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You may be able to bathe without soap, and can use a minimal amount for washing your hands. (Emily, Flickr)

By Linda Foss

Laundry Detergent and Clothing Care

You aren’t supposed to fill those caps. There are lines inside showing the amount the manufacturer recommends, and that is often still more than you need.  More is not better. Too much detergent reduces cleaning power and is leaves residue in your clothes. Try throwing a few of your towels into the wash without soap and see how much suds form.

Choose phosphate free detergents. Phosphates are causing harmful algae overgrowth in our waterways. Most of it comes from fertilizer, but chemicals used in the home are not helping. Try making your own eco-safe laundry soap or use alternatives such as soapberry nuts. Spot treat potential stains promptly and reduce the amount of detergent used in the rest of the load.

Don’t wash things that don’t need to be washed. Washing damages fibers and fades clothes. Hang things to air and wear again.

Antibacterial Hand Soaps

Antibacterial soaps are creating resistant germs.  And antibacterial or not, more is not better when it comes to hand washing or bathing.  What kills germs is the friction and the duration, not being doused in soap.  Wash for as long as it takes you to sing Happy Birthday twice, and be sure to get your nails.

Consider if you really need to use soap on the rest of your body. It’s not required. You are just stripping away the natural moisturizing oils. And alkaline soaps alter the natural acidity of the surface of your skin that protects you from bacteria and other microbes.  Why strip away these oils and apply moisturizers after?  The heat of the bath is going to do that as well, so don’t make it worse. I can’t sleep unless I’ve bathed, but I stopped bathing with soap two years ago and it still amazes me how much softer my skin is.  I’m just not that dirty most days.  If you aren’t, then you don’t need soap either.

Other Tips

Makeup can be removed with oils. There are commercially available cleansing oils, but plain old jojoba, almond oil, and even the olive oil you use for cooking work as well.  Check out this demonstation of the oil cleansing method.

Toothpaste

You are supposed to use a pea-sized amount, not the brush length swirl used in ad campaigns. Toothpastes are full of things that should not be digested and less toothpaste means less to accidentally ingest.  And, as with handwashing, duration is what gets your teeth clean.

© 2012 SCGH, LLC. 

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Be sure to remove frost from your windshield before driving. (Barninga, Stock.Xchng)

By Mike Brandolino

Winter driving in many parts of the United States is treacherous. Drivers must contend with freezing rain, ice, snow, slush, and road slop. All of these conditions add danger to running errands or commuting. A dirty, hazy, or road-slop-covered windshield or windscreen makes it even worse.  It is an absolute must to have a clean windshield at all times, especially during the winter months.

Homemade Windshield Washer Fluid: the Environmentally Friendly Alternative

A simple and environmentally friendly windshield washer fluid can be made using just a couple of household items.  In a clean one-gallon plastic milk jug, mix one-half (1/2) to one (1) pints of isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and one tablespoon of any liquid grease-removing dish detergent. Fill the jug with water, cap, and shake well.

Now, place the mixture in your vehicle’s windshield washer fluid reservoir. Test your homemade and environmentally friendly windshield washer fluid mixture, as you usually operate your vehicle’s windshield washer system. You will see the clean!

Isopropyl alcohol is a much safer alternative than methanol (methyl alcohol), which is in the “blue” commercial products.  If you read most any commercial windshield washer fluid product labels, you will see a “hazard” warning. Methanol (methyl alcohol) is a hazardous chemical and should be used with caution.

Another green and eco-friendly alternative is to use distilled white vinegar instead of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. However, if you choose to use vinegar, which is an old-school cleaner for nearly everything, it may freeze in the windshield washer fluid reservoir.  So, a vinegar and water solution may be more suitable for warmer climates or warmer months in colder climates. Also, vinegar does have a characteristic odor that may not be desired.

If you choose to use the vinegar and water solution, a mixture of between 1:1 and 3:1 parts vinegar to water and a small bit of liquid dish detergent. Do not use too much detergent because it may leave a residue on your windshield.

Remember this, it does not matter how clean your windshield is if you are distracted, talking on your cell phone, or texting while driving.  Sierra Club Green Home implores you to pull over to the side of the road and out of traffic if you need to make a call or send a text.

Drive Safely. Drive Defensively. Arrive Alive.

For related articles, see:
Green Your Home with Environmentally Friendly Cleaning
Cleaning Products That Are Environmentally Friendly

© 2012 SCGH, LLC.

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Take inventory and then properly discard all unnecessary household chemicals. (Brbankston, Stock Xchng) Note: Products are for illustration purposes only.

By Mike Brandolino
January 9, 2012

There is a very good chance that you have a stockpile of household chemicals including old home and garden cleaners, pesticides, paints, motor oil, grease, and other potentially hazardous materials stored in your home, garage, or outdoor shed.

During the winter months, you may want to take an inventory of the chemicals in your home and determine what is needed and what can be discarded. It’s a great way to get a head start on spring cleaning.

