“Our bodies thrive, rest, and rejuvenate in clean air,” says Annie Berthold-Bond, executive producer of Care2’s Green Living content, and author of Better Basics for the Home (Three Rivers Press, 1999), Home Enlightenment (Rodale Press, 2005), Clean & Green (Ceres Press, 1990), and the founding editor of The Green Guide (a publication of Mothers & Others). “Many chemicals in synthetic products are not tested adequately, and many are neurotoxic and can cause endocrine problems such as birth defects and hormonal disorders.”

Try: Skip those industrial-scented closet fresheners and room sprays. Erbaviva, a USDA certified organic products manufacturer, makes sprays that are safe and delicately scented. For closets and drawers, you can make your own sachets by filling small, organic cotton drawstring bags with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cedar chips, or vanilla. You can also lay cedar sticks on closet shelves to keep closet contents smelling fresh and clean. Instead of mothballs, fill sachets with a blend of cloves and dried herbs. Especially effective: a mix of rosemary, thyme, mint, and ginseng.

WINDOWS, MIRRORS, & GLASS

“Around Earth Day in 1990,” says Bond, “every newspaper in the country – or so it seemed – offered recipes for nontoxic cleaning. The recipe for windows was invariably just plain vinegar and water with the option of drying the windows with old newspapers. People by the thousands tried this, and swore off cleaning with homemade recipes for good because the formula left streaks on their windows. Unfortunately, the commercial products they had used for so many years had left a wax buildup on the glass, and vinegar alone wouldn’t do the job of removing the residue. Adding a dab of dish soap to the vinegar and water would have removed the buildup.”

Try: Skip the ammonia-based products, and mix 1 cup of water, 1/8 cup distilled white vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap or dishwashing liquid together in a refillable spray bottle. For larger jobs, double ingredient amounts. You can leave leftover glass cleaner stored indefinitely. Alternately, club soda mixed with a small amount of hot water and 1/4 teaspoon of liquid soap can be used to clean very dirty widows.

LAUNDRY

Unless you buy your laundry soap at the natural foods store, you’re most likely purchasing a product that contains petroleum, chlorine, and phosphates – all hazardous to the environment. Phosphates upset the balance of ecosystems by contributing to algae blooms in lakes and ponds, optical brighteners (which make clothing appear whiter and brighter) are mostly non-biodegradable, and bleach contains toxins including dioxin, furans, and other organochlorines. Better bets: Non-chlorine bleaches, and vegetable-based laundry soaps made from renewable, non-hazardous resources. Seventh Generation and Earth Friendly Products both offer laundry soap lines that include extra-gentle formulas for baby clothing.

Try: For white linens, add lemon juice to the rinse cycle, and hang clothes outdoors in sunlight to dry. Besides saving energy, hanging your laundry outdoors will leave everything smelling like sunshine.

FURNITURE

Vegetable based soaps that clean wood floors are also ideal for finished wood surfaces including tables, chairs, stair rails, and shelving. Dissolve soap in warm water, and gently wipe surfaces clean with a soft cloth. Vacuum upholstery to remove animal hair, dander, and other surface dirt.

Try: Polish wood furniture surfaces with a blend of linseed oil and lemon oil. For a waxed gleam, mix equal parts beeswax and carnauba wax with 4 ounces of oil such as olive, and a few drops of essential oil. Dust a mix of baking soda and finely ground herbs (like the mix suggested for carpets) into upholstery, allowing it to sit for several hours to overnight before vacuuming clean.

HEALTHY HOME, HEALTHY PLANET

The decisions we make as individuals – even when it comes to something as simple as cleaning our houses – can have an amazing and positive impact on the world around us. So the next time chore day rolls around, infuse your living space with positive, loving energy as you wash your floors and dust your shelves. You’re creating a healthier environment for yourself and your family on multiple levels that go far deeper than simply cleaning a physical space.

“The choices we make really do make a difference,” says Begley. Johnson agrees. “Since I started using all-natural products, I feel so much better. The fumes from the stuff my mother taught me to use when I was just a wee thing were terrible for me and, I now realize, terrible for the environment. How liberating and healing it is to keep my home clean and fresh using sweet-smelling, simple, inexpensive, and completely natural ingredients.”

And one last word about housework: Don’t underestimate the power of ritual to create a positive mood. Play your favorite music while cleaning, and finish by lighting a candle to scent your space and signal the completion of your tasks. Then go and fix yourself a soothing cup of tea. We’re sure you’ve earned it.

Green & Serene

At www.care2.com, Annie Berthold-Bond and Cait Johnson provide wonderful, eco-friendly recipes for practically every cleaning job. If you prefer to purchase your cleaning potions already prepared, we’ve compiled a selection of products you can feel good about purchasing and using safely in your home environment.

Begley’s Best Glass & Surface Cleaner, All Purpose Cleaner, and Household Cleaner & Spot Remover, www.begleysbest.com

ChemFree Toilet Cleaner, www.gaiam.com

Descale-It Toilet Bowl Cleaner, www.descale-it.com

Earth Friendly Products Ultra Dishmate in Natural Apricot, Grapefruit, Pear, & Almond; Earth Friendly Products Parsley All-Purpose Kleener; Earth Friendly Products Baby Laundry Soap, www.ecos.com

Eco-Products Superior Multi-Purpose Bathroom Cleaner, www.ecoproducts.com

Ecos Laundry Products, www.ecos.com

Erbaviva USDA Certified Organic Room Sprays, www.erbaviva.com

Greening the Cleaning All Purpose Cleaners, www.imusranchfoods.com

Murphy’s Oil Soap, www.murphyoilsoap.com

Organic All-Purpose Cleaner + Pet Stain & Odor Remover, www.gaiam.com

Seventh Generation Chlorine-Free Bleach; Lavender Fabric Softener and Laundry Liquid; Seventh Generation Natural Citrus Dish Liquid and Automatic Dishwasher Detergent, www.seventhgeneration.com

Super Pine Cleaner Lime-Eater, www.gaiam.com

For more information about non-toxic cleaning options, visit www.nsf.org, and www.safer-products.org

July/August 2007

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