Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Clean

"Our house is clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy." 


The wellness focus this month is on cleaning – a rather unglamorous activity yet still necessary, like plenty of daily life. And maybe also cleaning is beginning to be on our minds as spring hints at unfolding?



Below are a few tips and numerous links for green cleaning: a little nudge to reduce our exposure to synthetic chemicals. This ‘green’ world is a big one so what I offer here is barely a glimpse.



*Experiment with making your own cleaners.
It’s economical and relatively easy to use natural and common ingredients such as vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and borax. Add essential oils for their antimicrobial properties along with pleasant scent.

[see some recipes here: Aura Cacia's “Green Cleaning with Essential Oils”]

An example of a basic recipe for an all purpose cleaning spray is 1 part white vinegar to 1 part water in a spray bottle (but avoid using vinegar on marble as it can damage the surface or using straight vinegar on tile grout). Add essential oils or lemon juice (fresh squeezed or from squeeze bottle). See more recipes at simplehomemade. 



*Read product labels

 Avoid 
-products with a signal word stronger than “Caution,” -petroleum distillates or phosphates, -products with artificial fragrances or dyes (not needed and potentially harmful).
You can research the chemicals listed on product labels through the NIH Household Products Database or Toxnet, the Environment Working Group's Cosmetics Database, or Scorecard [more at Green Clean Certified].

 Look for biodegradable, septic-safe, non-toxic. 
(Note: “The term "nontoxic" is not regulated, so read the ingredient label on household cleaners. For example, alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), which are found in some detergents and disinfectants, may cause hormone problems. Ammonia can irritate breathing, burn skin, and is poisonous if swallowed.”)


Find and purchase cleaning solutions that bear the Green Seal logo. (Green Seal certifies cleaning products to be effective at cleaning yet safer for human health and the environment).
Find yet more ideas at these links:






I readily admit that I don’t much like household chores, so I’ll be the first to remind myself of benefits of cleaning and using safe ingredients: to name just a few, cleaning reduces toxic exposure, offers good exercise, provides a pleasant environment.

"Housework is something you do that nobody notices until you don't do it." ~ Author Unknown

"I've always enjoyed doing dishes. Maybe it was the fashionable yellow gloves that I loved so much. It's weird, I know, but I find cleaning cathartic." ~ Rachel Nichols




PS: if you’re interested, below I offer a link for more lemon juice uses, and a couple of stats/studies.

Stats/Studies

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than the air outside. In some cases, indoor air can be up to 50 times more polluted. The pollution can be caused by a number of sources – gas stoves, building materials and furniture, carpet, household cleaning products, personal care supplies, dust, air fresheners or pesticides.


A study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Volume 44, Number 7, July 2002, p 685 – 691) measured the incidence of bladder cancer for study participants in 32 different industries and occupations as compared to a control group of the general population not employed in any of the occupations studied. The study further isolated the data by how long each participant was employed in that industry or occupation. FINDINGS. Housekeepers and butlers were found to have an increased risk of bladder cancer as compared to the general population, 3:2 for those subjects who had been employed in this occupation for 10 years or more. The elevated risk was thought by the study authors to be attributed to exposure to solvents, which are often found in household cleaners, particularly all-purpose cleaners, de-greasers, and furniture polishes. Other occupations with increased risk include those with high exposures to metals, rubber, plastics and solvents such as tire workers, mechanics, painters, printers, plumbers and dry cleaners.

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