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Media is filled with information about the green movement. We hear about industry leaders searching for better, environmentally friendly options. We see new hybrid vehicles on our roadways. Recycling symbols cover the bottoms of our grocery containers and recycling bins for plastic are on most city corners across the country. We are all aware that the green movement is growing steadily and progressively. Yet, how does the green movement effect each of us on a personal level of health and home?
Did you know that chemicals found in household cleaners were three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air pollution? Were you also aware that women who work from home have a 54% higher death rate than women who leave their homes to work? According to the EPA, an estimated 11,420 people die each year from indoor air pollution while many more become ill.
As a wellness coach, one of the biggest well being complaints I help people with are frequent headaches. Headaches are continually related to indoor air pollution through cleaning products, fabric softeners, air fresheners, fragrant candles, dust and allergens.
Chemicals in household cleaners do not just harm us personally, they harm our entire environment. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid using these harsh chemicals while keeping your home fresh and clean. Making your own simple, basic non-toxic cleaners can also save you a lot of money.
The ingredients I use frequently are vinegar, borax, baking soda, castile soap, sea salt, alcohol, and my favorite essential oils. All of these very affordable ingredients can give you everything you need in any household cleaner. Borax can be found in almost any grocery store laundry isle for approximately $3 a box. Borax is a known laundry booster that softens water and removes stains. Castile soap can be bought at most health food stores in scents or unscented ranging in price from $4-$25 in a bulk size. I purchase my sea salt for cleaning in the bulk isle of my grocery store for 29 cents per pound. For alcohol, I just use a simple and cheap vodka. I buy all my organic essential oils and herbs for cleaning at Mountain Rose Herbs. They are a sustainable source and have won awards for being a green company!
Did you know that chemicals found in household cleaners were three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air pollution? Were you also aware that women who work from home have a 54% higher death rate than women who leave their homes to work? According to the EPA, an estimated 11,420 people die each year from indoor air pollution while many more become ill.
As a wellness coach, one of the biggest well being complaints I help people with are frequent headaches. Headaches are continually related to indoor air pollution through cleaning products, fabric softeners, air fresheners, fragrant candles, dust and allergens.
Chemicals in household cleaners do not just harm us personally, they harm our entire environment. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid using these harsh chemicals while keeping your home fresh and clean. Making your own simple, basic non-toxic cleaners can also save you a lot of money.
The ingredients I use frequently are vinegar, borax, baking soda, castile soap, sea salt, alcohol, and my favorite essential oils. All of these very affordable ingredients can give you everything you need in any household cleaner. Borax can be found in almost any grocery store laundry isle for approximately $3 a box. Borax is a known laundry booster that softens water and removes stains. Castile soap can be bought at most health food stores in scents or unscented ranging in price from $4-$25 in a bulk size. I purchase my sea salt for cleaning in the bulk isle of my grocery store for 29 cents per pound. For alcohol, I just use a simple and cheap vodka. I buy all my organic essential oils and herbs for cleaning at Mountain Rose Herbs. They are a sustainable source and have won awards for being a green company!
Cleaning Product Recipes
My favorite clogged drain recipe is simple and very effective. First I sprinkle 2 tablespoons of baking soda down the clogged drain. Then I pour about 1 cup of vinegar down the drain over top the baking soda. It will hiss and make lots of noise, producing a little foam. I let it sit while I boil a pot of water on the stove top. After the water begins to boil, I remove it from the stove, carry it carefully to the problematic drain and pour over top the baking soda and vinegar mix slowly. Repeat the process if necessary. I like to do this as a preventative measure to all my drains once every 3 months.
To make a porcelain scrub that is effective at removing stains, simply mix ½ cup of baking soda, ½ cup of borax, and ¼ cup of sea salt. Sometimes I mix in a ½ teaspoon of alcohol with ½ teaspoon of lavender essential oil to give a fresh clean scent, but it is not necessary for an incredible finish. Pour some into your sink or tub and create a paste, scrubbing your porcelain to like new. It will shine and smell incredible.
My favorite general household cleaner recipe, which I receive many compliments on, is a simple mixture. Mix together 1 teaspoon of castile soap, 1 teaspoon of borax, 5 drops of alcohol, 5 drops of your favorite essential oil, and fill with 1 quart of warm water into a spray bottle. Shake and use!
Our health and the health of our environment are in an eternal dance. We cannot be healthy without taking care of our environment, both indoor and outdoor. Personal health begins with you. Reducing or eliminating your exposure to household carcinogens could save your life and will certainly have a measurable effect on your personal environment as well as your local environment.
The green movement begins with you and ends with you. Being green isn’t just about funky looking light-bulbs and driving the latest technology. Greening the environment isn’t just about what our local and federal governments are doing. The greening process is a commitment to making our environment the best we can, in every little way we can, together.
Happy Green Cleaning!
My favorite clogged drain recipe is simple and very effective. First I sprinkle 2 tablespoons of baking soda down the clogged drain. Then I pour about 1 cup of vinegar down the drain over top the baking soda. It will hiss and make lots of noise, producing a little foam. I let it sit while I boil a pot of water on the stove top. After the water begins to boil, I remove it from the stove, carry it carefully to the problematic drain and pour over top the baking soda and vinegar mix slowly. Repeat the process if necessary. I like to do this as a preventative measure to all my drains once every 3 months.
To make a porcelain scrub that is effective at removing stains, simply mix ½ cup of baking soda, ½ cup of borax, and ¼ cup of sea salt. Sometimes I mix in a ½ teaspoon of alcohol with ½ teaspoon of lavender essential oil to give a fresh clean scent, but it is not necessary for an incredible finish. Pour some into your sink or tub and create a paste, scrubbing your porcelain to like new. It will shine and smell incredible.
My favorite general household cleaner recipe, which I receive many compliments on, is a simple mixture. Mix together 1 teaspoon of castile soap, 1 teaspoon of borax, 5 drops of alcohol, 5 drops of your favorite essential oil, and fill with 1 quart of warm water into a spray bottle. Shake and use!
Our health and the health of our environment are in an eternal dance. We cannot be healthy without taking care of our environment, both indoor and outdoor. Personal health begins with you. Reducing or eliminating your exposure to household carcinogens could save your life and will certainly have a measurable effect on your personal environment as well as your local environment.
The green movement begins with you and ends with you. Being green isn’t just about funky looking light-bulbs and driving the latest technology. Greening the environment isn’t just about what our local and federal governments are doing. The greening process is a commitment to making our environment the best we can, in every little way we can, together.
Happy Green Cleaning!
~Wendy
Herbalist, Wellness Consultant
Naturally and holistically manage pain through my creation: PAINO! The reviews are in! It is a MUST HAVE for every medicine cabinet!
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