Am I Susceptible to Chemicals?

 

Lots of household chemicals are harmful to your health

Everyone is susceptible to chemicals. Some people are affected by chemicals more than others. These people often have a lower immune system than others. People with a lower immune system include people who suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, ME, CFIDS, Glandular Fever, repeated infections, allergies and chronic diseases.

Let's make a list of the places people work or jobs people do that can make them more susceptible to chemicals. I cannot list all of them so would be happy if you wanted to add to them.

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.office .workers .cleaners .farmers .gardeners .cooks

.stay at home Mums  & Dads .school children .petrol station attendants .people who work at airports .people who work in clothes shops

.nurses .doctors .factory .workers .bakers .train travellers

.babies .taxi drivers .woodworkers .elderly people in nursing homes .laboratory workers

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Everyday Products containing chemicals
Most people use some form of chemical in their daily life without even realizing it. Some of these products are:
deodorants, shampoos and conditioner, makeup, dishwashing detergent, laundry detergent, air fresheners, toilet paper, floor cleaners, insect spray, garden sprays, polish for cars, petrol, lawn mower fuel, computer printers, ballpoint pens, textas, whiteboard markers.

As you can see, this is only a small list of things used in the home. There are chemicals you are subjected to whilst traveling in trains, cars and planes. Even when walking we breathe in the fumes of the cars that pass by. In the our place of work - the office or factory there are a miriad more chemicals we either touch or breathe in.

Everyday Products
Many of our everyday products are made from chemicals too. These include polyester pillows, sponge mattresses, doona fillers, carpets, plastic utensils used in the kitchen and even your comfy lounge chairs.

Our Cars are Made of Chemicals Too
Your car is also full of chemicals from the glue that hold lots of it together to the vinyl seat covers or the synthetic removable covers over the seats to the sponge rubber inside the seats. And don't forget the plastic dashboard, the lubricants containing chemicals and the all important petrol or gas your engine runs on.

If you are affected by chemicals, try to minimise them in your life.

Photo with thanks

Allergies and Decorative Painting

 

People with Chemical sensitivities can be allergic to paint

Allergies and Paint

I LOVED to paint. It was my life for a long time. 

If you read my book, Allergies and Chronic Fatigue  A Natural Approach, you will know that from a very young age I have been fascinated with painting, whether it is transforming and beautifying a door or wall or decorating a canvas, piece of paper or some wood.

Throughout my book you will see that every time I was exposed to paint from childhood, I became very ill. We now know this as chemical allergies.

Modern paint is full of chemicals. Goodness knows what they were full of in the 'Old' days. I passed my thirties a good while ago.

Paint contains a good dose of chemicals including toluene and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are BAD for people with allergies to chemicals. 

My Painting Career
For many years I painted - artistically - up to 12 hours a day with artists acrylics. I would not use artists oil paints as the brushes had to be cleaned in turpentine - another strong smelling chemical. One video I watched of an artist explaining how to paint even used petrol to clean his brushes!!!!!

Now I thought I could get away with these tubes of acrylic paints. After all it said on the plastic tube 'Non toxic'. Mmmm. To whom?

I painted folk art style and still love this simplistic version of painting. This style is often painted on wood or tin. The background has to be painted first. Here come the larger quantities of paint. Get the picture?

I also used to mix large quantities of background colour for my students - I taught painting for years too. Painting classes were a delight for me but I found that going home after a couple of classes I was totally drained. I had been exposed to paint from 12 students for 5 hours.

Well eventually my chemical allergies all came to a head and I ended up in bed - for years. But here I am.

My style of painting has changed a lot over the years, as happens. I used watercolour paint for a while as very little paint or pigment is used. It is different to acrylic paints. Now I can use acrylics again, but I will never use them to the same extent as before.

Chemical Sensitivities
If you have chemical sensitivities be careful with acrylic artist's paint too. It is not only the paint in the tubes but the tubes themselves are made out of plastic - more on that another day. People with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) need to be careful.

To see my Folk Art Books click here.
For more information on my book Allergies and Chronic Fatigue  A Natural
Approach click here.

Clean Air and Insect Spray

Clean Air

Clean, clear air of good quality is important to me. 

