| Can being green be clean? I realize that is a strange | | | | windows to the walls. |
| question, considering all the products that can be | | | | Baking soda was another great cleaning aid. Making a |
| found in the market place today, all proudly | | | | paste with baking soda and water cleaned greasy |
| proclaiming that they are the best, of all the cleaning | | | | areas, fish tanks, and much more. You could use it |
| products. Many of them are even green in color, so | | | | with peroxide to clean jewelry; the opportunities |
| that should make them part of the "green team." | | | | were almost endless. Add a lemon to the combination |
| Right! WRONG! | | | | and there was nothing that you could not clean. |
| Being green in color has nothing to do with helping | | | | However, I realize in today's world and considering |
| "mother earth" or keeping your home healthy and | | | | how busy we all are, cleaning with homemade |
| clean. It matters not whether a product is blue, | | | | cleaners seems rather archaic and cumbersome. |
| green, red or white in color, it is what is inside the | | | | Your home should be one of the safest, healthiest |
| container that is important. | | | | and cleanest places in the whole world. So how can |
| Did you know that even when you think you have | | | | you go about doing that? |
| done a great job cleaning your home, you just might | | | | First of all, you can educate yourself about what you |
| have made it dirtier? How, you ask? By using | | | | bring into your home. If you have time to spare and |
| chemical cleaners that contain toxic materials. | | | | would like to find out about what is in some of the |
| Did you know that? | | | | products you use I suggest you visit this government |
| - Over 90 percent of poisonings happen at home | | | | site at It is full of information and worth an hour or |
| - Organic pollutants found in many household cleaners | | | | so of surfing. You can do so by copying and pasting |
| and even air fresheners are at higher levels inside | | | | this URL. |
| your home than found outside in the fresh air | | | | Secondly, have a clean for all. Get rid of all the nasty |
| - In school-age children approximately one out of | | | | stuff you have been saving for whatever reason. Do |
| every thirteen have an asthmatic condition, common | | | | it responsibly according to your area's collection |
| household cleaners can give off fumes that can | | | | guidelines for hazardous waste removal. Things like |
| potentially increase the risk | | | | old paint, batteries, garden sprays and cleaners need |
| - There are over 80,000 chemicals registered with | | | | to be disposed of correctly and not just thrown in |
| the EPA and less than 20 percent of them have | | | | the garbage. |
| been tested for toxicity | | | | Let the fresh air in your house, open the windows |
| - Children spend a lot of time putting things into their | | | | and let out the indoor air pollution, use essential oils |
| mouths and as a result can pick up a lot of toxic | | | | instead of air fresheners, plant some plants they not |
| contamination from things lying around on the floor | | | | only look pretty, but absorb harmful gasses and clean |
| and counters that you have just cleaned | | | | the air. |
| These are just a few of the ways we are poisoning | | | | Use Energy-Star-rated appliances, use the new |
| our children, the planet, and ourselves. | | | | florescent lighting, low flush toilets and a low-flow |
| Back in the days of our grandmothers, life was | | | | shower head, all these things will save you money in |
| simpler in many ways, I remember my grandmother | | | | the long run and help mother earth. |
| using white vinegar and water for just about every | | | | The purpose here is to get green and clean and to |
| cleaning job there was. A combination of vinegar and | | | | help Mother Earth retain her shape. |
| water was used to clean everything from the | | | | |