Remember, never assume that it is safe or legal to dispose of household chemicals down the drain, in a storm sewer, or with general household trash. The local waste systems may drain in waterways or treatment facilities, which cannot process chemical waste. Your household chemical waste can create much bigger environmental problems for your community and local ecosystems and wildlife habitats.

It is best to check with your local municipality to follow all the proper chemical disposal guidelines and regulations. Some areas have chemical drop-off sites or specific collection dates. Contact your local waste collection facility or municipal office for safe household chemical disposal procedures.

You can try searching the Web for “household chemicals [your county],” or you can use Earth 911’s recycling center search. This search works by putting in the name of the material you want to recycle (ex: oil) and your city or zip code.

Keep chemicals out of your local soil and water by disposing of them properly. Spread the word!

© 2012 SCGH, LLC. 

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MasterShield’s aluminum housing is guaranteed not to crack, chip, or blister. (Courtesy of MasterShield)

By Debra Atlas

As summer blends into fall, the annual clearing of clogged rain gutters looms for most homeowners. A thankless but necessary job, it seems no matter what kind of gutters one has, they are going to require a trip up the ladder.

Someone has finally invented a system that changes all this.

MasterShield Gutter Protection promises to end the whole gutter clogging cycle. The system was created by Alex Higginbotham, inventor of the first self-cleaning gutter guard and numerous other related inventions. Utilizing a surgical-grade, stainless steel, micromesh cloth filter that separates water from all sorts of debris, MasterShield filters water more quickly and fully than standard gutter protection systems.

With its innovative, patented LeafRelease technology, MasterShield’s stepped, nonstick surface does not trap debris like other systems. Its HydroVortex technology siphons water into the gutter faster, working at both flat or vertical angles. Its raised ribs help separate rainwater from debris, helping to dry and blow debris away more quickly than it would on a solid or flat surface. The micro filter completely encloses your gutter, guaranteeing that it stays 100-percent debris free. And because it is self-cleaning, it is maintenance free for life.

Higginbotham’s gutter guard technology—which has been copied, or attempted to be copied by other gutter guard manufacturers—is the only workable gutter guard technology that still is patent protected. According to the inventor, no one has achieved a patent in this field without incorporating his technology into their design. Without Higginbotham’s technology, stainless steel filters simply clog and fail.

See MasterShield gutter guard in action here:

Click here to view the embedded video.

When it comes to MasterShield’s appeal, it spans its many features, including green ones. Its aluminum housing—coated with a baked-on enamel finish that is guaranteed not to crack, chip, or blister—is made with 95 percent recycled content. The product’s stainless steel contains more than 30 percent recycled content.

For homeowners more deeply into green, MasterShield also helps with rainwater reclamation. Homeowners can route the flowing water from the rain gutter downspout directly to rain barrels which can then be used for watering home gardens and landscaping.

Among MasterShield’s other pluses, it works with new or existing gutters, because it blends with the roofline, it is virtually invisible from the ground, and installing it will not void your roof warranty.

MasterShield’s No Clog Warranty, which says the consumer’s gutter will not clog is unique to the industry. If a gutter somehow does clog, the company will replace it or refund the product cost of the MasterShield installed on the consumer’s house. And if there is damage from a clog, the company will refund the consumer’s insurance deductible, up to $1,500.

Several years ago, the Better Business Bureau received complaints about the lack of follow-up, customer service, and issues with the product provided by a company that installed MasterShield. These pertain to an Ohio company and its installation of the original version of the product, said Jennie Klahre, assistant account executive for RLF Communications, speaking on behalf of MasterShield Gutter Protection, a company based in New Jersey.

“It has happened before that [the two companies have] been confused [with each other],” Klahre says. In late 2009, the New Jersey company introduced a new version that overlaps at the roof’s seams, which seems to have solved the original issues.

Also some consumers have had issues with ice formation during the wintertime with their Leafguard gutter shields by MasterShield. Consumers who live in an area that gets plenty of snow should consider that possibility.

See consumer magazine tests and reports on MasterShield gutter guard:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Many MasterShield dealers will match the MasterShield product guarantee with a warranty of their own on their installation costs. And many also provide the industry’s first ever Birds & Bees Nest Guarantee. The warranty is even transferable if a consumer sells his home.

As to aesthetics, MasterShield is available in 14 different colors to match existing shingles or gutters—and consumers can special order it in copper. Manufactured in the United States, MasterShield will fit virtually any style and common-size roofline. The company says it is most effective when pitched with the roof.

Competitively priced, MasterShield can mean peace of mind for homeowners—and an end to that potentially dangerous annual trip up the ladder.

An environmental journalist and blogger, Debra Atlas is reachable through Eco-hub.net or debraatlas@gmail.com. Check out more articles by Debra Atlas.

© 2011 SCGH, LLC.

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Bed bugs are small but create big problems. (Wikimedia Commons)

By Debra Atlas

The idea of bed bugs in your home or hotel room strikes terror in the hearts and imaginations of many people. Yet it has become a reality in such diverse places as luxury hotels, well-known department stores, and in many homes.

