In the Netherlands, ‘garbage bag’ encourages reuse of contents | Springwise

The Goedzak is a transparent bag for unwanted goods that allows passersby to see inside and decide if they could make use of them.

23rd January 2013 in Eco & Sustainability.

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The Swap-o-Matic vending machine has already provided one way to pass on unused items to others, rather than sending them to landfill. Another solution from the Netherlands comes in the form of the Goedzak – a transparent ‘garbage bag’ for unwanted goods that allows passersby to see inside and decide if they could make use of them.

Created by Waarmakers, the thinking behind the bags – which are see-through aside from the Goedzak logo — is that they are placed on the sidewalk along with other black bags containing trash. The contents are visible to those passing by, yet stay dry and clean. The Goedzak logo indicates to walkers that the goods inside are available to pick up. If no-one takes advantage of the freebies, the sack is collected by garbage trucks along with the rest of the trash.

The Goedzaks help homeowners act more sustainably when throwing out perfectly usable property with minimum effort. Could this kind of scheme work in your neighborhood?

Website: www.degoedzak.nl
Contact: simon@waarmakers.nl

In the Netherlands, ‘garbage bag’ encourages reuse of contents | Springwise.

Top 10 Toxic Products You Don’t Need | Healthy Child Healthy World

by Margie Kelly, Communications Manager, Healthy Child Healthy World

Advertisers spent an astonishing $144 billion in 2011 to entice you to buy more and more stuff. So it’s not surprising that you have an apartment or house full of things you don’t even like.

Isn’t it time to purge what isn’t necessary?

Let’s start with this top 10 list of toxic products you absolutely don’t need. We compiled the list with the input of our knowledgeable Facebook community – thank you! Not only will your home be less cluttered, your health will improve by eliminating common, everyday items that contain toxic chemicals and contaminate your food, air, and body.

Introducing the top 10 list of toxic products you really don’t need (listed in no particular order):

1. Vinyl plastic: Vinyl is the worst plastic for the environment. Banned in over 14 countries and the European Union, PVC, also known as vinyl, is still legally sold by U.S. retailers although it threatens environmental and consumer health at every stage of its product life cycle, according to the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice (CHEJ). When it’s in your home, PVC can leach phthalates (linked to hormone disruption) and lead (a potent neurotoxicant) – contaminating air, dust, and eventually you. Go PVC-free by reading packages and avoiding the #3 in the chasing arrows symbol (usually found on the bottom of a product). If a plastic is not labeled, call the manufacturer. Learn more.

2. Fragrance products: Healthy Child’s Facebook fans repeatedly cited dryer sheets as a toxic product they’d be happy to live without (and many wished their neighbors would stop using them too). Fragrances found in everyday products like air fresheners and perfumes can trigger asthma. Some of the chemicals of concern mimic estrogen, a process that may increase the risk of breast cancer. For example, diethyl phthalate (DEP) is absorbed through the skin and can accumulate in human fat tissue. Phthalates are suspected carcinogens and hormone disruptors that are increasingly being linked to reproductive disorders.

It’s not so simple to avoid phthalates by switching products because they are rarely listed on product ingredient labels. Phthalates are claimed as a part of trade secret formulas, and are exempt from federal labeling requirements. Until the law changes and consumers get the right to know which chemicals are in products, choose fragrance-free products or use those scented with natural fragrances like essential oils.

3. Canned food: It’s probably shocking to find a food item on a toxic product list, but it’s no mistake. Food cans are lined bisphenol-A (BPA). Most experts believe this is our main source of exposure to BPA, which has been linked to early puberty, cancer, obesity, heart disease, depression in young girls and much more. Eden Foods was the first company to eschew BPA, but many other brands have gone BPA free, including Campbell’s Soup. But beware: some companies have switched to BPS, BPA’s chemical cousin, which has been linked many of the same health effects. To be safe, opt for fresh, frozen, dried or jarred foods.

4. Dirty cleaners: Admit it: it’s a bit odd to wipe toxic chemicals all over your oven, floors, counters, and toilets to get them “clean.” Corrosive or caustic cleaners, such as the lye and acids found in drain cleaners, oven cleaners and acid-based toilet bowl cleaners, are the most dangerous cleaning products because they burn skin, eyes and internal tissue easily. It’s super simple and effective to use non-toxic cleaners or to make your own. You won’t miss the toxic fumes in your home either!

