So you know you want to make some changes for the better, and get some of those toxins out of your life, but how do you do it?

Here are some simple, but effective ideas:

CLEANING

GET RID OF THOSE TOXIC CLEANSERS AND SAVE MONEY!

WHAT'S WRONG WITH MOST COMMERCIAL HOUSEHOLD CLEANSERS?

Have you ever noticed that while using most commercial household cleansers your skin may get itchy and red, your eyes may water, or you may have trouble breathing because of the fumes? Why should household "cleaning" pollute the air in your home and harm you, your family and pets?!

The following are some common toxins found in many commercial household cleansers such as all-purpose cleansers and disinfectants, laundry and dishwashing detergent, air fresheners, toilet cleaners, fabric softeners, furniture polishes, and dust sprays:

Alcohol, ammonia, bleach, butyl cellosolve, chlorine bleach, cresol, formaldehyde, glycols, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, lye, naphthalene, para-Dichlorobenzene (PDCB), petroleum, phenol, phosphoric acid, propellants, sulfuric acid, trichloroethylene (TCE).

Possible effects of some of the above toxins:
Death if ingested, cancer, kidney damage, liver damage, depression, dizziness, headaches, numbness, lightheadedness, irritation to eyes, nose, throat, lungs, and skin (hives, burns, dissolved tissue, pimples), sweating, urinary irritation, blindness, tremors, hypertension, nausea, irregular heartbeat, fatigue, and they may be flammable, considered a narcotic, or create toxic fumes if combined with other substances.

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THE STAPLES OF NON-TOXIC CLEANING

White distilled vinegar: kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (according to Heinz company), deodorizes, dissolves soap film.

Baking soda (bicarb soda): deodorizes, mild abrasive, removes grease and dirt when dissolved in water.

Essential oils: some act as cleansers or disinfectants, and they add a pleasant fragrance as you clean. I use the organic oils at Mountain Rose Herbs.

Spray bottles (preferably made of recycled plastic!)
CAUTION - to play it safe do not re-use commercial spray bottles. The product may not list all chemicals used. By adding your new substances to these bottles, there is potential for a possibly dangerous chemical reaction.

Optional Ingredients

Castile soap: not a necessity. Mild, olive-oil based soap. Try the organic castile soap at Mountain Rose Herbs.

Borax (boric acid): not a necessity. Although it has a low toxicity level, unless ingested in large amounts, I don't usually use it just because it is less safe than scented vinegar or baking soda. However, it can be a more effective cleanser. It can be found in some drug stores or grocery stores by the laundry detergent, or at Mountain Rose Herbs.

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BASIC RECIPES

IF YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING TWO CLEANSERS ON HAND,
YOU'RE SET FOR GENERAL CLEANING ANYWHERE IN YOUR HOUSE!

1) Spray bottle of scented vinegar

Fill your spray bottle with white distilled vinegar. For a 16 oz. bottle, add about 10-12 drops of your chosen essential oil (you may add more or less oil to suit your nose and it may vary depending on the scent). Shake before each use. Try the organic essential oils at Mountain Rose Herbs.

• You may also use a gallon jug of vinegar, put about 50 drops, or 1/2 teaspoon, of chosen essential oil and refill your spray bottle when needed.
• NOTE: the longer you let the vinegar sit on the surface, the more bacteria it will kill.
• USE AS AN ALL-PURPOSE DISINFECTANT SPRAY
• spray on kitchen counters and sinks
• cutting boards after cutting raw meat
• kitchen table
• windows, mirrors
• mopping floors
• bathroom sinks, toilets and tubs
• spray vinegar on shower walls and tub after each use to reduce formation of soap scum and mildew.
• to be even more thorough, after spraying, wipe down walls and tub with a cloth or squeegee so they are dry.

2) Scented baking soda

• Open a one pound box of baking soda (it's easiest if you tear the top off completely), put about 25 drops of chosen essential oil (again, you may add more or less to suit your nose). Take a fork and stir through the box thoroughly to mix the scent in. Tape the lid back on leaving an opening to sprinkle. Try the organic essential oils at Mountain Rose Herbs.
• For more convenient dispensing, re-use a shaker container from parmesan cheese, for example. The pre-punched holes make it easier to sprinkle baking soda without dumping out too much. Arm and Hammer also sells their baking soda in a shaker container.
• Sprinkle on, wipe down the surface and rinse off with scented vinegar to dissolve the residue.
• NOTE: Don't use too much baking soda or you will have lots of residue to clean up. Although, if you have a big mess, the baking soda will create a nice cleansing paste if you use enough with water and you have a lot of grime to clean up!
• USE THIS TO CLEAN GRIME FROM DIRTY SURFACES, AND DEODORIZE
• sprinkle on kitchen counters (lemon leaves a lovely clean scent behind)
• stove top (it is only a mild abrasive and will not scratch)
• bathroom sinks and tubs to cut through soap scum
• in trash cans, etc. to reduce foul smells
• stainless steal

3) All-purpose Soap Cleanser

If you would like more soapy action in your cleanser, or just feel like you need more than baking soda and vinegar try the following recipe:

