Green Cleaning: Safe Cleaning Supplies for You and Our Blue Planet

Spring07_AQColor 3/14/07 3:42 PM Page 2AqualogInside:Green Cleaning: WhichCleaning Products AreEarth Friendly?Plus...More Animal Rescue StoriesSpring07_AQColor 3/14/07 3:42 PM Page 782colorAQSpring07 3/14/07 3:40 PM Page 9Safe Cleaning Supplies for You and Our Blue Planet—by Cristina SantiestevanApril showers must mean it’s time forEssential green spring cleaning. But, before you grabcleaning suppliesthat mop and bucket, consider whatFirst, you will need products you will be using to cleanto stock up on a fewyour home.supplies. You probablyMany of today’s most popularhave most of thesecleaners contain chemical irritantsitems in your homeand toxins that are bad for you andalready, and anythingthe environment, especially whenyou need to buy will be inexpensive andthey are disposed of improperly. And you’ll save paper byresidue at the bottom ofeasy to find. To make matters more confusing, avoiding the paper towels.your oven. Moisten bakingcommercial cleaners are not wellSpray bottlessoda with enough water Newspaperto form a thick paste, regulated, which makes it difficult You will need severalOld, crumpled newspapersspray bottles for yourand spread it all over to identify safe, natural cleaners.are the secret to absorb-homemade cleaning the bottom of your oven.Phrases like biodegradable, ing spills and gettingsolutions. Look for onesLet sit overnight and streak-free windows. Savenon-toxic, hypoallergenic and with measurements alonguse a sponge to wipe it a stack of newspapers forfragrance free don’t mean muchtheir sides—this will makeall away in the morning.window-washing day, or because companies are not requiredit much easier to mix thefor unexpected messes.Hydrogen peroxideto prove these statements or list solutions. Avoid the Hydrogen peroxide shouldtemptation to reuse Baking sodatheir ingredients. be in everyone’s homespray bottles fromLeft in an open con-Several companies recognize cleaning kit. It’s a disinfec-commercialtainer, baking sodatant, antiseptic and a nat-that people are becoming increas-cleaners—themakes a fine air fresh-ural, non-chlorine bleach.ingly more aware of their impact onchemicalsener or refrigeratorSpot treat your clothesthe environment and now offer safe, may linger evendeodorizer. Add a with hydrogen peroxide natural cleaning products. Some after a washinghalf-cup to your to remove all manner ofwith soap andwashing machine of these companies include Ecoverstains—including bloodwater.to eliminate odors(www.ecover.com), Seventhstains—or add up to aon clothing, or cup to your laundry as aGeneration (www.seventhCloth towels sprinkle it on or ragsnatural bleach. Since generation.com) and methodyour carpet as You can buy this is a bleaching agent,(www.methodhome.com). But if youa deodorizer.special cleaningbe careful with colors.really want peace of mind, try mixingBaking soda cancloths, but ragsalso be used Lemon juiceyour own cleaning solutions at home.made from old as a non-abrasiveTry using fresh lemons It’s quick and easy, better for yout-shirts, sweatshirtscleanser, andor bottled lemon juice toand the planet, and will save youand socks will works wonders atcut through grease, cleanwork just as well. money. Don’t be daunted—you’ll removing baked-onwindows, polish brass be green cleaning in no time.92colorAQSpring07 3/14/07 3:40 PM Page 6and copper, or as a in vinegar for a fewodors. For stubbornif you are worried aboutnatural bleach. Lemonhours or overnight.smells, simmer watercolor loss. juice can also be added Freshen up your trash-with cinnamon or otherFurniture polishto cleaning solutions for can by spraying thespices on the stove.Lemon juice mixed ina lemony-fresh scent.inside of it with straightOpen windows and freshequal parts with olive Add a half-cup of lemonvinegar and letting itbreezes work wondersoil works wonders forjuice to the rinse cycleevaporate. for clearing away old,unvarnished wood. Forto brighten clothes.stale smells. House-Recipes & varnished