Hello Everyone,
Today (Sunday) I was in New York City to do a piece about Green Cleaning with ABC7. You can view the 4-minute segment by clicking here. I was tremendously excited to have this opportunity, and I feel that the segment went really well. They also were kind enough to let their audience know about my new book, Clean Your Home Healthy: Green Cleaning Made Easy, which you can now pre-order on Amazon.com.
In other news…If you’re interested in learning more about holistic living and a healthier approach to life, check out this great FREE teleconference being offered to all my readers by my friend Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC on Thursday March 6. Debi is called the Mojo Coach because she helps moms get their ‘mojo’ back through holistic nutrition and fitness counseling. To learn more about Debi, visit her web page at www.lifestylefitnessinc.com. To sign up for this FREE Teleconference, go to www.audioacrobat.com/note/CPZRjYxs.
So, in relation to my television appearance, I’d like to talk about green cleaning. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that I’ve posted a lot of info on this subject. And, of course, you can always order my book to learn how to green up every room in your house (hint, hint…). But there are some household products that I haven’t yet touched on, products that we use perhaps less frequently than our floor cleaners or automatic dishwashing liquid, but which can have profound effects on our home environment and our planet at large. I’m referring, of course, to what may be in your garage.
Below are a few commonly used products that are often forgotten in the greater scheme of a green cleaning self-makeover, and that – unlike motor oil and antifreeze – you may not even think of as being toxic. But as you can see, these aren’t innocent bystanders.
§ Auto Washes. Many car wash formulas are caustic, as they contain sodium hydroxide (lye), so you’ll probably want to refrain from the teenage-movie-style water fight over the minivan. Many ingredients are listed by the Household Products Database as “Trade Secrets” – which means that the only testing they have undergone has been by the chemical companies which manufacture them. Some auto washes also contain benzene derivatives like alkyl benzenesulfonic acid. Benzene is a known human carcinogen according to the Department of Health and Human Services, and has been linked especially to leukemia (read more at healthdangers.com. Don’t forget, exposure to these products doesn’t begin and end with your hands: when you rinse, polluted water flows into storm drains and soil, and ends up in our groundwater.
§ Auto Waxes. These contain petroleum distillates, which are manufactured using crude oil. Petroleum distillates, also known as mineral spirits (think turpentine and kerosene) were shown in lab tests to increase tumor growth in mice. You can read the article on PubMed.
§ Ice Melt. These use potassium chloride or sodium chloride, which is routinely used as road salt. In 2000 the ASPCA warned of the toxicity of road salt to pets, and recommends washing your pets’ paws after walking on roads or sidewalks treated with ice melt (read more at dogtopics.com). During the winter, these salts can end up in groundwater in massive amounts. And, they can be damaging to lawns and landscaping.
§ Insect and Weed Killers. These bad boys use organophosphates and other harsh chemicals, and they are truly poisonous. After all, wasps and hornets and ants and dandelions are made up of millions of individual cells, just like us. At the core of things, we’re not all that much different: carbon-based organic life forms. So when you’re spraying that hornet’s nest with toxic insecticide, think about what else you may be killing. Poisons have a nasty way of spiraling up the food chain. Agricultural insecticides and herbicides have been linked to cancer in farm workers (see the article on PubMed).
Want to make a change? Here are some non-toxic, eco-savvy products to try.
§ AutoWash.Lucky Earth Waterless Car Wash not only is paraben and petroleum free, but it saves water too! BioKleen makes a number of environmentally friendly cleaners for autos, marine, bikes and RVs (not to be confused with Bi-O-Kleen, which produces non-toxic household products)
§ Auto Wax. Again, BioKleen is the place to go, with loads of detailing products made to professional standards.
§ Ice Melt. SafePaw Ice Melter is designed with the safety of pets and the environment in mind. Earth Friendly Products Ice Melt is completely safe and works up to -13 degrees F.
§ Insect Killer. OrangeGuard Natural Insect Killer is certified for use in organic farming production, and is safe to use around kids and pets.
§ Weed Killer. Good old white vinegar is good for everything, it seems. Spray those pesky weeds growing in your driveway and walk with full-strength vinegar, let dry, and whisk weeds away with a broom. Or, try this recipe: mix vinegar with equal parts natural liquid soap (like castile soap) and gin (recipe from yardcare.com).
I’ve only listed a few products and their replacements here, but chances are there’s an affordable, ecological substitute for every toxic chemical you use in your home. It’s becoming easier and easier to live conscientiously, and knowledge is the key to preserving your health and the health of the Earth.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to post them on this site. And don’t forget to check out Debi’s seminar!
Cheers!
Candita Clayton
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