnett bought the company a few years ago he decided to bring Shaklee into the 21st century and make Shaklee a major contender in internet marketing.

I have had others tell me, I love their products but there is no money to be made with them, they are too old.  Well tell that to the gentleman that signed up a young many from Maylasia in 2007 and is now a millionaire in less than a year.

I don’t even promote my business strongly and make a great living with it, I promote the products everwhere and seldom mention there is a business opportunity available.

I received three calls this morning from people that found me on the internet asking about my products and the business, this is all in a normal day for me.

I could not be happier that I chose Shaklee, knowing my family is healthier, the environment is better because of Shaklee Distributors and that my checks will always be there and these days with all the companies that go under that is very comforting to me.  Even in hard economic times Shaklee will continue to grow as people are not only wanting to be healthier but are looking at alternate ways to make money from home.

Click the featured product to check out all the Shaklee products.

Feel free to give me a call at 817-902-2580 with any questions and don’t forget to fill out the contact us form with your information for a chance to win free Shaklee products.

 

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When it comes to green cleaning what does that really mean? Wikipedia defines it this way:

Green cleaning is a term that has been coined to describe a growing trend in favor of using environmentally-friendly ingredients and chemicals for household, manufacturing and industrial cleaning. Green cleaning techniques and products avoid the use of chemically-reactive and toxic cleaning products which contain various toxic chemicals, some of which emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) causing respiratory and dermatological problems among other adverse effects.^{[citation needed]} Green cleaning can also describe the way residential and industrial cleaning products are manufactured, packaged and distributed. If the manufacturing process is environmentally-friendly and the products are biodegradable, then the term “green” or “eco-friendly” may apply.

If you have thought about making the switch to green cleaning but are confused with all the products on the market today, fill out the form on my contact us page, let me know why you wish to switch to green cleaning and the best reason for wishing to switch to green cleaning will receive a free bottle of Basic H2 which will give you window and glass cleaner, degreaser and an all purpose cleaner from one bottle.  I will have it shipped direct to your address so please provide email, physical address and phone number along with your name.  I will be shipping around the 12th.

My husband and I have a call each Monday night where we share the benefits of Shaklee products and answer your questions.  If you would like to be on a call just give me a call at 817-902-2580 and we will get the information to you, or drop us an email at allnaturalandorganic@gmail.com  

I am sure I will receive a lot of spam as I usually do from putting my email in a blog post but I will ask you to please not do that.  If you have a business you want me to look at, give me a call, I am always open to looking and giving my opinion but I never open a spam email.  I do look through them as some important emails wind up in the spam folder from time to time however. 

If any of you know of a family that was affected by Hurrican Gustav please let me know about them, I work with others for relief and want to make sure no one is missed.  God bless and have a great day.

Remember green cleaning is beneficial not only to the environment but also to the health of your family.

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It is so good to be back doing what I love to do, blogging about Shaklee and the environment.

Next to God and my family there is nothing I love better than letting others know how Shaklee can change their health and the environment.

Research is something I spend many hours a day on and tonight I was reading horror stories of what has happened to children with the cleaning products in homes.  There was children burned by the Magic Eraser, parents already devastated by what happened to their children then underwent the verbal abuse of others on blogs.  I found that harsh and uncalled for.  We all make mistakes as parents and because something happens to our children doesn’t make us a bad parent.

A couple of years ago a child in kindergarten almost died from licking hand sanitizer off her hand, they require you to bring that to public schools for the children to use and the alcohol content in these prodcuts are very high, that is what happened to that child, alcohol poisoning.  The internet is full of these stories.

That is why I promote Shaklee, not only to my readers, but as fund raisers in the schools, to businesses such as hotels and cleaning businesses and to strangers I see in the stores on the cleaning products aisle.

Many years ago you would have found toxic cleaning products in my home also.  I found a love for the environment long before I was a parent and am thankful for that, however I was a teen in the 60’s when the idea of going green began to emerge. 

Having watched my uncle die of cancer that the doctors said was because of the paints and stains he breathed as a paint contractor, my mother seriously ill with a blood disorder and my brother now with terminal cancer which the doctors link to toxins from his jobs gives me a responsibility to share with others what these toxins are doing to you.

My family never understood why I was so different from them, I don’t see myself as different just well informed.

My health and my childrens and grand childrens health is very good, we have no allergies, respiratory problems and are rarely sick.  I raise three of my grand kids and I go to the schools presenting them with fund raising options other than the normal ones the schools use, the great thing about using Shaklee as a fund raiser is they can use it year round.  I have all the materials for anyone that would like to see how we present it.  It is a win/win for everyone.