5. Pesticides: This is a huge category of products, but they deserve inclusion in their entirety because of how extremely toxic they are. They’re made to be. That’s how they kill things. But, solving your pest problem may leave you with another problem – residual poisons that linger on surfaces, contaminate air, and get tracked onto carpet from the bottom of shoes. There are so many non-toxic ways to eliminate pests and weeds – next time you need to get on the offense, check out the recommendations at Beyond Pesticides.

6. Bottled water: Americans buy half a billion bottles of water every week, according to the film The Story of Bottled Water. Most people buy bottled water thinking they’re avoiding any contaminants that may be present in their tap water. For the most part, they’re wrong. Bottled water can be just as, or even more, contaminated than tap water. In fact, some bottled water IS tap water – just packaged (in plastic that can leach chemicals into the water) and over-priced. Also, from manufacture to disposal, bottled water creates an enormous amount of pollution – making our water even less drinkable. Do yourself and the world a favor and invest in a reusable stainless steel water bottle and a water filter.

7. Lead lipstick: Can you believe lead, a known neurotoxin that has no safe level of exposure, is found in women’s lipsticks? A study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration discovered lead in 400 lipsticks tested, at levels two times higher than found in a previous FDA study. There is no safe level of lead exposure. Pregnant women and children are at special risk, as lead can interfere with normal brain development. To find a safe lipstick, as well as other personal care products like shampoo and lotion, check out the Skin Deep Database.

8. Nonstick Cookware: Just get this stuff out of your kitchen now. Studies show that perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), which make products stain-and stick resistant, are linked to cancer and low birth weights. They are incredibly persistent and can now be found all over the globe, including in the bodies of polar bears. Not only are PFCs found in cookware, but microwave popcorn bags and pizza boxes, some dental flosses, furniture and clothing. To steer clear of PFCs, avoid products made with Teflon or list ingredients beginning with “fluoro” or “perfluoro.”

9. Triclosan: This antibacterial agent is found in soaps, toothpastes, mouthwashes, deodorants, and even clothing. Studies have found triclosan may harm the human immune system, which makes them more likely to develop allergies, and reduces muscle strength in humans and animals. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns consumers to read labels for triclosan and recommends using just plain soap to clean up. Instead of using antibacterial hand sanitizers made with triclosan, choose an alternative made with at least 60 percent alcohol.

10. Oil-based paints and finishes: There are 300 toxic chemicals and 150 carcinogens potentially present in oil-based paint, according to a John Hopkins University study. Still interested in coating your walls and furniture with this gunk? I hope not. Look for water-based options – ideally those that are low- or no-VOC. You could also explore natural finishes like milk paint and vegetable or wax based wood finishes.

What’s at the top of your list of toxic products you don’t need?

Read more: http://www.healthychild.org/blog/comments/091012_top_10_toxic_products_you_dont_need/#ixzz26vSOboqE

EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning : The Dirt on Cleaners

EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning reviews and rates more than 2,000 popular household cleaning products with grades A through F, based on the safety of their ingredients and the information they disclose about their contents.

In the making for more than a year, EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning, the only one of its kind, has found that hazardous industrial chemicals lurk in far too many bottles and boxes under Americans’ sinks and on laundry room shelves.

Just seven percent of cleaning products adequately disclosed their contents. To uncover what’s in common household cleaners, EWG’s staff scientists spent 14 months reading product labels and digging through company websites and technical documents. We researched ingredients and contaminants in 15 government, industry and academic toxicity databases and numerous scientific and medical journals. Read more here.

With EWG’s help, consumers can shop smart – and also change the marketplace by pressing the cleaning industry to come up with safer formulations and to label ingredients clearly and completely.

