| The most
enlightening exercise is to read labels of our common commercial cleaning
products. What you will find are many harmful chemicals. However, today we
will talk about the natural and safe alternatives for cleaning.
Know Your Chemistry
Window Cleaners: Ammonia is one of
the most common ingredients in window-cleaning products. Ammonia is toxic
and irritating to the skin and eyes, and should be avoided or used with
care.
Oven Cleaners: Most oven cleaners
mix ammonia and corrosive lye. These cleaners are packaged in an aerosol
which can easily get into the lungs by breathing them in.
Chlorine Bleach: Ingesting or
inhaling chlorine bleach can damage the esophagus and respiratory tract.
Mixing Can Be Deadly: the
simultaneous use of multiple cleansers (particularly bleaching formulas)
is extremely dangerous, generating invisible clouds of toxic fumes,
especially in unventilated areas. The inhaling of these fumes can cause
cough, headache, vertigo, low blood pressure and fluid in the lungs.
Not only can toxic chemicals cause our
bodies to suffer, but the environment is affected, as well ~ especially
the water supply, with chemicals like Trichloroethylene (TCE), a
commercial degreaser that has been linked to cancer.
Going Natural
Public awareness of the dangers of toxic
chemicals has prompted the commercial cleanser industry to develop safe
and natural alternatives. Typically health food stores carry these
products. Look on the labels of these earth friendly products and you will
find no toxic chemicals, but ingredients like coconut oil, surfactant,
sodium bicarbonate, essential oils and vinegar. Of course, it's always a
good idea to wear gloves when cleaning and keep all cleaning supplies out
of reach of children and pets. And keep the poison control center phone
number close at hand.
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Natural Oil and Glass
Cleaner: ½ cup white
vinegar
½ cup rosemary tea
5-6 drops rosemary essential oil |
Natural All-Purpose
Surface Scrub: ½ cup
baking soda
¼ cup dried + crushed lemon balm leaves
1 tsp cream of tartar
5 drops lavender essential oil |
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