Green-Clean, Part II

I have actually been doing "green cleaning" for the most part for a while now. I started my green cleaning to save money (vinegar and baking soda are a lot less expensive than most of your household cleaning formulas...). As I have become more aware of the effects that using chemicals have on our bodies and the environment, I have become more and more committed to using non-toxic household cleaning methods.



Let me explain my madness in very brief terms: I believe that a huge part of the reason that we are seeing a rise in catastrophic illness in this time of great prosperity and medical advancement (when we should presumably be seeing a decrease in these illnesses) has much more than we'd like to believe to do with (a) our diets; and (b) all of the chemicals in our environment.



My green cleaning handbook is Green Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck. What a great book! In the book, Sandbeck references the 1998 Chemical Hazard Data Availability Study, which states that of 491 chemicals commonly used in consumer products, only 25% of them had been tested for toxicity. Yes, that's 25%. What about the other 75%??? I realize that this study is 12 years old, but considering that the study also estimated that the cost of studying the other 75% would cost $427 million, I would bet that it hasn't happened yet. Now, this is just a tiny fraction of what all of these companies gross (Sandbeck says it's about 0.2% of their annual sales)...but still. It's all about the bottom line.....



So, yesterday I performed some toxic waste removal....from my kitchen, anyway. Let me say this: I am not naive enough to believe that just because I choose not to use toxic chemicals anymore that this means I will not be exposed. I am acutely aware of the toxins in my environment, and you better believe they are everywhere-in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the (nonorganic) food we eat! I choose to not let this stress me out. I'll do what I can do and pray about the rest! Anyway....this is the box of crap I removed from under my kitchen sink. Yikes!





Okay, prepare yourself. What I am about to show you is shocking.





You'll see.







Wait for it........
















Ouch!

I am so ashamed!

My favorite (okay, least favorite.....) part is the name. Just think about that for a second. Insecticide. Or think about it's plant-killing counterpart....herbicide. Think about the meaning of that -icide. This is derived from the Latin -cida which can be translated "killer." Yes, I know that these products are meant to kill insects, weeds, etc., but the name is unsettling. It brings some very unpleasant words to mind....I'll let you think of those on your own. If you don't think these products have any effect on your body or the environment, think again! Just food for thought there.

Excuse me, I have to go wash my hands.....I just touched that bottle. And, darnit, I put the bottle on my counter! Next to my utensils! Guess I'll wipe that off, too!

Okay, so here's what's left. Trash bags, vinegar-water solution, pure vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, phosphate free dishwasher tablets, the polish for my stainless steel appliances (which is probably not nontoxic...I must research this), Seventh Generation dish liquid, Murphy's Oil Soap, and some cleaning tools (bucket, duster, rags, etc.). The rest will go to the household hazardous waste collection next Saturday (June 12, that is) downtown.



And now I have space in my cabinet to store my compost (i.e. free fertilizer!) containers out of sight.....one for fruit and veggie scraps and one for coffee (blueberry bushes love coffee)...so now my guests don't have to wonder what those nasty containers on my counter are for. Yep, they're gross, but who cares!

Green-Clean Your Fruits and Veggies!

Are you like me, someone who feels the need to get your fruits and veggies clean, clean, clean? I mean, why wouldn't you be? Even if you buy organic, there's probably something in the dirt you just really don't want to ingest. Washing with water, however, has shown not to greatly reduce the amount of yuck on the outside of your food. You could buy the produce spray in the produce section of your grocery store, but why would you do that when I can show you an easier, much less expensive way? I've actually been using this trick for a few years now. I learned it when I first read Green Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck in 2007 (on vacation! I've got to get a life).




First, you need plain old, white vinegar and a spray bottle. This is just a ginormous jug of Great Value brand that I bought at Bi-lo.

Next, a big bottle of hydrogen peroxide. I just screwed the nozzle from a garden sprayer directly into the bottle. Hydrogen peroxide needs to be kept in a dark bottle or it loses its disinfectant properties.

Test subject: grapes. Ignore the white "bloom" on them. They're not moldy! I put them in the bowl of my salad spinner.

Spray generously with vinegar. I give them a few good shakes/tosses as I am spraying.

Now, spray generously with hydrogen peroxide. Again, a few good shakes/tosses will ensure that your produce gets the "full treatment."

Now, I rinse. This step is actually not necessary. The peroxide rinses off the stinkiness of the vinegar and both vinegar and peroxide are completely non-toxic. However, I just have a weird "thing" about peroxide being on my food when I eat it.

Now, I give it a good spin....

If you don't have a salad spinner, you should get one! This one is from Pampered Chef, and it's great!

Now, do whatever you're going to do with your produce. These grapes are for snacks/lunches. I got eight bowls from that bunch, in case anyone cares.

By the way, I use the vinegar/peroxide solution to clean my sinks and countertops as well. I hate using chemicals to clean. I just spray everything down with vinegar, then peroxide, then let it sit for five minutes or so. I wipe it with a clean cloth and I'm good to go. It will even take care of the bacteria from meat juice drips!