• I like fresh air. 
• I like sea air.
• I like forest air.
• I like crisp, cool air.

I like the air in my house to be fresh and clean and free of chemicals. We live near the sea and have our windows and doors open most of the time. 

How do Chemicals get into your Home?

You may wonder how chemicals can get into the air in your home. 

Do you you use any of these products?

• toilet freshener
• air wick
• room freshener, even the ones that send out a spray every 30 seconds
• hairspray
• underarm deodorant
• cooking sprays
• insect spray - surface or air
• ant killer
• kitchen cleaning sprays
• oven cleaner
• laundry detergent
• laundry spray
• shoe polish
• dry cleaning
• Glen 20
• scented toilet paper
• perfumed rubbish bags
• those little blobs that stick onto the inside of the toilet

These and many more products are continually advertised to us on our televisions as products that we 'must have' to have acceptable homes. If we don't use them then we are not good housekeepers.

Insect Invasion

Recently some ants invaded my laundry. They were marching up the door jamb and around the windowsill. Usually I will get rid of them by other means like using boiling water or lemon aromatherapy oils to deter them. 

Insect Spray

However they arrived on a day when I did not have much energy and I reached for a can of insect spray. This can of spray had lasted about five years so you can't accuse me of keeping the shops in business. 

I gave a quick spray, much as I hate to kill off the little creatures. If they are outside I will leave them alone. But they should not come into my home. 

The smell of the spray was overpowering. I opened the window and closed the inside door for the rest of the day. The next morning when I went into the laundry the smell was still overpowering.

Do you mean to tell me that the chemicals in that product would not affect me? It could kill the ants and blow flies. Surely it must be having an effect on me too. 

Well, the can of spray was empty and it went into the recycling bin. Good riddance. 

It's clean air for me!

No more chemicals.

I HATE Scented Toilet Paper

Why have Scented Toilet Paper?

 

Everyone Uses Toilet Paper

Why, oh why do they have to make scented toilet paper. When I go into a toilet with these perfumes it takes my breath away. 

'Smells nice’ you say. Have you stopped to think what these perfumes are made of? Do you really think that manufacturers would buy expensive aromatherapy oils to perfume their toilet paper? Of course not!

Well, how do they perfume the toilet paper? What do they use? Have you ever heard of chemicals?

Who are the most sensitive people in our society?

Everybody needs to go to the toilet a few times a day, some more than others. Who are the most vulnerable people in our community? Babies, toddlers, older people and people who are ill. We’ll discount babies in our present discussion because they don’t go into a toilet.

Do you want your toddler exposed to chemicals?

Toddlers go to the toilet often when they are being toilet trained, and later as young children. Every time they go into a toilet that has scented toilet paper available they are inhaling a lung full of chemicals. Even worse is when a basket full of spare toilet rolls is sitting in the open air in the toilet. The perfume is overpowering. If the perfume is overpowering then the chemical overload is overpowering also. Do you want to inhale this? Do you want toddlers to breathe in chemicals that may affect their little tender bodies?

Buy Fragrance Free or Hypoallergenic

To protect ourselves and our loved ones, look for fragrance free or Hypoallergenic toilet paper. These are free of perfumes and much safer for us. Read the back of the packet of toilet paper. Look for the words ‘Fragrance Free’.

Making your own safe scented toilet paper

If you really want your toilet to be perfumed buy some pure aromatherapy oils. These are sometimes called Essential oils. These are oils of plants themselves. This is where real perfume comes from. Do not buy fragrance oils. These smell nice, but guess what? They are made from chemicals too. The fragrance oils cost around $5. Real aromatherapy oils will cost closer to $20. Which would you choose – the chemical or the pure perfume?

To perfume your toilet paper place a couple of drops of aromatherapy oil on the inner cardboard then place it on the holder as usual. Aromatherapy oils are good for you so long as you choose an oil you like. Fragrance oils are not.

Let me know what you think about inhaling unwanted chemicals in your own home.

Hay Fever Relief

 

Nat mur Cell Salts

Natural Hay Fever Relief

Natrum muriaticum or Nat mur for short is a wonderful, simple and effective natural remedy that helps relieve hay fever.

