By Susan Seliger
Yes, those are my happy feet, propped up, enjoying all the time and energy I have saved (OK, I didn’t really have a maid to fire — you’re looking at her feet right there) by following two simple tips.
Tip 1: Take off your shoes as you enter your house.
Tip 2: Slip on these goofy slippers. And, as Nancy SInatra said (in a different context, which is why she has boots AND a bank account and I have these slippers) Start Walking!
As I learned from an excellent post by Ellen Honigstock, a green architect in New York City, the single best way to improve the quality of air in your house and keep germs out, too, is simply to take off your shoes so you don’t track in all the filth from the outside world. And Ellen knows about green cleaning — she’s a LEED Advocate for the NYC chapter of the US Green Building Council. Sounds so obvious and simple — but do you do it? No and neither did I, until now. (Thank you, Ellen, I’ll spread the word.)
Now once you’ve slipped off your shoes, get really smart — slip on these microfiber mop slippers. Forget about hauling out the mop, bending over, and scrubbing. Just grab a green floor cleaner, spray occasionally as you move, and do what you usually do — like walking straight to the refrigerator to pour yourself a glass of organic wine. Presto, you’re cleaning. (You may even be able to chew gum at the same time, which would qualify you to run for vice president.)
Bonus Tip 3: Here’s the real key to effortless cleaning: get a pair of these slippers for everybody in the family, your roommates — and an extra for guests. Put up a discreet sign that tells everybody to take off their shoes upon entering, and leave the slippers by the door. You’ll get everybody in on the green-cleaning act faster than you can say “Tom Sawyer does not really want you to whitewash the fence.” Now that’s my idea of energy-efficient cleaning.
Mop slippers: Green Product Details
So Good: These slippers have removable. microfiber mop soles that you can wash — and keep wearing. My only complaint is that some of the slippers seem to come in women’s sizes, not men’s. But they’ll fit most people — definitely kids. And I suspect, the companies will see the error of their ways and bring out men’s sizes any day now (especially if we let them know how we feel about sharing the chores).
So Green: Use, re-use, save money and energy. What could be bad?
So Here: You can find them at a number of places, in different colors: Plaid and Blue slippers: Only $5.95/pair at Colonial Medcial: and about $5 at Taylor Gifts and As Seen On TV. Green slippers: At Sur La Table (in pink, too) for just under $10. Pink Slippers: At Amazon.com, for under $10 per pair:
Let me know if they work for you.
FIND OUT MORE ON GREEN CLEANING AND SAVING $$:
Clean, Green Freebie: Win an Energy-Efficient, Water-Saving Washer and Dryer
And for more about Ellen Honigstock, a great green architect, go to her blog page on RiverWired.com.
Photo credit: Susan Seliger, whose feet are made for resting.
By Susan Seliger