Bed bugs were mentioned by such noted authors as Aristotle, Pliny, and others as far back as 400 BC in ancient Greece. Once thought to be a health scourge caused by lack of cleanliness, newer data shows a likely link to climate change, which along with the ban on the use of DDT, has created a direct increase in the volume of pests.

There is a proven natural remedy and prevention method. Greenbug All Natural Pest Control Products uses cedar as a natural pest deterrent. Made with 10 percent organic cedar oil and 90 percent silane (liquefied quartz), Greenbug is deadly to pests but safe for humans, animals—and the environment.

According to Greenbug’s Web site, a study shows the direct spray of Greenbug for People causes “immediate immobilization of the bed bug nymphs, followed by 100% mortality within 1 minute of the topical application.” As for bug eggs treated with Greenbug, the site says the study found that “[n]one of the 61 treated eggs hatched after 17 days compared to 75% egg hatch in a non-treated control group.”

Standard treatment for bed bugs and other equally obnoxious pests such as head lice uses serious pesticides, which are composed of poisons, neurotoxins, and carcinogens. The use of these harsh chemicals is linked to a variety of health issues, including asthma, autism, ADHD, and cancer.

The 2008 United Nations’ Stockholm conference identified the top ten most serious chemical offenders and devised a plan to eradicate their use. The following year, more chemicals were added to the list, including lindane, the key ingredient in head lice treatments. Interestingly, an exception granted to the pharmaceutical industry stated that lindane is allowable to treat head lice. And we’re slathering this toxic chemical on our kids’ heads?

Concerned for the environment, Louise and Dan Hodges, founders of Greenbug, became aware of the cumulative effects of pesticides affecting people, animals, honey bees, and butterflies—the latter of which are key pollinators for fruit trees, produce, and other important vegetation. Their discovery of cedar’s effectiveness for pest control provides a great natural alternative to synthetic chemical treatments.

But gaining recognition and acceptance from the pest control industry has been an uphill climb. “Pests professionals scoff at [Greenbug],” says Louise Hodges. She feels that their thinking is “if it’s natural, it doesn’t work.”

Current treatment for household bed bugs includes stripping the house of all its contents, placing them inside a sealed truck or container, then filling the container with serious chemicals, saturating everything for several hours. After airing the container out for hours, everything is then placed back inside the house.

Greenbug is chemical free and safe, Louise Hodges says. A pest control professional recently told her that people do not care if the treatment is safe. “They just want it to work!” she says.

Not only do Greenbug products proactively treat bed bugs, there is another distinct difference between Greenbug and standard pesticides. These environmentally friendly products also prevent them. Greenbug products can be used safely in newborn nurseries and directly on pets (even puppies). They leave no stain or residue behind and have a pleasant fragrance.

Greenbug products come in several varieties and sizes. The personal size, two-ounce spray bottle is perfect for travel and even accepted by TSA for carry-on. FDA approved to use around food, Greenbug for Indoors is a cinch for kitchen use. Spray and work Greenbug for Pets directly into your pet’s coat for protection and relief from crawling pests. Greenbug for Outdoors can be used directly on garden plants or your home’s foundation. It comes in ready-to-use or concentrated formulas.

Greenbug is effective in killing all kinds of pests, including:

• head lice
• bed bugs
• fleas
• mosquitoes
• fire ants
• horse flies
• roaches
• flies and black flies
• dust mites
• aphids
• ticks, and
• chiggers, no-see-ems, and sand gnats

It takes only one use for Greenbug to work, says Louise Hodges.

“If there’s a large infestation of head lice,” she suggests, “Greenbug for Indoors can be used with laundry loads [and] more cost effectively on large-scale items or areas that [cannot] be laundered.”

Consumers will need a professional fogger to apply Greenbug for bed bugs. The company sells foggers, but people also can purchase the natural pesticide, then have a professional apply it.

An environmental journalist and blogger, Debra Atlas is reachable through  Eco-hub.net/wp or debraatlas@gmail.com. Check out more articles by Debra Atlas.

© 2011 SCGH, LLC.

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Chico bag starter kit offered by Greenfeet. (Courtesy of Greenfeet)

By Debra Atlas

Online retailers generally are not known for great customer service. Instead, they build their reputation on offering quality products and prompt delivery, and many carry a variety of eco-friendly or sustainable products.

(Photo courtesy of Greenfeet.)

One online retailer has figured out how to put all this together. Bucking the norm, Greenfeet strives to offer online shopping that is easy, fun, and steeped in customer service. One of the original online retail stores, Greenfeet features thousands of sustainably sourced healthy-living and food products. The company seeks to offer products which are well made, built to last, and produced in a fashion that is not detrimental to people or to the planet—all while providing customer service.

This last criterion recently earned Greenfeet a STELLAService award. STELLAService is an independent, third-party company that identifies and awards online retailers that demonstrate excellent customer service.

