The most toxic environment in your life might be your home.
Yes, you may in fact be surrounding yourself with toxic chemicals, cancer causing agents and hazardous waste. From the carpet right on up to the paint, there may be toxins leaking into our everyday and night, without a second thought.
So what can you do about it? First off, you may want to think about switching out the chemical cleaners you use to wash your home, dishes and clothes with. I have taken a vow of avoiding chlorine bleach in my home, which of course is linked cancer. But, for some, a change like this can take some adjustment. My whites are not as white, but they're still clean and less toxic for my body and my mind.
What cleaners are better for you? Well, generally any cleaner that is said to be safe for the environment will probably be safe for you too. Overall, if the ingredients on the back label have a bunch of chemical words you can't pronounce, it's probably not very healthy for you.
In the flower and art business, avoiding chemicals can be pretty difficult, but there are some measures we can take to reduce the amount we depend on. Using clean and fresh water for flowers, finding earth friendly paint stripper and turpenoid (similar to turpentine), and natural dish soap for washing. The list of course goes on. I'll probably write more about this in another post.
From glass cleaner, dish soap, scrub powder, to all purpose cleaner; there are many makes out there that purport to be safe for both the environment and you. They often come in recyclable containers and have essential oils and scents, which can be an added bonus. For the most part, they work pretty well. I have some favorites, of course, for a few different reasons. The line of products put out by Method is pretty cool looking and smells good, plus it's easy to find. Target carries many Method varieties. I really appreciate the cleaning power of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, but it's a little pricier. I have also been able to find Meyer's at Target as well as Whole Foods and Elephant Pharmacy.
If you have a favorite natural cleaner: please share!
And don't forget to be sustainable with your sponges and rags! Pictured above is a Natural Value sponge made from post-consumer recycled materials. Rags make a great reusable cleaning material (way better than paper towels). Just cut up an old t-shirt or towel you're ready to give away, and voila! When it gets dirty, throw it in the dirty clothes and wash it for future uses.
In clean times and health,
G&G