EWG’s key scientific findings:

• Some 53 percent of cleaning products assessed by EWG contain ingredients known to harm the lungs. About 22 percent contain chemicals reported to cause asthma to develop in otherwise healthy individuals.
• Formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen, is sometimes used as a preservative or may be released by other preservatives in cleaning products. It may form when terpenes, found in citrus and pine oil cleaners and in some essential oils used as scents, react with ozone in the air.
• The chemical 1,4-dioxane, a suspected human carcinogen, is a common contaminant of widely-used detergent chemicals.
• Chloroform, a suspected human carcinogen, sometimes escapes in fumes released by products containing chlorine bleach.
• Quaternary ammonium compounds (“quats”) like benzalkonium chloride, found in antibacterial spray cleaners and fabric softeners, can cause asthma.
• Sodium borate, also known as borax, and boric acid are added to many products as cleaning agents, enzyme stabilizers or for other functions. They can disrupt the hormone system.
• Many leading “green” brands sell highly-rated products, among them Green Shield Organic and Whole Foods’ Green Mission brand. But not all cleaners marketed as environmentally conscious score high. Some “green” brands, including Earth Friendly Products, and BabyGanics, do not disclose ingredients adequately.

EWG recommends avoiding some products altogether because they’re unnecessary or there are no safer alternatives. Among them:

• Air fresheners contain secret fragrance mixtures that can trigger allergies and asthma. Open windows or use fans.
• Antibacterial products can spur development of drug-resistant superbugs.
• Fabric softener and dryer sheet ingredients can cause allergies or asthma and can irritate the lungs. Try a little vinegar in the rinse cycle.
• Caustic drain cleaners and oven cleaners can burn eyes and skin. Use a drain snake or plunger in drains. Try a do-it-yourself paste of baking soda and water in the oven.

“Natural” doesn’t mean non-toxic

Though plant-based ingredients don’t use petrochemicals, some plant-derived substances can cause allergic reactions. Some chemicals used in “green” product lines have not been thoroughly tested and get Cs for lack of safety data.

The scarcity of solid data about risks associated with cleaning product contents underscores the need for reform of the federal Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976,  to require safety testing of chemicals on the market.

Consumers have a right to know

Ingredient labels are mandatory for food, cosmetics and drugs – but not for cleaning products. Manufacturers aren’t required to disclose all ingredients in their cleaners and many don’t, including some “green” cleaners makers.

EWG urges consumers to tell manufacturers and legislators they want these products labeled with a complete list of ingredients, including individual chemicals in fragrance and any impurities present. Publishing ingredient information on the web or requiring consumers to telephone the company is not good enough.

Click on the link bellow for the full report: http://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners?inlist=Y&utm_source=201209cleanersreleasefull&utm_medium=email&utm_content=header&utm_campaign=toxics

Greenwashing

Cleaners labeled “safe,” “non-toxic” and “green” can contain hazardous ingredients. There should be a law against bogus claims, but there isn’t. Some companies are willing to bend the truth – because they can.  Read more.

Simple Green Concentrated All-Purpose Cleaner

It’s labeled “non-toxic” and “biodegradable.”  It contains:

• 2-butoxyethanol, a solvent absorbed through the skin that damages red blood cells and irritates eyes;
• A secret blend of alcohol ethoxylate surfactants. Some members of this chemical family are banned in the European Union.

Worse, the company website instructs the user to dilute the product significantly for even the heaviest cleaning tasks. Yet it comes in a spray bottle that implies it should be sprayed full-strength. Such use would result in higher exposures.

Whink Rust Stain Remover

Advertised for cleaning white porcelain sinks, toilet bowls and colorfast fabrics and carpet, the fine print warns:

• “May be fatal or cause permanent damage.”
• “Causes severe burns which may not be immediately painful or visible.”
• On technical information for workers, “will penetrate skin and attack underlying tissues and bone.”

Product literature advises workers to  “use only with adequate ventilation” and to wear gloves, safety goggles and a face mask.  Consumers are advised only to wear rubber gloves.

Citra-Solv Cleaner & Degreaser

These concentrated liquids and ready-to-use sprays contain  d-limonene and orange oils from citrus peels. According to the company’s worker safety disclosure, Citra-Solv concentrate is 85 to 95 percent d-limonene. That the oils are derived from citrus implies safety, but sprayed into the air, they can react with trace levels of ozone air pollution to form ultra-fine particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and formaldehyde, which the U.S. government classifies as a known human carcinogen. The California Air Resources Board advises people to limit the use of citrus- or pine oil-based cleaners on smoggy days to avoid exposure to particulates and formaldehyde.

