Out with the toxic, in with the green
For a thorough rundown on how to clean your house without hurting the planet, check out all the ways to have Good, Clean Fun. For those who prefer a cheat sheet, here are some quick-and-dirty tips:
- Weather permitting, open a window to help rid your house of indoor air pollutants.
- Steer clear of synthetic air fresheners and fragranced cleaning products that can irritate both respiratory systems and ecosystems.
- Keep your eco-product labels straight: Terms like "natural," "nontoxic," "eco-safe," and "environmentally friendly" are largely unregulated. Look for more than pretty words to set your mind at ease.
- Search out specific ingredients that will keep you both green and clean. Keep it simple, keep it safe: Plain soap, water, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), vinegar, washing soda (sodium carbonate), lemon juice, and borax are usually sufficient to get the job done -- especially when mixed with a little elbow grease.
- Black list anti-green ingredients, such as phosphates, petroleum, bleach, triclosan, and the surfactant nonylphenol ethoxylate or NPE (often found in laundry detergents).
