EASY STEPS TO A HEALTHY HOME

Ø	Choices for safer cleaning
Ø	Time to change to less toxic cleaners
Ø	Saftey Tips for handling household cleaners
Ø	Safer Cleaners - Brand Name
Ø	Safer Cleaners - Homemade Recipes
Ø	Tips for using homemade cleaners

To make home healthier for your family,
here are some ideas safer cleaning.

	Four easy steps to safer cleaning:
1	Take responsibility to keep a healthy home.
2	Educate yourself about healthier products.
3	Inventory current cleaning products. Replace toxic with nontoxic ones.
4	SPREAD THE WORD !

CHOICES FOR SAFER CLEANERS

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ITS YOUR CHOICE

Toxic cleaners may make your home look clean, but can pose serious health risks.

Less toxic cleaners are much SAFER, effective, affordable and readily available.

TOXIC CLEANERS

Perceived as the best choice for the hardest jobs.

Contaminants released during use, storage and disposal, create risks for health and the environment, especially for for children.

Produce chemical smells.

Consumer must be cautious to properly store and dispose of the product.

LESS TOXIC CLEANERS

Safer for health and environment.

Consumers use buying power to vote for products that are safer for health and environment.

Perception that green products are more expensive.

LESS TOXIC
HOMEMADE RECIPES

Safer for health and environment.

Inexpensive, can cost pennies compared to commercial cleaners.

Recipes are time honored.

Need a reliable source for recipes and instructions for use.

May need more elbow grease and time between application and rinse.

TIME TO CHANGE TO SAFER CLEANERS –

GETTING STARTED

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1) Think about your choices and responsibility. What does a clean home mean to you and your children? What are your criteria for selecting cleaners ?

2) Educate yourself on choices for toxic cleaners and less toxic cleaners.

3) Do an inventory of cleaners in your home. For each product gather the following information:

4) List the types of cleaners you need in your home.

Ø      cleaning job it is used for
Ø      product name, brand
Ø      signal word on the label – Danger,        Poison, Warning, Caution
Ø      how long you have had it (years,       months)
Ø      is it in the original container
Ø      is the label intact

5) Decide which of your current cleaners to keep. Ex. Products that are more than two years old, have damaged labels or missing labels should be discarded as hazardous waste. (The directions and health information may be out of date or missing.)

6) Select new cleaning products carefully. Test less toxic cleaners against your current brands. Compare the costs, effectiveness, health effects, and other factors, to find the best product for your cleaning needs.

7) Learn how to safely use, store and dispose of your cleaners. See our safety tips.

8) Learn about and tackle other hazardous products in your home, garage and yard.

9) Spread the word to your friends, family and community.

SAFETY TIPS FOR HANDLING

HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS

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Be sensitive to your own and your family’s tolerance to toxins or allergies to natural substances.

Carefully select the right product for each cleaning job.

Buy only what you need.

Read the label first, before buying or using a product.

Understand the hazards, if you choose to use a toxic cleaner. Educate yourself on the immediate and long-term health risks.

Know and follow the directions for use – proper amount, protective clothing, ventilate with a fan in a cross breeze,

Never mix products or brands!

If you are making homemade cleaners, carefully read instructions. If you are storing a homemade cleaner put homemade labels on the container.

Clean regularly rather than let dirt build up. This will help prevent the need for harsher cleaners.

Less is better. Use as little as possible to get the job done.

Know and follow the directions for storage – store away from children and animals…

Keep products in the original containers. Make sure the label is protected from damage.

Know and follow the directions for disposal. If you are using a toxic product, do not throw the product down the drain, down a storm drain or in the garbage. Contact your Town Clerk or Solid Waste Management District for the current disposal method.

Periodically inventory the cleaners in your home to determine which are old or damaged labels.

SAFER CLEANERS - BRAND NAME

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Consumer demand and advances in technology made safer cleaners
readily available AND cost effective.

Look at the Signal Words on the label to determine the toxicity of a product. Labels for less toxic cleaners will say ‘CAUTION’ and non toxic cleaners will have no Signal Words.