EWG Green Tip:

Read labels carefully and pay special attention to warnings. Don’t buy any products labeled “poison,” “danger” or “fatal” if swallowed or inhaled.

Banned abroad

 

Spic and Span Multi-Surface and Floor Cleaner

This product contains nonylphenol ethoxylate, which the state of California has banned in cleaning products manufactured after 2012. Products containing this chemical cannot be sold in the European Union. It breaks down to nonylphenol, which can disrupt the hormone system, is toxic to aquatic life and persists in the environment.

Scrubbing Bubbles – Antibacterial Bathroom Cleaner & Extend-A-Clean Mega Shower Foamer

These products contain up to 10 percent DEGBE, also called butoxydiglycol, a solvent banned in the European Union at concentrations above 3 percent in aerosol cleaners. It can irritate and inflame the lungs.

Mop & Glo Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner

It contains DEGME, also called methoxydiglycol, at up to 15 times the concentration allowed in cleaners sold in the European Union. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe says DEGME is “suspected of damaging the unborn child.”  (This product is also sold as “Mop & Glo Triple Action Floor Shine.”)

DampRid Mildew Stain Remover Plus Blocker

It may contain up to 10 percent of a hazardous solvent called 2-butoxyethanol.  Canada caps this chemical’s use in non-aerosol cleaners at 6 percent. It also contains nonylphenol ethoxylate, prohibited in cleaners sold in the E.U.

EASY-OFF Fume Free Oven Cleaner

This spray contains 5 to 10 percent DEGBE. The E.U. bars concentrations of DEGBE greater than 3 percent because it can harm the lungs.

EWG Green Tip:

Check your brands’ labels and websites for ingredient lists. Avoid products containing nonylphenol ethoxylates (look for “nonylphen” or “nonoxynol” within the ingredient name) and 2-butoxyethanol, butoxydiglycol, ethylene- or diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether or methoxydiglycol.

Drain cleaners that can burn and blind

Childproof packaging is just one clue that conventional drain cleaners are extremely dangerous.

Drano Professional Strength Kitchen Crystals Clog Remover

The label says this product can severely burn eyes and skin and cause blindness or even death. Drano Kitchen Crystals may remain in the drain after use, creating an extreme hazard. Using a plunger could cause caustic splashback. Pouring any other product down the drain might trigger a dangerous chemical reaction. The label warns purchasers to “keep water out of can at all times to prevent contents from violently erupting or boiling out.” Yet unsuspecting consumers have been known to store it under the sink.

EWG Green Tip:

Use a drain snake and plunger, available in hardware stores. Store drain cleaner in high secure cabinets out of reach of children and away from water.

Oven cleaners that emit toxic fumes

Conventional oven cleaners can contain substantial amounts of sodium or potassium hydroxide, meant to dissolve crusty, baked-on gunk. These chemicals can also burn skin, lungs and eyes.

Walmart Great Value Heavy Duty Oven & Grill Cleaner

The label warns: “Will burn skin and eyes. Avoid contact with skin, eyes, mucous membranes and clothing. Harmful if swallowed. Avoid inhaling spray mist. Wear long rubber gloves while using…”

CVS/pharmacy Fume-Free Oven Cleaner

Though claiming to be “fume-free,” the label warns: “Vapor harmful… open windows and doors or use other means to ensure fresh air entry during application and drying.”  The label says the product contains an unidentified substance “known to the state of California to cause cancer.”

EASY-OFF Heavy Duty Oven Cleaner Aerosol Spray

The label warns: “Warning: …DANGER: CORROSIVE…WILL BURN EYES AND SKIN. HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED. Avoid contact with eyes, skin, mucous membranes and clothing. DO NOT ingest. Use only with adequate ventilation. Avoid breathing spray mist. Wear long rubber gloves when using…”

EWG Green Tip:

Sprinkle baking soda liberally to cover the bottom of the oven. Spray with water. Wait 8 hours, scrape and wipe clean.

