www.mercola.com. She has a wealth of informative articles. According to Dr. Mercola, the chemicals found in most common household products can cause irreparable damage to our bodies. She states, “They go directly into your bloodstream, bypassing your liver and kidneys, which are your body’s natural defense system against toxins. Just one application of a typical household cleaner can leave dangerous chemicals lingering in your indoor air for hours on end.” As a young girl, Saturday was cleaning day in our home. One of the main cleaning products we used was ammonia. Unbeknownst to us, ammonia is very irritating to your skin, eyes, and lungs and can be lethal if mixed with other cleaning chemicals, such as bleach. Bad idea! Mixing the two together will cause extremely toxic vapors. Dr. Mercola provides a list of some of the hazardous chemicals found in household cleaners and laundry detergents that can create toxic fumes.

Glycol ethers – Widespread use in paints, perfumes, soaps, cosmetics, and foods. Cause fatigue, lethargy, nausea, and possible liver and kidney damage	Phosphates – Manufacturers have reduced eliminated phosphates from laundry products, but no action has ever been taken on dishwasher detergents. Causes widespread environmental damage	Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including 1,4-dichlorobenzene – Cause nose and throat irritation, dizziness, and asthma
Phthalates – Cause reproductive harm, endocrine disruption, cancer, and organ damage	Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), a common ingredient in laundry detergents and all-purpose cleaners, is banned in Europe, and known to be a potent endocrine disrupter,7 causing male fish to transform into females	Petroleum solvents in floor cleaners may damage mucous membranes
Perfumes – Cause headaches, sinus problems, and asthma	Formaldehyde, found in spray and wick deodorizers, is a suspected carcinogen	Butyl cellosolve, found in many all-purpose and window cleaners, may damage your kidneys, bone marrow, liver, and nervous system
Chlorine – irritating to your skin, eyes, and lungs	Ethanolamines – irritating to the skin, eyes, and lungs	Sodium lauryl sulfate: skin irritant, eye irritant, and potentially carcinogenic

Isn’t that list an eye opener? It just goes to show how blindly we trust the products we use on a daily basis. There is a healthier alternative to keeping your home smelling fresh and clean, and probably much more cost effective, and less harmful to our bodies. Did you know that using vinegar and baking soda or vinegar and hydrogen peroxide will actually clean and sanitize your home just as effectively as those toxic products found in the cleaning isle? I cannot walk down the cleaning products isles at the grocery store without gagging, sneezing, and struggling for air. The smell is absolutely overwhelming. Can you imagine what that is doing to my system just breathing in those fumes, and I’ve not even purchased them to bring into my home! Here is a list of common ingredients that can replace many of the cleaning products on the market today, and they are non-toxic:

• Baking soda
• White Vinegar
• Lemon Juice
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Olive Oil
• Liquid Castile Soap
• Pure Essential Oils (for a fresh clean scent)
• Coconut Oil
• Vodka (no, not to drink silly, but then again, it could make your spring cleaning more fun!)

A note on mixing products: Most of these ingredients can be used in combination with each other; however, many sources advise against mixing castile soap with vinegar or lemon juice. Since castile soap is basic (i.e., high on the pH scale) and vinegar and lemons are acidic, the products basically cancel each other out when used in combination (though it’s fine to wash with a base—like castile soap—and rinse with an acid—like vinegar!). A few suggestions provided by Dr. Mercola for the use of baking soda in your household cleaning include:

1. Use as a safe non-scratch scrub for metals and porcelain.

2. To clean your oven, simply sprinkle a cup or more of baking soda over the bottom of the oven, then cover the baking soda with enough water to make a thick paste. Let the mixture set overnight. The next morning, the grease will be easy to wipe up because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven.

3. To unclog a drain, pour 1/2 to one cup of baking soda down the drain, then slowly pour 1/2 to one cup of vinegar in after it. Cover the drain and let it sit for 15 minutes. If it bubbles like a volcano, it means it’s working as planned. Flush with a gallon of boiling water.

4. Deodorize dry carpets by sprinkling liberally with baking soda. Wait at least 15 minutes, then vacuum.

For more do it yourself chemical free suggestions visit Greatist.com for a complete list of tried and true recipes. Here are a few of my favorite ones found on this site: Bathroom Toilet

1. For a heavy-duty toilet scrub that deodorizes while it cleans, pour ½ cup of baking soda and about 10 drops of tea tree essential oil into the toilet. Add ¼ cup of vinegar to the bowl and scrub away while the mixture fizzes.

2. For daily cleaning, fill a small spray bottle with vinegar (about 1 cup should do it) and a few drops of an essential oil of your choosing (lemon and tea tree both work well). Spray on the toilet seats, let it sit for a few minutes, and then wipe the surface clean.

Tub and Shower

1. Tubs and showers can produce some of the toughest grime, but it’s no match for the cleaning power of vinegar. To get rid of mildew, spray pure white vinegar on the offending area, let it sit for at least 30 minutes, and then rinse with warm water (don’t be afraid to use a sponge if rinsing doesn’t clear away the grossness on its own). Alternatively, try mixing together baking soda with a bit of liquid castile soap, then scrub and rinse.

2. For daily cleaning or to get rid of soap scum, mix 1 part water with 1 part vinegar (and a few drops of essential oils if you’re not into the smell of vinegar) in a spray bottle. Spray, let it sit for at least several minutes, and then wipe away.

Disinfectant Skip the bleach and make a homemade germ-killer instead. Just mix 2 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of liquid soap, and 20-30 drops of tea tree oil. Voila! Air Freshener Defeat less-visible bathroom “uncleanliness” with this homemade, non-toxic air freshener. All you need is baking soda, your favorite essential oil, and an old jar. You can find the step-by-step instructions here. Kitchen Countertops For a simple, all-purpose counter cleaner, mix together equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. If your countertop is made from marble, granite, or stone, skip the vinegar (its acidity is no good for these surfaces) and use rubbing alcohol or the wondrous power of vodka instead. Cutting Boards Talk about non-toxic: All that’s needed to clean and sanitize cutting boards (wood or plastic) is… a lemon! Cut it in half, run it over the surfaces, let sit for ten minutes, and then rinse away. If you need some serious scrubbing power, sprinkle some coarse or Kosher salt over the board, and then rub with ½ a lemon. Sink Drain To unclog a stuffed-up drain, start by boiling about 2 cups of water. Pour ½ cup of baking soda into the drain, and then add the water while it’s still nice and hot. If that doesn’t do the trick, follow the baking soda with ½ cup of vinegar, cover it up tightly (a pot lid should work nicely), wait until the fizzing slows down (when baking soda and vinegar come in contact, they’ll react by fizzing) and then add one gallon of boiling water. Dishwasher Detergent Mix together 1 cup of liquid castile soap and 1 cup of water (2 teaspoons of lemon juice optional) in a quart-size glass jar. Add some of this mixture to one detergent compartment of the dishwasher, and fill the other compartment with white vinegar. I could go on with many of the amazing recipes found on this web site, but I’ll let you do your own research to find your favorites. There are even recipes for laundry soap, fabric softener, window cleaner, and furniture polish. Choosing to switch to a more natural method of doing your spring cleaning is not only healthy for your home environment, but for your family as well. One has to wonder if, with all the toxins and chemicals used in over-the-counter cleaning products, that it is related to the increase in cancers, neurological disorders, ADHD and autism. I challenge each of you to really go ‘Green and Natural’ by using ingredients that are non-toxic and yet, can still do the job with just a little bit of elbow grease. The bonus is a healthier clean and savings in your pocket book. Views:]]>