Organic Mattress Covers

My girls crib - soybean mattress & organic cotton sheets

My brother and his lovely lady have a baby on the way. He has actually been reading my blog posts and asking some questions about which products I purchased. I decided to write a follow up on my post from July about Organic Baby Cribs. You can read the post here.

I didn't end up purchasing a mattress from any of the suppliers that I listed in the post. I found a local store, Tummies to Tots, that carried a soybean mattress. I think I paid around $170.

My baby is still sleeping in the bassinet, so I haven't been in a rush to buy a mattress cover. I decided to see what canadian retailers had to offer in the way off mattress protectors.

Many synthetic and plastic mattress covers contain chemicals that are not healthy for anyone. A vinyl cover is not a safe choice. Polyethylene is the safest plastic available. You can read more about preventing toxic off-gassing when you can't afford to buy an organic mattress here.

Canadian Suppliers:

Lusso Baby - Vancouver, BC
Baby Natura Organic Baby Crib Mattress Pad
Price: $99.99
http://www.lussobaby.ca/Baby-Natura-Organic-Crib-Mattress-Pad-BM98971.htm#sthash.RRfjZje5.dpbs

Lil Helper - Toronto, ON
Bamboo Mattress Protector
Price: $69.00
http://www.lilhelper.ca/organic-bamboo-crib-mattress-protector-made-in-canda-toronto-crib-mattress-protector/

Dormio Organic Beds - Mississauga, ON
Organic Cotton Crib Mattress Pad
Price: $113.00
http://dormio.ca/displayproduct.asp?pID=259&catid=5

I am going to be ordering the Bamboo Mattress Protector. The price is right, shipping is free, the item is made in Canada. Most importantly, it's safe for my baby.

Cleaning, Grandma Style

It's spring cleaning season. Maybe it's time to think about what you are using to clean your house.  Commercial cleaning products can not only be costly, but also bad for your health and the environment.

My grandma used to use vinegar and hydrogen peroxide as an antibacterial cleaner. Vinegar and water to clean glass. I think she was on to something. It's time we all went back to cleaning grandma style! I am not sure when we became so lazy as a society that we buy products like Lysol Wipes and Swiffer Wet Jets.
 
All it takes is a few safe and simple ingredients to clean your house. Here a couple of recipes that I use:

Vinegar & Hydrogen Peroxide.

Antibacterial Cleaner
Fill one spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide. Fill another bottle with vinegar. Don't ever mix the two in the same bottle!

Glass Cleaner
Mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Wipe with newspaper.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Place 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup borax, and 1 cup vinegar in toilet bowl. Mix with bowl brush and let sit for about 30 minutes before scrubbing.

You can also find some great green cleaning recipes on the David Suzuki website.

Happy (chemical free) cleaning!