Posts Tagged ‘non-toxic cleaning’

Brought to you by Proctor & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive and Lever Brothers…

To understand why certain cleaning products are better or worse for your health or the environment, it is important to understand how soaps and detergents differ. To understand how they are different, it is important to understand first what they have in common.

Soaps and detergents clean surfaces. The molecules of a soap or a detergent will attach to the dirt, odor, grease, food, or other culprit, loosen it from a surface, and pull it into water, where the other part of the soap or detergent molecule is firmly attached. The offending substance is then washed away from the surface with the water.

The “attaching” process is where our troubles begin. In an effort to make more money, soap manufacturers invented detergents designed to create a quicker and stronger attachment to dirt and other substances. To do this, cleaning companies added petroleum products, preservatives, antibacterial agents, and artificial fragrances (the latter to cover the unpleasant chemical smells).

Detergents “attach” too well, which causes two problems. First, detergent molecules often stay on the surface rather than pulling away with the water. You know these remnants as soap scum or residue left on your clothes, sheets, or skin. Second, detergent molecules can also pull away surface molecules as they wash away with water. This causes deterioration of home surfaces or clothes and dry, irritated skin.

Soaps, on the other hand, are the byproduct of a fat (usually a natural oil) and lye interacting. They have a ph of 9 or 10 generally, so they are not as harsh. Soaps retain glycerin that is usually removed during the detergent making process. The effect with soap is a less harsh interaction with a surface.

Another big difference between soaps and detergents is their effects on the environment. Many toxins and synthetic substances are used in the manufacture of detergents. This means that a lot of energy is used to produce them, and they leave their mark on the world everytime we wash them down a drain. Soaps use very little energy in production and are made from natural substances. The ingredients will also biodegrade after they run down your drain and out into the world.

Hopefully, you will make an effort to choose a soap over a detergent the next time you shop. You may need to visit a health food store to find one.

I also wanted to explain the differences before I introduce any further blogs on why “green” cleaning is so much more effective than what we have become used to. I will keep you posted in future blogs on how we have all been duped into believing we need cleaners and antibacterial substances that we not only do not need, but that are actually making our world less safe and dirtier!

Help make a difference – time is running out!

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I cannot tell you enough how awesome The Restoration (a local Columbia band) is! A friend told me about them in January or February 2010 and my husband I went to their show at the New Brookland Tavern in Columbia. I love a good murder ballad, a concept album, and a clever band name – they have it all! While visiting SC at Christmas I bought their album, Constance, and I cannot stop listening to it. Just like when you are in the middle of a good book and you think about the characters more than you think about your own life, I think about the stories of these songs as I go about my daily routines. I have not felt this strongly about a band since I stumbled onto the Handsome Family back in 2003. So, I want to thank the members of The Restoration for reminding me how exciting it is to sit on the floor in front of the stereo and listen – in awe – over and over again to an album. I thought I was getting old and that those days were gone – gone the way of all night binges, cigarettes and Tara…

Anyway, check them out! I have posted their facebook and website  links below. Their album was only $9.99 when I bought it at Papa Jazz in Columbia the week of Christmas. Folks in NOVA should go through their website to purchase both the CD and the companion book.

www.facebook.com/therestoration

http://www.therestoration.net/constance/default.shtml

Since this is a cleaning blog, I will share the best solution for cleaning CDs and LPs. When I was a kid, I used rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball to clean my records. I would let the album spin as I lightly touched the cotton ball to the outside of the record and worked it towards the center. I use the same technique now only the cotton ball has a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar. (The vinegar is cheaper and better for your lungs than the rubbing alcohol!) The same solution will work on your CDs.

Happy Cleaning! Happy Listening!

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[The email below is an actual email received by GreenItUp! Nothing has been altered.]

Dear friend,

Greetings from Andy in Tianjin City,china! Our factory specializes in the production of the following cleaning chemical,

Caustic Soda    Sodium Tripolyphosphate    Labsa    Sles

We would be more than happy to be some service of you if possible.Free sample can be sent for your close inspection.

It will be our great honor to talk about the further details.

Perhaps no business,friendship do exist.Keep Contact For Further Information.

Sincerely Yours,

Andy

Tianjin Bangtai Chemicals Co., Ltd

Add:Wah Ming Model Town, Dongli District, Tian Jin, China.

Tel:86-022-60500382

Fax:86-022-60500382

Dear Andy,

Thank you for your question! As you may know, GreenItUp! uses only homemade, non-toxic cleaners. Our products are made from completely harmless items such as vinegar, lemon juice, etc.. So, as you say, “no business” between us is possible. As for your suggestion that perhaps “friendship do exist,” I have a few things for you to consider. Do friends cause burns or blindness? Can friendship give you cancer? If we hang out, could water systems be degraded? Will our friendship make it hard for me to breathe? Because all of the items you are trying to interest me in do just these things. Therefore, I do not believe friendship do exist. You may be able to have business and friendship with most other cleaning manufacturers and maid companies, though, as they commonly use the items that you mentioned.

Happy Cleaning!

Teresa

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Recipes from previous blogs gathered here for quick and easy reference.

