Green Cleaning

Household Cleaners Hall of Shame

The Environmental Working Group has just released its new report on the dangers of certain household cleaners and the organization is naming names. We know that many of the toxic chemicals we bring into our homes are actually found in our cleaning products. That’s because meaning popular cleaners people use each and every day are filled with chemicals known to cause all sorts of health problems – everything from cancer to asthma, to reproductive problems. Now, the EWG has released what it calls their Hall of Shame database.

You can read their full report here. In the report they disclose the chemicals that could be lurking behind the term “fragrance” in the ingredient list and also report that some so-called “green” cleaners are actually harmful to the environment. The Environmental Working Group also gives consumers tips to find safer cleaning alternatives.

 

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Spring Clean With PROXI Products

 

Want a deep green, spring clean? This enormous prize pack from PROXI Products is just the thing to get you started! PROXI cleaners are non-toxic and use the power of hydrogen peroxide and plant based extracts to clean and disinfect every area in your home. Up for grabs this month is more than $80 worth of safe and effective cleaners. It includes a multi-purpose cleaner, bathroom disinfectant, shower cleaner, kitchen disinfectant cleaner, three kinds of soap, dishwasher detergent, two body washes, tote, and t-shirt! Look below for all the ways to enter to win. One winner will be selected at random. Entries will be received through 11:59pm PST on April 30, 2012.  Good luck and happy (and safe!) spring cleaning.

 

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Terri’s Top 7 Green Cleaning Secrets

Getting a deep, green clean means a healthier home and a healthier family. Terri shares her ‘Top 7 Green Cleaning Secrets’ to help you Do Your Part today!

1) White Vinegar Works Wonders

White vinegar is a natural disinfectant that works just about everywhere. Mix a half-and-half solution of white vinegar and water for a germ-busting disinfectant to clean kitchen counters, bathrooms, and even most floors. Add 1 cup of vinegar to your dishwasher to clean out its inner workings. Or cook ½ cup of vinegar with 1 cup of water in your microwave to loosen stuck on food and grease. One warning, don’t use vinegar on marble or other porous surfaces.

2) Baking Soda Solutions

Baking soda works well on most things in the kitchen because it doesn’t scratch. That makes it a good choice for countertops, oven tops, stainless steel, and the sink. If you have stubborn stains, make a baking soda paste. Just use 3 parts baking soda and one part water. Let it sit for awhile, scrub the area, and then wipe clean. And baking soda is also an excellent deodorizer for carpet. Sprinkle with baking soda, let stand for at least fifteen minutes, then vacuum.

3) Tackle Bathroom Blues with Borax

Borax is an effective mold killer and works well on hard water deposits. Use a paste to scrub the sides of the tub to a sparkling white, or mix a solution of 1 cup of borax with 1 gallon of warm water to eat away at mold in tile grout. Let 1 cup of borax sit in the toilet bowl overnight, and swipe it clean with a toilet brush the next morning.

4) Chose Air Fresheners Which Don’t Pollute

Most popular air fresheners contain dangerous ingredients like formaldehyde. Many times, they will also contain VOCs which can slowly emit toxic chemicals for years. Fresh air, baking soda (sprinkled in everything from garbage cans to tennis shoes), and soy candles are healthier options.

5) Green Your Laundry Routine

Green up laundry day by switching to a phosphate-free plant-based detergent. For softer clothes add ¼ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle as a natural fabric softener. For a more efficient use of energy and water, only wash full loads and set the water temperature to cold.

6) Break the Paper Towel Habit

Paper towels are made from the trees. Wean your family off of paper towels by keeping a drawer of reusable clothes. You can make your own by cutting up old t-shirts and towels, or invest in new sustainable bamboo dish clothes. Whatever you choose, the key is in quantity. Make sure you have plenty of options on hand for wiping down the counters or cleaning up a unexpected coffee spill.

7) Safely Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste

Household Hazardous Waste includes common household items like old paints, used motor oil, batteries and more. These items should never be thrown in the trash where they can contaminate the land and water. Do Your Part and take your household hazardous waste to a proper recycling facility in your area. To find one near you, search for “Household Hazardous Waste” at Earth911.com.

