How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

Cierra — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:13:57 GMT

I'm a label reader, and I have found that many items that claim to be "natural" or "earth friendly" or any of the other terms are mostly meaningless; most definitely these terms are marketing ploys. I have been replacing my cleaning products with homemade products. Some homemade ones I've used for years, like vinegar. Pour some hot vinegar on a vinyl floor where some jam and peanut butter have been spread, and it'll come right up with very little effort, if any (using a microfiber cloth--mop-- goes a long ways, too). I've also been making shower cleaners, sink cleaners, etc more recently, adding essential oils for their cleaning power and scent. So far, I've been very pleased with the results. I am most especially grateful to have found 3 lb. bags of baking soda (I think at WalMart!), which is much better than buying the 'laundry' size boxes. Thanks, Dr. Mercola, for another great article, and thanks to the folks who've commented with suggestions and ideas. :)

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

mydanilo — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:49:40 GMT

Stumbled upon this article and thought it fitting to put my comment in as well. Ok, I just worked on a cleaning service website and I got educated by the owner that they use only green cleaning products. As we can see, this is very important and I think this is great that professional cleaners like http://supermaidsllc.com use

eco friendly or environmentally friendly cleaning products. As step in the right direction. Now we all just have to use them ourselfs and get rid of all the dangers in our homes. I am off to clean out the cleaning closet...

Thanks for the article.

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

Lady FMN — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:16:43 GMT

The article says to avoid limonene (citrus based oil) products. I assume he is referring to orange oil? Does anyone have any better information on why to avoid this? I have just started to "green up my clean up" and have tried the orange oil mixed with water (2 teaspoons for 28 ounces). It does a fabulous job and smells great. I have surfed the internet and only find favorable information on it. Now I'm a bit confused about whether to continue using it. (I also use other natural products like vinegar and peroxide, but those smell like vinegar even with I add essential oils).

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

Earth Friendly Products — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:13:05 GMT

The news on 1,4 dioxane is that some suppliers sent manufacturers (including us here at Earth Friendly Products) ingredients with 1,4 dioxane, although we were promised, in writing, a dioxane-free compound. (The substance is indeed a by-product created as some surfactants - an element in detergents - are being made.)

A dangerous compound only at specific levels, third party testing has shown that, as far as 1,4 dioxane goes, our products are in line with the levels in California’s stringent guidelines for natural products (Proposition 65). Nevertheless, as the leader in plant-based natural cleaners, we are committed to the making only the purest plant cleaners. Because of that, we have contracted for a different surfactant – and for third party testing. This will enable us to hold our suppliers accountable, and maintain the safest products, made from the highest quality ingredients.

With best wishes,

Earth Friendly Products

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

joyfullygrateful — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:20:20 GMT

I have been shopping with Melaleuca for 17 years - and you can totally trust them to not use anything that has any scientific evidence of being harmful for us. Even the comment about the high fructose corn syrup - the amounts are minute and if one is not the normal junky diet - small amounts of this natural product is not going to be harmful. And the floride comments - one toothpaste has it because there is a demand for a tooth paste with it since that research has never been scientifically proven one way or the other - and there are good people on both sides of that fence.

Melaleuca is not multi level marketing as suggested; they consumer direct marketing. Their representatives do not inventory and retail products as MLM companies do. Check the legal structure. All customers deal directly with the company - which manufactures the products. The minimum monthly requirement is less than the average house hold buys each month anyway - so if one it really wanting safer products, that is not an issue. My husband and I use six times the minimum amount that qualifies the customer for the wholesale price.

Just wanted to not leave their name tainted by some misinformation - I have never seen a more non greedy, honest company in my 30 years of working in the health marketing industry.

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

curious7 — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:58:13 GMT

Gramski:

Use two parts water, and one part white vinegar. When making a paste, depends on your like. I use a light paste of baking soda and white vinegar to scrub sinks, tubs, and showers.

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

USMom68 — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:42:34 GMT

I like the part of the article that explains "How to Clean and Sanitize Without Harmful Chemicals". Keep it simple.

If I were a saavy profiteer, any "green" idea would definately be the business I would "invest" in. It's what people are buying...it's what people are encouraging of their children and neighbors to use. Whether it works or not is irrelevent, because that's what people want right now. That's something to keep in mind.

