Organic Cleanup

Lately there has been much debate about the use of Triclosan in antibacterial products, such as hand soap. Although scientists and “experts” can’t agree whether there is any harm in using this product, I’m here to tell you some facts and let you draw your own conclusion.

• Triclosan is an “organic” powder that is proven to kill bacteria.
• It is used in a plethora of consumer products including hand soaps, face and skin cleansers, toothpastes, deodorants, cosmetics, shaving gels, and some first aid supplies.
• It has also been used in pesticides and to kill the antibiotic resistant MRSA infection.
• There have been several studies (mostly by producers of products containing triclosan) that have proven no harmful effects to humans.
• There have also been studies showing triclosan linked to birth defects, problems with the thyroid signaling in the body, weakening of the immune system, and uncontrolled cell growth.

Personally I have switched to non-antibacterial soap and check products for triclosan before buying. I don’t know if it can really cause thyroid problems or uncontrolled cell growth. I do know that if it currently is used to kill MRSA than antibiotic-resistant germs haven’t gotten resistant to triclosan yet and I have no interest in rushing that  process.

If you were to look around your kitchen you would find some powerful cleaning products - and I’m not talking about the ones in the plastic bottles with the toxic odors and the unnatural colors. I’m talking about fruits, spices, minerals and herbs.

Citrus Fruits:Ever wonder why lemon scent is added to so many cleaning products? More recently lime and orange scents have been elbowing their way onto to the shelves. Although commercial cleaning products add a small amount of citrus extract and a whole lot of artificial (and not helpful) citrus smell, citrus fruits actually have very powerful cleaning properties. The extract from citrus peels have anti-fungal and antibacterial properties. They can cut grease, deter pests such as fleas and mosquitoes, and offer a freshener component to whatever you are cleaning.

Baking Soda:Baking soda is one of the best cleaners available (and it’s so cheap!) It whitens, polishes metals, absorbs odors, and deodorizes stinky areas like drains and toilets. All you need to do is mix with water and you have an all purpose cleaner for only pennies a bottle.

Salt: Salt works as a non-scratching abrasive cleaner and can stop bacteria from growing on surfaces.

Lavender: freshens the air while providing bacteria-inhibiting properties.

Peppermint: Cleans grime, freshens the air, and prevents bacteria growth.

Cloves:Can be boiled for a natural air freshener. Also has bacteria-inhibiting abilities.

Tea Tree Oil (If you don’t have this, you can find it in the vitamin section of your local drug store): This is an essential oil that has natural fungicidal and bactericidal properties. It is not only good for cleaning but has many medical uses as well.

Vinegar: Referring to white distilled vinegar, can be used to cut grease, clean glass and prevent mold growth.

Olive Oil: Combine olive oil with white vinegar and use to dust and polish wood furniture. You can also add a little lemon oil for that lemony-scent.  Although this may be the most expensive ingredient listed, only a small amount is needed to accomplish the same polishing as a commercial dusting agent.

Making things yourself is one way to not only eliminate the majority of harmful chemicals from your home but is also a great way to save you money. Laundry Detergent is no exception.

To make a simple but effective laundry detergent at home you will need  the following materials:

• A container capable of holding two gallons of liquid (I use my old detergent containers which have been rinsed out). You can use any plastic container as long as it has a lid.  
• A solid bar of laundry soap. I use Zote which is pink and smells very pretty. You can use regular bath soap too but I would suggest using two normal-sized bars.
• Borax. You can find this in the laundry aisle of just about any retail or grocery store. Borax is also used for cleaning other things so buy the biggest box you can find.
• Washing soda. The most common brand (in fact the only brand I could find) is Arm & Hammer but this is not to be confused with baking soda. It isn’t the same thing at all. I have some trouble finding this but managed to get it for a couple of dollars a box at my local Stop & Shop. You can also ask the manager of your supermarket to order it for you.

Start by boiling a five cups of water in a large pot. As the water is heating up, shave or grate to bar(s) of soap. Once the water is boiling, add the soap and stir until the soap is melted. You should have very soapy water at this point.

Remove from heat. If you plan on using your pan for food preparation, transfer the mixture into another container and add 1 gallon of hot water, 1/2 cup washing soda, and 1/2 cup borax. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Transfer into the storage container you plan on using.

You will need about a cup of this detergent to clean an average load of laundry. This detergent doesn’t get very soapy looking so do not worry if you don’t notice the detergent sudsing up. It isn’t the suds that do the cleaning anyway.

Clean & Green:The Complete Guide to Nontoxic and Environmentally Safe Housekeeping by Annie Berthold-Bond reveals 485 ways to clean your house and car without using toxic chemicals or harming the environment.

Not only does the author discuss in great detail the benefits of the usual suspects of nontoxic cleaning like baking soda and vinegar, she also talks about essential oils (and how to extract them from plants at home), health food store alternatives to commercial cleaning products and the best places to find the ingredients you’ll need to make any type of cleaner that you would need.

Although I foud it difficult to obtain some of the supplies for her mixtures and found some of the solutions to be more complicated than necessary, I found much of the information useful and interesting. Not only does Ms. Berthold-Bond say not to use toxic chemicals, she talks about why  and what may happen if you do. It’s also nice to know that no matter what I may ever need to clean, I have a recipe for a all-natural way to clean it.

Hi, welcome to the intro post of Organic Cleanup.

The reason I created the blog was to share with others the benefits to cleaning with natural and organic supplies. I had originally intended to focus mostly on cleaning with cheap alternatives to toxic cleaning solutions.

However, once I looked up the technical definition of organic I realized that it mean something very different. In retrospect I meant to start a blog about green, all-natural, or eco-friendly  cleaning alternatives.

So what exactly is the difference between “Organic” and “Green”?

Organic is defined as Pertaining to, involving or grown with fertilizers or pesticides of animal or vegetable origin, as distinguished from manufactured chemicals. The government standards dealing with organic labeling has the following requirements:

When the label says ‘100 percent organic’ or ‘organic’

When the label says ‘Made with Organic Ingredients’

Other labeling provisions

Source: USDA National Organic Program

All of that is a bit more strict than I was thinking when buying the “organic cleanup” domain.

Green, All-natural, and Eco-friendly are all more vague terms than deal with the impact of the substance on the environment. In short, organic has more to do with the product and green has more to do with the impact of the product on the environment. While both are better for you and in some ways the environment (there is some controversy surrounding processing, packaging and shipping of organic products), I prefer the more frugal “green” choices.

So here is Fair Warning….I will be talking more about using all-natural and eco-friendly alternatives such as baking soda and vinegar. Solutions you will make yourself based on the recipes offered on this blog. While it isn’t organic, it is still a better option than the regular and very harmful chemicals most of us have used until now. And they work just fine too.