“We think customer service is a simple idea. We’re champions for companies treating customers right,” says Jordy Leiser, CEO of STELLAService.

Launched in 2010, STELLAService is about transparency in the marketplace. “This is an important thing for online commerce,” says Leiser. “Businesses really want to improve. They’ve never really been able to benchmark what their performance is before.”

STELLAService provides insight for companies on how well they are doing from a customer’s perspective. It gave Greenfeet an “excellent” rating for customer service. Greenfeet did not know it was being scrutinized for this award, says Valerie Reddmann, Greenfeet’s co-founder and “Chief Yoo-hoo.”

STELLAService evaluates companies in three overall categories:

1. Customer online experience;
2. Company shipping and return policies and practices; and
3. Customer support (any interaction that a customer would have with the business).

STELLAService utilizes what it calls “mystery shoppers on steroids”—people who work 40 hours a week for STELLAService evaluating thousands of companies large and small. This year, Leiser says the company plans to evaluate 4,000 companies. To do so, STELLAService contacts nominated companies and interacts with them—by phone and online.

“[The mystery shoppers] evaluate [the company] as if they were the manager of their call center,” says Leiser.

“They want to see how Greenfeet reacts, how they treat their customers,” Reddmann adds.

STELLAService has three levels of rating. First is the basic “approved” level.

“Less than 50 percent of the [thousands of] companies that go through the process make that,” says Reddmann. “It tells me there’s a big problem with [delivering] good customer service these days.”

The next level is the “excellent” rating. Reddmann says Greenfeet received this high rating.

You can see Greenfeet’s rating on STELLAService’s site. Among the factors that Greenfeet received an “outstanding” rating on are its return policy, friendly knowledgeable support, and outstanding gifting options.

The third and highest rating any online retailer can receive is STELLAService’s “elite.” This rating is very difficult to get to, says Reddmann. But she is determined that Greenfeet will achieve it.

Companies such as Amazon and Zappos have achieved this level. “It’s a high echelon of service that I’m sure we’ll get to,” Redmann says. “It’s a coveted seal, a badge of honor.” And it is one rating that award winners proudly display on their Web sites.

To ensure that award recipients maintain their rated level of service, STELLAService revisits companies a minimum of once a year. Customers can visit company profiles and leave feedback and comments about their own experiences. STELLAService makes sure to take this information into consideration.

Winning the award has motivated Greenfeet to “up our game even more” and exceed customers’ expectations, Reddmann says. “We try to be fresh, true, and we don’t overcomplicate things,” she says, noting that green living is going back to basics.

“It’s about relating to customers as people,” says Reddmann, “treating them as we would want to be treated and adding a sense of humor.”

Check out more articles by Debra Atlas.

© 2011 SCGH, LLC.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency studies indicate that elevated concentration of household chemicals persist in the air long after being used. Long-term exposure to chemicals inside our homes can be harmful to our families.

Copyright (C) 123RF Stock Photos

Find and replace the toxic products in your home: Under almost everyone’s kitchen sink is a collection of toxic chemicals in the form of bug killer, disinfectants, furniture polishes, and many others. When you are using these products, you are bathing your home in poisons, which eventually could have a negative impact on your family’s health. In addition, household poisonings are one of the highest threats to the health of children.

An excellent first step in greening your house is to grab a note pad and a garbage bag. Go around to all the cabinets that store household chemicals, and take a look at their labels. If it says poison, danger, warning or caution on the can or box, write down what function it performs and throw the unused portion in the garbage bag (if it is sealed tightly). When finished, seal the bag, put it in a well-ventilated area (such as outside or in a garage) and look up when the next Household Hazardous Pickup Day is in your neighborhood.

Buy nontoxic household cleaners: Standard cleaning products contain chemicals that may affect ecosystems by contaminating soil and groundwater. Alternatively, natural, biodegradable household cleaners break down easily in the environment and rely on natural ingredients that protect the water and wildlife near your home.

A growing number of eco-friendly cleaning products are coming onto the market. Be sure to watch for greenwashing! Products that claim to be a greener choice because they use less packaging or water will most likely have the same dangerous chemicals in a more concentrated form. Try to find products that advertise that they are nontoxic and don’t use fragrances.

Courtesy of Caelus Consulting

Make your own household cleaning supplies: There are many inexpensive, easy-to-use natural alternatives which can safely be used in place of commercial household products. Recipes for homemade cleaning products can easily be found on the Internet and they will cover every aspect of home cleaning. Some of the most commonly suggested ingredients include baking soda, unscented soap, lemon, borax, and white vinegar.

• All-purpose cleaner: Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda into 1/2 gallon of water.
• Bathroom cleaner: One part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two parts water. Is especially effective on mold.
• Carpet stain remover: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray on stain and leave for several minutes. Finish by washing the area with warm soapy water.
• Disinfectant spray: Mix 2 teaspoons borax with 4 tablespoons of vinegar and 3 cups hot water.