Cleaning doesn't have to be complicated. Just keep it simple.

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

HAPPY LADY — Mon, 26 May 2008 10:58:34 GMT

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW I KNOW WHY I USE ALL BIODEGRABLE CLEANING SUPPLIES. I JUST LOVE MOX MY # 1 CLEANER FOR EVERYTHING. I BUY ALL MY CLEANING PRODUCTS FROM THIS COMPANY. WASH SOAP, FARBIC SOFTNER, REFLECTION FOR CLEANING WINDOWS. IF I WALK THRU THE CLEANING SUPPLY ASILE IN A STORE MY NOSE BURNS TILL I GET THROUGH, CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF AND SEE WHAT YOU THINK. www.hamartin.com

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

JAKMVX — Mon, 26 May 2008 00:59:52 GMT

Dr. Bronner's is an excellent soap for many purposes, however, I find it quite drying to the skin.

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

DizzyIzzy1 — Sun, 25 May 2008 20:11:55 GMT

Soap Nuts!!

They're by far the best all-round cleaner I've come across, they're like a proper miracle! They're the dried fruit of a tree that grows in the India/Himalayan region and contain saponin (natural soap) which they release on contact with water, and they're harvested by locals, shipped around the world (fairly traded), because they're a fruit they're biodegradable - they make great compost or fertiliser if you just spread them around the base of plants - and won't harm the planet. They leave clothes bright, super clean, fresh, smelling good, and so so SO soft, there's definitely no need for fabric softener or conditioner. You also don't need to do a rinse cycle, so can save water. They cut out allergies and eczema as well so are great for allergy sufferers. Just add a few drops of essential oil if you want a scent. Did I also mention they're super cheap and last ages as well?!

You can use them for a few things too... not just for washing clothes. Boil them up in a cup or two of water for 10mins and then strain to make a great all-purpose cleaner, hang a bag off the cutlery drawer in the dishwasher to clean dishes, or just use the water for hand-washing, you can make a great shampoo/conditioner by using it this way, it works as a floor cleaner... anything you can think of!!

And they work so well!!

Just google 'soap nuts' or 'soap pods' or 'wash berries' for a local supplier. :)

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

webwitch6 — Sun, 25 May 2008 16:36:24 GMT

Baking soda and vinegar are staples in my house. I use old clothes for rags to clean with and Bon Ami cleaner for really tough cleaning, It is the only cleaner I can use in a can that doesnt destroy my nose, give me a headache or cause my skin to peel off. (hear that, Ajax, Comet and the rest of the poisonous crew??)

Toilet cleaning I use vinegar-the best. It is true that vinegar smells, but for about 5 minutes!! If your house still smells like a salad hours after you cleaned with white vinegar, than you must have left a bottle open somewhere!

Vinegar kills pee pee odor from cats that miss that box too, even in carpet. (I have ten cats, so I know!)

I have tried the Clorox Geen Works -and was surprised that it works and smells pleasant and didnt knock me out with fumes.

I almost have my hubby convinced to switch over to natural for the car, but he is a stubborn one, insisting that the ABC brand of upholstery cleaner or the Black SpaRkLy bottle of magic tire foam is the best for the car, but I am working on getting him to lighten up.

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

banEMR — Sun, 25 May 2008 12:52:20 GMT

MICROWAVING -- DANGEROUS ADVICE

Dr. Mercola,

This is all informative information for the "newbie", but the recommendation you make to use one's microwave to "zap" bacteria, viruses and parasites has a VERY dangerous drawback. Every microwave oven "leaks" and in fact, at least one Russian research study has pointed out the "safe" distance from a microwave is about 300 meters! (They are very much into researching the subtle energies that affect brainwaves and consciousness.)

With my German-made Gigahertz Solutions EMR detection meter, I get VERY dangerous readings from ANY microwave I have checked, even standing 40 feet away! (And it easily penetrates through walls.)

So if you want to use your microwave for that purpose, you would need to set the timer, evacuate everyone from the house, then using a long pole to hit the start button, have your safe exit from the house well planned so you can RUN out the door (without tripping and hurting yourself).

A far safer option would be to have an ozone generator and place those rags in a bucket of water to ozonate them for 5 to 15 minutes.

