One of the biggest problems with society today, is that there are multi-million dollar companies who create and sell what they want, using a cornucopia of ingredients, and do little testing on the safety of their products. With the increasing number of cancer cases, and many other sicknesses and ailments, you'll find people rarely pointing their fingers at things like household cleaners, as a possible culprit for their sickness.
I have been an advocate for about 12 years, speaking out on the
harm of household chemical use. I recently stumbled upon this website for
Washington Toxics Coalition; http://www.watoxics.org/
I just had to share it with everybody, it has all sorts of facts
about the dangers of different household chemicals. WTC is right here in our
state, and aside from having good info, they offer different ways that
concerned moms, like me, can volunteer our time to help the cause.
By choice, I use only a few "harsh" chemicals in my
home;
To scour my tub, toilet or sink, I use baking soda and a good
scouring pad, I love those Mr. Clean pads.
To dust, I use a slightly damp rag.
When I want a fresh scent in my house, I crack a window rather
than using an air freshner.
Rather than windex, I make my own mix including vinegar and a bit
of dish detergent.
When I mop, I use hot water and a bit of dish detergent (Dawn).
To wash our laundry, I use ALL Free and Clear. I rarely use bleach
(read up on that!). I have NEVER used fabric softeners or fabric sheets, who
needs them? They inject toxic chemicals into the fabric, which then sits on your skin, which is your largest organ, so that when you sweat throughout the day, your skin absorbs the toxins. You also breath in the stuff. No thanks!
I NEVER EVER use anything in my laundry or home with scent or
perfumes in it. If I can smell a scent, I don't use it!
More and more studies are being done on products which have
perfumes in it. Would you scent your home or your clothing with a spritz of
gasoline? Maybe bleach? What about some lovely mist of acetone to "arouse
your senses"...Some of the most deadly chemicals are being breathed into
our children's lungs everyday, simply because many uninformed Mothers think
that that 'fresh smell' on their kids' clothing or plugged into an outlet in
their home, is nice! Here's an interesting link, there are many more like it: http://www.watoxics.org/pressroom/press-clips/fresh-scent-may-hide-toxic-secret?searchterm=laundry
Nearly all air freshners, toilet bowl disks, dryer sheets, fabric
softeners, laundry detergents contain deadly toxins in them. The deadly toxins
are the 'scent', and you're breathing it. Short term use of scented chemicals
can cause difficulty breathing, nervousness, dizziness, headaches, sick
stomach, feeling faint, rashes and/or difficulty controlling body movements.
And of course there are many side effects from long term exposure which can
occur such as seizures and various forms of cancer, a major one being lung
cancer!!!
It's easy to avoid these deadly chemicals. The general rule of thumb
is that if you can smell a scent, even a light scent, in your house, on your
clothing, or from your cleaners, then you are endangering your life and the
lives of your family. Your house and clothes should smell like, well, nothing!
I rarely even use perfumes or deodorant.
There are many affordable products which are much better for you.
Look to the internet at the many sites available to find out which products are
safest! Here's a few good links:
Likewise, you can make the choice to limit the amount of chemicals in your home,
like I did. If you look in my cleaning supplies, you won't see much more than 2
or 3 'Greenworks' cleaners which contain natural ingredients, and you'll find
vinegar, baking soda, and a variety of cleaning pads/rags. You will find no
oven cleaner or mildew killer, no polishers, nope...all that stuff can be
outdone by a little bit of elbow grease and a mild cleaner.
My husband has benefited GREATLY from my chemical free lifestyle...he
suffered from migraines for years, and after moving in with me, his migraines
decreased more and more. He's now gone from having one every month, to maybe
one mild one per year! And to be honest, knowing what I know, it breaks my
heart everytime I'm near a child who smells like fabric softener!!! Especially
if I know the child has problems such as skin rashes, headaches, asthma, etc. I
always try to educate other parents from what I've learned so that they can
take the steps to make their kids and family healthy!
The bottom line is, if you love your family, you'll strip your
household of those scented products today, throw them in the garbage where they
belong! Then, decide which chemicals you can live without. By using fewer
chemicals, you are not just making your family healthier, you're making the
Earth a better place by keeping those chemicals out of our air!
Much love!
Written by: Jennifer Schwartz, Paraeducator, Hospital Commissioner, Certified Caregiver, Wife, Mum
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