15 March 2010

Spring Cleaning: A Green Issue Part 2: The Recipies


Hello Readers!

As I mentioned in the last post, there are two ways to "go green" with your household cleaning habits: (1) purchase environmentally friendly products and (2) create your own!

So below I have included recipes for Soft Scrubber, Window Cleaner, Oven Cleaner, All-Purpose Spray Cleaner, Furniture Polish, Deodorizer, and a Mold Killer.

To make these cleaners, you will want to keep these key ingredients in your home: Baking Soda, Washing Soda, White Distilled Vinegar, Liquid Soap (use an eco-friendly one), 6 clean spray bottles, 2 glass jars.

1. Creamy Soft Scrubber
    1/2 cup of baking soda, add enough liquid detergent to make it thick like frosting. Scoop onto sponge, and
    wash the surface. Good for the bathtub. NOTE: add 1tsp of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a
    sealed glass jar to keep the product moist. Otherwise make it as needed.

2. Window Cleaner
    1/4 to 1/2tsp of liquid detergent, 3tbsp of vinegar, 2 cups of water, and spray bottle. Put all ingredients in
    a spray bottle and shake it up as you would a commercial brand. The soap cuts the wax residue from the
    commercial brands you might have previously used.

3. Oven Cleaner
    1 cup or more of baking soda, water, a squirt or two of liquid detergent. Sprinkle water generously over
    the bottom of the oven then cover the grime with baking soda so that the surface is totally white. Sprinkle
    some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight. You can easily wipe up the grease the next
    morning because the grime will have loosened. After majority has been cleaned up, dab a bit of liquid
    detergent or soap on a sponge and wash the remaining residue from the oven.

4. All-Purpose Spray Cleaner
    1/2 tsp of washing soda, a dab of liquid soap, 2 cups of hot tap water. Combine ingredients in a spray
    bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

5. Furniture Polish
    1/2 tsp of oil (olive oil or jojoba works best), 1/4 cup of vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Mix ingredients in a
    glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover that glass jar and store
    indefinitely.

6. Deodorizer
    Fill a spray bottle with straight 5% vinegar. Use it in your kitchen and bathroom for cleaning and
    deodorizing. The smell dissipates within a few hours. It is great for the toilet rim; just spray and wipe off.

7. Mold Killers
    Tea Tree Version: 2tsp of tea tree oil, 2 cups of water. Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and
    spray on problem areas, do not rinse.
    Vinegar Version: Vinegar kills 82% of mold. Spray onto moldy area and let it sit without rinsing if you can
    put up with the smell. It will dissipate in a few hours.


There are many recipes out there, I found these on www.care2.com, if you have any cleaning recipes to share, please do so!

Thank you for reading!

Until next time...GET ORGANIZED (and healthy)!

~Lauren

12 March 2010

Spring Cleaning: A Green Issue

As the snow melts, many of us are reveling in the days where the sun greets us at 7am as opposed to driving to work in the dark. So as nature thaws and begins to renew itself, it's time for...

SPRING CLEANING! 

The arsenal of cleaning products we grew up with definitely aided moms in scouring EVERY surface in the home, but as we evolve, grow, and learn (as every species should) so does our awareness and methodology. 
So I'll keep this statement sweet and simple: the cleaning products we use today are (1) bad for the environment and (2) our health. 







Don't believe me? Take a look at the back label of your cleaning products.The one pictured says: "Hazardous to Humans & Domestic Animals" AND there's a First Aid section. If I get this product on my clothes, I'm suggested to take them off immediately. If I get the product on my skin, I'm supposed to rinse it for 15-20 mins AND call the Poison Control Center. 


But I clean my toilet seat with Lysol All Purpose Cleaner??

