Angculture

Cleaning products that we all use every day, such as scrubbers, laundry soap, and floor cleaners contain toxic gases and chemicals that permeate our bodies and our air even long after we use them.First, there are carcinogens, which are chemicals that cause cancer. There are also Industrial chemicals which systematically weaken the immune system, Endochrine Disrupters which are able to mimic hormones and connect with receptors in humans and other organisms which can cause a huge array of problems, including serious mutations and illnesses, phthalates which cause liver damage, teratogens which cause birth defects, and the list continues.

More than half of household chemicals contain at least seven toxic chemicals. These chemicals also cause allergies, sensitivities, asthma. Children’s skin is ten times thinner than an adults, making it very easy for them to absorb chemicals through their skin.

Of approximately 80 thousand defined chemical substances and technical mixes produced by indutries today (each of which has 5 or more by-products) only about 3 thousand have been studied for their effects on living systems.Combinations of some of these chemicals also end up in our sewage through our basic cleaning practices as well as when we use the bathroom, and as they are not biodegradable, they end up doing all kinds of bad stuff, starting with causing the extinction and endangerment of various aquatic species through mutation and infertility- that will eventually do the same in all animals, plants and humans as the quantities of these chemicals accumulate in our water supply over time. (As you probably know, those things won’t go away because our water is constantly recycled through the Earth’s natural water systems, and also, the man-made chemical treatments our water goes through here on Earth cannot remove these things we are putting in there, and in fact can make it worse because the chemicals mix with what is already in the water. We have to drink that water you know! We NEED it to live!)

So, this sounds very scary, what can we do? It is actually REALLY easy and inexpensive to make your own cleaners that work very well out of natural substances, plants and minerals. I have accumulated useful recipes for these cleansers over the years. They work well and do not contain dangerous chemicals. You can find the materials you need at your local grocery store, and health food stores. You can reuse old containers and spray bottles to hold the cleaners. If you can’t find a sugar shaker, you can use old salt and pepper shakers. For cloths, you can reuse clean, old cotton cloth diapers and socks. Socks are especially good for dusting, because you can just put your hand inside and wipe.

Stay tuned to this blog for more environmentally friendly cleaning recipes and ideas!

• 1 tsp. Borax
• ½ tsp. Washing soda (*Slightly caustic, wear gloves if you are using your hands with this)
• 2 tbsp. Vinegar or lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. Vegetable-oil based soap
• 2 cups Hot tap water

TO MAKE A SPRAY: Combine borax, washing soda, vinegar, and liquid soap in a spray bottle. Add very hot tap water, gently shaking until minerals have dissolved. Spray onto area to be cleaned and wiped with a cloth.

FOR PAILS: Switch borax and washing soda each to 1/8 cup, Change vegetable oil-based soap to 1 tbsp and vinegar to ¼ cup. Place the ingredients in a pail and add 2 gallons of very hot water. Stir to dissolve, clean with sponge/cloth, etc.

• 1 tsp. Borax

• 2 tbsp. Vinegar

• ¼ tsp. Vegetable-oil based soap

• 2 cups Very hot water.

Combine borax, washing soda, vinegar, and liquid soap in a spray bottle. Add very hot tap water, gently shaking until minerals have dissolved. Spray onto area to be cleaned and wiped with a cloth.

• 1 cup baking soda

• ¼ cup borax

Place minerals in a sugar shaker. Shake onto the surface you are cleaning and allow to “rest” for a while (about 15-30 minutes). Wipe with a damp sponge.

¼ cup baking sodaAdd enough vegetable oil-based liquid soap to make a paste

Place soda in a bowl and stir as you pour in liquid soap until you have a rich, creamy texture. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface. Rinse thoroughly.

For a Mold Eliminating Soft scrubber, use borax instead of baking soda and follow the same instructions as for the creamy soft scrubber, above.

1 tsp. borax3 tbsp vinegar 2 cups hot tap water Combine ingredients in spray bottle, dissolve completely with hot water. Spray the area. Let it rest a while. Rinse with water if Borax left any residue.

McDonough, William , and Braungart, Michael. Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things , North Point Press; First Edition edition, 2002.

Berthold-Bond, Annie. Clean and Green: The Complete Guide to Non-Toxic and Environmentally Safe Housekeeping. Ceres Press; Updated edition, 1994.