The 3 Most Important Things You Need to Protect Your Home and Sanity During the Holidays!

Thanksgiving is at your door, along with relatives, friends and the beginning of the Christmas season. You can’t run or hide. It’s everywhere. Amidst the chaos though, we want to remind you to be well equipped in the keeping of your home. The holidays tend to do a number on your home - causing more stress than necessary and robbing you of the joy of the season. We don’t want that.

So we have come up with a quick list of our “best of’s”... the products that will keep you sane, save you time and help you feel a lot better about the big and little messes that are bound to show up along the holiday path.

Remember, Bayes is dedicated to creating organic cleaning products that are environmentally friendly without compromising the quality of work delivered. This means, every time you clean, you are not getting bombarded with toxic chemicals in your lungs or on your skin… and the earth is spared the danger as well. Not bad, right?

First of all, we’d like to recommend our newest product addition, the Stainless Steel Cleaner. For any of you that have stainless steel appliances, you know how sleek, modern and elegant they are. But boy, when they get liquid drips or fingerprints on them, they sure do lose that flair! Not only does this Stainless Steel Cleaner clean those surfaces, but also leaves a protective layer on them; so you’re cleaning less. Good news, right?

Next on the list, is the Red Wine Stain Remover. Now you can eat, drink and be merry without losing your flow if a spill happens. Great for table fabrics, furniture and carpets. This powerful cleaner gets out the darkest stains including red wine, juices and even blood. Oh yes. Pour a glass and celebrate. This one’s a keeper.

Can you think of any reasons to have a Fabric Protectant on hand? We can. When you think of how many people will be sitting on chairs, couches and around your home, dirty shoes, winter weather, delicious sticky desserts and home movie nights, your furniture is about to endure a lot of abuse and stain risk. So don’t go there. This protectant repels both oil and water damage, giving you peace of mind when you kind friend surprises you and brings her new dog to the Christmas party and she fancies your favorite spot on the couch.

Don’t let life throw surprises at your home. The holidays can be a time of chaos but don’t fight it; embrace it well. This is a beautiful time to enjoy togetherness, giving, receiving and gratitude, right? You simply need to be prepared.

We’ve done our part to get you ready, now it’s your turn to enjoy the benefits. No more stressing. Kick your feet back and let the power of Bayes do the work for you.

Give the Usable Gift of Organic Cleaning Supplies as a DIY Kit - Here's How!

Give the usable gift of green cleaning supplies for Christmas by putting together your favorites tools and products (in your price range).  Give a handful of ingredients that are needed to make some of your favorite recipes.  Put all the items in a cute container and you will have the perfect hostess, Christmas gift or other holiday or birthday gift.  This even makes a simple thank you gift if you have a friend that enjoys home keeping!

Gather together some of your favorite items to clean with and put together a unique and personal gift this holiday season!  Here are some of our most recommended ideas:

• Bayes Organic Granite Counter Cleaner (of course!)
• a small caddy or container 
• sponges
• dish cloths and dish towels
• white vinegar
• castile soap (bar and liquid)  – you can find the little travel sized castile soap in the travel section at Target.
• spray bottles
• metal tins
• essential oils
• baking soda
• epsom salts
• twine, tape or ribbon for cute wrapping and details
• a personalized card with a description/instruction for each made item

Making a special cleaning kit of organic materials is a wonderfully thoughtful gift for anyone interested in boosting their health and quality of life.  Bayes supports your green living choices with our own selection of organic cleaning supplies. Visit us and see what we have for you!

Have You Stopped To Find Out If Your Christmas Tree Has Been Sprayed With Pesticides?

Picking out a Christmas tree is a favorite tradition this time of year. The whole family will likely be involved and have a different opinion about just how big to go! Should it have soft or prickly needles? Is it the right shape? Everyone will have an opinion, but finally you’ll all agree on the perfect one. 

Even if you are a family committed to green living, it's easy to forget to consider whether or not your tree has been grown organically. Don't worry, that's normal. Of the 24.5 million real Christmas trees purchased in the U.S. every year, only 1 percent are grown organically. That doesn’t give you very good odds for finding an organic one. And, it likely means the tree in your living room was sprayed with pesticides. Do you really want to breathe that in? 

Christmas trees and pesticides

Conventional growers spray a variety of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides on Christmas trees throughout their long life cycle. (It takes a typical Christmas tree 5 to 10 years to grow to maturity!) Many of the pesticides approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency on your Christmas tree have been linked to cancer, hormonal disruption, neurotoxicity, organ damage, reproductive/birth defects, asthma, and more, according to Beyond Pesticides, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting public health and the environment.

The big but here though is that with zero studies on the effects, there’s no real way to know if residue from pesticides can harm you. Still, for those of us who try to live an organic lifestyle, it would be nice to find a tree that hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals.

Turns out, that’s quite the challenge. Most trees you see at big box stores, city lots or big garden centers are conventionally grown. The majority of the trees have been shipped from big plantations in Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Washington State, New York or Virginia.

Finding an organic Christmas tree

If you want to find an organic Christmas tree, your best bet is to check with a local grower. Ask how the tree was raised. If you look at tree farms where you can cut your own tree and farmers markets, you’ll also be more likely to find a sustainably-grown tree. Here are a few more resources to help you find an organic Christmas tree:

Beyond PesticidesThis nonprofit group provides some sources for organically-grown Christmas trees as well as up to date information about pesticides.

Green Promise
This website provides a list of organic Christmas tree farms by state.

Local HarvestFind farmers markets, family farms, CSAs and farm stands in your area. Local Harvest also lists sources for organic wreaths.

Bonus: If you do score an organic tree, it likely won’t have been sheared into the conical shape that’s the industry standard for Christmas trees today. Yours might have a more old-fashioned look, with imperfect branches and a more relaxed frame. There’s something quite nice about that though, wouldn’t you say?

Benefits of a real tree

Don’t worry if you already bought a conventional Christmas tree. Real trees (even non-organic ones) are at least a better choice than artificial trees. Real Christmas trees are often grown on land that isn’t suitable for other crops. And while it may seem like an artificial tree is the most sustainable choice because you can use it longer, the average family uses an artificial tree for only six to nine years before throwing it away, where it sits in a landfill and pollutes the environment. If you do have a real tree, don’t forget to reuse it after Christmas. We have some great ideas to reuse your Christmas tree. Most cities also offer curbside pickup for recycling Christmas trees. (Thank you, Organic Authority, for your wealth of information!)

We at Bayes, are committed to your health, which is why we try to keep you properly informed, for your health and the health of those in your homes.  That's also why we've developed our extensive line of organic cleaning supplies, which happen to make great holiday gifts; like our granite counter top cleaner! We are confident that you will find fabulous gifts and a great tree for your green home this Christmas season!  

Happy Holidays!