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Because toxicity has become a way of life, and we must breathe and eat, we are continually exposed to pesticides and pollutants, some stored just below our kitchen sinks, says a report from the Silent Spring Institute in Newton, Massachusetts. , and Harvard. University School of Public Health.
The study was published last October in Environmental Science & Technology, Sedona, Ariz., says naturopathic doctor Teresa Dale, Ph.D. “She shows that we are exposed daily to a wide range of chemicals that affect our hormonal systems.” Chemicals like phthalates and alkylphenols can increase the risk of hormone-related diseases such as breast cancer and testicular cancer.
To limit your exposure, “read labels carefully, use non-toxic cleaning products, and avoid using pesticides indoors,” says Dave Dergan, a spokesman for the Environmental Protection Agency. There are non-toxic cleaning products and pesticides in your kitchen. If you have baking soda, white vinegar, borax, and rubbing alcohol in your pantry and bathroom, you have the basic ingredients to make your own cleaning products and pesticides that don’t break the bank. I have included formulations to make your own products from these articles and many more at the end of this article.
There are many effective and environmentally safe cleaners that you can buy or make. Using these alternatives will reduce the toxic load on your home and the environment. By switching to green cleaners, you protect your health and the health of the community you live in while reducing air, water and soil pollution.
I bet you’re wondering, “Why doesn’t everyone do it?” Very few people actually read the labels on the products they buy, and even fewer are aware of the impact these chemicals can have on our bodies. Most people don’t take the time or have the time to research the chemicals that are in these products.
Not all “green” products are created equal, some have simply added essential oils to make it smell like the formula has changed. “You need to read labels carefully to check for irritating chemicals, such as chlorine, ammonia, and artificial fragrances and dyes,” says Dharma Singh Khalsa, MD, a preventive medicine specialist in Tucson, Arizona. “Buy cleaners at health food stores or retailers that specialize in green products.”
“Green cleaning and laundry products are the next frontier of environmentalism,” says Marci Zaroff, former editor of Macrocosm and CEO of Under the Canopy, an organic fabric clothing company. “It is an economical, easy and effective way to protect our planet and commitment to life.”
Here are some options to get you started on the path to “thinking green”:
* CITRUS OIL; Sold in health food and home improvement stores, it fills rooms with the smell of orange and is much easier on the nose (unless you like the smell of hospitals).
To clean or polish hardwood floors, dilute 1 tbsp. of citrus oil in a gallon of hot water and mop with a sponge. For greasy floors, simply use a stronger solution. You can also clean kitchen counters and tables with this solution. Citrus does not remove protective sealants. On porous surfaces like marble or granite, only use diluted oil and it should never be left to sit on a surface, always wipe dry when finished.
* TEA TREE, THYME AND LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OILS: These have been shown in some studies to have more antiseptic properties than phenol, the most common chemical disinfectant. Many disinfectants contain chlorine, which reacts with organic matter in drinking water to produce potentially carcinogenic trihalomethane.
To make a natural sanitizer, mix 20 drops of one of the essential oils listed above and 1 cup of water in a spray bottle. Apply and let stand for 15 min. or until dry.
* BICARBONATE SODA: Sodium bicarbonate (or baking soda), an alkaline substance used in fire extinguishers, antacids, and sparkling water.
You can use it to clean your bathtubs, sinks, countertops in the kitchen and bathroom. Combine 3/4 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. of borax and enough dishwashing liquid to make a smooth paste or if you prefer a pleasant smell, add 1/4 t. lemon juice to the paste. To lower the sink drain to clutter and unclog drains, put 1/2 cup of baking soda in the drain and add a cup of vinegar, wait 30 minutes. and for hot water by drain. I use this method once a month on all the drains in the house to keep them clean.
*BORAX: Borax, like its close relative boric acid, has relatively low toxicity levels and is considered safe for general household use, but the dust can be harmful if ingested in sufficient amounts by small children or pets. Keep it out of his reach. Borax is toxic to plants, so in the garden, be very careful when applying borax on or near the ground. It doesn’t take much to seep into the ground to kill nearby plants and prevent further growth.
But it’s great for removing tough sink stains, including rust on stainless steel or porcelain sinks. Make a paste of 1 cup of borax and 1/4 cup of lemon juice, put some of the paste on a cloth or sponge and rub it on the stain, then rinse under warm running water, the stain should disappear with the paste .
You can also remove mildew from upholstery and other fabrics by soaking a sponge in a solution of 1/2 cup borax dissolved in 2 cups water and rubbing it into affected areas. Let it soak for several hours until the stain is gone, then rinse well. To remove mildew from clothing, soak it in a solution of 2 cups of borax in 2 quarts of water.