wood, diluteplants naturally removethe solution with water.solutionsodors and small Use a soft cloth toparticles from the air.Now that you havespread.your supplies, it is timeFloor cleaner Drain cleanerto get cleaning!and polishPour about a half-cup All floors are all easilyAll-purpose of baking soda down and effectively cleanedspray cleanerthe drain, followed by with an equal mix ofMix one part vinegara half-cup of vinegar.white vinegar and warmwith four parts water andThe resulting reaction water. Add lemon juicea splash of lemon juice(foaming) will breakOpt for plain soap andfor a fresh citrus scent.in a plastic spray bottle.down accumulated soapwater to wash yourTo preserve and polishThis is the first bottle toscum, which often clogshands—skip the linoleum or vinyl floors,reach for when cleaningdrains. antibacterial products.add a splash of baby oiljust about any mess. ItAfter 15 minutes,to the cleaning solution.works on kitchen coun-pour hot or boiling waterLiquid soapPolish freshly cleanedters, sinks, windows,down the drain to clearUse a natural, vegetablewood floors with a thinsticky messes on diningany remaining residue. oil based soap—alsocoat of equal parts room tables, spills onIf you have plastic pipes,known as castile soap—vinegar and baby oil.stoves and much more.skip the boiling water. to scrub away dirt andFor stubborn stains,Mold removerCaution: Do not use stains. Dr. Bronner’s is allow the solution to sitMix one part hydrogen this method if you havea popular brand. You for a few minutes beforeperoxide with three partsalready tried a chemicalwill find this in most wiping it up. Use news-water in a plastic spraydrain clearer. The vine-grocery or natural foodpapers to dry your bottle. Spray over thegar may react with thestores. windows, and cloth ragsentire affected area, anddrain clearer, releasingWhite vinegarfor everything else.let sit for at least onetoxic fumes. This multi-use hour before rinsing.Safe scrubMetal polishesingredient cuts grease,Straight vinegar will alsoMix baking soda with Silver: Line a saucepanremoves dirt and tar-kill many types of mold.liquid soap to make awith aluminum foil andnish, dissolves solidsAs with the hydrogengentle scrub for minorfill with water. Add a and absorbs odors.peroxide mix, let theclean-up jobs. Forteaspoon of salt andStraight vinegar will vinegar sit for at leasttougher jobs, combinebaking soda, and bringkill more thanan hour before rinsing.equal parts baking sodato a boil. Once boiling,80% of moldand coarse salt withClothing stain fighteradd your silver for aspores andenough water to form Mix equal parts minute or two. Remove,germs, a thick paste. Spreadhydrogen peroxide andand dry with a soft cloth.and the scrub using a brush,liquid soap in a smallnearlyBrass and copper: Use sponge or rag. Eitherbowl or plastic spray 100% a soft cloth soaked in a scrub will clean bath-bottle. Lightly cover of allsolution of lemon juice tubs, sinks, toilets, tile,the stained area, and bacteria.and baking soda ovens and anything else.let sit. Gently rinse theAdd aor vinegar and salt.For tough stains, allowsolution away after quarter-the paste to sit for 15-45 minutes. RepeatGold: Clean with a cup ofseveral minutes as necessary. This maypaste of salt, vinegarvinegar to theto several hours.take several applica-and flour.rinse cycle to soften tions, but keep with it—Stainless steel andfabrics and eliminateAir freshenerit can even remove redchrome: Clean with astatic cling. Use vinegarAn open container ofwine stains. Caution:cloth soaked in vinegar.to remove lingeringbaking soda or vinegarHydrogen peroxide is aodors from food storage with lemon juice will bleaching agent. Testcontainers and more—do an excellent jobthis solution on a smallsimply soak the item removing most airbornesection of the garment 102colorAQSpring07 3/14/07 3:40 PM Page 5What to avoidThere are a few especially nasty products out there that deserve special mention. The top three to avoid are chlorine bleach, ammonia and anything labeled