CLEAN GREENER AT HOME

             Cleaning might be a chore, but it doesn't have to be toxic, too! Safer products and practices are available and easy. Children accidentally exposed to harsh, corrosive cleaners can suffer burns to skin and eyes, and inhaling the fumes can cause lung damage. Exposure to low levels of these chemicals over a lifetime may increase the risk of developing serious health conditions, such as cancer or reproductive problems. Find safer cleaning products at EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning.

• Less is more. Dilute your cleaning supplies according to instructions and use only what's needed to get the job done.

• Open the window. Clean with windows and doors open so you don't trap air pollution inside your home.

• Use gloves and other precautions. Cleaning chemicals may harm or penetrate skin and eyes -- check warning labels.

• Keep kids away. Children are more vulnerable to toxic chemicals. If they like to help, let them clean with soap and water, not toxic cleaners.

• Avoid "antibacterial." If your family is generally healthy, there's no need to use potentially toxic "antibacterial" products, according to the American Medical Association. Wash your hands with plain soap and water.

• Never mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar, or other acids. These combinations can produce deadly gases.

• Don't be fooled by labels -- buy certified green products. Label claims aren't always true. Cleaning supplies certified by Green Seal or EcoLogo meet green standards.

• Try natural alternatives. Get EWG's DIY Cleaning Guide filled with recipes and easy tips on how to make your own non-toxic cleaners.

• Take care with pine and citrus oil cleaners. Avoid using these cleaners especially on smoggy days, when the ingredients can react with ozone to produce cancer-causing formaldehyde.

• Skip the biggest hazards. Avoid air fresheners, use a baking soda and water paste to clean the oven and tackle toilet stains, and use a mechanical snake to unclog the drain.

• Identify the contaminants in your home tap water

 

• Find a filter that works .Once you know what contaminants you have in your tap water, find a filter.

• Identify which style best matches your household needs and budget. There are six kinds of filters: pitcher/large-dispenser, faucet mounted, faucet integrated, on-counter, under-sink, and whole house.We spell out their pros and cons -- including relative cost -- in a user-friendly chart.

• Understand the technology. Although there are hundreds of brands of home water filters, all rely on a small number of technologies. Some common ones: carbon/activated carbon, deionization, ion exchange, mechanical filters, ozone, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet and water softeners. We explain how each works in our tap water report. Two of the most common technologies are:

  • Carbon filters (pitcher, tap-mounted or large dispenser) are affordable and can reduce many common water contaminants, like lead and byproducts of treatment processes.

     

  • Reverse osmosis filters remove contaminants that carbon filters can't eliminate, like arsenic and perchlorate (rocket fuel), but can be costly.

• Pick one that filters the contaminants prevalent in your tap water:

  • Want a decent filter at a decent price? Get a carbon filter. (Pitchers, faucet mounts, and large dispensers are popular types. Effectiveness varies widely.)

  • Want to remove as many contaminants as possible? Use reverse osmosis (RO) combined with a superior carbon filter. (Our guide helps you determine which brands offer minimally effective carbon filters and which are superior.)

  • Interested in removing a specific contaminant? Search EWG's online guide to filters.

  • Want extra protection? Some whole-house carbon filters remove contaminants from steamy vapors you and your family inhale while showering and washing dishes. Contact your local distributor to find a model that meets your needs.

• Change your water filters on time. Old filters aren't safe -- they harbor bacteria and let contaminants through.

 

• Skip bottled water .Despite marketing hype, bottled water is not necessarily any safer than tap water, and it can cost up to 1,900 times more! In fact, industry reports show that up to 44 percent of bottled water is just tap water -- filtered in some cases, but not necessarily in all cases. And because bottled water manufacturers aren't required to publish their water quality tests, you may not know exactly what you're gettiCarry stainless steel or other BPA-free bottles. Skip aluminum and hard plastic bottles. Aluminum bottles have an inner plastic lining that can contain BPA (read all about it on Enviroblog). Don't reuse single-use bottled water bottles. The plastic can harbor bacteria and break down to release plastics chemicals

• Find non-toxic, reusable containers, like stainless steel lunch boxes. If you choose plastic containers, pick them carefully (plastics marked with a #1, 2, 4 or 5 don't contain BPA and may be better options. Check our plastics tips) and wash them by hand -- the dishwasher's extreme heat can cause chemicals to leach. Try to avoid soft-sided plastic lunchboxes.

• Send tableware from home.

• Skip the straws -- or go reusable if you must.

• Just say no to juice boxes.