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Dirty Grout Got You Down? Try Terri's Tested Method

Do you have tough grout stains you’re dying to get rid of? Do Your Part to get it clean without any harsh and toxic cleaners. I’ve done the dirty work for you and tested three different methods to see what works best.

Take a look at what the grout looks like ‘before’ we started cleaning. You can see the stains and grime between the tiles. So, first I created a paste made of a safe, non-toxic oxygenated bleach along with water. I put it along one line of grout.

Then, I created a paste of baking soda and bleach.  I don’t normally recommend bleach for job like these because there are safer and less toxic options but I wanted to see a side-by-side comparison.

Finally, I tested another area with a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.  I scrubbed them all and let them sit for an hour.

The oxygenated bleach and the chlorine bleach did the best so I would go with the oxygenated bleach because it’s safer. Remember, you don’t need to load up on toxic chemicals when you do a deep clean.  Instead, Do Your Part to make a healthier choice.

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The Main Sources of Pollutants at Home Could Surprise You

Do you know what’s in your home right now that’s polluting the air you breathe? Rodale reports that scientists at the Silent Spring Institute analyzed roughly 200 common products to get the answer. Here are their top 3 main sources of toxic chemicals:

1) Fragranced Products
That includes soaps, shampoos, dryer sheets, air fresheners, and more. Companies don’t usually have to reveal the chemicals used on their ingredient list either.

2) Vinyl Curtains and Bedding
Products made from vinyl (think shower curtains and pillow protectors) may contain hormone disrupting phthalates and BPA. And it’s tough to shop for ones without it because most aren’t properly labeled.

3) So-called “antibacterial” products
These days there are everything from antibacterial soaps to socks. Many of these products contain the controversial ingredient Triclosan. Not only can that ingredient cause health problems but our obsession with killing germs is creating a rise in drug resistant bacteria.

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Disinfect Without Polluting Your Home

When it comes to cleaning our homes, most of us want to make sure of one thing – that we are doing a deep clean and actually disinfecting the rooms and surfaces in our house. Here’s the thing. You don’t need chemical-based cleaners to kill germs. Do Your Part and find safer and just as effective disinfecting options that will work for every spot in your home.

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Top 7 Alternatives to Toxic Air Fresheners

You know what stinks? Using toxic air fresheners at home or in your car. They can release air-polluting chemicals that can actually make you sick. Some of the most popular air fresheners on the market contain phthalates, which are known to cause everything from birth defects to cancer. There’s nothing too sweet smelling about that. Do Your Part before you spray, plug in, or light some traditional air fresheners and check out Terri’s ‘Top 7 Safer Alternatives’.

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Green Your Cleaning Routine

We all use household cleaners and the choices out there are endless. Do Your Part and choose eco- friendly cleaners that are better for your home, your family and the environment. The scary thing about chemical cleaners is that they aren’t even required to list the ingredients on the label. And some of those chemicals can pollute the air inside our homes and possibly cause all sorts of health problems – everything from asthma to allergies to reproductive problems.

How do you tell which ones are eco-friendly? One way, is to look for the government’s “Design for the Environment” logo. You can find it on hundreds of products and it means they only contain chemicals the EPA believes are the safest in their class. They also don’t contain any dangerous phthalates or heavy metals which can pollute the air your family breathes every day. Method and Clorox’s “Green Works” lines both carry the DfE logo.

But, it’s important to note that green logos and seals don’t tell the whole story. Seventh Generation products, for instance, opted not to put the government’s environmental logo on it’s products, saying they far out perform other government approved green cleaners and are much safer for the environment. And some good green cleaners can’t been found in the store. Shaklee is one of my favorites. Their products are plant-based and non-toxic. And, because you simply add a few drops of their cleaning solutions into reusable containers you are eliminating the need for so many plastic bottle refills.

