Clean and Green Healthy Homes Introduction A clean

Clean and Green Healthy Homes,

Introduction A clean house is pleasant Looks better Smells better BUT…appropriate cleaning supplies are important Homemade cleaning products Are nontoxic to you and earth Less expensive

Something to think about “Chemicals have replaced bacteria and viruses as the main threat to health. The diseases we are beginning to see as the major causes of death in the latter part of (the 1900's) and into the 21 st century are diseases of chemical origin. ” Dr. Dick Irwin, Toxicologist, Texas A&M University

Objectives After this lesson you will Understand the potential hazards of caustic cleaners Understand the pros and cons of “green” cleaning products Learn how to clean safer by creating homemade cleaners In this lesson, I can learn that home made cleaning products are safer for me, the earth and won’t cost me a bundle!

Who needs this? People who Have chemical sensitivities Friends and family Have asthma and allergies Raise children/pregnant Want to live a healthier lifestyle Care about the environment Want to save money

What’s wrong with cleaning There are products? many cleaning products on the market. Are they all safe to use just because they’re on the shelf?

Many products are hazardous Ingredients can be Corrosive Flammable Toxic This means it can impact our health and our environment

Did you know? It takes 26 seconds for chemicals to show up in our organs 17, 000 petrochemicals available for home use (only 30% tested for human safety) Of chemicals found in homes, 150 are linked to birth defects, allergies, cancer, psychological abnormalities There are more than 75, 000 licensed for commercial use Very few of these chemicals were in our bodies or environment 75 years ago Sources: Environmental Health Association from Nova Scotia EPA Consumer Product Safety Commission

Risky to our health Fumes contaminate our air Irritating to eyes, lungs and skin Many chemicals are: Carcinogens Hormone disruptors Reproductive toxins Regulation and legislation is a very slow process Sometimes it feels as if we need a face mask when we clean!

Pollutes our environment Soil Septic systems Ground water Surface water Fish and other animals Hazardous products pollute our earth in more ways than one and CAN get into our drinking water

Read labels: Caution: Hazardous chemicals are present. Moderate hazard. Reduce your use. Warning: Hazardous chemicals are present. Moderate hazard, stronger than “caution”. Drastically reduce use. Poison: product is highly toxic. Do not use. Danger: Ingredients present are corrosive, flammable or highly toxic. Do not use.

Activity: What’s in your bucket?

Are expensive

So why do we use them? Knowledge Time Can clean up pretty fast Strong formulations Convenience Ready made and available Belief I just don’t believe it will be clean You don’t have to spend a lot of effort and money on cleaning products.

Thought for the day The “secret formulas” in chemical cleaners are just the ingredients in old folk recipes, except artificial. How is acid in a lemon different than artificial acid (except it doesn’t have the health hazards)

“Greener” products

Are “green” products worth it? “Green”products PROS Safer for humans and environment Less irritating Biodegradable Reduced use of energy/resources CONS Some are expensive No standard definition Not guaranteed to be safe…but they are safer than conventional products Not required by law to list all ingredients Beware: Greenwashing

Beware of “greenwashing” Product labels with words like: Biodegradable, green, eco-friendly, botanical Hazardous ingredients can still be in the product Be careful of: Vague labels Lies “Natural” doesn’t mean nontoxic Lesser of two evils Irrelevant

What can a consumer do? Read labels The easiest way to know whether a product is “green” is to look for a third party seal

What does this label mean? The EPA evaluated the products for human and environmental impact It DOES NOT mean the ingredients are safe But they are less harmful than conventional products in its class But there are no standards Other labels to look for: Ecologo CM , Greenseal, CFPA Standardized, and 3 -rd party The Dft. E label You may see this on “green” products

What does this label mean? The products have been reviewed by the Sierra Club Environmentally MORE preferable than conventional products Have conflict of interest: receive financial support from a popular name brand

No label?

Lies May need some research Some companies lie about the “greenness” of their products What is the reputation of the company?

Vague claims Fact: Products do not need to have ingredients listed. The more information disclosed on the product, the better. Sometimes, there is not enough space. Look for company’s contact information, websites, phone numbers where you can contact manufacturer for more information. If it’s not there, be suspicious.

biod egra dabl vague e Buzzwords can be Don’t get swayed by All natural “Buzzwords” There should be explanations Example: Arsenic and lead are “all natural” but are very toxic substances n a g e v 100% Ecosafe

Are claims relevant? No CFC’s is a popular claim. It stands for Chluorofluorocarbons. CFCs deplete the ozone and are highly toxic to the environment. CFC’s have been banned for a long time. Finding this on a label is irrelevant.