Mystery mixtures

Ingredient labels are mandatory for food, cosmetics and drugs – but not for cleaners. Bowing to pressure from customers and to the threat of federal regulation, most companies list some ingredients on labels and websites or in worker safety information. But a few companies disclose nothing. Others may list one or a few ingredients or use vague terms like “surfactant” or “solvent.”

Target’s Up & Up

This brand’s Toilet Bowl Cleaner and Glass and Surface Wipes do not list any ingredients on the product packaging. Other products sold under the Up & Up label list only one or two ingredients or use vague terms.

LA’s Totally Awesome

This brand divulges few ingredients. It lists just one ingredient for its Orange All Purpose Degreaser & Spot Remover, the hazardous solvent 2-butoxyethanol.

Walmart’s Great Value

This store brand does not list ingredients in its Heavy Duty Oven & Grill Cleaner and lemon-scented Furniture Polish, despite the company’s commitment “to sell products that sustain people and the environment.” Other items sold under the Great Value brand list few ingredients or use general terms for them.

EWG Green Tip:

Look for products listing most or all ingredients on the label or website. No information could mean something to hide.

Fatal if inhaled

Some popular cleaning products contain addictive inhalants.    Inhalants generally have been abused by 1 in 5 American teens and are considered “gateway drugs” that lead to drug and alcohol abuse (www.inhalent.org). They are potentially fatal in concentrated form. A few of the many inhalant products EWG found:

Glade Air Freshener Sprays, Air Wick automatic air fresheners, and Old English furniture polish

These products warn that “intentional misuse by deliberately concentrating and inhaling the contents can be harmful or fatal.”

Spot Shot Carpet Stain Remover

This product warns that “inhalation abuse of aerosol products may be harmful or fatal.”

EWG Green Tip:

Talk to your kids about the risks of inhalants (www.inhalant.org). Read warning labels and keep cleaners that are potentially fatal if inhaled out of your home.

Fatal if swallowed

When is a clean house worth this risk?

Lysol Disinfectant Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Lime & Rust Remover

This corrosive acid concoction kills bacteria but is also labeled “harmful or fatal if swallowed.” The cleaner’s child-proof cap is an important safety feature. The label warns not to squeeze the container when opening and to wear safety goggles. A bit of this acid in the eye can cause “irreversible damage.”

2000 Flushes and X-14 toilet bowl cleaners

These chlorine-laden discs don’t harm plumbing or septic systems, but according to the label they “may be fatal if swallowed.” The boxes warn customers to wear rubber gloves when handling, hold the disc away from the face and avoid inhaling the fumes. A pet could confuse a disc with a plastic chew toy.

EWG Green Tip:

Don’t take a chance on products that are fatal if swallowed. Pets and children are most at risk, so read the warning labels. Stock your cabinet with safer choices, but keep them, too, out of children’s reach.

High-hazard ingredients

Hagerty Liquid Jewel Clean

It contains perchloroethylene, a toxic solvent classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Tarn-X Tarnish Remover

This “Wipe & Rinse” product contains up to 7 percent thiourea, a chemical classified as a carcinogen by the state of California. The company’s technical information for workers says “prolonged or repeated exposure may cause reproductive and fetal effects.”

Ajax, Dynamo and Fab Ultra liquid laundry detergents (Phoenix Brands)

These contain formaldehyde, also known as formalin, classified as a known human carcinogen by the U.S. government and World Health Organization. Formaldehyde can cause asthma and allergies. The company divulges the presence of formaldehyde in the product only on technical disclosures for workers.

EWG Green Tip:

Try safer do-it-yourself options first, before heavier duty options.

Combatting static with toxic chemicals

Dryer sheets and anti-static sprays may free clinging fabrics and stop static sparks, but they usually do it with quaternary ammonium compounds that can irritate lungs and cause asthma as well as allergic contact dermatitis.

Static Guard

This product contains the chemical DTDMAC, or ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, which is so persistent in the environment that it can’t be used as a cleaning ingredient in the European Union.

Final Touch Ultra Liquid Fabric Softener

This brand contains quaternium-18 (dihydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride or DHTDMAC), which also cannot be used in cleaning products sold in the European Union because of its persistence in the environment.

EWG Green Tip:

Use a humidifier if your indoor air is dry – more water in the air means less static electricity. Add vinegar to the rinse cycle to prevent static cling or run a damp cloth over clothing.

