Cleaning Green
There are many reasons to avoid common cleaning products in your home. Here are a few:
- Many common cleaning products contain hazardous chemicals and volatile organic compounds which emit smog-forming chemicals. This is indoor air pollution. It's not good for your eyes or your lungs. According to Clean Air Counts, "About 20 tons of volatile organic compounds are released each day from consumer products used in the Metropolitan Chicago area." There are better ways to clean our homes.
- Most powdered clothes washing and dish washing detergents contain phosphates. During the rinse cycle, these phosphates go down the drain, through the water waste treatment plant and out into the Fox River. They promote the growth of algae, which consumes oxygen when it decomposes, causing fish and other aquatic life to die. That's not good.
- As reported in Naturally Clean by Jeffrey Hollender, “Data obtained from Environmental Protection Agency studies shows that the general population is being exposed to surprisingly extreme levels of carcinogenic substances in their homes. Exposures in some cases were found to be 5 to 70 times higher than the highest outdoor levels. In the majority of homes, the levels of certain toxins were greater than those needed to qualify a location as a Superfund site.” (2005, pg. 9).
Fortunately, we have other options. There are many good alternatives. Here are a few brand names we trust: Seventh Generation, Natural Clean, Lifetree and Ecover. These can be purchased at many local supermarkets. Jewel carries most of their non-toxic products in the natural/organic aisle, not with the other cleaning products. Woodman's (at the corner of Orchard Road and Oak Street in North Aurora) has a wide selection at reasonable prices. Trader Joes has a couple of good phosphate free, low VOC options for general cleansers, dish washing detergents and laundry detergents. Walgreens also carries some good alternatives. For a good scrubber, you can buy Bon Ami, the old standby from 1886 that contains no bleach, detergent, perfume or dye. Ideally, we want products that contain
no phosphates
no bleach
no dyes
biodegradable surfactants.
But if you want to save money too, you can make your own cleaning products, just like your great grandma. Here are some good recipes The Batavia Women's Club got from Better Basics For the Home by Annie Berthold-Bond:
All-Purpose Cleanser for countertops, walls, baseboards, etc.
½ teaspoon washing soda
2 teaspoons borax
½ teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
2 cups hot water
Combine the washing soda, borax, and soap in a spray bottle. Pour in the hot water (it will dissolve the minerals), screw on the id, and shake to completely blend and dissolve. Spritz every 6 inches or so of surface once or twice, wiping off the cleanser with a rag as you go. For tough dirt, leave the cleanser on for a few minutes before wiping it off. Shake the bottle each time before using.
All-Purpose Window Cleaner
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
2 cups water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle, shake to blend. Spray on, then remove with a squeegee or newspaper.
Scrubbing Cleanser for tub and tile
½ cup baking soda
enough liquid soap or detergent to make a frosting like consistency
Place the baking soda in a bowl; slowly pour in the liquid soap, stirring all the wile, until the consistency reaches that of frosting. Scoop the creamy mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface and rinse.
The Batavia Public Library has a couple of good books with information about how to keep a cleaner, safer home. They can be found in the non-fiction section 648.5. Here were a few:
Imus, Deirdre. Green This!: greening your cleaning. (2007) 648.5 IMU
Hollender, Jeffrey with Geoff Dave, Meika Hollender and Reed Doyle. Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic Cleaning. (2005) 648.5 HOL
Sandbeck, Ellen. Organic Housekeeping -- in which the nontoxic avenger shows you how to improve your health and that of your family while you save time, money, and, perhaps, your sanity. (2006) 648.5 SAN