Cleaning Blueprints

by Rebecca Thompson, M.S.

Last month, we talked about the problems associated with commercial chemical cleaners, along with some healthier alternatives. This month, we’ll take a look at the process of changing what we’re doing and how our blueprints affect our choices. We’ll also look at some more alternatives and some homemade recipes for cleaners that you may want to try instead of Mr. Clean.

What are your memories of cleaning from when you were growing up? I remember my mom scrubbing with great fervor, showing me the proper way to really get that toilet clean. She wasn’t good at keeping up with the clutter at all, but underneath the piles of papers and assorted knick-knacks was the most hygienic counter you ever did see. She used bleach on every towel and sheet every time they were washed, no matter what color they used to be. She had a closet full of cleaners with Mister Yuk stickers on them to tell us they weren’t for eating, even well after we had all learned to read. When I moved out on my own, I purchased the same cleaners she had used when I was growing up. And I proceeded to clean under and around those piles of clutter just as she had. Those were my cleaning blueprints. It was all I knew.

When I first learned of the dangers associated with those common cleaners, my son was a baby. I decided it just wasn’t worth it to have something sitting around in my house that could kill my baby should someone forget to put it back when done. But I had no idea what to use instead. After all, my blueprints contained words like Spic and Span, Mr. Clean, and Comet. What else could I possibly use that wouldn’t be harmful to my family?

After I made the decision to use something different to clean my house, I embarked on an adventure to find safe, effective cleaning products that I could use without fear of harming my family. For a while, I was afraid to use the old, but didn’t really have a good alternative. Finally, at a friend’s suggestion, I took a trip to my local health food store to find a few safe cleaning products while I researched my alternatives.

When I first used some of the “healthy” cleaners, I wasn’t sure if everything was really clean because it didn’t smell like the chemical deodorizers I was used to using. Over time, I’ve come up with my own combination of cleaners that work for me and I now enjoy the smells associated with my own house when it is clean. It is simply different than what I grew up with and now I’m okay with that. When I visit my mom’s house, I am somewhat overwhelmed by the scents used in those old familiar cleaners. Who would have thought?

Fear-based marketing. We live in a very germ-phobic society and marketers of cleaning products use this fear to sell their products. We believe that we aren’t good parents unless we protect our children from these germs. But studies have actually shown that our children are developing allergies and other sensitivities because the environments are actually too clean- too sterilized. These studies show that children who live on a farm or have a cat in the house actually have stronger immune systems than their city-dwelling counter-parts without the great outdoors or animals to challenge their immune systems.

With all of these effective chemicals that are capable of annihilating most unsuspecting microbes, another problem has occurred. All of the weakest germs are easily destroyed, which leaves behind the most virulent. These are the ones our bodies cannot easily handle and the ones that have become antibiotic resistant. We are trading the germs our bodies need to experience and fight off to be healthy for those too tough for even most antibiotics.

Avoid antibacterial products. This means those little bottles of hand sanitizer that many moms carry around with them to use when children get dirty. They contain chemicals, such as triclosan, which are considered harmful especially for pregnant women and children. Many hospitals have stopped using or have limited the use of these products because they are increasing antibiotic resistant illnesses. The FDA states, “antibacterial soaps and hand cleaners are no better than soap and water and should be avoided.”

Australian microbiologist, Dr John Turnidge of Adelaide Women and Children's Hospital agrees: "The sale of these antibacterial soaps and detergents preys on people's fears of bacteria. They're really not necessary since soaps and detergents help reduce the risk from bacteria anyway. It's really a mild kind of fraud. There are no proven benefits, and all the available evidence suggests it could be detrimental."

Switch to an unscented laundry detergent for use with your children (and yourself) and you’ll be amazed at the difference. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has found that one-third of the substances used in the fragrance industry are toxic. But because the chemical formulas of fragrances are considered trade secrets, companies aren't required to list their ingredients but merely label them as containing "fragrance.”

Consider making your own cleaners. You’ll save money and avoid the toxic cleaners. It does take some conscious thought, but you and your children are well worth the effort!