• Fill a 16 oz. spray bottle almost full with purified water (tap water contains many minerals that may inhibit the cleaning action of the spray), add 3 tablespoons of castile soap (after the water so as not to create suds), add about 25 drops of chosen essential oil
• USE AS AN ALL-PURPOSE DISINFECTANT SPRAY
• spray on kitchen counters and sinks
• cutting boards after cutting raw meat
• bathroom sinks, toilets and tubs
• mopping floors

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OTHER GREEN CLEANING METHODS

Kitchen and Bath

• See uses for recipes 1, 2, and 3 above.
• For toilet bowl cleaners, try non-toxic brands like Seventh Generation, available online or at several grocery stores. Use the "Find a Store" link on their site.

Laundry

• Use phosphate free detergent, such as Seventh Generation, available online or at several grocery stores. Use the "Find a Store" link on their site. Phosphates soften your water, but may pollute the ponds and lakes that absorb them and can kill aquatic life.
• Avoid chlorine bleach! Hundreds of studies have shown that it can cause cancer, birth defects and developmental and reproductive disorders. Seventh Generation offers a chlorine-free bleach at www.seventhgeneration.com.

Many people use much more laundry detergent than they actually need. Often, by using too much, a residue is left on the clothes which can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. This often prompts people to use fabric softeners which often contain toxins when they only need to cut back on detergent!

• For a full load of laundry, use half as much detergent as you normally would, or half as much as the bottle may call for, and add 1/2 cup of baking soda. Your clothes will come out just as clean, deodorized, without residue, and you save money!
• Make sure you adjust the amount of detergent and baking soda for different sized loads. (1/4 cup baking soda for small load)
• Add about 1 1/2 cups of vinegar during the rinse cycle to eliminate static cling
• Add several drops of eucalyptus essential oil to your load to eliminate dust mites from linens
• Add a few drops of orange essential oil to a load to help get stains out
• Add a couple drops of lavender essential oil to a wet washcloth in your dryer load to give everything a gentle, calming scent

Air fresheners

• Fill a pretty box with a ventilated lid with scented baking soda (Recipe 2 above) and place anywhere in your home
• To eliminate odors, soak a cotton ball with vanilla extract and place it near the odor (for example, in your kitchen to eliminate odors from trash)
• Fill a misting spray bottle with peppermint scented vinegar (Recipe 1 above), or scent of choice, and spray near the foul odor to kill the odor bacteria and scent the room. Try the organic essential oil scents at Mountain Rose Herbs.

Dish Washing By Hand

• Use chlorine and phosphate free dishwashing liquid. Try Seventh Generation's - online or at several grocery stores. Use the "Find a Store" link on their site.
• When you reach the bottom of a bottle of dishwashing liquid, pour a little water into it and you'll be surprised how many more washes you can get out of it!
• As with laundry detergent, many people tend to use much more dishwashing detergent than they need to. Try cutting back!
• If you will be letting dishes with food residue sitting in the sink for awhile, sprinkle some baking soda over them to keep them from smelling.

Automatic Dishwasher

• Use chlorine and phosphate free dishwashing detergent. Try Seventh Generation's - online or at several grocery stores. Use the "Find a Store" link on their site.
• Again, many people use too much dishwasher detergent. Read the box for the recommended amount needed (probably only a tablespoon or two). See how much detergent (and therefore, money) you save and how much less residue will stick to your dishes!
• Pour 1 cup of baking soda in the dishwasher and run it through the rinse cycle to help get rid of food residue or odor in the machine.
• Replace your dishwasher detergent with 1/2 baking soda and 1/2 borax (also available at Mountain Rose Herbs. Pour vinegar in the rinse dispenser.
• Or use half of your normal detergent (again, you probably only need a tablespoon or two) and half baking soda.

Carpet

• Sprinkle some plain or scented baking soda (Recipe 2 above) on your carpet and vacuum it up to deodorize

Floors

• Dip your mop in scented vinegar (Recipe 1 above), or the All-purpose Soap Cleanser (Recipe 3 above), and mop away! The Soap Cleanser may leave a little soap residue that you may need to rinse off the floor. Use pine scented essential oil if you're missing the scent of those pine-y toxic cleansers.

Windows and Mirrors

• See Recipe 1 for Scented Vinegar above
• Try using cut up old T-shirts instead of paper towels
• Try wiping with newspaper to eliminate streaks

Dusting and Furniture Polish

• In a 16 oz. spray bottle, pour 2 tablespoons of light olive oil, about 25 drops of lemon essential oil, 1/4 cup of vinegar, and fill the rest of the bottle with purified water. Shake before each use. Try the organic essential oils at Mountain Rose Herbs.
• Spray on your rag or directly on furniture to dust and polish! The olive oil conditions while the vinegar cleans.

Sources:

• GoGreenGift
• Greenfeet.com
• American Water & Energy Savers
• EPA.gov
• Care2
• The Dollar Stretcher
• Seventh Generation
• Clean House, Clean Planet, by Karen Logan

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