Article: Environmentally Friendly Spring Cleaning

[Guest guest]

This was directed at Houston area folks, but it has some god spring

cleaning tips for everyone ...

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

 

All Natural, Detergent Free

Olive Oil Based Castile Liquid Soap

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

 

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(1) ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SPRING CLEANING

 

By Ella Tyler

 

Spring cleaning could be hazardous to your health. The material safety

data sheet for a common all-purpose cleaner reports that exposure to one

of the ingredients in the product " will cause blood and bone marrow

damage " and also says that if the product contacts the eyes it " may

cause chemical burns with permanent corneal injury. " However, it is not

necessary to give up a clean house to keep your family safe, according

to Diana Walton, owner of Purely Organic Cleaning Service & Consulting.

Her substitute for commercial all-purpose cleaner is one teaspoon borax,

one teaspoon washing soda, and one cup hot water. Instead of

store-brought disinfectants, which often contain phenol and cresol

(linked to diarrhea, fainting, dizziness, kidney and liver damage),

Walton recommends mixing a tablespoon of borax with a cup of hot water

and putting the solution into a spray bottle.

 

Other substitutions she recommends are using hydrogen peroxide instead

of bleach and a bowl of vinegar (or open windows) as an air freshener.

Walton says that commercial air fresheners work by numbing the sense of

smell. She suggests that toilet bowls be cleaned by wetting the side of

the bowl with white vinegar, sprinkling borax inside the bowl, and

waiting for 30 minutes before scrubbing.

 

" Soap is soap, " Walton says, " so there are no reasons to have a

different cleaner for every area of your home. "

 

If your spring cleaning involves getting rid of hazardous waste, there

will be a special collection from 8 am to 2 pm on Sat, Apr 8, at Harris

County Annex 13 & Sports Complex, 17423 Katy Freeway. Hazardous waste

includes products such as paints, stains and varnishes, cleaners,

polishes, automotive products, pesticides, fertilizers, and certain

electronics. Items that have the words warning, danger, toxic,

corrosive, irritant, flammable, or caution on their labels are

considered household hazardous waste.

 

Houston residents can recycle household hazardous waste and most other

materials at the Westpark recycling center. In addition, the facility

has a space called ReStore that is a repository for items that might be

used in art projects and a book swap.

 

Before you put something in the trash, check out the web sites of area

environmental groups. Many of them have wish lists. For example, Armand

Bayou Nature Center's list includes items such as 2-liter bottles,

buttons, fabric and yarn scraps, egg cartons, nature magazines, and neck

ties, all to be used in the education programs for children. Anyplace

that has programs for children will probably welcome such materials.

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