Going Green for God.
Numbers 35:34 "Do not
defile the land where you live", says the Lord.
This Earth that we call home, it is the only physical home we have. By honoring the earth, we honor God and all that he created. It is up to us, as stewards of the land, oceans and animals that God created for us, to protect and preserve it, not only for us, but for all future generations.
Every month, we will present a series of tips and information that will provide you with simple steps you can take to help you make changes in your daily routine, to help reduce your impact and conserve our natural resources.
June 2010
How Toxic are your Cleaning Products??
When you purchase
cleaning products, do you consider your family's health and the effect on
the environment? Every time you use a toxic cleaning product in your home,
you introduce chemicals that linger much longer than most understand. These
toxins build up in your home and can cause or promote serious ailments that
are rarely ever traced back to the source. You are diagnosed with it one day
and it changes you and your families lives forever.
Over 150 chemicals
that are commonly found in the home are connected to allergies, birth
defects, cancer and mental disorders.
The elderly, children and the chronically ill are particularly
vulnerable, not only because their immune systems are weaker, but because
they tend to spend more time indoors.
Going
back to naturally derived ingredients is a way to make cleaning products
that don’t poison your family or nature, and they also actually work, don’t
pollute and save you money. Most are found in your kitchen cupboards. Mix
and match with well-chosen and environmentally friendly green cleaning
products found in health food stores, and you can easily and simply
transform your home into a non-toxic and healthy haven.
Non-toxic cleaning can give you a deep feeling of gratification in knowing
that your family’s health is protected, and that your home is a place for
your bodies to rest and recuperate rather than promote harm.
Making your own nontoxic cleaning kit will take you no time at all with
these simple, straightforward directions, and with this kit you will be
supplied with enough cleaning product for months of cleaning.
As an
added bonus, ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost about one-tenth
the price of their commercial counterpart—and that includes costly, but
worthwhile essential oils, and concentrated, all-purpose detergents for
homemade recipes. Please don’t
dispose of toxic cleaners down the drain though – please refer to the Ohio
EPA website for more information on how to dispose of them without poisoning
the environment further.
BASIC SUPPLIES NEEDED
Baking soda
Washing soda
White distilled vinegar
A good liquid soap or detergent
Tea tree oil
6
clean spray bottles
2 glass jars
Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent disinfectant – without the toxic side
effects! And stay away from
anti-bacterial products - recent studies have proven that
these products are doing more harm than good and it is strongly suggested
that exposure to "antibacterial chemicals" be held to a minimum.
NON-TOXIC CLEANERS RECIPES
CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER
Simply pour about 1/2 cup of
baking
soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like
frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the
perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn’t
leave grit.
Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store
in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make as
much as you need at a time.
WINDOW CLEANER
1/4-1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
3 tablespoons
vinegar
2 cups water
Spray bottle
Put
all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use as you
would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is important. It cuts the
wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.
OVEN CLEANER
1 cup or more baking soda
Water
A squirt or two of liquid detergent
Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime
with enough baking soda 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. When
you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or
soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven. If this
recipe doesn’t work for you it is probably because you didn’t use enough
baking soda and/or water.
ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER
1/2 teaspoon washing soda
A dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda
has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.
FURNITURE POLISH
1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and
wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely.
VINEGAR DEODORIZER
Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in your
kitchen near your cutting board and in your bathroom and use them for
cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board before going to bed
at night, and don’t even rinse but let it set overnight. The smell of
vinegar dissipates within a few hours. Straight vinegar is also great for
cleaning the toilet rim. Just spray it on and wipe off.
TEA TREE TREASURE
Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray. I’ve used
it successfully on a moldy ceiling from a leaking roof, on a musty bureau, a
musty rug, and a moldy shower curtain. Tea tree oil is expensive, but a
little goes a very long way. Note that the smell of tea tree oil is very
strong, but it will dissipate in a few days.
2
teaspoons
tea tree oil
2 cups water
Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do
not rinse. Makes two cups.
VINEGAR SPRAY
Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white
distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy area, and
let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell. It will dissipate
in a few hours.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/09/conserve_water.php
