8 Must-Haves for a Nontoxic Cleaning Kit

Green cleaning can save your lungs and your bank account, keeping your family happy and healthy.

Just because a store-bought "green" cleaner label makes claims of being natural or ecofriendly doesn't mean the contents match the message. According to research from the American Chemical Society, the truth behind green-cleaning product claims varies wildly, with some loaded with harmful petrochemical ingredients.

The authors measured the source of ingredients in more than a dozen liquid laundry detergents, hand soaps and dish soaps that advertised claims such as "natural" and "ecofriendly." The plant-based ingredient content in the hand soaps ranged anywhere from 28 to 97 percent; laundry detergent ranged between 28 and 94 percent; and dishwashing liquids from 43 to 95 percent. So there were a fair number of products whose green claims held true—being made from plants, they were actually natural and ecofriendly. But many more still harbored considerable amounts of harmful petroleum-based ingredients, which can emit respiratory irritants and hormone-disrupting chemicals and are made from a decidedly eco-unfriendly nonrenewable resource.

"As the authors of the study point out, their findings underscore the significance of the fact that there are no regulatory definitions for advertising words like 'natural' or 'ecofriendly,'" explains Karyn Siegel-Maier, author of The Naturally Clean Home: 150 Super-Easy Herbal Formulas for Green Cleaning (Storey Publishing, 2008). "Of course, if you make your own cleaners, there’s no question about the contents."

Read more: http://www.organicgardening.com/living/8-must-haves-nontoxic-cleaning-kit

How to clean mold without toxic chemicals

Get a jump on this harmful invader with some common household solutions.

All air, indoors or outdoors, contains some mold spores. It only becomes a problem when the mold growth is excessive, which can lead to harmful health issues.

Numerous studies have linked indoor mold to a host of upper respiratory problems, especially for people who are sensitive or allergic to it. For those people, mold growth can cause itchy eyes, a runny nose, headaches and even wheezing. For people with asthma, it can trigger an attack. Some evidence links indoor mold to the development of asthma in the first place.

So what do you do if you find this wonderful little growth in your home? Best to get rid of it — and fast. But there’s no need to kill mold with toxic and harsh chemicals like bleach or ammonia. If used properly, natural products will work just as well.

One way to kill mold is to use my all-time favorite cleaning tool: vinegar. Both inexpensive and nontoxic, vinegar is a winner when it comes to cleaning your home, and cleaning mold is no exception. Just spray it on the mold directly, let it sit for a few hours, and then scrub clean with a sponge.

The smell of vinegar is quite strong (my husband always tell me our house smells like a salad after I’m done cleaning) but it will dissipate within a couple hours. If it bothers you, add a few drop of essential oil (I like lavender) to make it smell better.

One good thing about adding an essential oil is that some oils have bacteria-killing properties, boosting vinegar’s natural mold-killing power. One good example is grapefruit seed extract, which also is an antifungal agent, making it an ideal partner for this purpose.

For another natural household cleaning agent that can help kill mold, try baking soda. You can mix it with some water or even with some vinegar (watch out, though; it’ll bubble at first). Work the mixture into a paste, spread it over the mold, let it sit for at least 15 minutes, and then scrub clean.

Read more: http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/stories/how-to-clean-mold-without-toxic-chemicals

8 Must-Haves for a Nontoxic Cleaning Kit

Green cleaning can save your lungs and your bank account, keeping your family happy and healthy.

Just because a store-bought "green" cleaner label makes claims of being natural or ecofriendly doesn't mean the contents match the message. According to research from the American Chemical Society, the truth behind green-cleaning product claims varies wildly, with some loaded with harmful petrochemical ingredients.

The authors measured the source of ingredients in more than a dozen liquid laundry detergents, hand soaps and dish soaps that advertised claims such as "natural" and "ecofriendly." The plant-based ingredient content in the hand soaps ranged anywhere from 28 to 97 percent; laundry detergent ranged between 28 and 94 percent; and dishwashing liquids from 43 to 95 percent. So there were a fair number of products whose green claims held true—being made from plants, they were actually natural and ecofriendly. But many more still harbored considerable amounts of harmful petroleum-based ingredients, which can emit respiratory irritants and hormone-disrupting chemicals and are made from a decidedly eco-unfriendly nonrenewable resource.

"As the authors of the study point out, their findings underscore the significance of the fact that there are no regulatory definitions for advertising words like 'natural' or 'ecofriendly,'" explains Karyn Siegel-Maier, author of The Naturally Clean Home: 150 Super-Easy Herbal Formulas for Green Cleaning (Storey Publishing, 2008). "Of course, if you make your own cleaners, there’s no question about the contents."

Besides being potentially toxic, conventional cleaners cost a lot more than those you make yourself. If you feel like you're somewhat of a homemade-cleaner novice and all the DIY cleaning recipes are overly daunting, never fear.

Read more: http://www.organicgardening.com/living/8-must-haves-nontoxic-cleaning-kit

Full Circle "Reach" Bottle Brush - Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Full Circle Reach Bottle Brush

This is a very uniquely designed bottle brush, allowing you to clean the inside of the bottle and the outside in one go. Simply place the longer end inside the bottle, squeeze the handle and presto – you are cleaning both the inside and outside at the same time. Talk about multi-tasking.

The Reach Bottle Brush is recycled plastic, recycled stainless steel and particulars are as follows:

• Handle and bristles are made with recycled plastic

• Wire is made from recycled stainless steel

• Hangs on faucet to dry

• Ergonomic, flexible handle

• 10" tall to reach to the bottom!

• Great for reusable water bottles, travel coffee mugs, baby bottles and more!

• Patent Pending

Aside from the fact that the Reach Bottle Brush woks well it looks good and, better still, it is rather green, though its real color is orange. While a bio-plast for the handle might still have been better rather than just recycled plastic, and other products of the Full Circle range indeed have parts that are from bio-plast it still pushes a lot of the right buttons, methinks.

I find the brush a great tool for cleaning bottles and glass jars and I love the ease with which the task is accomplished. In addition to that I love the fact that it can just be hung to dry while also looking good in the kitchen.

The Full Circle Reach Bottle Brush is now available in the UK also via Lakeland under the catalog reference #23055 and, I assume, will also be available in their various store outlets that Lakeland now have around the country.

© 2011