Spring GREEN Cleaning

Going Green Cleaning
By Janet Little

Choosing household products that do not contain hormone-disrupting chemicals may benefit your health and the health of your family. While a good scrubbing for your home is important, we all know that cleaning is an often tedious chore. Did you know cleaning your home can be dangerous to your health as well? Cleaning often involves the use of potentially harmful products, which can be toxic, corrosive, irritating and flammable. Every time you use a cleaning product, you are absorbing its contents into your skin and breathing it into your lungs. Your kids and pets can be negatively affected by cleaning products as well. Any product carrying the words CAUTION, WARNING, DANGER or POISON is harmful to living things and should be avoided.

What’s in your Cleansers?

Phosphates:
Found in dishwasher tablets, when they reach waterways they cause algae to bloom resulting in less available oxygen and less sunlight reaching the aquatic organism, so they died.

Health Effects related to Phthalates: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Endocrine system, Reproduction and fertility, Birth or developmental effects, Persistent and bioaccumulative, Brain and nervous system, Immune system (including sensitization and allergies)


Chlorine:
Chlorine is a poisonous, greenish-yellow gas described as having a choking odor. It is a very corrosive, hazardous chemical. Used in bleaches, creates toxins in waterway. Also creates organochlorines, compounds that pose an adverse human health risk and some are carcinogens. Never mix with other products such as ammonia, as this can create highly toxic fumes.

Health Effects related to Chlorine: Exposure to chlorine gas includes chest pain, vomiting, coughing, difficulty breathing, or excess fluid in their lungs. Exposure to 430 ppm in air for 30 minutes will cause death. People with previous lung disease, smokers, and those with breathing problems are more sensitive to chlorine.

Floor polish/glass cleaners:
Ammonia and nitrobenzene, can cause respiratory problems, skin and eye irritant. Never mix ammonia and bleach! The combination of ammonia and bleach produces dangerous chlorine gas, which in small doses can cause irritation to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. In large doses, it can kill.


Washing liquids:
Ethoxylated alcohols such as sodium laureth sulphate, which helps to create the foam, possible carcinogenic.

Triclosan:
Antimicrobial agent found "antibacterial" household liquid hand soap, detergents, and other sanitizing products and other cleansing products.
The popularity of antibacterial consumer products has led to increased consumer use of triclosan.


The American Medical Association has advanced an official recommendation against using antibacterial products in the home due to concern about antimicrobial resistance (Tan 2002). A Food and Drug Administration panel reviewed the existing research and found no evidence that households that use antibacterial products are healthier than households that use soap and water and other typical cleansing products (FDA 2005).


Henry’s offers natural, non-toxic household cleaning products that will help reduce the level of toxicity and amount of household hazardous waste around your house. Unlike conventional household products, natural cleaning products are made with biodegradable materials and without harmful chemicals. This makes them a better choice for you and your family.

In addition to non-toxic products, you'll find hypoallergenic laundry detergents and fabric softeners, dishwashing liquid and household cleaners, as well as environmentally friendly paper towels and bath tissue at Henry’s. This spring toss out the rubber gloves and do your spring cleaning without harsh chemicals. There is no better time than now to shop Henry’s for natural, earth-friendly cleaning products and start cleaning green in your home.


10 tips for making Natural Cleansers:

1. Use olive oil mixed with lemon juice to bring out furniture shine.
2. White vinegar and some baking soda will keep your toilet bowl clean.
3. Baking soda absorbs odors, so place a bowl near smelly areas, or open a window.
4. Lemon slices down the disposal will keep your sink smelling fresh.
5. Spray vinegar and warm water on glass and then wipe off with a scrunched up newspaper.
6. Need to clean stainless steal, use baking soda as a paste, and leave on for awhile to remove tough stains or oven stains.
7. Silver can be cleaned with toothpaste, while copper can be cleaned with vinegar and lemon juice.
8. Use hot soapy water to disinfect cutting boards.
9. Tea tree oil makes a great disinfectant which can be used on mold and mildew.
10. A drop of lemon essential oil for final rinsing water makes a great disinfectant when cleaning out the fridge, freezer or kitchen surfaces.

More tips for Green Cleaning:

o Use alcohol as a sanitizer in place of "antibacterial" products.
o Pine oil or citrus-based solvents make great renewable resources, and they will not damage your lungs or cause cancer.
o There’s finally a great use for full-fat mayonnaise, it’s a wonderful furniture cleaner.
o Buy biodegradable sponges than can break down or be composted when their useful life is through.
o Indoor air is up to 90 percent more populated than outdoor air. Open your windows whenever possible.
o House plants are natural air fresheners!