antibacterial. All three are linked with known health risks and/or environmental consequences, and none are necessary for standard cleaning chores.Chlorine bleachAmmoniaAntibacterial productsinfection, absorb Chlorine bleach can Low levels of ammonia These products seemcalcium and other burn skin and eyes,occur naturally, and willlike a great idea—minerals and producecause respiratory not cause any healthantibacterial soaps essential vitamins. Thisproblems, lead to liver problems. However, and disinfectants are means antibacterialor kidney damage concentrated ammoniaadvertised as the products could be and interfere with theused in many householdessential ingredient formaking us sicker, notimmune system. Thecleaners can cause eye,every clean home. Buthealthier, because wefumes can interfere withthroat or nose irritation,the advertisements are kill essential beneficialfetal development, andheadache, nausea and misleading. Most bacte-bacteria every time wethe liquid can be fatal vomiting. High concen-ria are not bad for us.use them. if swallowed. Chlorinetrations can lead to Antibacterial productsMost frightening, bleach may combine serious burns or eyeare no more effectivethe overuse of antibi-with natural substancesdamage. Repeated or than vinegar at control-otics and antibacterialor commercial productsprolonged exposure toling bacteria and do products may be leadingto create toxic gases ammonia fumes maynot kill viruses—whichto the development ofor known carcinogens.slowly damage the eyes,cause the common coldantibiotic-resistantLiquid chlorine bleach liver, kidneys and lungs,and flu—and cannot super-bacteria. Whileis the most commonand may led to bronchi-prevent the spread ofantibacterial productscleaner accidentally tis. Children and peoplecontagious diseases.kill many bacteria, a fewswallowed by children.with asthma or emphyse-Antibacterial soaps workalways survive. TheseChlorine may ma are most sensitiveno better than regularsurvivors are strongerlurk in all manner of to ammonia.soap, and are generally and more resistant.commercial home-Ammonia is most harsher and more dryingAlready, doctors and cleaning products,commonly used in glass, to our skin. Also, ingredi-scientists have noticedincluding laundry window, metal and ents in antibacterialthat certain strains ofdetergent and bleach,oven cleaners. Cigarettesoaps have been shownbacteria—which candisinfectants, scouringsmoke and many to last through waste-cause infections—arepowders and toilet chemical-based water treatment andable to resist antibioticbowl cleaners. Luckily, fertilizers also containaccumulate in municipaltreatments that oncealternatives are ammonia. As with sludge, which is laterworked to control them.available. Hydrogen chlorine bleach, safeused as fertilizer forMany worry that someperoxide is a safe and effective alterna-crops. So essentially, webacteria will eventuallynon-chlorine bleach.tives exist. Vinegar andwash this stuff down thebe able to resist everyVinegar is an excellentlemon juice clean glassdrain, it doesn’t go awayknown antibiotic treat-disinfectant. Bakingand most metalseven after the water isment, resulting in uncon-soda mixed with coarseextremely well, and atreated, and then we trollable super-bacteria.salt is an effectivepaste of baking sodaeat a portion of it in our For all of these scouring solution and salt will removeproduce.reasons, it is best toand will work wondersbaked-on messes onAntibacterial avoid any productcleaning your toilet your stove or in youringredients are commonlabeled antibacterial.and bathtub.oven.in soaps, disinfectantsThese products shouldand cleaners, and areonly be used in specialnow becoming availablecircumstances, such in trash bags, sponges,as in hospitals and plastic wrap, disposabledoctor’s offices. Plaincutting boards andsoap and warm water more. As unlikely as is still the best way toit sounds, we need wash your hands andbacteria. Beneficial clean up—even afterbacteria help us digestworking with raw meat our food, fight off in the kitchen. •11