Line of "healthy" cleaning products that I like

[Melinda]

Dear all,

One of the things that I started to try a couple of years ago was to find new cleaning products to replece my old (and maybe not so healthy and/or environmentally friendly-->back to not so healthy) cleaning products.

But the darn things have to be able to clean!!! (Or I will stick to my Lysol and bleach, no matter how bad they may be for me!)

I wanted to share a couple of lines of products that I have come to really love (and depend on) over the past several years. People with LC should REALLY stay away from bleach (any product that releases a tremedous fume ain't so hot for your lungs) as y'all know.

PS--I do not work for, sell, have stock in, or know anybody who does any of the above. Nor have I ever been considered a "health-nut". Trying to find products like these just seemed to make sense when you thing about Bio and Chem 101 and I just like these products.

1) Earth Friendly Products

www.ecos.com

I am usually able to find these at my local health food store--but they also sell them on-line.

I LOVE their almond dishwashing soap (for handwashing dishes--we don't have a dishwasher). It a) works well 2) is soft on my hands 3) smells great (like cherries and almonds, but very mild) and 4) a little goes a LONG way so a bottle lasts a long time and 5) is reasonably priced.

They have other dishwashing soaps--but the stores around me never carried the (plus I was so happy with this one) that I have never tried them.

I'm not a huge fan of the STRONG "orange" scented/based cleaners--so I was happy to find that this company makes a parsley based one for all-purpose cleaning (kitchen, etc.).

2) Nature's Gate

http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncom ... d2w/report

From their web-site:

"The Nature's Gate Philosophy

Nature's Gate is a company dedicated to developing personal care products based upon botanical remedies. Our philosophy derives from combining the decades-old wisdom inherent in botanical, herbal and floral treatments with modern ingredients and formulations.

We bring our 27-year legacy of health and beauty expertise to you with a range of products that address personal care needs from the inside out, and bring you the highest level of integrity and value. Using all-natural herbs and pH-balanced, biodegradable formulas, each product is carefully formulated to deliver all the benefits of each unique botanical blend. All of our products reflect our ongoing efforts to preserve the earth's natural resources by being environmentally friendly and cruelty-free. "

I LOVE their Moisturizing Liquid Soap (in a pump). I have a bottle in the kitchen and each bathroom. It works really well, lasts a long time, has a pleasant, mild smell, and is NOT harsh on my hands.

I also like their body lotions (they make a lot of body/facial care products).

3) Seventh Generation

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/

From their web-site:

"A Clean Home

Modern household cleaning products are significantly more effective than the products our mothers and grandmothers used. Synthetic cleaning compounds, anti-redeposition agents, chlorine bleaches, builders, and optical brighteners have produced a generation of cleaners that work under more varied conditions, against more forms of dirt, in colder water, and with less effort than ever before.

But in our attempts to get our clothes whiter than white and homes cleaner than clean (and in less time than ever before), we’ve accepted a plethora of chemicals in conventional cleaners whose presence raises significant health and environmental concerns. In fact, many of the chemicals that are found - unregulated - in conventional household cleaning products are not allowed in workplaces due to Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) regulations. Seventh Generation was born out of a desire to provide effective, useful household products that will not harm the earth or its inhabitants.

Our Mission:

We are committed to becoming the world’s most trusted brand of authentic, safe, and environmentally responsible products for a healthy home.

We are dedicated to setting the standard for superior service and to providing our customers with the resources and inspiration they need to make informed, responsible decisions."

I have to admit that I am NOT a huge fan of their baby wipes (I keep a box of baby wipes on my desk at school at all times so that I may clean my hands even when I am not able to go to the bathroom to do so b/c I must stay with the kids. It has helped me remain a lot healthier during the school year [except for now]). I use fragrance free HUGGIES most of the time.

I DO like Seventh Generation's All Purpose Cleaner--Free & Clear, their Toilet Bowl Cleaner --Natural Mint, and their Bathroom Cleaner--Natural Citrus.

I have yet to try many of their products.

I still swear by my Murphy's Oil Soap for my wood floors--I hope I don't learn that it is "unhealthy". And I love white vinegar and baking soda, too.

This is not a cleaning product--but after my mom's 2nd breast cancer, her doc. actually pulled me aside and told me "off the record" to STOP using aluminium based antiperspant. I read about that for years, but always ignored it; I thought it was "health-nutty nonsense" I NO LONGER DO. I use Tom's of Maine natural deodorant (unscented) with Aloe, Lichen & Corriander.

Geoff was skeptical at first, but he says that I smell just fine using this.

http://www.tomsofmaine.com/

I would be really interested in learning what products you all might use (both for cleaning and personal use).

Melinda

[gerbil runner]

For non-chemical cleaning, try a vapor cleaner. I bought a refurbished Eureka Envirosteamer (the one that looks like a small canister vac) for $89, and it can really kick butt! Cleans the floors, counters, any bath surface with no chemicals. It takes a little getting used to, but does wonders for blasting crud out of hard-to-clean areas (think toilet seats ). It can even touch-up the carpet without leaving it wet.