Use all-natural drain cleaners: While the first rule in proper drain maintenance is to keep hair and other items from going down the drain in the first place, even the best maintained pipes will become clogged over time. Below are instructions how to make a safe, nontoxic drain cleaner.*

• Mix 1/4 cup salt with 1 cup baking soda and pour down the drain. Let it sit for 3 to 6 hours.
• Boil 1 cup vinegar with 1 cup water in a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl.
• Pour the boiling vinegar solution down the drain. The mixture will fizz, and quite a bit of foam may come up the drain and into the sink. Boil more of the mixture and repeat 1 to 2 more times after the fizzing stops.
• Turn on the faucet and flush the vinegar and baking soda out of the drain to avoid damage to the pipes from the acid solution.

Don’t use disposable cleaning products: Disposable cleaning products end up in landfills and can account for a large portion of your home waste stream. Here are some tips to avoid these products:

• Paper towels: Use natural-fiber rags and towels instead.
• Sponges: Use sponges made from recycled materials. Avoid synthetic or natural sponges.
• Avoid single-use mops or dusters: Opt for natural-fiber multi-use mops. Dust with a damp, natural-fiber rag.

*Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_5142548_make-natural-drain-cleaner.html

This is a chapter from the book “The Ultimate Guide to Greening your Home.” SCGH readers are eligible for a 20% discount on the digital versions of this book. (Enter SIERRA when prompted for a Discount Code.)

Why should you use green, eco-friendly cleaning products over the refreshing, aromatic, effective, traditional, yet terrible, toxic, harmful, polluting products that you’ve been using forever? That question almost answers itself.

Cleaning your home thoroughly can be a difficult job in itself, but understanding how dangerous many cleaning products are, for the environment as well as our physical well-being, is the first step in moving toward cleaning your home more safely. Your challenge should be to try “green cleaning” to see if helping to save the planet by cleaning your home with green products could fit into your lifestyle.

Most of the conventional cleaning products we grew up using are petroleum-based and have serious health and environmental implications. But there are ways to reorganize and revitalize your home without opting to use harmful cleaning products. There are now many natural products that can keep your house clean without the toxic side effects.

Try cleaning with non-toxic household products such as baking soda, vinegar, castile soaps, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, olive-oil, vodka, and club soda. These products make for great cleansing alternatives and also are less harmful to the environment. Products like these actually save money given the high costs of the more harmful products and disinfectants that we normally use.

Natural Cleaning Products

Vinegar: it naturally cleans like an all-purpose cleaner and also works well as a deodorizer and disinfectant. It is safe to use on most surfaces and has the added bonus of being inexpensive. Improperly diluted vinegar is acidic and can eat away at tile grout. Never use vinegar on marble surfaces. You shouldn’t worry about your home smelling like vinegar because the smell disappears when it dries.

Lemon Juice: is another natural substance that can be used to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits. Lemon juice combined with salt is a great substitute to clean and shine brass and copper. It also can be mixed with vinegar and/or baking soda to make cleaning pastes.

Baking Soda: can be used to scrub surfaces in much the same way as commercial abrasive cleaners. Baking soda is a great deodorizer when placed inside the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odors. Put it anywhere you need deodorizing action.

Hydrogen Peroxide: this disinfectant can also be used as an effective bleach alternative in the laundry room. Because it’s also a powerful oxidizing agent, it works especially well on food, soil, plants, blood and other organic stains. Just make sure to spot test in a discreet area because, like bleach, hydrogen peroxide may lighten fabrics.

Salt: perfect for cleaning grungy ovens, this natural abrasive is also great for soaking up fresh carpet stains such as red wine, coffee or ink.

Eco-Friendlier Alternatives & Tips

Avoid poor indoor air quality

It’s not uncommon for the air inside your home to be more toxic than the outdoors. This is caused by toxic materials and substances, especially certain plastics, fabrics and cleaning products that emit invisible gases. Keeping windows open as often as possible allows fresh air in cleanses the air of harmful gases.

Leave the toxins at the door

Imagine the variety of substances that accumulate on your shoes by the end of the day. Bringing that oil, antifreeze, animal waste, particulate pollution, pollen, and who knows what else into your house is not good news, especially for kids and other critters that spend time on the floor. Keeping the sidewalk out of your home with a good doormat or a shoeless house policy is a great way to track less dirt which means less sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming, which also means less work, water, energy, and fewer chemicals in your home.

Use non-toxic detergent and fabric softener

Traditonal fabric softeners can be very irritable to some of us with sensitive skin. Most of your commercial softeners contain chemicals such as benzylacetate, benzyalcohol, camphor, chloroform, limonene, linalool, pentane, and ethlacetate, all of which have harmful effects – from skin irritation to pancreatic cancer! Try using non-toxic dryer sheets. They are much cheaper given their value and can be reused and last for over 500 washes. Also try using handmade washing detergents by mixing 1 cup Ivory soap(or Fels Naptha soap), 1/2 cup of washing soda and 1/2 cup borax. Use 1 tbsp for light loads and 2 tbsp for heavy loads. You will save a bundle in detergent costs, have clean, refreshing clothes, and stay eco-friendly.

