What is the meaning of clean? The ammonia smell that lingers after you've cleaned using a toxic cleaner? That is really chemicals lingering behind in your home that you are inhaling.....not my definition of clean. But there is nothing to fear! There are options out there for cleaning that are safe and effective!
The first thing I will address is all of these companies that for years have been producing toxic cleaning products are now providing us with "green" and "eco-friendly" products. They think they are doing us a favor by saturating the market and making it readily available......the only problem is that "green" and eco-friendly" or even "Earth Smart!" mean nothing! The reason for this is that many companies out there are claiming to be green without any support to their claims and still contain toxic chemicals. Some of the "all natural" ingredients/chemicals are naturally occuring such as formaldehyde. Formaldehyde has been known to be toxic.
General All-Purpose cleaners contain an array of chemicals that can be harmful on their own, forget about the toxic fumes they produced when combined with other chemicals! The basic ones like chlorine bleach and ammonia produce fumes that can be dangerous for people with respitory and heart problems. PLEASE NEVER EVER CONSIDER COMBINING these two as they become MORE TOXIC!
Many cleaners contain petroleum based surfactants (can mimic the hormone estrogen) or other chemicals that can easily be absorbed through the skin and damage nerves. Do these ingredients sound like "clean" to you now?
Here's an important thing to remember and I hope many people start to understand....CLEAN HAS NO SMELL! All those "clean" scents you smell are really synthetic frangrances meaning, you guessed it, more chemicals that linger around for us to inhale.
If you are truely trying to be green, you should also be looking to lower you carbon footprint through buying and using less plastic. True green cleaners will come in a superconcentrated form meaning you end up spending less money and putting less plastic into our landfills.
A simple rule to keep in mind when shopping is the less packaging, the better. When I have a choice, I buy the largest size available. Less packaging is more green.
As I write this, I think back to the days when I would lock myself in my bathroom to clean because I did not want my children exposed to the nasty fumes released by the bathroom cleaner I used at the time. My youngest was diagnosed with asthma and I did not need a trip to the emergency room or a rushed nebulizer treatment. But locking myself in would only cause more harm to me as there was no fresh air circulating nor did I realize that the fumes linger and my children would be exposed to them, even if at a lower levels. Since switching to green cleaners, I have not had to lock myself in the bathroom and can even clean with my children in the same room. I have even begun to let them help me when they want to and they are only 3 and 4 years old! I don't have to worry about any toxins they maybe being exposed to!
I personally use the line of cleaners Shaklee has to offer for my family. I have had the same bottle of BASIC H2 concentrate for over a year now and I might be half way done with it. This has significantly saved me lots of money and trips to the supermarket just for cleaning products. This solution in different concentrations makes my all purpose cleaner, windows/mirrors cleaner, and my degreaser. I also keep reusing the same plastic bottles, significantly reducing both my carbon footprint and my contribution to our local landfill.
Just imagine this for one second, 5,824 spraybottles piled up in your backyard. Now transfer them over to your local landfill. This is not what I want to leave behind for my children! And I know you are asking yourself why the number 5,824? Because that is the number of bottles of window cleaner you get from ONE bottle of the BASIC H2 concentrate!
I have done some thorough research to make sure that all of the company's claims hold up to what they promise and that they are all natural. There are other options out there, and I would gladly discuss the best options for each individual, personally. Feel free to contact me through email at betterlivingenterprises@gmail.com
There is so much more that could be said about the cleaners that are commonly used around the house, and I have not even begun to touch on laundry, hand soaps, drain cleaners, dishwashing detergents, etc. It may all sound scary, but there is still hope. Clean Green...
Showing posts with label green cleaners. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green cleaners. Show all posts
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
For a greener home, TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES!
In this world, there are many cultures in which people remove their shoes when they get home. It is also a sign of respect for one to take their own shoes off when visiting the homes in which this is practiced. The transition from outdoors to indoors is not only cultural, it also has practical implications as well as symbolic of treating the home as a sacred place.
