April 25, 2008 by sdelia.

Natural Household Cleaners and Why Use Natural Cleaning Products?

by davidleebuster
You may know that by using natural cleaning products, doing so is safer both for you, your family and the environment. Many of the cleaners used every day in the home are made of toxic substances such as petrochemicals. Anyone who is health conscious is wise to use natural cleaning products. You should do some comparison research on natural household cleaners versus the chemical cleaners.

Thousands of synthetic chemicals have found creation in the past five decades. Many of them were fashioned from coal tar and petroleum to function as chemical weapons in a warfare situation. Sadly, many of the substances do not undergo any safety testing for their effect on humans. Rather, without our consent, they become additives to our water, food and daily products such as chemical cleaning products.

These unnatural things are included without alerting us of the risks they pose. There is a yearly process of thousands of new chemicals being introduced while crucial information is suppressed by the industry.

Do you know that there is little available information on the majority of these daily use chemicals? Less than one out of ten have been tested for reproductive, chronic or mutagenic effects while less than one in five have been tested for acute health effects. Many have not undergone testing for long-term health risks or for the influence on the unborn or even the combined effects on the health of humans.

Cleaning products that you pour out of a container expose you to toxins from the fumes you breathe and through skin contact. When spraying petroleum-based toxic cleaners, the chemicals become airborne which in turn introduces particles of the air-born chemical into your lungs when you breath. You can reduce these types of exposure when you and your family use health-friendly natural cleaning products.

Many laundry detergents do not even list the ingredients on their containers. However, ammonia, phosphorus, phenol and naphthalene along with other chemicals are commonly included in laundry detergents. Petrochemicals and other ingredients in detergents may cause such reactions as itching, sneezing and allergy problems as well as rashes and other health problems. Petroleum-based chemicals have the ability to be absorbed into the skin and enter the body from the residue that remains in your sheets, towels, clothing and other fabrics after washing.

Chlorine bleach is a widely used chemical, however, it is also a very strong corrosive. It irritates and burns the eyes, the respiratory tract and skin. When ingested, it can cause vomiting, coma or pulmonary edema. You should never combine bleach with ammonia or any type of acid toilet bowl cleaner since these mixtures produce toxic fumes.

Since many toxic cleaners are substances that cannot be properly processed by septic systems or sewage, they pollute our rivers and oceans as well as underground streams. Do you know that leftover cleaning supplies discarded into the trash turns refuse sites into toxic-waste dumps? This endangers the health of sanitation workers while producing pollution to the earth and its underground water workings.

Natural household cleaners and natural cleaning products do not have this serious environmental effect. You can help improve your health and better the environment by using natural household cleaners such as soap, laundry detergent and dishwashing liquid.

Petrochemical products use up much more energy by their creation from such chemicals while natural cleaning products are environmentally friendly. Do you know that if every American household would replace one bottle of 50-ounce petroleum-based liquid laundry detergent with a natural cleaning product, we could save 280,000 barrels of oil? That is enough to cool and heat as many as 16,000 homes in America each year.

We can enjoy cleaning our homes without toxins by using natural cleaning products since they only cost slightly more than non-natural products. There are essential and major health benefits for those who use natural cleaning products since they do not have exposure to the toxins and health hazards posed by using commercial household cleaners.

Can you protect yourself and your loved ones from the toxic exposure or injury of poisoning from non-natural products? To some extent you can, by storing all chemicals in the original containers well out of reach of children. Always read, follow and use the instructions as given on any product you use, especially on the amounts you should use.

Pay attention not to combine substances that cause fumes that are even more toxic. Read all labels before a recommended use and follow every precaution of safety. And if you have questions, be sure to contact the manufacturer.

Research and educate yourself as much as possible. Keep in mind that it is always safer to use natural cleaning products daily. Many of these natural household cleaners are competitively priced and available since they are truly natural cleaning products.

Petrochemical additives in products are hazardous to your health and there is no need to expose yourself or your family to them when you can use environmentally friendly natural cleaning products. You will find that they are friendly to you as well as friendly to those you love.

Copyright 2008 InfoSearch Publishing

About the Author

Find safe natural cleaning products online for a more clean and healthier home - David Lee Buster researches and writes for http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com - a popular website with articles on natural living.

Article Source: Content for Reprint

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February 21, 2008 by sdelia.