Here in Australia we are about to go into Spring. This is the time many flowers bloom and there is lots of pollen in the air. Also around the time of the equinox there is more wind. The equinox is when we experience equal day and night. This happens twice a year - at the third week in March and September every year. Leading up to this time the weather can become very windy. This can cause lots of sneezing and watery eyes  too, especially on the days of hot dry winds from the north.

Nat mur is a Cell salt. These can also be called Tissue salts or Bio-chemic salt. Our body is made up of 12 different salts or minerals. This is one of them. Each of these salts affects a different system in our body.

Nat mur affects the water in our body. It seeks to stabilise the moisture in our body, stopping it from getting too wet or too dry.
Nat mur is good for when we experience excessive moisture from hay fever.

Symptoms of Hay Fever are:

• excessive sneezing

• runny nose

• watery eyes

• irritability (who wouldn't be irritable with all these uncomfortable symptoms)

Nat mur can also help with sinus problems when there is excess moisture.

Skin Symptoms

Nat mur can also relieve blister type rashes on our skin. Watery blisters, eczema, and shingles may be helped or very dry, itchy skin for example in the creases of knees and elbows. Remember, Nat  mur is about regulating the water in our body, to stop it from being too dry or too moist. Eczema and allergies are common. It also helps with heatstroke.

Emotions

People who need Nat mur may also hold a lot of grief. It is also good for people who cry a lot, or who cannot cry at all. These people also hold resentment and wish to be alone.

Nat mur can be purchased as tablets or spray for under the tongue, or as a Homeopathic remedy.

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Click on image to purchase Nat mur

Creating Good Air

 

Spider plants are good for people with allergies. They clear the air

How to Create Good Air Around Us

We can actually help the air around us to be of much better quality. This is by utilizing indoor plants in our environment.

 
Many plants that can be grown indoors actually clear and clean the air around us. The microbes around the roots of the plant eat up the chemicals in the air. Plants put out oxygen. They take in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. This is why forests are so refreshing. The air is more oxygenated. We always say the air is so fresh. Well this is why. We breathe in oxygen in the air and breathe out carbon dioxide.

We can create our own little forest indoors

Scientist have done a wonderful job at deciphering the role of indoor plants. They first worked this out at NASA where they were trying to determine the air quality for astronauts. Bill Wolverton became fascinated with this and worked on a list of many plants that would improve our air quality. 
 

Plants for good air quality

Among these was the Spider plant. Now this plant is familiar to us. It is hardy and happily grows almost anywhere. It is a great plant to have around your computer area or office to gobble up all the chemicals put out by printers and photocopiers. It is also a hardy and attractive plant for the home. It is very attractive in a hanging pot where its leaves and baby plants can hang down. One of my all time favourites.

The Snake plant and Golden pothos are recommended plants to use.

Sick Building Syndrome

Familiar objects around us can be emitting chemicals in the air. You will be shocked to know that facial tissues, paper towel, carpets, gas stoves and the upholstery of your lounge suite all give off formaldehyde.

Symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome are burning eyes and respiratiory problems.

Photocopiers give off xylene and toluene, benzene, TCE and ammonia. Cosmetics contain alcohols and acetone and paints for the walls of your home give off formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, benzene and alcohols.

What a creepy concoction of chemicals is in the air we breathe.

Renewable Fuel for Cars

 

What sort of fuel will cars of the future use? Will it be better for our health? Will it be sustainable?

Sustainable Energy

One of our sons is doing a Masters degree in Sustainable Energy where he is looking at ways we can make energy that is renewable so that we will not run out of supplies. People have come from all over the world to do this course. 

These energy supplies can come from the sun, the wind or waves. Oil can also be extracted from a special variety of algae - the green stuff that grows in water. Other forms of fuel can be made out of crops eg corn. These sort of fuels are called bio-fuels.

Diminishing Oil Reserves

Oil reserves on our planet have taken millions of years to build up. In the last 100 years we have been guzzling these reserves for our very thirsty motor cars.

