Natural Home : Home Safe Home

Housework is a treadmill from futility to oblivion with stop-offs at tedium and counter productivityr.' Erma Bombeck, 1927 - 1996

Organic Cleaners

Just in time for spring cleaning, dusting, mopping and scrubbing with natural dirt-busters is going mainstream.

As awareness grows about the toxic effect many cleaners have on safety in the home, people are turning to alternative or green cleaners before rolling up their sleeves.

So-called green household cleaning products, once found mainly in health food stores are increasingly showing up on the shelves of supermarkets, children's stores and chain stores. The growth may be fueled in part by reports linking chemicals found in cleaning supplies to health problems. A report in April 2006 on indoor air chemistry by the University of California at Berkeley for the California Air Resources Board found that some household cleaners may generate risks by giving off unsafe levels of toxic pollutants.

Toxic cleaning supplies in the home are a concern because children crawl on the floor and put their little fingers in their mouths, resulting in greater exposure to chemical residues. The elderly generally stay indoors.Aging also increases sensitivity to chemicals.

But be careful what you purchase. William W. Nazaroff, the environmental engineering professor who led the Berkeley study said that switching to new products is not necessarily a panacea. He said products that are being marketed as good for the environment often are based on terpenes - chemicals that can be extracted from citrus peels. Combined with ozone, he said, terpenes can form a toxic chemical byproduct like formaldehyde. So read the label on green cleaning products and if you're not sure ASK.

In conventional cleaning products labels of some products do not list all of their ingredients. when the chemicals are listed, few consumers know what they are.

More supermarkets are stocking them and more schools are switching to them. Much to consider as this exploding mass market is catching the attention of mass merchandisers everywhere so finding alternative cleaners can be as easy as going to your local grocery store. (Editor's Note: And if you don't find environmentally friendly cleaning products there ask your store manager why he isn't carrying same.)

Going Green

So before you start your annual dust bunny hunt, do a total housekeeping makeover. Pull out all your existing cleaners including souring powder, disinfectants, toilet bowl cleaners, glass cleaning spray or laundry detergents that may use carcinogens, reproductive toxins or scents that could cause toxic buildup in your home. Then drop them off at a toxic waste management center near your home.

One of the first things you notice when cleaning with environmentally friendly cleaning products is that there is no discernable difference in cleanliness and the second is no more disgusting disinfectant smell when you walk into a room. (Editor's note: Remember try to buy local - there is little use going green if we have to transport the stuff from miles and miles and miles away. TLR)


Canadian Manufacturers

. Simply Clean All Purpose Cleaner: Can be diluted. Citrus scent. Suds and rinses well. Pure Source, Guelph , Ont.; 888-313-3369, simplyclean.ca ; at natural food and major grocery stores across Canada .

. Fruits & Passion Art Home Ecological Heavy Duty Cleaner: Can be diluted. Lavender-mint scent. A strong cleanser. Fruits & Passion, 800-276-9952; fruits-passion.com for retailers and to shop on-line within Canada .

. Nature Clean All-Purpose Cleaning Lotion: Concentrated. Hypoallergenic. Fragrance free. Safe for washing produce. Economical. F.T. Ross and Sons Toronto, franktross.com; at Loblaws and most natural food retailers.


Imports


. Seventh Generation Natural All-Purpose Cleaner: Can be diluted. Fragrance free. Use as spray and wipe clean; seventhgeneration.com Aside from natural products stores Seventh Generation is now showing up on grocery store shelves.

. Citra-Solv Concentrated Cleaner & Degreaser: Concentrate. Citrus scent. Shadow Lake Pure Castile Soap: Citra-Solv, Ridgefield , CT , 800-343-6588; citra-solv.com for retailers or at Loblaws and natural products stores across Canada .

. Shadow Lake Pure Castile Soap (Peppermint): Smells fabulous (if you love mint); very sudsy; so gentle you can even use it as bubble bath. At natural/health food stores. Shadow Lake Pure Castile Soap: Citra-Solv, Ridgefield , CT , 800-343-6588; citra-solv.comfor retailers or at Loblaws and natural products stores across Canada .

. Ecover All Purpose: Lemon-scented; rinses off very well; concentrated but can also use full-strength for tough stains. Ecover, at natural/health food stores or call 800-449-4925 for retailers.

 

OP