Day 93 – Say NO to Bleach

Nature Bright

 

…say HELLO to Nature Bright! 

Okay, so some people like the smell of bleach, but isn’t it like liking the smell of gasoline or rubber cement or other equally terrible things to breathe?  To me, a clean house smells like…well…nothing!  I suffer from allergies, and indoor pollutants like chemicals and perfumes make me feel worse.  Maybe you like the smell of it, but are your children suffering…or your pets? 

I use Nature Bright for my laundry and stain removal.  It is an “effective alternative to chlorine bleach. [and is] Color safe and can be used with any washable fabric.”  It is of course bleach-free, but is also natural, biodegradable, and contains no phosphates.  Plus, it is 60% more effective than the leading brand on grass stains! 

Don’t suffer anymore.  Support your children with allergies and asthma by eliminating harsh cleaners from your house.  Choose alternatives like this that are safe and effective.

Day 87 – Window Cleaning Cloth

Window Cleaning Cloth

 

This is my washable, reusable window cleaning cloth.  When I use it, it gives me a streak-free shine and I feel good, too, because I am not using a lot of paper towels.  It has a woven, mesh texture and does not leave lint on the windows like other types of towels.  It is also great for stainless steel and mirrors.  When you can eliminate disposable goods like paper towels, you are saving trees, carbon emissions from transportation, and plastic packaging.  It is much better for the environment! 

Click HERE for more information on this cleaning cloth.

Day 83 – Clean with Cherries

Cherry Scour Off

Imagine cleaning your house feeling nauseated and getting a headache from the toxic cleaners mixing in the air.  What if you could smell the fresh, clean scent of real cherries instead?  This is the cleanser that I use for the jobs around the house requiring a mild abrasive.  Scour Off is safe and nontoxic.  It is a paste that only requires a little portion to work with mighty power to clean a variety of surfaces.  In my house, I use it on porcelain, laminate, and stainless steel – wherever I might use the abrasive cleaners that come in a bottle at the store.

What makes Scour Off better than store-bought cleaners?
1.     It is safe and nontoxic.
2.     It does not offgas toxic fumes into the air.
3.     It is made out of cherries.
4.     It will biodegrade naturally once rinsed down the drain.
5.     The manufacturer is carbon-neutral certified.

Click here for more information: http://greendesign.myshaklee.com/public/us/en/category.php?main_cat=HomeCare&sub_cat=GetCleanHousehold

Day 21 – The Antibacterial Myth

Bathroom - What IS Clean?

When you wash your hands, take a shower, or clean your house there are a lot of products that you might be using right now that are labeled “antibacterial.”  If you are trying to go green, you should stop using these products and find alternatives.

There is bacteria everywhere.  In Bill Bryson’s book A Short History of Nearly Everything, the author points out that bacteria cannot truly be killed by trying to eradicate them because they can live just about everywhere.  When we use antibacterial products, we are really only in the process of breeding stronger and stronger bacteria.  Did you ever notice that some products boast killing 99.9% of bacteria?  Well, it is my presumption that the last .1% continue breeding and become in a way immune to the chemicals until something even stronger is introduced.  The cycle continues.

Bacteria is needed for sewer and septic systems to work.  What breaks down the waste that goes down our sink, shower, and toilet drains?  That process relies on bacteria.  Using antibacterial soaps and cleansers and washing them away with the waste means that you are fighting the natural process of decomposition.  What is the solution on the other end of your pipes?  More chemicals!

So what are we to do?  Personally, I do not like germs.  However, I use safer, biodegradable cleansers and rarely contract communicable illnesses like the common cold and flu.  In fact, I get sick less often than other family members and my friends.  I wash my hands with a natural, biodegradable soap.  The key here is to really wash your hands and don’t just slap on some soap and do a quick rinse; really wash your hands!  For cleansers, I use a biodegradable product that is made of corn and coconut surfactants (the stuff that makes soap bubbly).  Surfactants like this don’t outright kill bacteria, but they do make the bacteria sick so that they wash off of your surfaces.

Read the labels of the soap and other cleaning products around your house.  If you have antibacterial products, consider other alternatives.  If you want to know what I use, click HERE.

Day 8 – Alleviate Allergens

Bees Transfer Pollen from Flower to Flower

A couple of years ago, I was interviewed for an article that keeps popping up online through different sources.  The information is still timely today, so I thought I would share it with you.  Here is an excerpt.  You can view the entire article online at: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/03/prweb771624.htm 

Hilary Sopata, ASID, of Park Ridge, Ill.-based Interior Visions, Inc., suggests eliminating carpeting from a home’s interiors is a good start to ensuring dust mites and other allergens are left at the door.

“Carpeting off-gasses VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and can contribute to allergy irritations. They are the newest concern for people with allergic sensitivities. As a designer, I often have to carry pieces of carpeting or area rugs around in my car, and in that enclosed environment I’ve realized how toxic it really is because it has caused me many headaches,” said Sopata.

In my home, we don’t have wall to wall carpeting.  Instead, we have natural wood floors in most of the rooms with a non-toxic finish.  We use non-toxic, eco friendly cleaners that don’t spray harsh chemicals (VOCs) in the air, and we use fragrance free laundry detergent.  Also, we use filters on our windows and take off our shoes at the door so that we don’t track allergens inside. 

Generally, however, the air indoors is about 10 times more polluted than the air outdoors, according to the US EPA.  This is perhaps because of VOCs, harsh chemical cleaners, textile fibers, and other surprising sources including air fresheners and scented candles.