Getting Started: Home

Getting Started

Squeaky Clean?

When I first started learning about the ingredients in my cosmetics and household cleaners I was totally overwhelmed. My transition to a more herban life began after I had read an article explaining some of the most common ingredients in household cleaners and how they effect our bodies and the environment. There are quite a few ingredients in cleansers that are proven to be harmful but most are still being investigated. There is a different and equally shocking list in soaps and cosmetics that I will touch on in other posts. I have sensitive skin and I tend to be pretty environmentally conscious so it got me thinking. If we have identified that there are serious risks to our health in the short and long term from exposure to the most common of cleaners and the effect on the environment is farther reaching than we can fathom at this point, isn't there a better solution? My great-grandmother wasn't using Downey, so what was she using? And, even if we aren't 100% sure of the extent of the harm a common cleaner can cause, if there is a safer alternative that will do the trick, why risk it?

I began researching everything I had under the sink. I was shocked at what I discovered and once the initial repulsion at what seemed like recklessness on my part for exposing myself and my loved ones to such horrible stuff wore off, I began learning how to make my own alternatives. You may begin making your own cleaners at home for a variety of reasons; it's cheaper, it's healthier, allergies, your children, the environment etc. All of these are true and all are good reasons. Good home made cleaners or some eco-friendly store bought ones are just as effective as what you are used to. 

Why Switch?

Weighing the options

Why spend your hard earned money on a product that could cause cancer or is toxic if your child swallows it? Thousands of calls are put into poison control each year due to small children ingesting household cleaners. Thousands more are made by adults who are experiencing other awful effects from the same products.    Making your own cleaning alternatives at home may take a few extra minutes and sometimes finding a few extra minutes can be hard. But in the long run, you may find cleaning the kitchen sink isn't what it used to be. You may almost LIKE it!  I decided the extra "garbage" my synthetic, toxin laden cleaning products brought into my home wasn't worth it to me or the planet. Awareness is the first step to making any big change. The internet is a great resource when it comes to the ingredients in common cleaners and what they do. Much of it can be very dry and full of technical terms and chemical compound names so I've tried to lay out a few of the most common to give you an idea of what we can avoid.

You can have the same clean home without all of the extra toxins and hazards. Switching can be a process and take some time. It takes a little bit of patience and some dedication so expect an adjustment period. Please don't go strait to your cabinet and dump out the products you already have that contain the following ingredients even though you may want to. You can contact your local waste management and find out how you can safely dispose of them.

Common Ingredients in Cleaners

I'm going to keep this pretty basic here. I will explore individual types of cleaners in separate posts but this should give you a place to start from. You will often see the word "may" in regards to the effects toxins have on our bodies. This is primarily because we are just discovering the damage these chemicals can cause as safety testing of household cleaners is not required for manufacturers to market their product. In just the last 15 years or so we have begun to really research these ingredients.  Please do some of your own research on what products most interest you. Pull out the window cleaner or detergent you've been using and start plugging the ingredients into the awesome search engine Scorecard that gives you chemical profiles and its effects. You get to drive this bus, I'm just helping navigate!

Remember, fish and other wildlife that use the same water our household chemicals drain into can get the same diseases and have the same problems we can from these chemicals. Toxins that effect our reproductive health or hormones will have similar effects on them just from our run off.

 

• Methylene Chloride (Dichloromethane)- Often used in stain removers, Methylene Chloride is a reproductive toxin, a carcinogen (cancer causing), and a neurotoxin. It is a serious skin and eye irritant and has been known to cause irregular heart beat, heart attack, and brain damage once inhaled.

• Amonia- Found in a wide range of products, Amonia is a severe eye and respiratory irritant that can cause extensive damage including chemical burns, extreme burning pain, and corneal damage. Kidney and liver damage had been reported as well as bronchitis and pneumonia due to prolonged exposure. When mixed with bleach a poisonous chlorine gas forms.

• Diethanolamine (DEA)- DEA is used in a wide selection of products and is a known eye and skin irritant. The state of California lists it as a suspected carcinogen.

•  Parabens- Parabens are used as preservatives in a wide range of cleaning products and cosmetics. It is known to cause dermatitis and is still being investigated. You will see it listed as the word "paraben" with one of the following before it : methyl-, ethyl-, butyl- or propyl.

• Monoethanolamine- This chemical is an ingredient in a number of cleaners including laundry pre-soaks,  tub and tile cleaners, oven cleaners, and carpet cleaners. Inhaling a large amount of this chemical while cleaning your oven or tub can cause dizziness or coma. It may also cause damage to the nervous system, kidneys, and liver.

• Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite)-  Bleach is found in many cleaners and also as a stand alone product. It can be fatal when swallowed. It is a sensitizer and a know skin and eye irritant. It is especially dangerous for people with heart conditions and those with asthma. It may cause liver damage and be a neurotoxin.

What Now? 

One thing at a time...

So, you've decided. So long Windex! Peace out Comet! I want a more Herban Life! Now what? One of my favorite ways to explain making big changes to a more green or toxin free life is an idea presented by Sophie Uliano in her book Gorgeously Green.  She suggests that we start with one thing at a time. For a week or a month depending on how long you think you will need to transition do just one thing differently until it becomes easy. Then, the next week or month do one more thing. Now you are doing two things every month or in this case, using two home made products. After 2 or 3 things it takes off and you wont miss the old stuff you used to use. Look to my post Getting Started: Tools and Supplies for everything you need and a great recipe! Good luck!