Green Up Your Spring Cleaning

It’s that time of year again! Time to open the windows, roll up your sleeves, get down and dirty (or clean), and aim for all those little dusty and dingy corners. But if you find your eyes burning and all that chlorine has singed off your eyebrows, you may want to consider greening up your spring cleaning tasks. By implementing a few simple changes you’ll be able to leave the haz-mat suit in the closet this spring.

Commercial cleaners are not only expensive, but contain lots of nasty chemicals that can pollute the air in your home. And, we all know where all those chemicals go…down the drain (along with your money) into the water supply. The U.S. Geological survey reported in a 2002 survey that 66% of streams sampled for contaminants contained disinfectants. Yuck!

Because knowing is half the battle (thank you, G.I. Joe), here’s a list of some things you may want to replace:

• Tile Cleaner – contains sodium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide, also know as caustic lye, is found in many cleaners and detergents (including drain cleaners). Sodium hydroxide can cause chemical burns and blindness. Some tile cleaners also contain monoethanolomine (can you even say that?). Monoethanolomine may cause liver, kidney, and reproductive issues, while inhalation can cause dizziness or coma.

• Toilet Bowl Cleaner – often contains chlorine bleach. Although most scientists agree that the use of household bleach doesn’t harm the environment, the production and transport of chlorine is toxic. And, who wants their house to smell like a pool anyway?

• Multipurpose/Glass Cleaners – contain ammonia. Ammonia is a known eye and respiratory irritant. Chronic exposure to ammonia can result in respiratory diseases like bronchitis and pneumonia. Also, mixing ammonia and bleach products creates poisonous chlorine gas and can burn the eyes and nose.

• Detergent – (really? detergents?) can contain phosphates. Just like the phosphorus in our fertilizers, phosphates in detergents could potentially get into the groundwater and pollute the waterways with phosphorus. If you’re unfamiliar with the phosphorus issue: Too much phosphorus in the waterways produces an environment perfect for growing–algae! The algae reduce the amount of oxygen in the water, thereby killing the fish and crustaceans.  Many detergents have already removed the phosphates from their formulas. Be sure to check the label.

The great thing about greening up your spring cleaning is that it doesn’t take a lot of money. Our grandmothers were the Queens of Green, believe it or not. Use these tried and true (I won’t use the term “old fashioned”) recipes to green up your cleaning products:

• Mean-Green Tub & Tile Cleaner – 1/4 cup baking soda +1/2 cup white vinegar (also good for making volcanoes). You can also use 1 cup of baking soda mixed with a teaspoon of liquid soap, a little water, and a few drops of an antibacterial essential oil (tee tree, eucalyptus, rosemary, or peppermint) for a delightful smelling bathroom cleanser.

• Squeaking Clean Tushies Toilet Bowl Cleaner – (1-2) denture cleaning tablets, let sit overnight. Or, 1 cup borax + 1/4 cup vinegar, let sit overnight.

• The No-Stank Multipurpose/Glass Cleaner – 1/2 tsp liquid castile soap + 3 Tbsp vinegar + 2 cups water (if you don’t like the smell of vinegar, use lemon juice).

If all of this sounds like too much work for you (see: lazy pants), there are still greener options for you at the store. Method brand products contain all biodegradable products and are manufactured and packaged in an environmentally responsible way (and, as a bonus, not tested on animals). You can find Method products at Target, Lowe’s, Costco, and even some Publix stores. For a detergent, just go with one that’s phosphate free. Ecos is a great brand (and they sell it at Costo–win!).

Another great line (although a bit more pricey) is Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day. Mrs. Meyer’s products come in scents like lavender, basil, and lemon verbena. Much better than “pool.”

And, don’t forget about the good old Simple Green products. Available at most home improvement and big-box stores.

For more information on what the safety of household products, along with more recipes for healthy alternatives, visit the Guide to Less Toxic Products (thanks, Canada).