The lesser of two evils Overlook specific claims and look at the big picture. Example: Are you purchasing organic tobacco? Great…except smoking isn’t good for you regardless of whether it’s organic or not. Another example: Chlorinated products with “natural essential oils”

Hidden tradeoffs When a company does one thing “green” but leaves a larger environmental impact in other ways (i. e. , in its production of the product, non biodegradable container, etc)

“Natural” doesn’t mean nontoxic (and vice versa) D-limonene Natural ingredient found in orange peels Powerful solvent Can cause severe reactions in some people Arsenic Natural Powerful toxin and endocrine disruptor Breathing in cause nausea, vomiting, GI distress, decreased blood cell productions, blood vessel damage, etc. Commonly found in pressure treated wood

The good news You can make your own cleaning supplies! Effective (but you need a bit more elbow grease) Inexpensive Easy to make Homemade products need a bit more elbow grease but they are (but you need to plan a bit) effective, easy to make and easier on the wallet.

What’s in a cleaner?

Know the types of cleaners Alkalies Acids Detergents Abrasives Sanitizers Spirit solvents Refer to Clean and Green Handout

Bases (alkalies) Good for removing fatty and oily stains; dirt Basic Household Examples Baking soda* Borax* Washing soda* Ammonia Bleach Basic cleaners Oven cleaner All purpose cleaner Laundry detergent Mild Moderate Strong Baking soda Household Ammonia Washing soda Borax Lye *green cleaners

Acids Breaks down things like rust and mineral deposits; eat away clothes, leather and some metals Acidic cleaners Acidic household examples Cola Vinegar Lemon juice Hard water/mineral deposit removers Toilet bowl cleaners Tub and tile cleaners Mold solutions Very mild Very strong (poisonous) Vinegar Oxalic acid Lemon Juice Hydrochloric acid Sulfuric acid

The chemistry of cleaning 14 Lye 13 Bleach 12 Ammonia, washing soda 11 p. H= the measure of how basic or acidic something is p. H ranges from 0 to 14 More and each unit is 10 fold alkaline/basic greater than the next p. H handsoap Sea water Blood Water Milk Club soda More acid Tea Coffee Beer Vinegar Orange/apple juice Vinegar, Cola Lemon juice Battery acid 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Detergents Loosen dirt “heavy duty” means it has a “builder” added to it (a phosophate that will remove oils) Alternative: Borax and washing soda Castille soap: a vegetable based soap Add soap to very dirty jobs

Abrasives Wear off dirt by rubbing Examples Pumice Steel wool Plastic or Nylon mesh Sandpaper Silica Found in scouring pads and powders. Mild abrasive: salt! The courser and larger particles, the harsher the abrasive Oftentimes labeled as “Cleanser” Regular use scratches surfaces and stains them deeper Damaging

Bleaches Chlorine is the most common bleach used in household cleaning products (highly toxic) Used to whiten and disinfect Alternative for whitening: Citrus Hydrogen peroxide Borax /washing soda

Sanitizers/disinfectants Chemicals that reduce the number of bacteria Oftentimes found in bathroom products and dishwashing products Help keep areas sanitary Keep areas smelling good Alternatives: Citrus *Studies show vinegar is an excellent microbe reducer, Hydrogen peroxide similar to bleach but without Vinegar* the toxic effects. Vinegar smell disappears. Essential oils: tea tree, lavendar, pine

Air fresheners Helps the air smell good Conventional: plug-ins and sprays Alternative: Open window Essential oils Citrus Simmering spices on stove Baking cookies Baking soda Zeolites

Basics of homemade cleaning products What you need to know before you get started

Cleaning product toolkit Spray bottles Brush, microfiber cloth Baking soda Borax or washing soda Vinegar Vegetable oil Salt Soap Hydrogen peroxide Lemon juice, essential oils Photo from livelighter. org

Rule of thumb Use mild cleaners first Use harsher concoction after mild cleanser won’t do the job Always wash with warm to hot water.

Generalities Baking soda: Deodorizes, neutralizes acids, removes pesticides from produce, alternative shampoo, scours, softens water Washing soda/borax: Like baking soda, but much stronger (be careful of inhaling) Castille soap: Add soap to stronger cleaner to lift off dirt better.

Generalities (stronger) Vinegar: Deodorizes, removes mineral deposits, cuts grease, removes mildew; powerful bacteria reducer Tea tree oil (lavendar, pine) Natural sanitizer/disinfectant Lemon juice Gets rid of bacteria (strong acid), deodorizer

Laundry Soap nuts 3 -4 shells for average laundry 5 -8 for larger loads Enzymes (for septic tanks) Soap nuts

Thank you!