The brands identified below provide a spectrum of safe cleaning products that are sold in stores, by mail order or on the web. This list is not complete, but will help consumers recognize makers of safe cleaners. Always read the label anyway to be sure.

The following is a list of brand names for safers cleaning products.

A.F.M. Enterprices
Arm & Hammer
Auro Organics
Biofa
Bio Pac
Bon Ami
Cal Ben Soap Co.

Dr. Bonner’s
Earthrite
Eco Bella
Ecover
Granny’s Old Fashioned
Karen’s Non Toxic
Livos

Naturally Yours
Shaw’s Safe Science
Shaklee
Seventh Generation
Soapworks
Wood Finishing Supply Co.

Another way to identify less toxic products is to look for product seals. A seal on the label indicates that the product passed a set of tests for human and environmental health. One example is Green Seal.

www.greenseal.org

WHERE TO BUY SAFER BRAND NAME CLEANERS

In Vermont, we are lucky to have many retail stores that sell

less toxic cleaning products – Natural Food Stores, Shaws…

If you can’t find on the shelves of your favorite store, tell

the store manager what brands you want to buy.

SAFER CLEANERS - HOMEMADE RECIPES

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Homemade cleaners were used by generations before ours,
to keep homes clean and healthy.

With a few ingredients you can make a wide variety of effective and safe cleaners.

These days, many of us shy from mixing products in our homes. One might think the recipes are tricky or time consuming. However, most who have tried, find the recipes easy and convenient.

Recipes for homemade cleaners list the ingredients, how to mix them and instructions
for cleaning. There are many variations on recipes, the common theme being the
ingredients. It is best to try a few recipes to find which work best for you.

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CLEANING PROPERTIES OF COMMON KITCHEN SUPPLIES

Recipes, using these ingredients, can be found in many books and on the web.
Please refer to our Reading List for excellent resources.

BAKING SODA	Is slightly alkaline, so it neutralizes acidic ‘dirt’. It is a gentle scouring powder and deodorizer. It is safe on all surfaces and can shine. Softens water. Will not remove wax.

WASHING SODA or BORAX *	For tougher jobs, Strongly alkaline, effective grease cutter, scouring powder, water softener and deodorizer. Both will remove wax and are quite abrasive. BORAX is stronger than Washing Soda. Borax can be used to replace chlorine bleach, for whitening or disinfecting.

DISTILLED WHITE VINEGAR or LEMON JUICE	The opposite of Baking Soda and Washing Soda, these are acidic. Used to breakdown soap scum, gummy buildup, tarnish or mineral deposits. Vinegar is good for removing dirt from wood surfaces, mildew and as a water softener.

LIQUID SOAPS or DETERGENTS : VEGETABLE BASED	Work with water to dislodge dirt from surfaces – dishes, floors, windows, clothes... Soaps (castile) work best with soft water. Detergents work with hard water.

TREE TEA OIL *	An effective disinfectant and deodorizer.

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE (3%) *	A mild antiseptic. Can be used to replace chlorine bleach to whiten or disinfect.

* CAUTION: These are sold in concentrated forms so are somewhat toxic. Keep away from children. Always use gloves when cleaning.

SAMPLE RECIPES
Please refer to our Reading List for excellent resources.

TIPS FOR USING HOMEMADE CLEANERS

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Ø Almost any substance can be poisonous in some amount. Always be cautious and use gloves.

Ø Conserve your ingredients.

Ø Some commercial cleaners leave residues; for example window cleaners leave a waxy film. Before using homemade cleaners, rinse the surface with water.

Ø Using elbow grease will allow you to use less of the cleaner.

Ø Some homemade cleaners take longer to activate. Apply the cleaner, wait a few minuets, then rinse.

If you store your homemade cleaners, attach labels to the containers.

Include the following information.

Healthy Home

HOMEMADE CLEANING RECIPES

Name of Cleaner ___________________

Expiration Date ______

Recipe _____________________________________

____________________________________

___________________________________

_________________________________

Cleaning Instructions

__________________________