I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for #CollectiveBias and its advertiser #WalgreensOlogy

Go Natural - Choose Products that Work but Do not Harm the Earth

I’ve mentioned before that I live in a house divided. I only use green and natural cleaners and my husband still uses toxic chemicals. Try as I might, I just can’t convince him that he’s being socially irresponsible and plus, we don’t need those harsh chemicals to clean and our bodies appreciate not being inundated by toxins every time we clean.

When we redid our linen closet a few weeks ago I convinced him to give up many of the bottles and cans stored in there. So many that they took up the entire bottom shelf and many were very, very old. But there was a group of products he refused to give up. So I thought I’d thwart his de-greening efforts by stocking up on products I do approve of and removing the wrappers so he doesn’t know he’s using natural products. Sneaky? A green girl has got to do what a girls got to do to protect my healthy home!

I headed on my top secret trip to my local Walgreen’s store to check out their new line of Ology products to see if they would do the job for me. I was thrilled to find several different types of products available including cleaning supplies, body care, and paper products. 

Ology Natural Products are available at Walgreens

Ology Natural Products are available at Walgreens

My Healthy Home Takeover – Were I Resorted to Subterfuge to Save the Earth

Ology Natural Products Make it Easy to Go GreenI picked up some Ology Toilet Paperfacial tissuesnapkins, and paper towels – some of our most-used products. I want to show him that they work every bit as well as the products he buys, but since they’re tree-free,  forests aren’t lost because of them. Like all Ology paper products, the Ology toilet paper is made from bamboo and sugar cane husks instead of trees! Sounds rough, but I assure you it’s not. Plus it’s septic tank safe and biodegradable.

Does Ology Toilet Paper cost more?  It depends on what you compare it to. You get 370 sq ft total (300 2-ply sheets per roll) for $5.99. The 12-pack store brand next to is is also $5.99 but for 176 2-ply sheets (250 sq feet total) so the Ology version is actually cheaper. But what’s more important to me than the price is that fact that no trees were harmed and no bleach or chemicals were added to the waste stream from bleaching traditional toilet paper.

Operation Undercover Go Natural - Substituting greener cleaning and paper products in my home - #WalgreensOlogy #CollectiveBias  #shop

I also swapped out our harsh spray cleaner with Ology’s Lemon & Lavender All Purpose Cleaner. Why? Because not only does it clean most surfaces, it does it without dyes, harsh solvents, or ammonia. It’s a natural cleaner that cuts through the grime without harmful chemicals and is lightly scented with Meyer lemon and lavender.

I simply poured it into a generic spray bottle and labeled it by hand. Cautionary warning? Yes, I was going to add those too, but there aren’t any except for the common sense warning of “Keep Out of Reach of Children.” That’s the benefit of a natural product!

Ology All-Purpose Cleaner Ingredients and Warning Label - #WalgreensOlogy #CollectiveBias  #shop

Plus, for this vegetarian it’s important that it’s not tested on animals and the Ology products have a 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed so you don’t need to worry about trying a new product.

Next I went about “hiding” the paper products. The toilet paper and paper towels were easy. I just unwrapped them and put them on the shelf. He’ll assume it’s part of my new organization project and they’re intermingled with traditional products as well (I’m not throwing them out – the trees have already given their life for them!).

Easy DIY Tissue  Cover

Hiding the tissues was a little bit more work. The box they come in is cute and the branding was nicely kept to a minimum, but there was the bright pink logo and the slogan which hinted at their natural makeup. I decided to cover the box with shelf paper. It took less than five minutes and matches the bathroom decor so he’ll never know the purpose of covering it was to keep it secret. The side benefit of covering it is that it’s waterproof so less likely to get ruined since it’s so close to the sink.

I used the cardboard section from the dispenser as a pattern to cut it out of the center out of a piece of shelf paper. Next I pulled back the backing and put it in place. I’d cut the square to cover the top about 1/4 inch larger so that I could fold it over and attach it to the sides (I used hospital corners to keep it neat). Then I cut another piece to cover the 4 sides making sure one of the long sides was a factory cut so that I could be sure it was straight.

Quick DIY Tissue Cover - #WalgreensOlogy #CollectiveBias  #shop

I pulled off the backing and placed the box on its side. I lined up the factory cut with the top of the box and smoothed the paper into place. I folded any extra under and left the bottom uncovered (though it could be covered like the top before the sides). Hand creasing the corners and sides makes it look crisp and you can embellish it with ribbons or stickers if you like.

Naturally Clean

Once I got rid of the extra chemicals he’d saved (check with your garbage company to find out safe disposal methods for them) I have so much more room in my linen closet – I even have room again for linen!

Simple Swaps for More Natural Cleaning and a Healthier Home - #WalgreensOlogy #CollectiveBias  #shop

I’m leaving tomorrow for five days and I can’t wait to see if he notices. He’s been home for a few hours now and not mentioned anything so I think I’ve done it! Next time I’m going to sneak in the Ology Pure Castile Liquid Soap PeppermintOlogy Triple Milled Soap Bars in Oatmeal & Honey, and Ology Glossy Streak-Free Finish Glass Cleaner. He’ll never notice the difference but his skin and body will thank me!

“Mom’s Cool Things” at Walgreens — Ology™ Cleaning Challenge

Host Laura Leighton challenges two moms to go on a fast paced shopping spree at a Walgreens’ store. They are tasked with finding household cleaning and personal care products from Ology™ (exclusively at Walgreens) that are safer for their families and the environment. The mom who best meets the requirements will win a gift card to Walgreens.

Want to find out more? Follow #WalgreensOlogy on Twitter to see what others have to say! Curious about what else Collective Bias members are doing? Search #CollectiveBias on Twitter

Who do you have to convince that choosing natural isn’t just our social responsibility, but it’s our right to demand products that create a healthy child, healthy world environment? What lengths would you go to get a healthy home?