Simplify Your Cleaning Products and Go Green!
I read a really great article today in the Boom! Magazine about cleaning out your current, more toxic cleaning products for safer alternatives - safer for you and for the planet. Now that I've become more aware of products that are harmful to the health of my family and our planet, I pay much closer attention to anything regarding going green!
So, how often do you clean your home? The norm is probably once a week, right? Now, what percentage of your time is spent indoors rather than out? According to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) we spend 90% of our ti me indoors rather than out. Another interesting fact is that stay at home moms are 54% more likely to develop cancer than women who have jobs outside of the home. The EPA conducted a study over a five year period and the results concluded that the concentration of 20 harmful chemicals was 200 times higher in our homes and offices than outdoors.
How we keep our homes clean is extremely important to the our own health as well as to the health of our children, pets, and planet. The question is, how do we know which cleaning products are safe and which are harmful? Or, which claim to be safe, but really are not so? Have you heard of the new term called "greenwashing"? Greenwashing is a fairly recent term that refers to the marketing and branding of products as green or good for the environment, when the company has done nothing or very little to make their products better for you or the environment. Beware of claims and marketing on the front of the product with words like "natural" or "organic".
Safe cleaning is not just better for the planet, avoiding harmful chemicals is critical to your health. The number of people with multiple chemical sensitivity is on the rise with one trigger thought to be very low-level chemical exposure. A myriad of information is available online and in bookstores to help you clean safely, and save you money in the process. Here are some basic steps to get you started.
Here are some basic tips to help you get started:
Step One: Look through your current products and make three piles. Pile one is for products that you use often and feel are safe to continue using. Pile two is for products you rarely use, or may be more dangerous. Store these products in a location away from your main living areas and out of reach for small hands. Pile three is for products to dispose of safely. Don’t pour chemicals down your sink, your toilet, or in your trash. Check your city’s public works website for what to do with unwanted chemicals. (See “How To Read Labels” below for help on ingredients to avoid.)
Step Two: Rethink your cleaning needs. No doubt you now want to buy some new products to replace those you’ve discarded. Remember to once again read the labels. You are looking for “Non-Toxic” and “Biodegradable.” In other words, you want products that are safe for you and safe for the planet. Even sponges can harbor chemicals. Look for natural cellulose sponges without triclosan or other antibacterial chemicals. Then pop them into the microwave or top rack of your dishwasher regularly to disinfect.
Step Three: Consider reducing or eliminating chemical cleaners and use commonly found products around your home. You can basically handle any cleaning task with lemons, salt, vinegar, baking soda, vegetable oil, essential oils (for fragrance), and even tea and tomato sauce.
Safe cleaning is not just better for the planet, avoiding harmful chemicals is critical to your health. The number of people with multiple chemical sensitivity is on the rise with one trigger thought to be very low-level chemical exposure. A myriad of information is available online and in bookstores to help you clean safely, and save you money in the process. Here are some basic steps to get you started.
Here are some basic tips to help you get started:
Step One: Look through your current products and make three piles. Pile one is for products that you use often and feel are safe to continue using. Pile two is for products you rarely use, or may be more dangerous. Store these products in a location away from your main living areas and out of reach for small hands. Pile three is for products to dispose of safely. Don’t pour chemicals down your sink, your toilet, or in your trash. Check your city’s public works website for what to do with unwanted chemicals. (See “How To Read Labels” below for help on ingredients to avoid.)
Step Two: Rethink your cleaning needs. No doubt you now want to buy some new products to replace those you’ve discarded. Remember to once again read the labels. You are looking for “Non-Toxic” and “Biodegradable.” In other words, you want products that are safe for you and safe for the planet. Even sponges can harbor chemicals. Look for natural cellulose sponges without triclosan or other antibacterial chemicals. Then pop them into the microwave or top rack of your dishwasher regularly to disinfect.
Step Three: Consider reducing or eliminating chemical cleaners and use commonly found products around your home. You can basically handle any cleaning task with lemons, salt, vinegar, baking soda, vegetable oil, essential oils (for fragrance), and even tea and tomato sauce.
How to read labels
Look on the back of the product for the ingredients. If a company is not transparent about their ingredients, that’s a red flag. Here’s a short list of what to avoid or use with care.
- The words: WARNING, DANGER, or POISON
- Ammonia
- Butyl glycol, ethylene glycol, monobutyl
- Chlorine Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite)
- Monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA) triethanolamine (TEA)
- Nonoxynol, octoxynol, nonylphenol, octylphenol, nonylphenol, ethoxylate
- Phenols
- Phosphates
- Phthalates,“Fragrance”
- Triclosan
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