We have been warned by scientists over recent years that the oil reserves are getting lower. Imagine that. What has taken millions of years to get there can do a big disappearing act in just 100 years. 

Energy for the Future

What sort of fuel will our grandchildren and great grandchildren be using in the 100 years time if there is no oil left for them? Are we being greedy?

Some engineers have been seriously thinking about this problem and trying to do something about it.

 

Fuel with less Chemicals

We now have electric cars coming onto the market but there are not many of them and electricity has to be made somewhere. Also the batteries that they use to store the energy will have to be disposed of very carefully or they will become another health hazard for future generations.

Other clever people are trying to make fuel out of plant products and algae. They are succeeding though these things take time to make the fuels in large quantities and arrange for them to be readily available at fuel stations.

We need a fuel supply that is less reliant on chemicals and better for our health.

Popular Natural Toothpastes

 

Natural Toothpaste

The most popular natural toothpastes I sell in my online stores are Propolis, Vicco, and Olive Leaf toothpastes.Today people are becoming increasingly aware of food they eat and the cleaning products they use on their body. With chemicals in the environment abounding since the 1950s, we are constantly surrounded by them. Today, more than ever before, cancer takes its toll on the community. It was a rarity in the 1930s to 1950s.
Commercial toothpaste is a product that has also been invaded by chemicals. It must make your teeth look whiter, It must kill the bacteria in your mouth and it must have plenty of froth and bubble. Then, of course it must come in attractive containers and sometimes the paste itself is even coloured, and be peppermint flavoured.
Well, I for one am prepared to go without most of this. I definitely don't want the chemicals, especially the dangerous ones. I don't need the froth and bubble. When was the last time that the air in a bubble of froth cleaned anything? 

 

What I Look for in a Toothpaste

My preferences in a toothpaste are

• It must help clean my teeth

• It must not have chemicals

• I prefer pastes without essential oils as many of them don't agree with me

• I prefer the ingredients to be of a natural origin so I know what they are when I read their names.

• I prefer to like the taste

How I found Out There was a Need for Natural Toothpaste

I sell a variety of things on Ebay. I started out selling plants, cutting and seeds from my garden. I have been into Natural Health products all my life and make my own Flower Essences, Creams, Herbal Tinctures and Homeopathic remedies.
After a few years with severe allergies and chemical sensitivities, I was buying Natural toothpaste from my supplier. I put some on my Ebay site along with my bottles and vials and suddenly the toothpaste became popular. As I say, I didn't set out to supply toothpaste. However if people need it I am happy to supply it.

Propolis Toothpaste Vicco Toothpaste Olive Leaf Toothpaste Maharaja Ayurvedic Toothpaste Salt Toothpaste Calendula Oral Care Dental Paste

Link Between Fuel and Allergies

 

Gaseous chemicals are bad for everyone

Following on from my article about Renewable Fuel for our cars comes this article showing how there is a link between petroluem and allergies.

Crude Oil to Fuel

The crude oil found in reserves beneath the earth's crust is sucked out from its resting place where it has been for thousands of years. It is then refined into thousands of products. Our world is now made up of products from crude oil.

The thick, black sticky oil contains hydrocarbons like methane, ethane, propane, butane and pentane. You have probably heard of many of these. It is then made into petrol, gasoline,  deisel, jet fuel, kerosene, asphalt, heating and liquified petroleum gas.

Crude Oil to Chemicals

Products made from these substances are pharmaceuticals, solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, paraffin wax and plastics.

Can you see how our world has been influenced by crude oil?

Some Gases form these oils are
Butane which is used to power cigarette lighters
Propane which is used for cooking and heating and transportation
Any fuel that burns with a sooty flame may be carcinogenic, that is, cause cancer.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

Some people react badly to chemicals, sometimes many different chemicals including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These VOCs include perfumes, petrol or gasoline, deisel, smoke, solvents and are found in paint.

These people usually react to other allergens as well, for example pollens, house dust mites and pet fur and dander.