And you can’t beat the cost of some basic green cleaners. All-natural vinegar and baking soda won’t harm the environment and mixed with some warm water they can become the perfect all purpose cleaner. Just don’t use vinegar on marble because it can damage it.

Think about it. The last thing you want to do when you deep clean is to pollute the air inside your home. Using chemical-based cleaners may get rid of the dust and dirt but you could be creating a whole other set of problems. So, Do Your Part to make your cleaning routine as green as can be.

To Learn More Visit:
EPA: Design for the Environment
Shaklee

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Top 5 Ways Chemicals Sneak Into Your Home

Everyday we bring dangerous chemicals right into our homes. It could be from our shoes, a new piece of furniture we buy, or even the type of shower curtain we pick out. Here are ‘Terri’s Top 5 Ways Chemicals Sneak Into Your Home’ and the solutions you need to make a healthier home for you and your family.

1) Chemical Cleaners
One of the most common ways potentially toxic chemicals get into your home is when you use chemical-based cleaners. The scary thing is that their ingredients are not even required to be on the label. And, some of the chemicals they contain can pollute the air inside our homes and possibly cause all sorts of health problems – everything from asthma to allergies to reproductive issues.

What’s the Healthier Alternative?
Opt for non-toxic cleaners which you can either make or buy. Baking soda is a powerful all purpose cleaner. White vinegar is an all natural disinfectant and works wonders on most surfaces. Borax is also an effective mold killer. If you’d rather purchase a safer cleaner, look for those that are plant-based and fragrance free.

2) Furniture & Flooring
When we pick out a new piece of furniture or new carpet and flooring, we usually aren’t thinking of the gasses they may emit after they’re in our home. Some of those popular and affordable pieces made from medium density fiberboard – or MDF – actually contain a formaldehyde-based resin. And many popular choices of flooring emit formaldehyde or are secured to the floor with adhesives that do. At elevated levels, formaldehyde can irritate eyes and cause breathing problems.

What’s the Healthier Alternative?
When shopping, seek out furniture and flooring products labeled formaldehyde-free. Buying used, high quality wood furniture pieces are also a good bet because any dangerous chemicals have already been off-gassed.

3) Shoes & Paws
When you think about all the things you trek into your home with your shoes it can be downright disgusting! The same can be said for what’s on your pet’s paws. It’s not only dirt but also toxic debris such as lawn chemicals, automotive fluids, and pesticides. If you have young children in the home, they can easily be exposed to these toxins on the floor.

What’s the Healthier Alternative?
The easiest solution is to simply leave your shoes at the door. Also, having a large mat to wipe your feet and your pet’s paws is a smart idea. Have slippers or socks handy for use only inside your home. Also, consider wiping your pet’s paws with a reusable cloth when they come inside, especially after lawn treatments.

4) Problematic Plastics
There’s one type of plastic that actually releases harmful chemicals that accumulate in our bodies. It’s polyvinyl chloride – or PVC – and is used to make vinyl shower curtains, children’s toys, and food containers. These plastics are made soft and flexible with the use of plasticizers. Phthalates are a common plasticizer. Phthalates are easily released from plastics especially when heated. Phthalates are suspected of contributing to reproductive defects, premature births and impaired neurological development.

What’s the Healthier Alternative?
Start by avoiding plastics labeled with a #3 on the bottom. This identifies it as PVC. Also, seek out vinyl products that are labeled PVC-free. The U.S. now bans many dangerous phthalates in products for children under 12 but the ban took effect in 2009 and only for newly manufactured toys. This means there are still many children’s products that contain dangerous phthalates on store shelves. Look for newer items labeled PVC-free when shopping for younger children.

5) Dry Cleaning
If you bring home clothing from a traditional dry cleaner, you’re bringing in dangerous chemicals that can cause anything from headaches and breathing problems to more severe problems like liver and kidney damage. That’s because 80% of American dry cleaners use perchloroethylene (perc) as the cleaning agent. Perc is a manmade compound that pollutes our air, land and water.