After Shower Spray

white vinegar in a spray bottle with 15 drops of essential oil

Litter Box Odor Control

baking soda with a few drops of essential oil

Air Freshener

spray bottle with equal parts water and white vinegar with 15 drops of essential oil

Sponge Cleaner

soak sponges in white vinegar and a few drops of tea tree oil then boil or microwave

Ant Genocide

• 1 tsp of boric acid
• 4 tsp of sugar
• 1/2 cup of hot water
• several cotton balls

Mix the boric acid, sugar and water. Soak the cotton balls in the mixture and place them near the entrance the ants are using.

Produce Cleaner

You will need two spray bottles, white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide (the 3% kind you find in the drugstore). Spray the produce with the hydrogen peroxide first and the vinegar second. Finally, rinse with water. (Do not combine the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in the same bottle!)

Tough Shower Stains

I use 3 tbsps of baking soda and 1/4 cup of liquid castile soap. Mix these together with a fork to work out the clumps. Then spread it over the stained tub and scrub with a natural bristle brush. For extra abrasion, sprinkle kosher salt on the stain as well. (The salt mixed with water gives you an added anti-bacterial agent.)

Roach Control

• a hose end sprayer
• 1 cup of liquid soap (you may substitute baby shampoo and Murphy’s oil soap)
• 1 cup of tobacco tea (made by putting a finger of chewing tobacco in a nylon stocking and soaking it in a quart of hot water until the water is dark brown)
• 1 cup of antiseptic mouthwash
• 1/4 cup of Tabasco sauce

Place this mixture in your hose end sprayer and treat the outside of your house.

Meanwhile, you need to kill any roaches that are already in the house. This is a fun one! Mix equal parts granulated sugar and baking soda. Spread the mixture in out of the way areas in your home. The roaches will be attracted to the sugar and eat the mixture. This will kill the roach because the roach has an acid based stomach and the baking soda is a base. This is even more fun because roaches eat their dead so the solution cascades through the colony!

Strip and Clean Linoleum

• white vinegar
• cream of tartar (found in the baking or spice aisle at the grocery)
• water
• a few rags or soft cloths

First, mix 1 oz of cream of tartar with 8 oz of vinegar (1 cup to 1 gallon). Apply this mixture to the floor and buff the wax off with a cloth.

Next, clean any remaining dirt with equal parts vinegar and warm water using a damp cloth.

Clean Stone Counters

a mixture of ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of liquid soap

Clean Mold, Mildew, and Fungus

1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide, 3 tbsps of vinegar and a few drops of tea tree oil

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Dear Teresa,

I need your help in cleaning my lab. Admittedly, I run a very untidy lab. But after returning from vacation with my family, I found that some of my cultures of stephylococcus had been contaminated with some sort of fungus. What can I do?

Thank you,

Alex F.

The U.K.

Dear Alex,

Thank you for your question! First, if you are unable to keep your lab clean, you should hire someone like myself. A dirty environment, aside from being unpleasant, can cause the spread of bacteria and disease. You should know better!

Anyway, you need to clean petri dishes that have been contaminated with a fungus and I am here to help. You will need three things: 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide, 3 tbsps of vinegar and a few drops of tea tree oil. Both the hydrogen peroxide and the vinegar have anti-fungal properties and the tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant. Wipe the petri dishes (and any affected areas) with the mixture using a soft cloth, cotton balls or Q-tips. Rinse with water.

This same mixture can be used at home to disinfect and remove mold and mildew.

While accidents can happen, it is imperative to keep your environment clean and healthy!

Hope this helps!

Happy Cleaning!

Teresa

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We all know that acid and rock’n’roll complement each other like The Man and a clenched fist. But acid and rock surfaces in your home do not! And since most of the hippies out there have grown up and now have beautiful new homes, my cleaning tips may come in handy.

Stone Countertops must be treated with more care than other countertops. They are very susceptible to damage from grease, heat, water and especially acids.  Follow these simple rules to keep your stone countertops clean and free from scratches and damage.

If you spill something, blot it up immediately with a soft cloth or sponge. If your stone is porous, sprinkle some cornstarch on it to soak up the fluid and wipe that off. Avoid putting hot pans or plates on them without a hot pad underneath. Always use coasters and cutting boards. Stone is most vulnerable to anything acidic. So, be careful with tomatoes, oranges, lemons and vinegar.  Never clean countertops with anything containing vinegar or ammonia. Even bathroom cleaners labeled as “mild” or “soft” are too abrasive.

Because stone is scratched easily by anything acidic you need to clean them with something that has a natural PH.  The best thing to use is a mixture of ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of liquid soap.

By the way, if you are a former hippie who has sold out to a beautiful home and a corporate job, don’t feel too bad. At least you didn’t become Jefferson Starship!

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Hopefully you did go to the Market yesterday. Maybe you went to the grocery store instead. Either way, you probably have some lovely summer fruits and vegetables at home. What is the best way to clean them?

The most effective, safe way to clean your produce is very simple and inexpensive. You will need two spray bottles, white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide (the 3% kind you find in the drugstore). Spray the produce with the hydrogen peroxide first and the vinegar second. Finally, rinse with water. (Do not combine the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in the same bottle!)

This same process can be used to clean and sanitize any food preparation surface from counters to wooden cutting boards. Wipe the surface with a wet sponge or cloth afterwards.

If you do not have spray bottles, use cotton balls instead. Rub the produce with a cotton ball soaked first in the vinegar and then with one soaked in the hydrogen peroxide. Rinse with water afterwards. You can also use a small cloth if you do not want to throw away a cotton ball.

Enjoy!

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