Symptoms of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity 

burning, stinging eyes wheezing, breathlessness and nausea extreme fatigue or lethargy headaches or migraines vertigo or dizziness poor memory and concentration runny nose - rhinitis

sinus problems skin rashes and/or itchy skin sensitivity to light and noise sleeping problems digestive upsets muscle and joint pain sore throat and cough

 

Toxic chemicals known to be Immune System Disruptors include organochlorines, formaldehyde, pesticides, herbicides and organophosphates. This means that they can upset our immune system.

I hope you have not been frightened off by all the big chemical words, but you would probably have heard of many of them. Now you know how they are all connected.

Renewable Fuel for Cars

References: follow the Links

 

 

Allergies and Folk Art Painting

People with Chemical sensitivities can be allergic to paint

Allergies and Paint

I LOVED to paint. It was my life. If you read my book, Allergies and Chronic Fatigue  A Natural Approach, you will know that from a very young age I have been fascinated with painting, whether it is transforming and beautifying a door or wall or decorating a canvas, piece of paper or some wood.

Throughout my book you will see that every time I was exposed to paint from childhood, I became very ill. We now know this as chemical allergies.

Modern paint is full of chemicals. Goodness knows what they were full of in the 'Old' days. I passed my thirties a good while ago.

Paint contains a good dose of chemicals including toluene and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are BAD for people with allergies to chemicals.

My Painting Career

For many years I painted - artistically - up to 12 hours a day with artists acrylics. I would not use artists oil paints as the brushes had to be cleaned in turpentine - another strong smelling chemical. One video I watched of an artist explaining how to paint even used petrol to clean his brushes!!!!!

Now I thought I could get away with these tubes of acrylic paints. After all it said on the plastic tube 'Non toxic'. Mmmm. To whom?

I painted folk art style and still love this simplistic version of painting. This style is often painted on wood or tin. The background has to be painted first. Here come the larger quantities of paint. Get the picture?

I also used to mix large quantities of background colour for my students - I taught painting for years too. Painting classes were a delight for me but I found that going home after a couple of classes I was totally drained. I had been exposed to paint from 12 students for 5 hours.

Well eventually my chemical allergies all came to a head and I ended up in bed - for years. But here I am.

My style of painting has changed a lot over the years, as happens. I used watercolour paint for a while as very little paint or pigment is used. It is different to acrylic paints. Now I can use acrylics again, but I will never use them to the extent of before.

Chemical Sensitivities

If you have chemical sensitivities be careful with acrylic artist's paint too. It is not only the paint in the tubes but the tubes themselves are made out of plastic - more on that another day. People with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) need to be careful.

To see my Folk Art Books click here.

For more information on my book Allergies and Chronic Fatigue  A Natural

MDF and Chemical Sensitivities

 

This display board is made from MDF but well sealed

Health Risks of MDF

Medium Density Fibreboard, or MDF for short, is the wooden product many artists use when they paint in folk art style, Tole painting or Decorative painting.
It is a manufactured wood product containing chemicals that may be hazardous to humans.

The original wood is finely powdered then bonded together with resins and bonding agents. It may also be made retardant to fire, water or stains - with chemicals.

Toxic Chemicals are a Major Health Risk

The main chemical used to form the MDF is formaldehyde.

Symptoms experienced by different people from MDF are

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lethargy flu like symptoms asthma lung conditions rashes chest infections

irritated mucous membranes dermatitis racing mind sweating racing heart

Toxic chemicals are often considered carcinogens, that is, cancer causing agents.

Other Uses for MDF

MDF is often used in building these days too. I was told by medical professionals involved in Environmental Medicine 17 years ago that MDF gives off gases from the chemicals used to make it, for about 30 years.
MDF should never be burnt in a fire, especially an indoor fireplace, because of the chemicals it gives off.

When Artists paint on this board, they also do a lot of sanding. This fine dust can get in your lungs producing irritation and asthma. Always use a mask when sanding this wood.

Children and MDF

Don't use MDF board around children or in their bedrooms. They spend a lot of time in their bedrooms sleeping and playing and they are breathing in the toxic gases all the time. Young children are readily susceptible to chest infection. You don't want to aggravate this.
Increasingly articles of furniture are made from MDF. Kitchen cupbards and shelving are among the myriad items created from MDF. The powdered dust that is the result of cutting and sanding this board are also dangerous. If you are in this industry, make sure to wear a mask. It is better to wear a mask now than to die of lung disease later on.