In applying this to creating a green home, removing shoes is a way to not only cut back on the cleaning of your floors, but it also avoids tracking in outdoor dirt, pollutants, pesticides, germs, fungicides chemicals and even animal feces into your living space. Did you ever think that you could actually bring all of that into your home?
In our home we have a rule, no matter who you are, your shoes come off at the front door and you leave them there. It is kind of like washing your hands before you eat, or covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze. It just seems like common sense that shoes worn outdoors should not be worn indoors. We walk around barefoot, in slippers, socks, or a special pair of sneakers reserved for indoor use only. Especially if your house has any form of carpeting, in which outdoor shoes can rub all sorts of nasty stuff off the soles of your shoes and accumulate, no matter how religiously you vaccum.
This is one of the simplest steps with which we can reduce pollutants in the home environment, so it makes sense. It also adds a nice change of pace in your day by adding the recognition that you are stepping into a different aspect of your life, your home.
It may feel a tad bit uncomfortable to request that guests take their shoes off. You can suggest to your guests that you live with this custom by having a clear place to store shoes. We have a big welcome mat so that everyone can step in to take their shoes off. The mat can easily be picked up and cleaned. We also keep a boot tray out where we keep our shoes.
Having a specific area not only lets your guests know that you have a shoeless home, it also can create a feeling of being able to strip off the days stresses!
Even in the times when you have the occassional plumber or any worker come into your home with dirty dingy workboots, you have every right to request that they wear booties over their boots. It's usually the policy of most service companies to keep a supply of booties, but since they are usually not requested, most workers do not wear them.
In the end, whether it is due to cultural tradition, trying to save the planet or for the health of your own family and home, why not kick off your shoes? It will not only destress you, your health will also thank you.
In applying this to creating a green home, removing shoes is a way to not only cut back on the cleaning of your floors, but it also avoids tracking in outdoor dirt, pollutants, pesticides, germs, fungicides chemicals and even animal feces into your living space. Did you ever think that you could actually bring all of that into your home?
In our home we have a rule, no matter who you are, your shoes come off at the front door and you leave them there. It is kind of like washing your hands before you eat, or covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze. It just seems like common sense that shoes worn outdoors should not be worn indoors. We walk around barefoot, in slippers, socks, or a special pair of sneakers reserved for indoor use only. Especially if your house has any form of carpeting, in which outdoor shoes can rub all sorts of nasty stuff off the soles of your shoes and accumulate, no matter how religiously you vaccum.
This is one of the simplest steps with which we can reduce pollutants in the home environment, so it makes sense. It also adds a nice change of pace in your day by adding the recognition that you are stepping into a different aspect of your life, your home.
It may feel a tad bit uncomfortable to request that guests take their shoes off. You can suggest to your guests that you live with this custom by having a clear place to store shoes. We have a big welcome mat so that everyone can step in to take their shoes off. The mat can easily be picked up and cleaned. We also keep a boot tray out where we keep our shoes.
Having a specific area not only lets your guests know that you have a shoeless home, it also can create a feeling of being able to strip off the days stresses!
Even in the times when you have the occassional plumber or any worker come into your home with dirty dingy workboots, you have every right to request that they wear booties over their boots. It's usually the policy of most service companies to keep a supply of booties, but since they are usually not requested, most workers do not wear them.
In the end, whether it is due to cultural tradition, trying to save the planet or for the health of your own family and home, why not kick off your shoes? It will not only destress you, your health will also thank you.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Why Go Green?
When my husband and I decided to go green we thought that it wasn't going to be easy, but we quickly realized that being green became contagious. We started with the simple things like switching our regular lightbulbs to CFL's and our toxic cleaners to more eco-friendly ones. Before we realized it, it grew and became a life changing reflex.
We all want what is best for our health, our families and future generations. We don't have to be superheroes to save our beloved earth. We only need to give it a little more thought when we make everyday decisions. We all buy and eat fast food because it's cheap or microwave leftovers because it's convenient. Do we ever give it a second thought about how these actions effect our planet? There are pesticides allover the lawns where children play and even in our homes!!! We use toxic chemicals to clean our homes, the clothes we wear, and dishes from which we we eat and cook with. Our planet is polluted by toxins, even the food we eat contain pesticides and carcinogens.