Clean and refresh your indoor air naturally

Avoid store-bought air fresheners and replace them by boiling natural items like cinnamon, potpourri, and herbs, etc. These are great ways to create aromas without affecting the environment. You can also take fabric softener dry sheets with a rubber band, and attach them to your ceiling fans resulting in having odors sucked right out of the air!

Other Reading and References

www.grist.org/advice/possessions/…cleaning/index.html

www.h2e-online.org/pubs/grncleaning.ppt

www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/…/greencleaning.aspx

www.uos.harvard.edu/fmo/custodial/greencleaning/

www.circleoflife.org/education/…/greening/green_cleaning

When we get out the rags and the wash buckets, we have the best of intentions. Cleanliness is a virtue, right? And healthy too! Well, if you use conventional cleaning products, perhaps not. Have you ever cleaned your shower or oven and then had teary eyes, burning nasal tissues, an itchy throat, a headache, or dizziness? Guess what? All of these symptoms and more could have been caused by chemicals commonly found in household cleaners. Some cleaners even contain suspected carcinogens and reproductive and developmental poisons. Some are thought to cause asthma. According to the American Thoracic Society, using conventional household cleaning sprays once a week may increase the risk of developing adult asthma, and may be responsible for one in every seven adult asthma cases. The higher the concentration of cleaning products in indoor air, the greater the risk that a child will develop asthma.

Some conventional household cleaners also sully the environment with ingredients that can contaminate the air, water, and soil when they are manufactured, used, and thrown away. Cleaning products with phosphates, for example, can cause “dead zones” in lakes and streams. Triclosan, a chemical used in antibacterial cleaners that has been shown to interfere with thyroid function in animals, is now polluting more than 60% of U.S. streams.

Top Tips

At home

• Make your own. It’s easy to make your own environmentally friendly cleaning products using basic ingredients such as baking soda, lemon juice, liquid castile (or vegetable-based) soap, vinegar, and salt. Though some take a little more elbow grease than conventional cleaners, they are a lot safer. Try some of these simple homemade green cleaning supplies:
  • Creamy soft scrub. This is a great mild abrasive cleaner, and can be used for most tubs, showers, toilets, countertops, and sinks, including stainless steel, Corian, Formica, engineered quartz, and glass. Should be used sparingly on fiberglass. Mix 1 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup liquid castile (vegetable-based) soap in a glass jar. You can add more soap if you want a creamier soft scrub. Stir. Add 2 teaspoons vegetable glycerin (available at most natural food stores and many drugstores) if you want it to keep it for up to a year; otherwise, it will harden. You can add a couple of drops of a favorite organic essential oil (extracted from plant parts) if you want a pleasant scent–or try almond or peppermint castile soap.
  • All-purpose green cleaner. Combine 2 cups white vinegar with 2 cups water in a spray bottle. Again, you can scent with a few drops of essential oil. As with all acidic solutions, do not use this on marble. It will destroy the finish and can even etch the surface. Another option is 3 tablespoons baking soda dissolved in warm water in a spray bottle.
  • Scouring powder. Mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part borax (found in the laundry aisle). Keep handy in a shaker jar and sprinkle with some essential oil if you like. Borax should not be ingested, so store out of reach of children, and can cause skin irritation in some people.
• Ventilate, ventilate, ventilate! While cleaning with conventional cleaners, open windows and doors to allow air to circulate. This will reduce the buildup of chemicals.
• Follow directions. If you must use a strong chemical, make sure you understand the safest possible way to use it.
• Try microfiber cloths. Microfiber cleaning cloths are made to trap dirt and grime. They can absorb oils and hold many times their weight in water. They can eliminate or reduce the use of conventional cleaners for floors, furniture, and dusting–and can be used over and over. Made of synthetic fibers derived from petroleum, they are not a renewable resource, but then neither are conventional cleaners.
• Green your towels. Use cloth instead of paper towels. Good ones can easily be made by cutting up old T-shirts, towels, or sheets. If you prefer paper towels for certain tasks, make sure they’re made from post-consumer recycled fibers and free of chlorine bleach. If every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin paper towels with 100% recycled ones, we’d save 544,000 trees!

When shopping, look for

• Warning labels. U.S. manufacturers don’t have to list all ingredients, but they are required to warn you about the dangers of certain cleaning products. “Danger” and “poison” labels are reserved for the most hazardous ones. Products with “caution” or “warning” are slightly safer. Cleaning products that don’t have any of these labels are generally the safest. Also look for specific hazard warnings such as “vapors harmful” or “may cause burns.” Be careful, though. Our current labeling system gives you a heads-up about certain short-term dangers, but it won’t help with chemicals with long-term effects, such as asthma or reproductive harm.
• Honest advertising. “Natural,” “earth-” or “eco-friendly,” and even “nontoxic” aren’t regulated terms in the United States, so they don’t mean much. Look for specific claims such as “contains no phthalates,” “phosphate free,” and “biodegradable within 10 days” when shopping for environmentally friendly cleaning products.
• Minimalist packaging. Opt for environmentally friendly cleaning products that don’t waste resources on excess packaging or that use recycled materials.