If I can touch one life each day of my life then I am truly blessed and feel that I have done my part to help others.  My mom has told me since I was 4 that I could not save the world, however I have always known I can make a difference. 

I am here to recommend products that are safe for your family and your environment, not pushing a business.  That is a personal choice and not something everyone is looking for.  I do believe we all want what is best for our families however. 

I am glad to be back and to offer you the chance to try these products for free.  I give away a product a week and will be listing the winners here soon.  Last week Donald McCandless won a bottle of Basic H2.  This week I am giving away a bottle of our Dishwashing Liquid. 

Have a wonderful day and if you have never considered Shaklee now is the time to do so. 

I offer a product of the week which you can click on to see all the great products offered by Shaklee.

 

 

 

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Having used the same green cleaning products for years I do not fall victim to all the claims of the new products popping up constantly.

Knowing my products are safe for my family and the planet is comforting to me, however there are many people that buy on trust of a name brand and labels claiming to be eco friendly. 

The research I do is so that you, the consumer can be kept informed on what is truly safe and what is not and though I spend many hours with my research daily I love what I do and feel a responsibility to the safety of others and to the environment.

Finding that companies such as 7th Generation, Method and others were being looked at closely by the Organic Consumers Association lead me to take a close look.  While testing 100 products that claim to be organic and natural it seems that about half of them were found to contain 1,4 dioxane.  For those that do not know 1,4 dioxane causes cancer in lab animals.  Though I do not  believe in animal testing there are those that practice this method. 

Method, Planet Ultra and Seventh Generation’s “natural” dish cleaning products were among those products that tested positive. These companies  were asked to remove their  natural and organic labels or face a lawsuit.

California is taking more “organic” companies to court. Avalon (Alba), Nutribiotic and Whole Foods are all facing penalties for producing products containing 1,4-dioxane, too. Present in most common bath/body/cleaning products, 1,4-dixoane is not only a carcinogen but has been shown to cause liver and kidney damage simply by “breathing, ingesting” or touching it.

Just when you think you know what companies are safe you find something like this, I had even thought of buying a couple of products from 7th Generation to try as they carry some products Shaklee doesn’t that I wanted to use in my home, well the search is still on for those products.

Consumers do not know where to turn and I find it sad that a cause as important as our environment is constantly facing scrutiny because of greed, greed to make money from a movement that is gaining momentum daily in our country.

My advice is to find a company with a 3rd party study, look for products with a certification from Green Seal or another organization that can be trusted and be diligent when looking for your green cleaning products.

With Hurricane Gustav on the coast not far from where I live I am going to send some of my green cleaning products to families needing to clean up.  I know they will not be adding harsh chemicals along with the possibility of mold and other things from all the moisture. 

Shaklee had their annual convention in New Orleans last month, helped Habitat for Humanity build some houses, supplied these homes with our Get Clean Kit and brought in millions in revenue to a city that needed it desperately. 

To me it is not just about the product being natural and organic but what the company does to promote a healthy environment.  Shaklee walks the talk which makes me proud to recommend their products to eveyone I meet.  To see my green cleaning products click here.

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When it comes to green cleaning products we all want to make sure they are safe for our family.  My goal is to keep my family safe while having a clean home and protect the environment.

Here is a list I have composed of my cleaning products which by the way are all from Shaklee.  Through my years of research I have found nothing better or that I would recommend.  I am a 57 year old grandmother who has raised three healthy children and am now raising three grand children that are healthy and very environmentally aware.

If you have children with health challenges such as allergies or respiratory consider using green cleaning products, whether they are the ones I recommend or another choice.  Please be sure you do your research as there are many that claim to be green that are not as green as their claims.

Be sure to fill out the contact us form for a chance to win a free green cleaning product.

Scour off paste is the first product I would like to talk about.  I have found many uses for this product including keeping my expensive stainless cookware bottom nice and bright.  Great for cleaning burnt on food from your oven and stove top.  I mix it with a little water and make a nice paste for my tub for using after we bathe the dog.  When the kids get the floor in bad shape I use it to take off scuff marks from shoes, seems like with each of my cleaning products I can find 100’s of uses for each one.

 

 

 

 

Germ Off Disinfecting wipes Kills 99.9% of Salmonella choleraesuis (Salmonella) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) 

These wipes are great for all hard surfaces in the home and for around the toilet.  I use them on the girls bicycle seats and on their booster seats in our vehicle.  Keeping my family safe and healthy is my top priority in life.  They leave your home fresh and clean.