Seven Words that can Change the World

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November 6, 2007 by sdelia.

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November 6, 2007 by sdelia.

Posted in beauty, healthy beauty, chemical-free, chemical free beauty, healthy home, healthy cleaning, green cleaning, home, house cleaning, nontoxic cleaning, Recipe | Print | 1 Comment »

September 10, 2007 by sdelia.

Aloe Vera Lip Gloss
1 tsp. aloe vera gel
1/2 tsp. coconut oil
1 tsp. petroleum jelly

Mix together in glass bowl and heat for 1 to 2 minutes on high in the microwave will yield about 1/2 ounce.

Honey Lime Lip Gloss
7-8 tsp. sweet almond oil
2 tsp. beeswax
Vitamin E capsule
1 tsp. honey
5 drops lime flavoring or essential oil
Small container with lid
Miscellaneous items: microwave- safe bowl, microwave, straight pin, wire whisk, spoon

1 Melt the oil and beeswax in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
2 Remove the mixture from the microwave. Pierce the vitamin E capsule with the straight pin and whisk the contents of the capsule, honey, and flavoring into the mixture until it is set.
3 Spoon the finished lip gloss into the small container.

Undereye Circle Lightener
To lighten dark circles under your eyes, wrap a grated raw potato in cheesecloth and apply to eyelids for 15-20 minutes. Wipe off residue and apply an eye cream.

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July 27, 2007 by sdelia.

Executive Summary

How clean is clean? We all have different answers and personal preferences regarding the cleanliness of our homes and surroundings. The many types and brands of cleaning products available on store shelves is staggering. In most cases, when we choose a cleaning product, we are primarily concerned with whether or not it will do the job, going on the assumption that if a product is sold in the grocery store, it must be safe for use in our homes. This report questions that assumption. Household cleaning chemicals, like tens of thousands of chemicals found in the consumer marketplace, are available to the consumer with virtually no information on the potential consequences for human health and little oversight by the government.

Household Hazards was written to provide information on certain chemicals in cleaning products which may pose health hazards. Specifically, it looks at the research on cleaning chemicals such as monoethanolamine (MEA) and ammonium quaternary compounds linked to asthma, and glycol ethers, alkyl phenol ethoxylates and phthalates linked to reproductive harm (e.g. birth defects and fertility problems).

Some research has associated these cleaning chemicals with health impacts, such as occupational asthma in cleaning workers, so it is reasonable to question their use in household cleaning products. Other research in laboratory settings links exposure to certain cleaning chemicals with reproductive harm, such as birth defects or fertility problems in animals. While the impacts of chronic exposure to these chemicals on reproductive harm in humans have not been fully researched, the scientific data compiled in this report, while inconclusive, does present a valid cause for concern. This report also highlights the need for additional studies to fully ascertain the safety of using household cleaning chemicals over the course of a lifetime. Many consumers, especially those who have asthma or women of childbearing age, are accustomed to making choices to avoid exposure to chemicals with potential for harm. This report is intended to provide additional information to consumers who may prefer a precautionary approach to using certain cleaning products in their home.

Common household cleaning chemicals linked to asthma and reproductive harm

Monoethanolamine (MEA) is a surfactant found in some laundry detergents, all-purpose cleaners and floor cleaners and is a known inducer of occupational asthma.

Ammonium quaternary compounds are disinfectants found in some disinfectant sprays and toilet cleaners that have been identified as inducers of occupational asthma.

Glycol ethers, such as 2-butoxyethanol, are solvents commonly found in glass cleaners and all-purpose spray cleaners that have been linked to reduced fertility and low birth weight in exposed mice.

Alkyl phenol ethoxylates (APEs) are surfactants found in laundry detergents, stain removers, and all-purpose cleaners, which have been found to reduce embryo survival in fish, and alter tadpole development. APEs are commonly detected as contaminants in rivers and streams, and have also been found in household dust.

Phthalates are carriers for fragrance in glass cleaners, deodorizers, laundry detergents and fabric sof teners, which have been linked to adverse effects on male children, reduced sperm count in adult men, and increased allergic symptoms and asthma in children.

Household Hazards

A look at the potential hazards of chemicals in household cleaning products and their association with asthma and reproductive harm.

By Alexandra Gorman

July 2007

Download the full Household Hazards report (.pdf)

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