Want a way to clean your toilet bowl and leave it sparkling white without those dangerous fumes? Use a stiff brush to scrub it with a solution of 1/2 cup borax mixed with a gallon of water.
VINEGAR: Vinegar is known as nature’s most convenient liquid and is so versatile you can use it in kitchen and bath, laundry and garden, home and car cleaning, even pet grooming and grooming. staff.
Damp mopping with a mild vinegar solution is recommended as a way to clean wax-free wood, laminate or vinyl floors. Be sure to check with the flooring manufacturer because even diluted vinegar’s acidity can ruin some floor finishes, and too much water will damage most hardwood floors. But if you want to try vinegar on your floors, use 1/2 cup of white vinegar mixed in 1 gallon of warm water. You may want to start with a test application in an inconspicuous area. Before applying the solution, give the mop a good squeeze (or simply use a spray bottle to dampen the mop head).
To bring dull wood paneling to life, mix 2 cups warm water, 4 tablespoons white or cider vinegar, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl, shake a few times, and dab with a clean cloth. Let it soak for several minutes, then buff with a dry cloth.
To keep your computer, printer, and other office equipment clean and dust-free, dampen a clean cloth with equal parts white vinegar and water, wring it out well, and start cleaning. Before you begin, make sure your equipment is turned off and never use a spray bottle; you don’t want liquid to get into the internal circuitry. Keep some cotton swabs handy to get into tight spaces (like between the keys on your keyboard).
To make a scratch on a wooden table much less noticeable, mix some distilled or cider vinegar and iodine in a small jar and paint over the scratch with a small artist’s brush. Use more iodine for darker woods; more vinegar for lighter shades.
To remove white rings left by wet glass on wooden furniture, mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply with a soft cloth while moving with the grain of the wood. Use another clean, soft cloth to shine. To remove whitewater rings from leather furniture, wipe it dry with a sponge soaked in pure white vinegar.
For outdoors, vinegar can get rid of bugs and ants or you can use it as bug spray and clean outdoor furniture and decks.
Pour equal parts white vinegar and water into a spray bottle and spray it on ant mounds and around areas where you see ants. Ants hate vinegar and it won’t take them long to move on. Additionally, you can spray picnic areas and playgrounds to keep ants away. If you have a lot of anthills, pour strong vinegar over them.
Are you going camping or fishing? Here’s an old army trick to keep ticks and mosquitoes away: About three days before you leave, start taking 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar three times a day. Continue along your way out and you might come home without a bite to eat.
Before resorting to bleach to get rid of mold on your deck or patio furniture, try these milder vinegar-based solutions.
*Keep undiluted white vinegar in a spray bottle and use where you see mold. The stain will immediately be cleaned from the surfaces of the must, and the vinegar will prevent it from reappearing for a while.
*Remove mildew from wooden decks and wooden patio furniture by sponging with a solution of 1 cup ammonia, 1/2 cup white vinegar, and 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 gallon of water . Use an old toothbrush to work the solution into tight spaces.
*To deodorize and inhibit mold growth on outdoor plastic mesh furniture and patio umbrellas, mix 2 cups white vinegar and 2 tablespoons dishwashing liquid in a bucket of hot water. Use a soft brush to work it into the grooves in the plastic and to scrub the seat pads and umbrella fabric. Rinse with cold water; then dry in the sun.
RUB ALCOHOL: Be sure not to confuse denatured alcohol with rubbing alcohol. Alcohol denatured to ethanol (drinking alcohol) to which poisonous and foul-tasting chemicals have been added to make it undrinkable. Often the chemicals used in denatured alcohol are not the ones you should put on your skin. Isopropyl alcohol is made from chemicals that are safe for skin contact, most often 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and 30 percent water.
Ticks hate the taste of rubbing alcohol as much as they love the taste of your dog. Before removing a tick from Fido, he rubs the creature with rubbing alcohol to loosen its grip on him. Then grab the tick as close to the dog’s skin as you can and pull it out. He again rubs with alcohol to disinfect the wound. This also works on people.
The problem with ice packs is that they don’t conform to the shape of the injured body part. Make a slushy conformable pack by mixing 1 part isopropyl alcohol with 3 parts water in a zip-lock plastic bag. The next time your knee hurts, wrap the bag of slush in a cloth and apply it to the area.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of ways to use eco-friendly products that you can do yourself. I have used most of these recipes for the last 10 years. They cost almost nothing to do and the results are fabulous. I use olive oil and vinegar to clean my furniture and I don’t have to dust it for a month. The solution seems to repel dust, just mix the olive oil and vinegar like you would a salad dressing.