 

 

 

 

Basic H2 liquid concentrate makes your glass and mirror cleaner, all purpose cleaner and your degreser.  There are probably a thousand ways to use this product and remember all our products are concentrated so they go a long way.  It only takes 2 drops mixed with 16oz of water to make your glass and mirror cleaner, think of how many bottles of windex you would have to buy to equal this one bottle of Basic H2. 

Other than the uses listed above I use it in my vehicle instead of windshield washer fluid, saving me money and keeping harsh chemicals out of the environment.  I use it in my carpet cleaning machine to clean the carpets and the upholstery on the furniture.  You can also mix some with water to clean your flooring througout your home, I know many of us have gotten away from carpet in the homes and gone with hardwood, linoleum, tile and bamboo flooring.  When my grand kids are crawling across the floors or the dog is licking something they drop I know they are safe.  What more could you ask for?

 

Dish wash liquid concentrate may be tough on greasy dishes but it is soft on your hands.  I hand wash dishes all the with my 4,6 and 17 year old grand kids in the house.  My hands are soft and supple beyond belief for a 57 year old grandmother, people ask me all the time what lotion I use on my hands.  I just smile and say I got my great hands from my diswashing concentrate.  Remember this is concentrated and a few drops will do a sink load of dishes, restrain yourself and this bottle will last 6-9 months. 

 

 

 

 

Dish wash concentrat powder is great for your dishes and your dishwasher.  There is no need to pre rinse with this product.  When we have large family gatherings is when I use my dishwasher and believe me I have cleaned up some dirty dishes with this product.  Look for the seal on many of our products that are Kosher certified.  Do not fill the cup to overflowing as you do with other dish washing products as it is concentrated and takes just a little.  As with all the get clean products this will last you a long time.

 

 

 

 

This is my featured product of the week, it should be the featured product of the year.  Like taking your hands to the spa with this super mild, sudsy wash makes it so nice to do as you’ve always been told. It has wheat germ oil to moisturize, soy protein to condition, balm mint and gentian extracts to soothe, and juniper and spruce extracts to energize.  There is a related article on this blog about my 4 year old sneaking this product into her bedroom, very funny and lets you know how safe it is. 

Another use I have found for this product is placing some on the girls clothes and taking out stains like chocolate, pizza sauce, spaghetti, mustard and more.  As they are always eating I don’t want to throw the clothes into the hamper with stains to get out later, just place a drop on the stain, rub together and it is gone.

 

 

 

 

Fresh laundry liquid concentrate is just that, fresh laundry.  Get your clothes fresh and clean without the harsh chemicals. 

Prespot your laundry with the same thing you use to wash it. This two-for-one concentrate doesn’t just outperform leading detergents. 

There is a fresh laundry powder if you prefer powders.

 

 

 

 

 

Soft fabric concentrate silky softener that reduces wrinkles and takes out static cling better than what you’ve probably been using.  There are also dryer sheets available if you prefer, tear them in two and make them go further, the results will still be great.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nature Bright laundry booster and stain remover.  Add to your wash to brighten clothes and keep whites white without bleach. 

Mix a small amount with hot water and apply straight to mustard and watch it disappear, I have never seen anything remove mustard right before your eyes as this does.  It will turn red so don’t freak out, then the stain will be gone. 

 

 

 

 

Take a look at all Shaklee Products. 

 

From nutrition, cleaning, personal care, water and air filtration, weight loss and the green cleaning products Shaklee is a one stop source for making a difference in your home and your planet. 

Fill out form on Contact Us to enter drawing for a chance to win one of our green cleaning products.

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Green washing defined by Wikipedia,is a term used to describe the perception of consumers that they are being misled by a company regarding the environmental practices of the company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.

Having considered this for many months I am now ready to post my opinion on the subject.

I believe that companies making strides to improve the environment is a great thing, however many companies make false claims about their products because being green is a huge movement and they want to cash in no matter what the cost.

My thoughts on this highly talked about issue is people should be made aware of these companies, most do not research to find out the truth when it comes to the many false claims being made.  Why?  Because the companies making the false claims are big names, have been around for many years and the majority of the public trusts them.

For those that do not have the time to research just remember this, do they have a 3rd party seal such as Green Seal or Eco Logo?  This will help you in making an informed decision on the product as these seals are not easy to come by and the product must be rigorously tested to obtain the seal.

