The Hippie Chic

Greetings Y’all! (Yep… I’m from Texas! LOL)

Hope this post finds you well and happy!

I dislike paper towels.  There I said it.  They are wasteful and most leave lent behind.  In the past I’ve used a brand called Viva.  I actually really did like these only because there appeared to be less lent, they felt like cloth, and you could honestly use them to wash dishes and then use them again.  I know Bounty claims this … but …. yeah not so much.  So, at one time I rationalized with myself that by using Viva I would be doing myself and my family a favor because all the hype said that using sponges and dish rags just spread germs.  It wasn’t a great rationalization looking back on it.

I worked in the medical field a long long time.  I’ve listened to doctors complain because of the increase in “infection and bacteria control” through the use of anti-bacterial soaps and hand gels.  What I was hearing was the people are using these products and actually causing more problems than they are preventing.   Much of the anti-bacterial gels are basically alcohol in gel form.  Not good for the skin!  Yes yes yes, before I get blasted for that comment I am well aware that there are alternatives to the alcohol based forms and guess what… they still aren’t good!  What’s happening is that people are killing off the good bacteria on their skin and inviting super-bugs!  You know… those strains of staph, strep, and flu viruses that are antibiotic resistant.  Again.. not good!  I refuse to have any of that stuff  in my home and since I banned those products we’ve all been healthier.  And when we do get sick regular old Z-Paks or Erythromyacin work just fine!  So I stopped buying into all the media and commercial hype about anti-bacterial this and “germs lerking everyone” that.  Well of course there are germs everywhere.  We live on a planet made of dirt and water!  And now that I’ve explained why I’ve gone back to cloth cleaning I will share my newest lesson!

I have been wanting to have rags around the house for quick cleaning for some time now.  But nothing was really suiting what I was hoping to accomplish.  Reuse, Reduce, Recycle.  When I started looking at “Green” Cleaning I heard all over the place about people using household items as cleaning rags.  But when I looked around my home I said “Right… and where do I find these things without using something that’s already in use?”  Then I read about using old socks, t-shirts, and underwear… and other cotton material items.  I knew I had a couple of t-shirts that I was keeping only for sentimental value and to wear when dying my hair.  And yes… I completely see it irony in someone who is touting green living who dyes her hair with nasty chemicals!  But I just getting started here so give me some time!  I’m hoping with all my heart I find a green way to do this that is just as effective as chemical dyes without costing me a small fortune.  But, in time…hoping, hoping, hoping.   Well I took those 2 shirts out, laid them out with scissors in hand, and then promptly chickened out.  I just can’t cut John Lennon and Black Sabbath up for cleaning rags.  Besides, my real hope for these two particular ones is to make a T-Shirt Quilt of mine and my families favorite T-Shirts.  I think it sounds fun!  And it still sticks to my hope of doing as much Reusing, Recycling, and Reducing as possible!  Then I remembered a stack of t-shirts given to us that no one ever claimed and I just never got rid of.  So … snip snip snip.. Presto Change-O… Cleaning cloths!

Now what I’ve found while researching is that most people have 2 types of cleaning cloths.
1. Valuable (I just call them reusable)
2. Disposable

As you use these Reusable cloths and they get older and a bit more worn out you just toss them in the disposable pile.  The Disposable rags are what we use to clean up really funky stuff that we’re pretty sure won’t wash out…or that’s just disgusting enough that we don’t feel it’s worth washing out!  Come on.  We’ve all been there.  Something so gross we just say “Just throw it out! Don’t put that in my laundry! YUCK!” LOL  I’ve also heard that when you get a rag to the point of no longer being usable that you can actually throw it on your compost heap!!  I did not know that!!!  Now.. I don’t know how to compost yet but it’s very much on my ‘To Learn’ list!  So I’ll verify that at some point and let you know how that’s going!

But as I was snipping and cutting I discovered I had discarded bits that I nearly just tossed in the trash bin.  But as I was cutting one of the seams I thought “Man this is kind of stiff fabric at the arm seams.  I wonder why we don’t feel it” then it hit me!  I had discovered a third type.  Stiff cloth for cleaning creases and tiny places.  For instance, I use to go coffee cups all the time! Literally!  I’m a coffee fend!  And the tops are always a booger to clean.  I’ve witnessed doctors take a hemostat (usually the thin, bent at the end type) and pick up long stands of gauze to pack wounds and incisions.  I thought, why not take these stiffer pieces that make up the neck lines and arm seams, grab them in a similar manner with hemostats, and use them to clean those stubborn coffee cup lids.  And then I thought of all the ways I could do the same technique to detail the interior my car!  You know.. all those contoured lines we all love so much, radio buttons, gear shift knobs…and so on.  You may be thinking “Hemostats?  Really lady?? I don’t keep those just laying around handy ya know!”  I understand.  Hemostats aren’t that difficult to find.  Medical supply stores, Flea Markets, Garage Sales, and least we forget, the Internet!  And you don’t want to use those I am certain you will find something that is to your liking.  Just look around your home, garage, workplace, or the places you usually go until something catches your fancy.  Or you may the lucky type with enough dexterity in your fingers to just use them!  I’d love to hear what you all come up with for this if you try it!!  I haven’t tried it yet but I planned to soon!  And of course, I’ll let you know how it goes!  I’m willing to bet there are dozens of other things to clean like this as well!  Then my scissors slipped and I ended up with several small strips.  I noticed they were nice and soft and thought “Hmmm I could so see using this in my crafting and stuffing instead of using polyfill or some such thing! It would make a nice soft teddy bear or squishy Tooth Fairy Pillow!”  WOOT!  SHE SWINGS!! SHE HITS!! HOMERUN!!!!!  I just figured out how to use every single snip of those t-shirts! And craigslist or Freecycle are never ending places to find clothing that can be used like this!

So I grabbed 4 little baskets that were given to me at the last craigslist pick-up I made ( scored a couple of bookcases! WOOHOO!).  So in each I have the following:

1. Reusable
2. Disposable
3. Small Pieces
4. Crafting scraps

Now if you guys are anything like me I don’t always start out thinking things through.  So when I started my cutting it felt awkward in my hands.  But I soon developed a way of cutting up t-shirts that is quick, easy, effective, and leaves even my rags looking nice and neat.   I have no doubt you will find a technique that is comfortable to you too.  However, as soon as I figure out how, I think a videoed demonstration of how I am doing it will be my first posted video ever!  I’m not very techno-savvy so this may take a bit of time but bear with me and I’ll figure it out.  Wish me luck!

I’m loving this!  And now it’s even contributing to my love of crafting!! Who could ask for more?

Ok I’m off to snip, cut, and sort more rags until bedtime!  G’Night!!

Peace and Bright Blessings!