Avoid
Ingredients and products you should try to avoid include:

• Air fresheners. Conventional air fresheners can contain hormone-disrupting phthalates, cancer-causing chemicals such as formaldehyde and benzene, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as d-limonene that can irritate your eyes, skin, and respiratory system and cause headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
• Alkyl phenol ethoxylates (APEs). These chemicals are found in laundry detergents, all-purpose cleaners, and stain removers. They are “surfactants,” which form a bridge between chemicals that don’t readily mix, allowing products to remove dirt from surfaces. But unfortunately APEs break down into hormone-disrupting chemicals. They are found in household dust, and some pass through our sewage treatment plants to wind up in our steams and rivers. APEs and their breakdown chemicals in streams and rivers harm wildlife. The European Union and Canada have banned some types of APEs from cleaning products.
• Antibacterial products. Antibacterial products are not any more effective than plain soap and hot water, except in situations involving immune compromised individuals. And they have serious downsides. The commonly used Triclosan is causing deformities in tadpoles in U.S. lakes and streams–and has recently been found in human breast milk. In addition, Triclosan may encourage the growth of “superbugs” by promoting the growth of bacteria that are resistant to it.
• Chlorine Bleach. Sold by itself and as an ingredient in many household cleaners, chlorine bleach is irritating to the lungs and eyes and responsible for numerous poisoning incidents every year. Once in a wastewater treatment system, reacts with other chemicals, potentially forming even more-harmful substances.
• Fragrances. Skip that” mountain fresh” scent created by synthetic fragrances. Many air fresheners contain hormone-disrupting phthalates.
• Glycol ethers. Found in glass cleaners, floor cleaners, and oven cleaners, some glycol ethers are reproductive toxicants. One of the more common one is 2-butoxyethanol (aka butyl glycol or butyl cellosolve), which can damage the nervous system, kidneys, and liver and be absorbed by the skin from the air.
• Monoethanolamine (MEA). A surfactant found in detergents, all-purpose cleaners, and floor cleaners, MEA may induce asthma attacks.
• Petroleum distillates. Typically used as solvents, petroleum distillates are found in metal polishes and adhesive removers. They can cause temporary eye clouding, as well as long-term damage to the nervous system, kidneys, and eyes.
• Phenol and cresol. Often found in disinfectants, phenol and cresol can cause diarrhea, fainting, dizziness, and kidney and liver damage.
• Phosphates. Largely phased out of most laundry detergents, phosphates are still found in dishwashing detergents. The nutrients they add to our water systems can result in increased growth of algae and plants, as well as an increase in the bacteria that feed on the algae and plants when they die. These bacteria rob the water of its dissolved oxygen, killing fish and other aquatic organisms.
• Spray cleaners. While convenient, spray cleaners are more closely linked to asthma and respiratory irritation than similar liquid cleaners. The fine sprays of droplets of cleaning products have been linked to increased risks of asthma, but using a similar cleaner in a non-spray form has not shown any increased risk. A simple switch can protect your respiratory health.

Benefits…

…to your health
Asthma and allergy sufferers frequently feel healthier after eliminating conventional cleaners.

…to your wallet
Homemade cleaners are easy on the wallet. If you decide to buy a cleaner, however, opting for one all-purpose cleaner (a green one, of course!) is a lot cheaper than buying a host of specialty cleaners.

…to the Earth
Saying no to conventional cleaners will reduce the amount of chemicals that wind up in our environment.

Common Mistakes

• Believing what you see on the package. Don’t spend more on pretty pictures and vague claims about being an environmentally friendly cleaning product. If you want to buy environmentally friendly cleaning products, make sure they’re really greener than conventional cleaners. Look for specific claims regarding the product’s “greenness.” Steer clear of problem ingredients. Check out reliable online resources, such as goodguide.com, or our Green Directory, before you go shopping.
• Obsessing about germs. Despite all the hype, we don’t need antibacterials in everything from toothpaste to clothing, and really don’t need them in our cleaning products, because soap is safer and just as effective for most people.

Getting Started

• It probably is the most earth friendly to use up the cleaners you already have, but you should get rid of any that you suspect are making you sick. Don’t pour them down the drain! They may well need to go to a hazardous waste site.
• Do you really need a dusting agent, a window cleaner, a countertop cleaner, a tile cleaner, four different scrubs, and so forth? Try replacing some of your specialty cleaners with all-purpose cleaners.
• Try a homemade cleaning recipe. Scared to get started? Try this: to clean your microwave, put some slices of lemon in 1 microwaveable cup of water. Heat on high for 3 minutes. Let sit for 3 minutes. Open up the microwave and wipe clean! The steam loosens any grime and the lemon kills germs and has a pleasant scent.
• Use our Green Directory to find an environmentally friendly cleaning product retailer in your area!