Sense or No Sense?

Recently I was in a factory where they made furniture. A man was spraying a piece of wooden furniture with varnish (chemical of course). He had on a mask, however the mask was keeping his neck warm instead of covering his mouth and nose!

Allergies and Perfumes

 

Perfumes are mostly made from chemicals

People with allergies are often affected by perfumes. Perfumes may once have been thought of as the scented waters that women applied to themselves to make themselves smell pretty.

With the growth of the Perfume and Cosmetic industries there is now a vast array of perfumes.

Once perfumes were made from real flowers. These sweet smelling flowers were then able to be distilled and the oil of the flower was collected. This is now used as aromatherapy oil. It can be used to make perfume, but most perfumes today are made with chemicals. So probably the perfume you adore has been made in the laboratory with chemicals.

Where Perfumes can be Found

Perfumes can be found throughout our society today. They abound in the workplace, wherever people gather, and especially in the home. They are in

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deodorant after shaves personal hygiene sprays Household cleaners dishwashing liquid laundry powder fabric softener sun cream car fresheners hair conditioner hair gel wet wipes flowers

air fresheners toilet paper wool wash toothpaste anti-bacterial sprays baby powder talc cosmetics soap hair shampoo hairspray hand sanitisers liquid soap in public washrooms

Places to Avoid

Super market aisles near laundry powders and cleaners, cosmetics and sugar.
Groups of people early in the morning.

I know you are going to you are going to say 'What? Has she gone mad?' But here's the reason.

What do most of us do when we get up in the morning? Have a shower with nice smelling soap, wash our hair with perfumed shampoo and conditioner, dry ourselves with fabric softened towels, use deodorant. Ladies may put on perfumed face cream, sun cream or cosmetics and perfume. Men may apply shaving cream or after shave lotion, maybe some hair gel.  When they they walk out of the bathroom they are fresh and FULL of chemicals. When a group of these people get together it can spell disaster for the chemically sensitive.

Where would these people be? At church, on trains and buses and at work.

What to do about it?

Find out my suggestions in my next article.

Eliminating Perfumes for People with Allergies

 

Deodorants smell strongly of perfumes

People with allergies and chemical sensitivities can be mildly to severely affected by perfumes. I have written a lot about where perfumes hide in our lives in the precious article.

Ways to Eliminate Perfumes from our Lives

You cannot do anything about everybody else's perfume load, but you can start with yourself, the people in your home and everything in your home. You have this power. Make use of it.

No1 Personal

Go through any products you use to perfume your body. At this time in your life you will probably not be able to smell the perfumes. We get used to the things around us and turn off from them. Our senses get overloaded and we do not even realize that some products have a perfume. We are just so used to them. When your sense of smell has been awakened, you will gradually notice that some things have a strong perfume that you never noticed before.

So, to eliminate your personal perfumes and body sprays, collect them all. If you cannot bring yourself to throw them out, seal them in a couple of plastic bags and place them out of the house, maybe store them in the garage. Don't give them away to a friend because, guess what, you will meet your friend and she may be wearing the products you gave her. Sorry guys for just referring to women, but the same goes to you too.

No 2 Bathroom
Go to your bathroom and read the labels of all your shampoos, conditioners, deodorants and soaps. If they are not perfume free or unscented, ditch them too.
Depending on your health, you may decide to use them up, then replace them with unscented products. This is up to you.

Now ladies, look at your cosmetics. I'm sure they will smell pretty (after all, the cosmetic companies want you to buy their products). Again, look for alternative products. Remember the face creams, hand cream and sun cream. Some of these have really strong perfumes.

Men, check out your deodorant especially that spray stuff, it's deadly. When I was very ill with allergies, a young male visitor sprayed some deodorant rooms away. I smelt it in seconds. These things travel in the air, and you would be surprised how quickly and how far they travel. Remember shaving cream, if used, and especially after shave splash.