         

                                    Here are some examples of school lunches :

- Almond butter and jam on whole wheat
- Organic cherry tomatoes
- Organic watermelon wedges and blueberries
- Fruit leather -- look for natural brands or make your own

- Brown rice and bean chili in a thermos
- Organic sliced carrots
- Tortilla chips and fresh tomato salsa
- Organic Apple slices

- Peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat
- Handful of cashews
- Organic sweet corn
- Organic peach

- omato soup in a thermos
- Small chicken or turkey wrap or sliced cooked chicken
- Organic cucumber slices with lime and salt
- Organic grapes mixed with carrot slices

 

CHOOSE AND USE SAFER PLASTICS -- WHERE IT MATTERS MOST.

 

        Because plastics are ubiquitous today, choose them carefully to minimize your exposures. Avoiding them altogether isn't practical, so we suggest you focus on those that are likely to come into contact with your mouth -- the most common way chemicals in plastic consumer products enter the body. Plastic chemicals touch your mouth in a number of ways: from your hands and your food and drink. This is especially important for young children, who frequently put hands and objects in their mouths.

How to handle plastics:

When you do use plastics, handle them safely. We suggest that you:

• Don't microwave food or drinks in plastic containers -- even if they claim to be "microwave safe." Heat can break down plastics and release chemical additives into your food and drink. Microwaves heat unevenly, creating hot spots where the plastic is more likely to break down.

• Use plastic containers for cool liquids -- not hot.

• Don't reuse single-use plastics. They can break down and release plastics chemicals when used repeatedly.

• Avoid old, scratched plastic water bottles. Exposures to plastics chemicals may be greater when the surface is worn down.

• Wash plastics on the top rack of the dishwasher, farther from the heating element, or by hand. This will reduce wear and tear.

• Don't allow your baby or young child to handle or chew on plastic electronics (the remote, your cell phone) because they may be treated with fire retardants (learn more about fire retardants and how to reduce your family's exposure in a another Healthy Home Tip).

• Wash children's hands before they eat.

 

             SOME SAFER ALTERNATIVES:

       Where mouth contact is likely, stay away from plastics. There are a wide variety of safer alternatives available to meet your family's needs. Some ideas are:

For the kids

• When bottle feeding infants, choose glass or BPA-free baby bottles with a clear silicone nipple. See our 1-page Guide to Baby-Safe Bottles and Formula for more on safe bottle feeding.

• Give your baby natural teethers like frozen washcloths or natural, uncoated wood. Plastic teethers could have harmful additives that leach when chewed.

• Look for toys made of natural materials, like wool, cotton, and uncoated wood.

In the kitchen

• Ceramic or glass food containers (like Pyrex) are better to store and heat your food and drink.

• When using an electric mixer, choose glass or Pyrex instead of plastic to avoid chipping bits of plastic into your food.

• Lay natural flooring instead of vinyl.

• Use wooden cutting boards -- but care for them properly to minimize bacteria.

• Cover food in the microwave with a paper towel instead of plastic wrap.

In the bathroom

• Pick a cotton shower curtain instead of vinyl.

• In the tub, play with cotton washcloths, finger puppets, wooden toy boats and lightweight aluminum cups instead of soft plastic bath toys and books.

 

    TIPS

      -  Avoid carcinogens in cosmetics. Use EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to find products free of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer. When you're shopping, don't buy products that list ingredients with "PEG" or "-eth" in their name (chemicals often tainted with contaminants linked to cancer).

     - Read the warnings. Some products list warnings of cancer risks -- read the label before you buy. Californians will see a "Proposition 65" warning label on products that contain chemicals the state has identified as cancer-causing.

 

 

          TIPS TO REMOVE DUST SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY

        Careful cleaning is a simple way to get rid of toxic dust. Here's how:

• Vacuum frequently and use a vacuum fitted with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter.These vacuums are more efficient at trapping small particles and will likely remove contaminants and other allergens from your home that a regular vacuum would recirculate into the air. Change the filter to keep it working well, and don't forget to vacuum the stuffed furniture (get under those couch cushions)!

• Wet mop uncarpeted floors frequently to prevent dust from accumulating (dry mopping can kick up dust that simply resettles). Buy wooden furniture or furniture filled with down, wool, polyester, or cotton as these are unlikely to contain added fire retardant chemicals.

• Wipe furniture with a wet or microfiber cloth. Microfiber cloths work well because their smaller fibers cling to the particles. If you don't have a microfiber cloth, wet a cotton cloth -- it grabs and holds the dust better than a dry one. Skip synthetic sprays and wipes when you dust -- they only add unwanted chemicals.

• Caulk and seal cracks and crevices to prevent dust from accumulating in hard-to-reach places.

• Equip your forced-air heating or cooling system with high-quality filters and change them frequently to keep them working well.

• Keep electronic equipment dust-free by damp dusting it frequently; this is a common source of chemical fire retardants in dust.

• Pay special attention to places where little kids crawl, sit and play. They live closest to our floors and as a result tend to be more exposed to those toxic dust bunnies.

• If you're dust sensitive, consider asking someone else to do the dusty cleaning.