SAFE DIRT ANNIHILATION.
Destroy the dirt - not yourself!
YOUR WEAPONS OF DESTRUCTION:
white vinegar
baking and washing soda
lemon juice
liquid soap or dish detergent (fragrance-free and not antibacterial)
salt
machine-washable cloth or mop head
abrasive scrub, brush or sponge
squeegee
ANNIHILATION RECIPES:
ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER
Mix hot water with ½ teaspoon of washing
soda and ½ teaspoon of liquid soap or dish
detergent.
Skip it: Hydrocarbon, glycol ether or
aromatic solvents - grease- and
soil-dissolving chemicals linked to
carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity and/or
respiratory toxicity.
KITCHEN
Grime-fighting surface cleaner: mix
vinegar and salt into paste.
Skip it: Some oven cleaners are capable of
burning skin, eyes and lungs.
Try it: Sprinkle baking soda on oven stains.
Moisten with water, let stand overnight,
wipe and rinse.
BATHROOM
Soft scrub for bathroom surfaces: wet ½
cup baking soda with a little liquid soap to
get a frosting-like consistency.
Skip it: Chlorine bleach is a common harsh
ingredient. When inappropriately mixed
with acids or other cleaners, it can form a
poisonous gas.
Try it: For stubborn stains, try oxygen
(color-safe) bleaches. Wear gloves.
LAUNDRY
Skip it: Some fabric softeners and dryer
sheets coat fabric with asthma-causing
“qual” and secret “fragrance” chemicals.
Try it: Add vinegar to the rinse cycle to
reduce static cling, soften, brighten and
reduce strong odors.
MORTAL ENEMIES YOU WANT TO AVOID
BLEACH AND QUAT-BASED DISINFECTANTS
Sodium hypochlorite - found in chlorine bleach -
and quaternary ammonium compounds, also
called quats, are linked to respiratory harm and
other serious health effects.
AIR FRESHENERS
Can contain dozens of undisclosed and often
untested chemicals. Open windows, use fans and
try baking soda instead.
CAUSTIC DRAIN CLEANERS
May contain extremely toxic chemicals. Use a
drain snake or make a fizzy drain opener with ½
cup vinegar and ½ cup baking soda.
BEWARE OF THE TRICKSTER
WHAT THE LABEL DOESN’T TELL US:
It would be easier if all ingredients were required
to be listed on the label. But they are not. Check
for warnings and ingredients, not marketing
claims.
SKIP PRODUCT CONTAINING:
Ammonia; EDTA; ethanolamines and alkanol
amide surfactants; glycols, glycol ethers and
esters; isothiazolinones; optical brighteners;
per-and polyfluorinated compounds, or PFAS;
petroleum distillates; phosphates and
phosphonates; polyacrylates.
CHECK YOUR PRODUCTS FOR SAFETY RANKING ON WWW.EWG.ORG (follow the link and insert the name of the product into the search bar)
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