The over abundance of chemicals in our food, outdoor air, and even our water has made us cautious about toxins.
We use eco-friendly cleaning products to green clean our counters and appliances, we reach for organic produce and fruit in the supermarket, and we’ve even turned to cruelty-free, all natural cosmetics in the makeup aisle. We’re making better choices, but now we challenge you to take your green lifestyle to the advanced level!
5 items you should always green clean
1. Dry Clean Only fabrics
Conventional dry cleaners use perchloroethylene (“Perc”) as a solvent. While it removes stains and odors, it also poses an extreme health risk to humans and the environment. Low levels of contact with Perc can cause dizziness, headaches, drowsiness, nausea, and skin and respiratory irritation. Prolonged exposure has been linked to liver and kidney damage, and cancer. It’s possible that your dry cleaner doesn’t use Perc, but when you consider that Perc is used by 85% of the dry cleaners in America, the chances are pretty good they do.
What to do? Encourage your cleaner to offer a green clean alternative.
2. Carpets and Floors
Vacuums and brooms are the first line of defense against the dust and mites that can take up residence on your floors, but the time will come when your carpets need to be cleaned. Ironically, carpets are cleaned to keep your living space healthy, but Perc and it’s ugly cousin Naphthalene are also found in chemical carpet cleaning agents as well as dry cleaners. Using these toxic cleaning elements to clean your carpets puts your family and pets in danger as well as yourself. Floors should never be cleaned with conventional cleaning agents for the same reasons.
What to do? Explore plant-based substances and ask for nontoxic steam extraction cleaning methods. Clean floors with our own line of Ecospirit cleaning products, created to clean floors without leaving chemical residue.
3. Skin
The largest organ in the body is your skin. Its job is to keep toxins out of the bloodstream, but when we use conventional soaps and personal care products we’re exposing our defense system to the very pollutants it’s trying to protect us from. Skin diseases, outbreaks, and allergies can all be linked to everyday chemicals used in common personal care products.
What to do? Use natural products made with essential oils and natural ingredients.
4. Dishes
Common dish cleaning liquids—whether machine washing or by hand—are made with triclosan, an anti-bacterial cleaning agent. Sure, it kills bad bacteria, but it also leaves residue on our plates, cups, and silverware virtually guaranteeing that we will ingest small amounts each time we eat or drink. Ultimately, this chemical leaves us more bacteria resistant, the same process that happens when we over medicate with antibiotics, leaving us unable to fight off illness.
What to do? Choose plant-based dishwashing liquids to protect yourself and your family.
5. Ovens
Most oven cleaners get their cleaning power from Sodium Hydroxide, an extremely toxic chemical, which has been linked to lung disease, cancer, and extreme skin irritation.
What to do? Reach for natural cleaning products. We use these products for our client’s heavy duty messes without sacrificing health and a safe environment.
What surprising items have you decided to always green clean? Have you discovered new methods of cleaning without chemicals? Let us know here or on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