Having become aware of the need to make a change for our environment in the late 60’s I have done extensive research, much easier these days with the internet, used many products and found few I approve of. 

Many years ago I began using Shaklee products, use them to this day.  Dr Shaklee was one  with nature, his parents were told he would not live to adulthood yet he died in his 90’s and from the time he was a small boy he learned all he could about using things in nature to help him self.  He was a pioneer in what we now consider the green movement when he first opened the doors with his prodcuts over 50 years ago.  He was green before green was cool.

Shaklee has not only green seal certified products but was also the first company in the world to be certified Climate Neutral meaning they leave no footprint on the planet.  They do this by being offsetting carbon emissions through planting trees when products are purchased and many other means.  Many of the products are Kosher certified as well.  They walk the talk.

Be diligent when purchasing a product claiming it is safe for your family and the environment.  I know your first interest is the safety of your family,  that comes first with me as huge of an environmentalist as I am.  I don’t want products that will harm my children if they get into them nor harm the environment when I use it.  Be kind to your planet, it’s the only one we have.

Check out the 6 Sins of Green Washing.

So in short my answer to green washing being as bad as many believe is yes.  If a company is going to make false claims with their products are they truly making any strides toward the impact they make on the environment or are they just cashing in on a huge market?

 

 

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Lately I have seen many commercials on TV with big name companies that claim to be making natural cleaning products.  As any good environmentalist I research them online to see how green they are. 

One I was particularly interested in was the new line from Arm and Hammer.  Having used their cat litter and baking soda for most of my life I thought they would have a fairly competitive product.  The price is good, but price does not account for what it does to the health of our family and our environment.

They come with an empty bottle and a cartridge filled with the cleaning solution, you then fill the bottle with water and add the cleaning solution, ok this is good as you use one bottle over and over.  I am still looking to see what the cartridge is made of and how long a bottle will last.  This is important as I need to know if it is going to the landfills or if it is recyclable.  With many people looking only for something that will save them money and no interest in the environment these are very important points to me. 

Next I look for warnings and the warning I found floored me and I would like to share that with you as my goal is to make you aware of the dangers of products claiming to be green.

Warnings

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Keep out of reach of children.

Contains alcohol, anionic surfactant and solvents.  Do not expose or store near heat or open flame. 

First Aid: If swallowed, do not induce vomiting.  Rinse mouth with water and drink a glass of water.  Immediately contact a physician or poison control center.  Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person.  If in eyes, immediately rinse eyes with water.  After 5 minutes, remove any contact lenses and continue to rinse for at least 10 minutes.  If irritation persists, get medical attention.

I found this warning here which I got to by going to www.armandhammer.com

The Arm and Hammer toothpaste says to if more than is used for brushig teeth in children under 6 to contact poison control.  That is not what I want my 4 and 6 year olds using in their mouths.

As for glass cleaners, degreasers and all purpose cleaners we use Shaklee’s Basic H2 which takes 2 drops with 16 oz. of water to make your glass cleaner and 1/4 of a tsp.to make the all purpose cleaner which means it will last you for years, saving you money, worry about toxins and many plastic bottles from the landfills.

An unbelievable 48 gallons of super-safe, really powerful, double-concentrated clean come out of this one little 16-ounce bottle. We challenge you to use it up any time soon.

As for brusing our teeth my family uses Dentifrice from Shaklee which is organic, with no warning labels and is Kosher Certified.  With all the time I spend researching and writing to keep my readers aware of products on the market I don’t have time to worry about my children getting into something that will harm them.  I am an environmentalist but first and foremost I am a protective parent, some call me over protective but when it comes to the well being of my children I don’t believe there is such a thing as being over protective.

I posted an article here recently about the 4 year old having our hand soap in the bedroom after I had gone to bed, when I walked in and found her with it I was not having to get on the phone with poison contol, she was in the tub with a million bubbles from all she had on her having the time of her life. That is comforting to me and to every parent in the world I would imagine.

When buying products make sure you know they are safe for your children and the environment.

I am not here to offer you a business, though there is a business associated with Shaklee, that is a personal decision I made years ago, most likely not of interest to most of my readership.  I am here to keep you informed of what is being sold today as green may not always be so.  If you would like to look at the Shaklee line feel free to visit here.

I understand that with all the regulations that most products put keep out of reach of children on their products but along with that I do not want to see call poison control.

I have been into green cleaners for many years by purchasing Shaklee products.  I have tried to find products that compare and have had little to no success in finding natural cleaning products that compare.

 

 

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