The harsh chemicals in our cleaners do not totally wash away. Many of them leave chemical traces. That means the cutting board I cleaned with bleach water still contains traces of bleach, which can be transferred to my food. Speaking of Bleach, aka Chlorine aka Hydrogen Chloride aka HYDROCHLORIC ACID, recent studies have found that women with Breast Cancer had 50-60% higher levels of organichlorines (chlorination byproducts) in their breast tissues than women without breast cancer. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air is 2 to 5 times more contaminated than outdoor air. Check out the chart below: 






Product type
Harmful Ingredients
Potential hazards
Air Freshener & Deodorizer
Formaldehyde
Toxic; carcinogen; irritant- 
eyes, nose, throat, skin
may cause nausea, 
headaches, nosebleeds, 
dizziness, memory loss; 
shortness of breath.
Disinfectant
Sodium hypochlorite
Corrosive; irritates/burns 
skin, eyes; may cause 
pulmonary edema or 
vomiting and coma
if ingested.
Phenols
Flammable; very toxic; 
respiratory, 
circulatory, 
or cardiac damage.
Ammonia
Vapor irritating to eyes, 
respiratory tract, 
and skin; possible
chronic irritation.
Drain Cleaner
Sodium or potassium hydroxide (lye)
Caustic; irritant; 
inhibits reflexes;
burns to skin, 
eyes; poisonous 
if swallowed. 
Floor Cleaner Wax
Diethylene glycol
Toxic; causes central 
nervous system  
depression & kidney 
and liver lesions.
Petroleum solvents
Highly flammable; 
associated with skin
and lung cancer; 
irritant to skin, eyes, nose, 
throat, lungs.
Ammonia
Vapor irritation to 
eyes, respiratory
tract, and skin; 
possible chronic 
irritation.
Furniture Polish
Petroleum distillates or mineral spirits
Highly flammable; 
moderately toxic;
associated with skin 
and lung cancer; irritant 
to skin, eyes, nose, 
throat, lungs; entry
into lungs may cause
pulmonary edema.
Oven Cleaner
Sodium or potassium hydroxide (lye)
Caustic; irritant; 
inhibits reflexes; 
burns to skin, 
eyes; poisonous 
if swallowed due 
to severe tissue
damage.
Spot Remover
Perchlorethylene or trichloroethane
Slow decomposition; 
liver and kidney 
damage; 
perchlorethylene 
is suspected 
carcinogen.
Ammonium hydroxide
Corrosive; vapor 
extremely irritable
to skin, eyes, and
respiratory passages; 
ingestion causes tissue 
burns.
Sodium hypochlorite
Corrosive; irritates 
skin, eyes, respiratory 
tract; may cause
pulmonary edema 
and skin burns.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Sodium acid sulfate or oxalate or hypochloric acid
Corrosive; burns 
from skin contact
or inhalation; ingestion
may be fatal.
Chlorinated phenols
Flammable; very 
toxic; respiratory
circulatory,or
cardiac damage.
Window Cleaner
Diethylene glycol
Toxic; causes central
nervous system 
depression and
degenerative lesions 
in liver and kidneys.
Ammonia
Vapor irritating to 
eyes, respiratory
tract, and skin;
possible chronic 
irritation.

So does this mean I can't clean my home anymore? Of course not! There are MANY eco/health conscious products you can use to clean your home. From the research I've done, there are two ways to clean your home the "green way": (1) make your own cleaning solvents or (2) purchase green brands.

Here are some of the "green brands" I suggest (click the name to visit their websites): 
2. Planet  (they specialize in detergents and washing liquid) 

If any of you use other green cleaning products, do share. 

You can find many of these products at major grocery chains, Trader Joes, or online for purchase. 

I know some of these products cost much more than your regular cleaners, but keep in mind how much you are saving on medical bills and sick days by switching to products that are not as disruptive to your health or the environment. 

Stay tuned for the next blog, I will give you recipes to create your own cleaners! 

Until next time...STAY ORGANIZED (and healthy!), 

~Lauren 

**BSS UPDATES!!**

Hello Everyone! 

Well, it looks like Spring has sprung in Michigan and we are ALL happy about that! 

As sure as the season is changing, BeSpoken Spaces is going through some GREAT changes as well! For those of you in the Northwest Detroit area, we will have our first ad in the Rosedale Tattler! So if you are ever near the Rosedale neighborhood in Detroit, pick up a community paper and tell us what you think! 

In April, we will launch our new, and permanent website! I wish I could show it to you guys, but I must keep it a secret until then...alas, the suspense is killing me! But, I can say this: in conjunction with the site launch, we will have a really exciting opportunity for one lucky person. Those all the beans I can spill...

So follow us on Twitter and Facebook to be "in the know" at all times!  

Don't forget about the Referral Program! Refer a client, earn $50! 

We will have even more updates to come! 

Until next time, STAY ORGANIZED! 

~Lauren