Spray cleaners with asthma-causing ingredients

Even though 1 in 10 U.S. children suffers from asthma, some companies make spray cleaners that fill the air with asthmagens, meaning ingredients that cause asthma.

Clorox, Fantastik, Febreze, Formula 409, Easy-Off, Lysol, Mr. Clean and Spic and Span.

Many of the spray cleaners sold under these brand names are laced with quaternary ammonium compounds or ethanolamine, ingredients classified as asthmagens by the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, a professional association of clinics and health experts. These chemicals can trigger asthma attacks and can cause new cases of the disease in people who are asthma-free. Ingredients classified as asthmagens don’t belong in spray products.

EWG Green Tip:

Skip spray products that contain ethanolamines (MEA, DEA and TEA) and “quats.” Beware of ADBAC, benzalkonium chloride or ingredients with “-monium chloride” in the name from the label or the company’s website. Do not use disinfecting sprays, since most of them contain asthmagens.

100+ hidden chemicals

EWG’s 2009 state-of-the-art air pollution tests of 21 common school cleaning products turned up a wide range of air contaminants linked to asthma, cancer, reproductive toxicity, hormone disruption and neurotoxicity. Some of the worst offenders are in products also commonly used in the home.

Comet Disinfectant Cleanser Powder

This product emitted 146 different chemicals, including some thought to cause cancer, asthma and reproductive disorders. The most toxic chemicals detected – formaldehyde, benzene, chloroform and toluene – are not listed on the label. Little is known about the health risks of most of the contaminants found.

Febreze Air Effects

This product released 89 air contaminants.

EWG Green Tip:

Open windows or run a fan – or both – to clear the air during and after cleaning.

Undisclosed chemicals in the air

Air fresheners do not clean or purify the air.  They merely cover up odors by releasing undisclosed mixtures of fragrance chemicals. Common fragrance components include chemicals that spur allergies, trigger asthma attacks or impair reproduction.

Lysol Neutra Air Freshmatic

This product boasts that “your home will always smell fresh and clean” but cautions that the device should be placed “in well-ventilated rooms away from sleeping areas.” Among the label’s warnings: may be harmful if directly inhaled, may cause allergic reaction in some individuals, DO NOT spray towards face or body, DO NOT get in eyes, avoid content with skin, DO NOT spray directly onto surfaces.

Air Wick Freshmatic Compact

This product cautions to “use in well-ventilated rooms away from sleeping areas.”

Febreze and Glade automatic air fresheners

These products warn, “Do not use in small confined pet areas without adequate ventilation.”

EWG Green Tip:

If a room has an odor problem, track down the source and eliminate it instead of covering it up with fragrances. A bowl of baking soda in the bathroom can absorb odors.

Dead zone detergents

Most detergents claim they are “phosphate free.” And that’s a good thing, because phosphate compounds, formerly a mainstay for cleaning dishes and clothing, wash into waterways and spur rampant algae growth that leads to massive “Dead Zones” in the Gulf of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay and other water bodies. Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia prohibit phosphates in household dishwashing and laundry detergents. But some companies exploit a legal loophole by selling phosphate-laden additives that are as harmful as banned detergents.

FINISH Glass Magic Hardwater Performance Booster

This product contains up to 21 percent phosphate by weight, according to the label.

EWG Green Tip:

Skip phosphate additives for dishwashers and clothes washers. Don’t use cleaners with ingredients that damage the environment.

Clean and Green Part I – Home Keeping

By Veridian June 21st,  2012

One of the most potentially toxic and decidedly eco-unfriendly aspects of a keeping a home are some of the various cleaning products that we slosh around the house on a daily basis. Just think what that can of oven cleaner contains and what went into making it, packaging it and shipping it here – scary.

In an effort to reduce the chemicals that are brought into our home we avoid products that aren’t plant based or bio-degradable and a good start is to switch to recognized earth friendly products. These can be expensive though so if you are willing to put a little bit of time and effort in then you can easily make your own effective alternatives. I have been doing this for about a year and am pleased with the results and honestly cannot remember the last time I went down the cleaning aisle at the store so must be saving $$$.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

The best starting place is probably baking soda and vinegar either individually or as a combo. They are great for sanitizing all kinds of things and even makes them sparkle. Use distilled white vinegar and if you don’t like the smell add a few drops of essential oil, preferably one with natural anti-bacterial properties such as lemon, tea tree or lavender.