Related Products & Services

• Clothes washers
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You once loved your carpet, but now it’s not looking its best–and maybe it’s even making you sneeze and sniffle. Don’t despair. With the right cleaning practices and products, you can clear the air without filling your house with toxic chemicals. And your old carpet might just win its way back into your heart.

The first step in sustainable carpet care is all about maintenance–keeping dirt outside, vacuuming regularly, and cleaning up stains quickly. But no matter how stellar your housekeeping habits, your floor will need a deep cleaning occasionally. For DIYers, the most common method is hot water extraction. It’s also called steam cleaning (even though no steam is produced). You can also dry clean your floor, which involves sprinkling it with a powder saturated in solvents and/or detergents. You work the powder into the pile by hand or with a machine, then vacuum it up with dirt attached. Since the floor never gets wet, it’s ready for action sooner than a steam-cleaned carpet. Another option is hiring a cleaning company. Traditionally, the pros have used either hot water extraction or dry cleaning. But these days some companies use a system that bubbles up the dirt with carbonated water. They say it reduces the use of both water and cleaning chemicals.

Top Tips

At home

• Use doormats. As much as two thirds of the dust and dirt in our homes is tracked in on our feet. Make sure you have doormats inside and outside your doors, ideally long enough to come in contact with your shoes for several footsteps. Vacuum the mats frequently.
• Shoes off, please! Taking your shoes off as you enter your home is even more effective than doormats at keeping dirt out. Make shoe removal convenient by putting a bench or chair near the door.
• Cover it up. Small mats or rugs on top of the floor in heavily trafficked areas reduce wear and tear, extending the life of the material.
• Clean up spills immediately. To prevent ground in dirt and stains, vacuum dry spills right away and blot (don’t rub) wet spills with an absorbent cloth.
• Vacuum frequently. Frequent vacuuming, especially in high-traffic areas, keeps surface dirt from working its way deeper into the fibers, where it can be harder to remove. Always vacuum before a deep cleaning for maximum effectiveness.
• Try simple solutions. To deodorize floors, instead of buying a “freshener” that may be laden with synthetic fragrances and other chemicals, sprinkle baking soda over the floor, let it stand for half an hour, and then vacuum it up.
• Ask the manufacturer. When you’re ready for a deep cleaning, check with the manufacturer for cleaning recommendations.

When shopping, look for

• Healthy ingredients. Good floor shampoos are available at green home stores and online, but you can also use whatever detergent you wash your dishes in. Although most chemicals used with hot water extraction systems are mild, read the warning labels before you buy or use any of these products. Steer clear of the ones labeled “danger” or “poison.” Dry floor cleaners usually contain solvents. Look for ones that offer citrus (not petrochemical) solvents and stay away from scents.
• Green attitudes. If you decide to have your floors professionally cleaned, choose a company that talks about its commitment to the environment. But don’t take the company’s word for it: question its staff about cleaning methods and ask for the MSDS (material safety data sheet) for any cleaning products they’ll use in your home.

Other Considerations

• When buying carpet cleaners, stay away from acid rinses such as hydroxyacetic acid and solvents such as glycol ethers. Also avoid tributyl tin, formaldehyde, and other chemicals designed to kill microorganisms because these chemicals are toxic to humans too.
• Before you buy a carpet shampoo or powder, you can look it up in the Household Products Database, a service of the National Institutes of Health. It includes information about the chemical ingredients in over 7,000 consumer brands. You can also find some ingredient information on the product label and the MSDS, but unfortunately there’s no law requiring makers of household cleaners to reveal everything that’s in their products.

Benefits…

…to your health, your wallet, and the Earth
Regular vacuuming and occasional cleaning of your carpets with safe products will make your indoor air cleaner. It will also make your carpet last years longer, keeping it out of the waste stream and saving you money.

Common Mistakes

• Toxic spot-cleaners. Avoid spot cleaners with glycol ether solvents such as butoxyethanol, which can be absorbed through your skin, can poison your blood, kidneys and liver, and has been linked to reproductive harm.
• Too much detergent. Using more detergent than recommended doesn’t get the carpet any cleaner and can leave a sticky residue that attracts even more dirt. Don’t use a stronger solution than the manufacturer recommends; in fact, you may even want to dilute the detergent more than recommended. Some people don’t use any detergent at all. They rely on the hot water to clean the carpet.
• Too much water. If the carpet gets too wet, the carpet and subfloor may be damaged and mold may flourish. Steam cleaning machines are designed to extract moisture so that the carpet dries within 6 to 12 hours. If your carpet stays wet longer than that, speed up the drying with fans, a dehumidifier, or by turning on the heating or air conditioning system.

Getting Started

If you clean your carpet frequently, you may want to buy a steam cleaner. Look for a model that’s got the Carpet and Rug Institute’s endorsement. Or you can rent a machine from home improvement stores, tool rental shops, and even supermarkets.

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• Choosing carpet
• Vacuum cleaners