Irina Wardas

Tips on Green Cleaning and Toxic Free Living

"Keep your own house and its surroundings pure and clean. This hygiene will keep you healthy and benefit your worldly life."-- Sri Sathya Sai Baba Spring is the time not only to detox our body and revitalize our spirit but also clean our house. If you plan to stay healthy, you definitely have to be aware of the environment you live in. We absorb toxins from food we eat, air we breathe, water we drink, etc. So to be healthy, we need to take care of our house, making it both cleaner and greener and it means eco friendlier and toxic free.

Here are some tips on green cleaning and chemicals free living.

I. Let's start with the kitchen, one of the most popular rooms in the house: -- For washing dishes, cleaning the floor or counters, doing laundry, switch to earth friendly, non-toxic products containing natural ingredients, without dyes or perfumes. Sometimes white vinegar (for the glass) or baking soda (for the sink) can do the trick. -- Switch to healthier versions of preparation surfaces and cooking pots and pans: bamboo cutting board (always use separate boards for meat and vegetables to avoid cross contamination); eco friendly, non-toxic, Teflon free cookware (teflon coating breaks down and emits certain chemicals and particles at certain temperature; studies show that Perfluorooctanoic acid, a chemical used to make Teflon has been linked to cancer and birth defects; avoid Teflon-coated cookware especially if it's scratched );do your research and chose wisely, paying attention to the description of the product.

II. Next step is your bathroom: -- switch to soaps that contain natural ingredients, towels made of organic materials, shampoo without harsh chemicals; -- use a head shower filter to remove harmful substances from your shower water. Our skin is the largest organ that helps us get rid of toxins through perspiration. And at the same time it is the largest organ for absorption the toxins. Can you imagine how much chlorine and other chemicals you can absorb through your skin and your hair as well as by inhaling hot steam while showering for 10 minutes?

III. In general: -- when repainting, look for water-based latex paints low in gaseous chemicals(benzene and formaldehyde are a main source of air pollution in the house); -- for the floor use environmentally sound materials with non-toxic ingredients (bamboo, solid wood, cork, etc.) Vinyl flooring is cheap but it may release harmful chemicals; -- look for eco friendly materials for your carpeting too. Sometimes they are a little bit more expensive but it's worth spending money, especially if you have kids and want them to be healthy; It is never too late to start making the right choices if we want to be healthy and raise a healthy and happy family. So, as usual, let us be choice smart and chemicals free. Breathe (only clean air), smile and be happy.

© Irina Wardas, HHC Women's Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert http://naturalcounselor.com/blog/uncategorized/tips-on-green-cleaning-and-toxic-free-living/