Perhaps it is too far back to remember, but last September I wrote about dumping and/or giving away all our commercial cleaning and deodorizing products. It was really, really hard for me to get rid of the products I'd grown up using. I felt ridiculous and wasteful: I'm fine and I grew up soaking myself with Ajax and Windex. Still. Just in case...I wanted to save BabyG from inhaling indoor petrochemically-based, toxic fumes throughout her youth and from accidentally ingesting some toxic substance, like dishwasher soap, which, as I've mentioned in past posts, is a leading cause of toddler deaths in the United States. Since that time, I have had to buy Clorox bleach when we had a mold problem, and every couple of months or so I use a tablespoon's worth of the leftover bleach on BG's diapers. Other than that, I've stuck to my guns about keeping the house free of toxins.
For some things we've bought pricey, non-toxic products. For example, my dishwasher isn't powerful enough to use a borax/baking soda cleaner without leaving residue, so I use the Seventh Generation dishwashing stuff. I also decided against making shampoos or toothpastes, which seems way too time consuming, so I buy lauryl sulfate free brands from the Whole Foods nearby...I like Jason's toothpastes and haven't found an ideal shampoo, really.
We use the nontoxic Bon Ami and Barkeeper's Friend scouring powders, as well. I've recently started using Charlie's Soap for laundry, and I love it. It actually does make my clothes feel soft.
For most all other cleaning supplies...Windex equivalents, All Purpose Cleaners, floor cleaners etc...I really did convert to mixes of vinegar, cheap olive oils, baking soda, and borax...and I haven't been disappointed...though I did mix them with lots of essential oils in order to make sure the house SMELLED as clean as it looked. In fact, my friends come over and can tell I've deep cleaned because the house smells like pine needles, eucalyptis, or pepperment.
It is true that you have to scrub more with these products than with toxic equivalents. But I don't have to scrub very much more. Also, as a new mom who can't excercize as frequently as she'd like with baby in tow, I gotta say that any increased physical activity I get, I can use.
Posts
7 comments:
I'm so with you :)
I am into what you are doing. Lets exchange blog links. Our company's blog is http://www.ecologicsolutions.blogspot.com/
I am a new mom and I came across your blog because I had searched google for healthy first birthday cakes (yours sounds yummy by the way). Anyways, I also saw your cleaning product information. I am just getting involved with a company called Melaleuca, which has all natural cleaning products and anything for the home. But it's not that much more $ than the regular, and it's great because the solutions are made already. Anyways, if you have any questions about it, email me at mckeefamily03@gmail.com! Thanks!
Amazing Cleaning Products I Recently Discovered!
I recently discovered these amazing Organic cleaning products. I never thought something "organic" could be so good at cleaning my home. I have used Clorox bleach and Windex among other name brand chemical cleaning products for years and have hated the harsh smells and reactions to my skin every time I used them. But when my 3 year old developed sensitivity to the chemicals in the everyday cleaning products that were being used in her school as well as in our home I had to take action. I needed to find something that was just as strong and gentle enough that I could use them around my family and pets. It seems like more and more I am hearing negative reactions to all these everyday cleaning products in homes and in schools. There are cleaning products out there that are safe and effective and I wholely stand by BabyGanics. I have done a lot of research and have found a very enlightening from their website about BabyGanics I would like to share:
Why is it so important to use BabyGanics
Healthy Home Cleaning products?
Babies and children are particularly at risk and more vulnerable than adults. Their bodies are rapidly growing and developing, so exposure to harmful chemicals can cause maximum damage at this critical time.
When children play on the floor they can ingest chemical residues from cleaning products which are left behind. These toxins are easily absorbed into the skin and travel through the blood stream of babies who are much more susceptible to the dangers they pose. Children can be directly ingesting potentially harmful, chemical residue invisible to us.
Chronic symptoms can develop and lead to debilitating developmental problems. For example, toxic materials found in common window and surface cleaners include ammonia, which can lead to eye, respiratory and skin irritation. Leading bathroom cleaners include compounds such as sodium acid sulfate, oxalate, hypochloric acid and chlorinated phenols which are very toxic and can cause respiratory, circulatory and cardiac damage.
Many of these chemicals can be fatal if ingested.
All BabyGanics Healthy Home products are:
• Superior in performance to conventional cleaners
• Safe for children, pets and the environment
• Non-toxic/chemical-free
• All natural/organic
All BabyGanics Healthy Home products contain:
• No Fillers or dyes
• No Pollutants
• No Caustic ingredients
• No Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
If we can use something that is “Natural and Organic” and that is just as strong and effective as all these name brand cleaners then why not? This is my opinion and I hope whoever reads this finds this to be helpful.
I see your using vinegar mixes etc. to clean windows, mirrors, etc. You need to try the window cloth from Norwex. You need nothing more!!! Using only water (and no elbow grease needed) you will find a clean streak-free shine easy to obtain. The cloth costs less than $20.00 canadian and will last forever (they say they've tested their cloths past 300 washes). It is truly amazing!!! No bottles to recycle, or toss, no other mixing etc. www.norwex.com
It's good to see the alternatives available and wealth of information available for eco-friendly cleaning. Please checkout Green For Life Cleaner available at www.greenforlifecleaner.com .. this is a great non-toxic alternative that works.
I totally second the Melaleuca comment above. EXCELLENT products and many are just as affordable (or moreso) than grocery store brands. AND, the kicker is that they really work!
Post a Comment