We have lost our connection with nature and the importance of it. Due to our lack of knowledge and habits our planet is suffering. But there is hope. By learning more about our environment and what is healthy and safe, as well as changing many of our habits we can help to create a better world.
To Be Continued.........
We all want what is best for our health, our families and future generations. We don't have to be superheroes to save our beloved earth. We only need to give it a little more thought when we make everyday decisions. We all buy and eat fast food because it's cheap or microwave leftovers because it's convenient. Do we ever give it a second thought about how these actions effect our planet? There are pesticides allover the lawns where children play and even in our homes!!! We use toxic chemicals to clean our homes, the clothes we wear, and dishes from which we we eat and cook with. Our planet is polluted by toxins, even the food we eat contain pesticides and carcinogens.
We have lost our connection with nature and the importance of it. Due to our lack of knowledge and habits our planet is suffering. But there is hope. By learning more about our environment and what is healthy and safe, as well as changing many of our habits we can help to create a better world.
To Be Continued.........
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Going Green
What do you think when you think about going green? That it's expensive, or maybe it's too much work. Does it mean giving up meat?!?!?! Well the answers to all these questions are No, no and NO!
There are extremely minor changes that one can make in their home and lifestyle that will not only help save the planet, but create a HEALTHIER YOU!
A little over a year ago my husband and I had decided to switch over to green cleaners. We immediately saw the difference! We no longer had headaches, runny noses, cold and bronchial issues after cleaning! In this process we had learned that Shaklee Corp. has been setting the standards by leading the way for over 50 years! Shaklee's cleaners are not only green, but they can help you save the green in your wallet or let you make more green! If you want to know how simply ask me!
So, our first step was to switch our cleaning products. Second step, become Shaklee distributors and help others switch their cleaning products. Now what else can we do to improve our lives and be healthier? Little by little we changed the things we do, such as using reusable shopping bags, recycling, switching our light bulbs to CFL's, conserving energy by using big appliances like dishwashers, washers and dryers at night, using cold water to wash clothes, leaving our shoes at the door, etc......was all of this done over night? OF COURSE NOT! We tackled these things one at a time until it became a habit before moving on to the next. They say it takes 30 days of doing something routinely for it to become a habit....meaning you do it without having to think about it anymore.
We now have our consulting buisness, Better Living Enterprises, with which we help people green their lives! Whether ready to take baby steps or a complete makeover we can help you create a healthier lifestyle and while at it contribute to saving our beautiful planet!
There are extremely minor changes that one can make in their home and lifestyle that will not only help save the planet, but create a HEALTHIER YOU!
A little over a year ago my husband and I had decided to switch over to green cleaners. We immediately saw the difference! We no longer had headaches, runny noses, cold and bronchial issues after cleaning! In this process we had learned that Shaklee Corp. has been setting the standards by leading the way for over 50 years! Shaklee's cleaners are not only green, but they can help you save the green in your wallet or let you make more green! If you want to know how simply ask me!
So, our first step was to switch our cleaning products. Second step, become Shaklee distributors and help others switch their cleaning products. Now what else can we do to improve our lives and be healthier? Little by little we changed the things we do, such as using reusable shopping bags, recycling, switching our light bulbs to CFL's, conserving energy by using big appliances like dishwashers, washers and dryers at night, using cold water to wash clothes, leaving our shoes at the door, etc......was all of this done over night? OF COURSE NOT! We tackled these things one at a time until it became a habit before moving on to the next. They say it takes 30 days of doing something routinely for it to become a habit....meaning you do it without having to think about it anymore.
We now have our consulting buisness, Better Living Enterprises, with which we help people green their lives! Whether ready to take baby steps or a complete makeover we can help you create a healthier lifestyle and while at it contribute to saving our beautiful planet!
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