Organic Cleaning Sevice

Implementing "green cleaning" practices can reduce these health...

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 23:14:00 +0000

Proper sanitation and cleaning are important for a healthy building environment. Some cleaning products, however, can contain harmful chemicals that contaminate the environment and endanger human health.

Implementing "green cleaning" practices can reduce these health, safety, and environmental risks. Green cleaning involves selecting alternative products, using those products properly, and taking other steps to reduce risks while maintaining a satisfactory level of cleanliness and disinfection.

Visit Environmental Attributes Defined for more detailed information.

Visit We Work You Play to hire a professional Green Cleaning company in South Florida.

Perhaps most crucially, avoid products that are highly toxic.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 17:28:00 +0000

Perhaps most crucially, avoid products that are highly toxic to the environment, human health, or both. Here is a short list of problematic ingredients that are easily avoided, compiled from Green Seal, Seventh Generation, and Washington Toxics Coalition resources:

Corrosives:
Avoid products labeled "Danger. Corrosive." Corrosives include some of the most dangerous chemicals in the home, such as lye, hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, and sulfuric acid — the active agents in many drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and toilet cleaners. These chemicals can burn the skin, cause internal burns if ingested, and explode if used incorrectly.

Chlorine bleach:
Chlorine bleach is irritating to the lungs and eyes and contains trace amounts of organochlorines — extremely persistent and toxic chemical compounds known to cause cancer in animals, among other serious health problems. When mixed with ammonia, chlorine forms a potentially deadly gas.

Ammonia:
Many home recipes and commercial products contain ammonia, but it is a strong eye and lung irritant and should particularly be avoided by anyone with asthma or other lung sensitivities.

Phosphates:
Phosphates are naturally occurring minerals used in automatic dishwashing detergents as a water softener. When released back into the environment, phosphates can cause algae blooms in lakes and ponds that kill aquatic life. Look for "phosphate-free" dishwashing detergents, try a homemade recipe of half borax and half washing soda instead, or skip the dishwasher and use a dishpan and regular dish soap instead.

Petroleum products:
Many surfactants (cleaning agents) are refined petroleum products that are linked with health problems and require environmentally harsh methods to extract and distill. Seventh Generation estimates that "the average household contains 63 different synthetic organic chemical products which total approximately 10 gallons of potentially hazardous petrochemicals." A few specific ones to avoid: diethylene glycol, nonylphenol ethxylate, and butyl cellosolve.

As a final tip, if you're unsure of a product, Mark Petruzzi of Green Seal recommends that you call the toll-free phone number on the package and request as much information as possible. "Don't be afraid to ask specific questions like, 'Can I use this around asthmatics?' or 'Does this contain endocrine disruptors?'" he advises. If a company does not provide a satisfactory answer, decide whether it's worth doing business with that company.

Cleaning your home shouldn't be a HAZMAT operation. With a little care, common sense, and a few basic ingredients, your home can be sparkly clean and healthy — without breaking the bank.
ResourcesOrganizationsThe Consumers Union Eco-Labeling Program Green Seal EPA fact sheet on disinfectants The Washington Toxics Coalition

Dish Detergents, Laundry Detergents, and All-Purpose Cleaners

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 23:15:00 +0000

Problems:

Most conventional dish and laundry detergents are made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource. Some detergents contain alkyphenol ethoxylates, which are suspected hormone disruptors that don't readily biodegrade and can threaten wildlife after they go down your drain. Ethoxylated alcohols in liquid detergents can contain carcinogenic 1,4-dioxane.

The fragrances in detergents and fabric softeners can contain phthalates, chemicals that have been linked to cancer and reproductive-system harm in animal lab tests. Fragrances may also trigger asthma and allergic reactions, with symptoms including skin and respiratory irritation, headaches, and watery eyes. Although phosphates, which choke waterways, are no longer used in most dish and laundry soaps, they can be found in dishwasher detergents. Phosphates are highly caustic and can be fatal if swallowed.

Other ingredients turn dangerous when combined: Diethanolamine and triethanolamine can react with nitrites (an often undisclosed preservative) to form carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Solutions:

Use laundry soaps labeled "fragrance-free," advises Harvey Karp, a Los Angeles pediatrician and author of The Happiest Baby on the Block. If you want to use citrus-oil products, sniff-test a small amount from a few feet away, as these products can be irritating to allergic or sensitive individuals. Karp also advises choosing dish and laundry detergents and all-purpose cleaners that are plant-based (corn, palm kernel, or coconut oil).

To remove stains from clothing, try soaking fabrics in water mixed with borax, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, washing soda, or white vinegar. Or, look for "non-chlorine bleach" made from sodium percarbonate or sodium perborate, available from Bio Pac, Ecover, Naturally Yours, Shaklee, or Seventh Generation.

Fabric can be softened by adding one-quarter cup of baking soda to the wash cycle; this recently worked on several pairs of catalog-bought cargo pants made of a cardboard-stiff cotton that literally scraped a teenager's skin. A quarter cup of white vinegar will also soften fabric, as well as eliminate cling.

How to clean your house without hurting the planet

By The Green Guide

www.weworkyouplay.net

Green Premium

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 23:08:00 +0000

Green-cleaning services generally cost about $5 to $10 more per hour, according to Phillips. That coincides with the higher price of commercial eco-cleaners. Despite the extra cost, the Nutrition Business Journal estimated the sale of eco-cleaning products jumped from $140 million in 2000 to $290 million in 2004.

"It's not that it's never worth the extra money," Rangan said. "But in order for consumers to figure it out, you have to begin with an ingredient list."

For some people, there is no question that using all-natural cleaners is worth a premium. One of Berman's customers, Constance Pond, a New York resident and mother of two sons, said at first she hired green cleaners because they were convenient and reliable. Since then, one of her sons has been diagnosed with autism, and now she says she can never revert to using a regular cleaning service.

"It is extremely important to me to limit the chemicals in my house, because my son tends to be more sensitive to chemicals," she said. "It's not even a problem to be in the house when they're cleaning because there are no toxic fumes or anything like that."

ABC News

www.weworkyouplay.net

Why Organic (green) Cleaning Service?

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:58:00 +0000

Cleaning products are everywhere in our homes and offices: on dishes, countertops, furniture, clothes, floors, windows, and floating through the air.

In our war on dirt and germs we may often actually be making things worse. Most of the conventional cleaning products we all grew up with are petroleum-based and have dubious health and environmental implications.

Instead of opting for cleaning products that annihilate everything in their path, there are plenty of natural products and methods that keep a house clean and fresh-smelling without the toxic side effects.

How To Green Clean

www.weworkyouplay.net