For day-to-day stuff, I use Fantastick Oxy-clean. Mild smell, no warnings on the label, easy to find. Not great on soap scum, but will do windows and everything else.

General cleaning can be made easier and more environmentally friendly with microfiber cloths. Look in Wal-Mart or Target in the automotive section. They also make unbeatable skin-care cloths - gentle exfoliation.

[Hebbie]

I have also been told recently that vinegar/water works GREAT on hardwood floors as a natural cleaner! Just delute the vinegar in a bucket enough that it doesn't smell so offensive anymore and clean away!

I have used the Seventh Generation products myself for a while and love them. It was hard for me to break my husband of the Comet bleach habit but when he saw me choking on the fumes one day after he cleaned the tub, it went in the trash right away!!!

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

I use Seventh Generation laundry detergent, bleaching agent (no chlorine) and bathroom cleaner. I think they work great but are expensive. I have to watch my pennies now that I'm on disability.

I know through the years I've found recipes for natural cleaners using vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda, etc. I will have to do a web search as I seem to have lost them all. The problem is that they don't work really well unless you scrub, scrub, scrub which is a problem for me with my back problem.

I think the wise thing to do is to alternate using SG products when I can afford them and natural cleaners at other times.

[Hebbie]

I recently stumbled upon an article on household cleaning supplies in "Alternative Medicine" Magazine (great magazine!!!) and thought it was worth sharing!

_____________________

Alternative Medicine Magazine

It is extremely important to be wary of the carcinogenic chemicals and contaminants found in everyday consumer items, including household products, cosmetics, foods, and beverages. Such common items as furniture polishes, car interior cleaners, and even common cleansers contain carcinogens ranging from formaldehyde to crystalline silica. While none of these products alone may present a critical carcinogenic exposure, when many little exposures are added together, they become cumulative, stressing the body's immune system and damaging cells until eventually, over time, cancer sets in.

In addition, at present, many chemicals used in cosmetics, pesticides, and other products do not require full safety testing before they are allowed to be marketed and used by millions of consumers. Therefore, it is important to gain as much information as possible about the products to which a person's family will be exposed. For example, among the two leading brands of kitchen cleansers, Ajax contains high amounts of crystalline silica while its competitor, Comet, does not.

"This sort of conscientious buying will enable people to vote with their dollars for an environmental clean-up of all carcinogenic substances used in manufacturing and industry, including those found in pesticides," Dr. Epstein states.

Dr. Epstein also recommends boycotting all consumer products containing carcinogens. "There are a number of substitutes available," he explains. "For example, a combination of plain water mixed with distilled white vinegar and a small amount of baking soda, borax, and lemon juice can clean the home and bathroom as effectively as many higher-priced cleaners."

Informed consumerism such as this can also bring pressure to bear on the government to require that all products and chemicals be proven safe before they are allowed to be sold to an unsuspecting public.

Our power as consumers can have a direct effect on industry and manufacturing. A grassroots boycott of products known to contain carcinogens can hasten their elimination from the marketplace.

[Melinda]

Thanks, Hebbie!!!

No more Ajax or even Comet for me! (Amd I've tossed all the containers in my fiancee's parents house and replaced them with Seventh Generation cleaners).

Off the scrub the tub!

Melinda

[Snowflake]

We have been looking at houses lately, since we are on the "new house" track...some have warning signs in them - NO LIE! New carpets contain formaldehyde (that's the one I can remember) and then there was a long list of all the possible hazards of buying a new home...

But don't feel safe in an OLDER home, either! There's the possibility of toxic mold, who-knows-what-kind-of insulation, bacteria, radon, lead-based paint....

Sheesh, I'd go to living in a cave, but then there's the spiders....

[Hebbie]

Tell me about it! I am such a freak at this point, I will only let my husband paint the rooms in our house with "Harmony" paint by Sherwin Williams because it doesn't have the toxins in it that other paints have (ever check out the back of a regular paint can with the warning "contains ingredients known to cause cancer in California"???) And apparently regular paint is the gift that keeps on giving because the toxins in the paint continue to release for YEARS on your walls.....

The Harmony stuff cost a small fortune but for my piece of mind, it is well worth it.

We also just had some water damage to the basement carpet due to some wicked storms and I made him rip it out IMMEDIATELY and we are replacing it.....of course, replacing it will cause the formaldihyde issues listed by Becky above, but MAYBE that is slightly better than toxic mold? I will probably end up trying to avoid the basement for a while, but that is where my treadmill is. It's quite a dilema.

I'm getting to be such a nut, I am sitting here at my desk sending out some letters and refusing to lick the envelopes because I think the glue might cause cancer. I'm bordering on insanity.

[Snowflake]

LOL, Heather! I'm sure that anything THAT nasty-tasting (the envelopes) is actually healthy for you....like broccoli and spinach!

...and hey, if you ain't living in California, you don't have to worry about products that cause cancer in California - it's a REGIONAL disease! (uh, yeah, right...)

Still homeless here...that's causing stress...and stress has been linked to cancer....I just can't WIN!

Hoping to close this week...formaldehyde, here we come!