There is a great product called an "Oyxgenie 2009" designed by a man who worked for years with Dr. Kurt

Donsbach at his alternative clinic in Mexico. We have two of his machines to ozonate ALL our drinking water, fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts and even meats before they are prepared and consumed. We also use the "Oxygenie 2009" to sterilize jars (for canning), kitchen utensils, cheesecloths (we make goat and milk cheese), and more.

When the water is running into the tub (pre-filtered, of course) we even use the Oxygenie to ozonate the tub water for bathing and use it in footbaths to deal with foot and ankle problems (fungus, athlete's foot, sprains, etc.)

It's a FAR SAFER option than microwaving so you may want to check it out at: www.oxygenie.com

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

Magnolia — Sun, 25 May 2008 03:48:59 GMT

Lovely to see all the recipes for homemade cleaners! Its thrilling that so many folks are beginning to experiment with safer substances to clean their homes. I've been in the residential cleaning industry for over eighteen years, using safer products for most of that time, refining what I use and how I use it as more knowledge comes to light on the effects of toxins on living creatures.

I use exactly what is in Dr. Mercola's list:

Baking soda

White vinegar

Lemon juice

Hydrogen peroxide

Organic essential oils (optional)

Spray bottles

Micro fiber cloths

and I can add to that list:

isopropyl alcohol (91%) - used sparingly to polish bathroom and kitchen fixtures, and to wipe some counter surfaces.

a spice shaker for baking soda (I make a carpet fresh with baking soda and essential oils that is heavenly)

an air purifier with HEPA rated filters in each room as we dust

100% cotton bar towels to polish glass - much better than microfiber for that particular task although I use microfiber exclusively for all dusting

Like Primal, I share what is in everything I use and also teach folks to make their own products. I recently did some competitor shopping to see what other so-called green cleaning companies were offering and found that some made their own "safe and natural" products but refused to divulge the ingredient list. So, am I just supposed to TRUST someone else's word that something is safe and natural? I don't think so! If your cleaning company gives you that old song and dance, don't walk, RUN for the nearest exit because all they are interested in is your money. Find someone local who really cares for your health and that of the environment and put your money there. Keep it local.

And thanks Dr. M for bringing this issue up again and again! Folks need to hear it!

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

acuelalem mama — Sun, 25 May 2008 01:34:08 GMT

It seems that our best defense is education. When my family and I became educated on the dangers of household products we were shocked, worried, and decided that we have to make a change. We started shopping with a wellness store and we were able to get rid of all of our commercial products and switch over to healthier, safer, and more effective items. This changed our life, it brought us peace of mind knowing we were not poisoning our family everytime we bathed and cleaned our house. We also are minimizing our environmental impact as well. The power of switching stores has changed our life for the better.

It was not costly to do this, we didn't spend any new money, all we did was spend our money at a different store and got a safer environment in return. We really belive that there is a true value in doing this and we want to share with everybody what we know and how we did it. Feel free to contact us. You will find our phone number on our website.

www.toxinfreeisthewaytobe.com

www.goinggoinggonegreen.org

www.iworkfromhomeyoucantoo.com

re: How Safe Are Green Cleaning Products?

impramp252v — Sat, 24 May 2008 23:10:12 GMT

I use Dr Bronner's bar soap for bathing. The "natural" shampoos at the local health food store still have some questionable items it them. I've heard/read about using castile soap and other soaps for washing hair but that has never worked for me. It's always left my hair feeling like it's full of residue. Especially now that Dr. Bronner's is made with hemp oil, I don't think I'd want to try that again. I have to say, I think I liked their soap better without the hemp oil.

Another good way to clean silver is with lemon essential oil and salt.

Vinegar solution in water is a good rinse after washing anything with soap because it removes soap residue. Beware when buying vinegar, too. According to the book "Clean House, Clean Planet" (excellent book by the way!) some vinegars are actually made from petroleum distilled alcohols. The author claims Heinz brand, interestingly enough, is made from grains so you should be OK with it. The copyright date in my copy of this book is 1997 and I don't know if the author has revised and updated any of the info or not. If anyone buys a new copy, I'd be interested to know.

CrashMichele -- it's not that pennyroyal is harmful to the fetus, as such, it just causes strong uterine contractions, which I suppose might be a desired effect in some kinds of herbal treatments (I really don't know for sure, just saying it's possible). I just wanted to clear that up a little bit.