No 3 Kitchen

Check out the kitchen. Especially look at your dishwashing detergent. This often reeks with chemical perfume. Get rid of it. I think this is one of the most deadly things. When you squirt it into the sink full of hot water, what happens. The hot water steams up into your face. What does it carry with it? The ghastly chemical perfume. Look for natural, environmentally friendly products that are perfume free.
If you have a dishwasher, what are you using in it? Some of these products are very strongly perfumes. Find one you can tolerate.

No 4 Laundry

Now, just walking down the supermarket aisles of laundry powders is enough to send anybody reeling with the smell of chemical perfumes. Don't kid yourself that any kind company would waste 100 time the amount in cost to perfume their products with real aromatherapy oils just for you. It just wouldn't happen. Besides, real aromatherapy oil evaporates, disappears, and does not last. Chemical perfumes last on and on. You just can't get rid of the smell of them.

So dump your perfumed powders or liquids, or again, depending on your health, use them up and replace them with unscented, unperfumed products. You, and all your family will be healthier and happier.

Good luck on your endeavours.

Photo by freedigitalphotos.net with thanks

Cleaning without Chemicals

 

Use environmentally friendly cleaners

Environmentally Friendly Cleaners

Water   Bi-carbonate of Soda   Vinegar

The best thing to use to clean is water. We are very lucky in our Western society that we have clean water and enough water to be able to clean with.

Add to this Bi-carbonate of soda, or often called carb
soda. You will fine bi-carbonate of soda readily available in the supermarket. It is not expensive. 

Who should use Environmentally Friendly Products?

If you care for the environment of our world, EVERYBODY should use these products.
I know most people are hoodwinked by the big chemical companies who make all the cleaning products. After all these products have pretty labels, pretty colours and pretty perfumes (to some).

However there are some people who definitely should use any natural products. These are people with allergies, asthma, hay fever, eczema, a weakened immune system, any illness, especially major illness and any parents with young children. The elderly also come in this group, also people in

Why would you want to submit your baby or toddler or young school age child to chemicals in their surrounding? Their young body is just forming. They do not need to be riddled with chemicals in their system. If you keep your young children safe from chemicals as much as you can while they are at home, which is probably up to 16 hours a day, they will be better able to withstand to the onslaught when they are at school. 

You are the guardian of your young child! Take care.
 

Benchtops

For marks that just will not move with water, sprinkle on some carb soda then rub with a damp cloth. Repeat if needed. If this does not move them, pour vinegar over them, let it sit for a while. Wipe off. If the stain is still there, reapply the carb soda.

Sink

For a sparkling sink, sprinkle carb soda onto a damp cloth and scrub the sink. Use an old toothbrush around the drain. Scrub down into the pipe of the drain with your toothbrush too. It's amazing what gunk attaches itself to the inside of this pipe. Keeping it clean can help eliminate odours. Pour carb soda down the drain then pour some vinegar down after it. It will bubble up. This is okay.  This will also help loosen the gunk in the drain. Rinse clean.

Stovetop

As for the bench, use water and dishwashing detergent. Add carb soda to get off the
greasies. 

Oven

Now, DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES USE PROPRIETARY OVEN CLEANERS. They are dangerous stuff for people with allergies. Have the oven warm, not hot. Sprinkle the base of the oven with carb soda then pour on some vinegar. When the two mix together they will bubble. This is okay. mix these into  paste on the floor of the oven and leave for an hour or so. The gunk will be softened and will come off more
easily. Repeat as often as needed.

One lady I know lost her voice totally for weeks every time she used oven cleaners, or when she went near new carpet.

My Favourite Environmentally Friendly Cleaner

My favourite cleaner is a little hand held steamer. All it uses is water which is heated to boiling point. When water boils it becomes steam. Steam kills off bacteria and cleans amazingly with NO CHEMICALS.

Steam Clean

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sparkling sink clean microwave sparkling stovetop clean oven cleaner than clean window in the oven door handles on cupboards and door toilet button, cistern, seat and lid furniture in the lounge room

mirrors in the bathroom bathroom basin glass shower walls windows edges of the dishwasher that get grotty cupboard doors washing machine mattresses in the bedroom drapes

 

Hand held steam cleaners are not expensive and in my view, worth using. They are environmentally friendly, using no chemicals.

Cheers