Green Living
Breath of Fresh Air
Cleaning with all-natural, environmentally-friendly products is a win-win situation for everyone.
BY
Brooke Pearl
PHOTOGRAPHY
James Maidhof

An onslaught of environmentally and eco-friendly products is taking the country by storm. With a little elbow grease and a handful of natural products, homeowners can keep their family and environment out of harm’s way and deep clean a home like they never thought possible.

Spring, summer, fall and winter cleaning — everyone does it to freshen up their home and get rid of toxins. But household cleaners that are used during a cleaning frenzy can actually cause more harm to your health, body and the environment. “If you smell it, it becomes part of your body, and your skin acts as a big sponge,” says Gary Walker, owner of Return to Green. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are found in household cleaning supplies and disinfectants and include a variety of chemicals, some of which might cause short- and long-term adverse health effects.

According the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the concentration levels of VOCs are up to 10 times higher indoors than outdoors. Just by following a few simple steps and using a few different products, you can improve the air quality in your home and protect the environment at the same time.

Break it down
Let’s say you’re in a green-clean mode, and you’re shopping for healthier products. Beware of household cleaners that say “eco-friendly,” “natural” or “non-toxic.” Because the government hasn’t defined or set a standard for “green,” those products that state “all-natural” or “environmentally friendly” might still contain toxic ingredients. Those that are actually green will have “biodegradable,” solvent-free,” “no petroleum,” “no phosphates,” “fragrance-free” or “plant-based” on the label. Always be sure to check the labels before purchasing so you know what you’re bringing into your home. If you’re not sure about an ingredient, visit www.ecolabels.org.

Petroleum, found in most dish and laundry detergents; phosphate, outlawed in most soaps but still sometimes found in dishwasher detergent; chlorine bleach, found in scouring powders and cleaning solutions; and formaldehyde, used in furniture and metal polishes, can all cause serious health problems, and even death, in animals and humans if ingested or mixed improperly. Those same chemicals, along with others found in certain cleaning products, are also considered carcinogens — cancer-causing agents. This year, the American Cancer Society reported that only 2 percent of cancer deaths were due to environmental pollutants (man-made and naturally occurring); however, questions remain about certain chemicals and the amount of exposure to them.

Chemical drain, oven and toilet bowl cleaners contain acids and are among the most dangerous cleaning products, known to cause severe burns on eyes and skin, and when dumped, pollute waterways, which can eventually lead back into your home. Other product fumes (like ammonia) irritate the nose, throat and lungs, which can cause or worsen asthma and also trigger headaches, sneezing and allergic reactions.

When searching for non-toxic cleaning supplies, look for ingredients like coconut and other plant oils to replace petroleum and plant-oil disinfectants like rosemary, sage and eucalyptus instead of triclosan. “I think people are finally sick and tired of destroying the earth,” Gary says. “It’s a wake-up call, and they want to make a change. If we get 20 percent of people on board, it’s going to make a phenomenal change in this country and this world.”

Mix it up
The next time you want to spruce up your homestead, take it back to the basics with tips your grandmother used to swear by. Give the following toxic-free solutions some consideration before running to the store.

Note: White vinegar and baking soda can clean almost anything. Mix with a little warm water and you’ve got an all-purpose cleaner that’s safe for your home, family and environment.

When doing laundry, soak dirty clothing in a safe combination of water and borax (natural laundry additive), lemon juice (natural bleach), hydrogen peroxide (safe stain remover), washing soda (non-toxic, all-purpose cleaner) or white vinegar (mild acidic product that won’t hurt surfaces and fights dirt and grime). Club soda also acts as a stain remover that’s safe to use.

To soften stiff and uncomfortable pants and shirts, add to the wash cycle one-quarter cup of baking soda. To eliminate static cling, a quarter cup of white vinegar will do the trick.

For squeaky-clean windows, use one-quarter cup white vinegar or one tablespoon of lemon juice, and ta da!

To do away with unwanted soap scum in the shower, sinks and toilets, add soap, water and baking soda and scrub, scrub, scrub. Instead of using antibacterial soap, plain soap (vegetable-based or olive oil) and warm water will better clean dirty hands.

Clogged drains can get messy, but it’s nothing a little elbow grease can’t take care of immediately. Buy a plunger “snake” plumbing tool to unclog the drain. If that doesn’t work, try a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. An inexpensive metal or plastic drain screen can prevent future problems.

The kitchen usually takes the brunt of the mess after a successful  dinner party. When cleaning the oven, water and baking or washing soda left on overnight can wipe the slate clean. Line the bottom of the oven with aluminum foil for less messy cleanup later and wipe down walls and ceiling after every use.

If E. coli and salmonella worry you, the best way to eliminate the potential threat is to use hot, soapy water and wash all utensils, cutting boards and countertops.

Baking soda in the refrigerator eliminates odors, and it works the same way with carpet. Sprinkle a little on the floor, wait about 30 minutes and vacuum it up.
 
Part of spring, summer, fall and winter cleaning is the furniture and accessories. When dusting, use a half cup of white vinegar and one teaspoon olive oil to make furniture look brand new.

If it’s your grandmother’s silver that needs buffing, try toothpaste. Copper can be polished with a cloth and a combination of dissolved salt and white vinegar or lemon juice. Rumor has it ketchup cleans copper, too. One cup white vinegar, one cup flour and one teaspoon salt cleans brass.

When welcoming guests, replace store-bought air fresheners with naturally dried cloves or other herbs, or boil cinnamon sticks on the stove. Plants also do a great job of filtering the air inside.

For additional information on green cleaning, visit www.grist.org, www.thegreenguide.com and www.greencleaning.com. To find out more on how to properly dispose of toxic cleaning products, visit Johnson County Environmental Department at www.jocogov.org or call 913.715.6900. Missouri residents can visit www.kcmo.org or call 816.784.2080 for the Household Hazardous Waste Management program.

Click here for great green cleaning products