What’s the Healthier Alternative?
If you visit the dry cleaner often, seek out ones which are perc-free. However, if there isn’t a green dry cleaner near you, make sure you unwrap you’re clothes once you’re home and let them air out before hanging them up in your closet.

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Green Cleaning Recipes


Making your own green cleaners is easy and economical. With a few must-have ingredients you can make many different non-toxic cleaners like disinfectants or glass cleaners.  Here’s a list of recipes that can help you get started.

Must-have Ingredients:

    • vinegar
    • baking soda
    • lemon juice
    • borax
    • hydrogen peroxide or oxygenated bleach

Recipes

Air Freshener

Baking soda absorbs odors. Use shallow dishes around the home to absorb odors naturally.

Essential oils can be used to add a pleasing scent to your room. Use on cotton balls in shallow dish placed in inconspicuous places.

All Purpose Cleaner

Use 3 parts vinegar to one part water in spray bottle.

Bleach

Use oxygenated bleach products instead of chlorine bleach products to whiten whites and brighten colors. To remove stains, let clothing soak in a a solution of 1 gallon water and ¼ cup oxygenated bleach. Let sit for 30 minutes and then wash as usual.

Deodorizer

Control odors in garbage cans and cat litter boxes by sprinkling baking soda in the bottom before putting in a new bag or litter.

Absorb nasty sneaker smells by sprinkling some baking soda into the shoes. Simply dump it out before wearing.

Eliminate pet odors from bedding by sprinkling liberally with baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes (longer for stronger smells) and then vacuum.

To remove odors from carpets and rugs, sprinkle liberally with baking soda and let sit for 15 minutes. Vacuum clean.

Use 1 cup of vinegar only in the dishwasher or washing machine to remove mildew odors.

Remove odors from the microwave by filling a microwave-safe bowl with ½ cup of water and ½ cup of vinegar*. Heat until the liquid boils. Let it sit for several minutes and then remove and wipe interior surfaces with damp cloth to remove any remaining food.

*vinegar smells dissipate upon drying leaving your home naturally clean

Disinfectant

Use vinegar at full stregth to kill germs. Keep a spray bottle of vinegar . Do not use vinegar on porous surfaces like marble or grout.

Use full strength hydrogen peroxide in a dark colored sprayer to disinfect cutting boards or other surfaces.

Fabric Softener

Vinegar added to the final rinse cycle will remove soapy residue and leave your clothes naturally soft. High efficiency models need less than a tablespoon of vinegar, top loading machines can use up to ¼ cup.

Glass and Mirror Cleaner

Use a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar to clean glass and mirrors

Laundry Detergent Booster

Use ¼ to ½ cup of Borax to boost the cleaning power of your biodegradable, phosphate free detergent.

Mold Killer

Mix 1 cup of borax with 1 gallon of hot water. Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spritz the problem areas. Let it sit for a few minutes and wipe clean. You can also use this solution to A 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water can be used to kill mold and mildew in tile grout.

Produce Cleaner

Mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, and 1 cup cold tap water in a spray bottle, shake well, and apply to your produce. Rinse with tap water before cooking or serving.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Pour 1 cup of borax into the bowl. Let sit overnight and scrub with a brush the next morning before flushing.

Wall Cleaner

Make a 50/50 mix of water and hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. Spray and wipe with a dry cloth. To remove crayon marks from walls, apply baking soda to a damp cloth and gently scrub the area to erase the unwanted art.

Wood Furniture Polish

Combine 1/8 cup olive oil and ¼ cup lemon juice in a spray bottle. Shake contents and spritz cloth until damp. Use cloth to evenly polish wood surface.

NOTE: Olive oil will go rancid so it’s best to use all of polish within a month.

Read these features for other green cleaning tips:
Control Indoor Pests Naturally
Kill Outdoor Pests and Weeds Without Toxic Chemicals
A Better Mold Killer
Lighten and Brighten Your Laundry’s Load
Cleaning with Vinegar
Try Baking Soda Instead of Costly Chemical Cleaners
Green Your Cleaning Routine
Control Indoor Pests Naturally

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