Forwarded message - for info, please visit
http://www.theolympian.com/environment/story/796976-p2.html

Spic-and-span without toxins

By Sandy Bauers
Published March 24, 2009

When Earthjustice and other environmental groups announced
recently that they were suing several major household cleaner
manufacturers, asking that they be required to list ingredients,
I was mystified.

Don't they already?

It set me to rummaging under the kitchen sink for my cleaner of
choice.

The first ingredient: "soap agents." I noted it wasn't merely "soap."
The word "agents" sounded ominous.

Second: "soil suspending agent." These aren't ingredients. They're
categories.

Third: perfume. As if I might spritz it on for a party.

Fourth: water. At last, something not likely toxic.

I checked another bottle. This one listed 2 percent sodium hypochlorite
and 98 percent "inert ingredients."

The label also read, "Hazards to Humans and Domestic Animals." There
were more instructions about first aid than how to use the stuff.

To be sure, it would be foolish to assume cleaners are benign. But this
gave me pause.

After all, most people use buckets of cleaners. It's a $5 billion-a-year
industry.

Manufacturers, meanwhile, have launched a voluntary "ingredient
communication program" to take effect in 2010, though details are scarce.

Studies - and even product labels - suggest some of the chemicals can
cause health effects, triggering asthma and allergies. "Not recommended
for use by persons with heart conditions or chronic respiratory problems,"
reads a bottle under my sink.

A 2007 study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care
Medicine concluded that cleaning sprays could cause 15 percent of
adult asthma cases.

Other studies suggest links to infertility.

People are increasingly worried about cleaning chemicals, as sales
of "green" cleaners attest. The Chicago research firm Mintel found
that such sales quadrupled from 2003 to 2008 to $64.5 million. The
firm predicts green cleaners will capture 30 percent of the market by
2013.

But you can sidestep all this. Make your own.

Last summer, Molly Rouse-Terlevich of Bryn Mawr, Pa., had a party
for about 20 women to learn how to do it.

She'd received materials from a national environmental health group,
Women's Voices for the Earth, which joined the recent suit.

A year ago, the group used spring cleaning season and National
Poison Prevention Week to launch an education campaign about the
potentially harmful effects of household cleaners.

Since then, nearly 800 people have signed up with the group to host
similar parties.

Rouse-Terlevich's two children have allergies, and the more she read
about cleaners, the less she liked.

That day in her home, the partygoers learned how to make a homespun
version of a cleaning product, using baking soda, castile soap (from
vegetable oils) and vegetable glycerine (a preservative).

Now, Rouse-Terlevich makes all of her own cleaners.

The two primary ingredients in the arsenal are white distilled vinegar -
it's basically acetic acid, which kills germs - and baking soda, which
provides a bit of grit.

Need I emphasize that both are products you can eat?

In another Mintel survey, one in three respondents said they used a
homemade cleaner at least sometimes.

"This is not just for hippies," Rouse-Terlevich noted. "I'm a pretty
conservative person."

Nor is it new. Most of our grandmothers probably used homemade
cleaners. People just are gaining a new appreciation.

I never completely trusted that they would work. And, ahem, when
you're cleaning quickly, which I usually am, and attacking a buildup
because you've waited too long, which I usually have, it seems to call
for the big guns.

But Rouse-Terlevich verifies her cleaners work splendidly. She said
she no longer sneezes after washing the kitchen floor.

A Women's Voices spokeswoman notes that the real goal isn't to have
us all making our own cleaning products. It's to pressure manufacturers
into using more benign ingredients or, at least, listing all of the chemicals
so consumers can make informed choices.

Until they do, the next time I'm at the grocery store, I'm headed for
the vinegar aisle.

All-purpose cleaner
2 cups white distilled vinegar
2 cups water
20 to 30 or more drops of essential oil (optional, for fragrance)
Suggested for hard surfaces such as countertops, kitchen floors,
windows and mirrors.
Tip: Warming in microwave (in glass container only) until barely hot
will boost cleaning power.

Creamy soft scrub
2 cups baking soda
1/2 cup liquid castile soap
4 teaspoons vegetable glycerin (acts as preservative)
5 drops antibacterial essential oil such as lavender, tea tree, rosemary
(optional)
Mix together and store in a sealed glass jar; shelf life of two years.
Tip: For tough jobs, spray with vinegar first - full strength or diluted -
then let sit and follow with scrub.

Source: Women's Voices for the Earth Think green when you spring clean

Green cleaning has been around for generations, said Vic toria Guy,
who buys cleaning products for Lexington's Good Foods Market. Now,
she said, it is gaining mainstream popularity.

"It's on our radar now," she said. "More people care than just Ed Begley Jr."

So how to make it work for you? Here are some tips from Guy:

Micro manage: Instead of using paper towels, use reusable micro-fiber
cloths. To clean those tricky ceiling fans and other high spaces, use a
microfiber cloth mounted on an extended handle.

Think steam: Steam cleaners are a chemical-free way to clean counter
tops, cabinets and floors. Check out the best picks at
www.consumersearch.com/steam-cleaners.

Read carefully: Look for the words "nontoxic" and "biodegradable" on
the label to make sure a product truly is green. It's a good sign if there
is a Web site on the package. That means the company wants to provide
you with answers to whatever questions you might have.

Certified: If a product includes the BPI logo, that means its certified
by the Biodegradable Product Institute and can be put into your
compost pile.

Old is new: Bon-Ami cleanser, which is celebrating its 120th anniversary,
has started playing up its Earth-friendly credentials on its package.
Check it out at www.bonami.com. Murphy's Oil Soap long has been a
great option for maintaining wood floors. Go to www.colgate.com

Keep it simple: Look for a product that has multiple uses. For example,
Restore the Earth offers a general cleanser made from natural,
biodegradable ingredients. Go to www.restore.com for more information.
Botanic Gold, in various concentrations, can be used to clean surfaces
as diverse as car tires and fruit. Go to www.botanic-gold.com

Flush out chemicals: Yes, "scrubbing bubbles" appear to eat through
your bathroom grime, but do you want to use such strong chemicals
in such a small space? Alternatives include Naturally Clean, at
www.naturallyclean.com

Recycle, reuse: This is a great time of year to think of what you can
recycle. Clear out all of those clothes you never wear and get old
magazines into the recycling stream.

Salt shaking: A sprinkle of salt has many uses, including removing
stains and cleaning your cast-iron skillet. Check out uses for cleaning
at www.mortonsalt.com

Posted on SHARE Yahoo group - March 24, 2009