So far we have used them for cleaning the kitchen sink, chopping boards, the bath, the loo, the oven, the microwave, the fridge, the windows, the floors, to remove stains from tea cups and sanitize the cleaning cloths but the list could go on…

For more see 1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar and Care 2’s 51 Fantastic Uses for Baking Soda

http://www.vinegartips.com/scripts/pageViewSec.asp?id=7 –

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/51-fantastic-uses-for-baking-soda.html

Castile Soap

Another simple switch we have made is to use liquid castile soap instead of washing up liquid (dishsoap) as it is made from vegetable oil, bio-degradable and super concentrated so you only need a few drops which saves on plastic bottles. We like the lavender or eucalyptus for the kitchen. You can use it neat or make it go a little farther and seem more like washing up liquid by adding a few more natural ingredients but I haven’t tried this yet, if you want to try it just search the web and find a recipe and then let Cayman Moms know what you think!

Washing Soda

Washing Soda is an ingredient in my dishwasher liquid but it is also great for other things like soaking dishes with baked on food as it softens it so after a few hours you can just wipe or rinse off. Give it a go, it is like magic!

Homemade Kitchen Spray

I make my own kitchen spray which is non-toxic, cheap and works perfectly. It takes about 2 minutes to make and lasts several months.

There are loads of recipes on the internet; this is the one I use:

2 cups of water

1 tsp baking soda

2 tblsp distilled white vinegar

Half a teaspoon of castile soap, any scent

A few drops of essential oil, preferably one with anti-bacterial properties such as lemon, tea tree, clove, lavender or eucalyptus

Put the ingredients into a bowl or jug and give them a stir(it will foam up a bit then settle down) then using a funnel pour into a spray bottle.

I had to buy a spray bottle for this but if you have one to refill that would be even better just make sure it is well rinsed out first.

Homemade Dishwasher Liquid

3 cups of water

1 cup distilled white vinegar

Half a cup of castile soap

Juice of half a lemon,

optional 4 tblsp salt, any kind

2 tblsp washing soda

Combine all ingredients in a jug or a bowl, microwave for 1 minute then using a funnel pour into your container. I use an old sports drinking bottle for this but you could re-purpose an old glass bottle or pasta jar or other similar container to save buying a new one so long as it has a lid and is easy to pick up and pour from.

Tip: also use the distilled white vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser

Tile Floors

To wash tile floors we use: A few drops of castile soap (any scent will do)

A slosh of distilled white vinegar A few drops of essential oil such as lemon or lavender Hot water

I sometimes pour in a bit of baking soda for extra grease cutting and scouring action

A note on Borax: I see borax being an ingredient in a lot of homemade cleaning recipes but there is some concern over it’s safety (see Wikipedia) so I haven’t used on anything that could come in to contact with food such as surfaces and dishes etc.

Where to buy the supplies and ingredients:

Washing soda : AL Thompsons in the cleaning products aisle

Spray bottles: Kirks Supermarket, some of the hardware stores and some of the auto-supply stores

Castile liquid soap and bars: Kirks Supermarket

Baking soda: any of the supermarkets, look out for the large boxes

Vinegar, distilled white: any of the supermarkets or superstores

Essential oils: Body Works, Kirks Supermarket, Petique

Funnels (for easier filling of bottles): AL Thompsons in the cooking section

Clean and Green in Cayman

by Veridian June 21st 2012

Can we just stop and think for a minute about all of the chemicals in our homes right now from the stuff that is locked away under the kitchen sink, to the laundry room and even the bathroom counter. Some of the ingredients in these products are harmful to the environment when they are made or extracted, have a carbon footprint from the packaging and shipping and may even be harmful to you and your family even when used as instructed. Not to mention the effect on the environment when they end up in the local eco-system.

This series of posts will focus on what we can do to be clean and green in Cayman and we invite you to share the clean and green measures your employ that we could try and also share any experiments that didn’t work and why!

Please use the comments box , Thank You!