I truly believe in using “green” cleaning products. I am partial to Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers, Method, Caldera, and Green Works. In a selfish way, I just don’t want chemicals all over my kitchen counters. And I definitely don’t want Iona to get anywhere near them. From an environmental standpoint, I would like to keep nasty things from getting into our groundwater and oceans. Living coastal for so many years certainly makes you aware that EVERYTHING ends up back in our water.

So lets throw in a caveat. We have had a housekeeper since 2001. It started with every other week, and then quickly became a weekly thing. We actually had three different housekeepers over the years, but Maria was absolutely our favorite. I would have loved if she could have moved with us from California. I point out the housekeeper thing simply because it shows that my physical and personal interaction with cleaning products has been rather limited. Someone else always made sure that my house sparkled.

Until now. Since moving here, we’ve been on our own.

With that said, there are always “green” exceptions. For example, Michael insisted that I buy real Windex because the mint scented natural product I normally use was leaving streaks on his plasma TV. I also need a little Tilex in my life because I periodically want the smell of bleach to permeate my bathroom. Bright. White. Bleach. Clean. Admittedly these don’t make me feel guilty for stepping away from the natural products. Until this week that is.

We needed to clean the condo for the final walk through tomorrow. Things all looked great until I realized that the oven still needed to be cleaned. Yes, I realize that many people will want to punch me with this statement…but I haven’t had to clean an oven in about eight years. Maria did it. And she did it fabulously. So I threw all my environmental pride out the window and bought some Easy Off. DAMN, this stuff works! Granted you have to open all the windows and vacate the premises, but the oven is shining. Every girl has a compromise to make, and I just found mine. Easy Off, you have a place in our home and my heart.