http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-cancer-causers-to-remove-from-your-home.html
10 Cancer-Causers to Remove From Your Home
By Melissa Breyer, Senior Editor, Care2
Given poor government regulation, many of the cleaning products available on the market contain “everyday” carcinogens such as formaldehyde, nitrobenzene, methylene chloride, and napthelene, as well as reproductive toxins and hormone disruptors. Not to mention other ingredients that cause liver, kidney and brain damage, allergies and asthma. I really am a happy person–not your basic Eeyore type, but toxic cleaning products seriously get my goat. One of the best things you can do to detox your home is to create one of Annie’s simple non-toxic cleaning kits to use–most of the ingredients you probably already have on hand.
But there are a host of products, other than those used for basic cleaning, that often contain carcinogenics. This list, from Cancer: 101 Solutions to a Preventable Epidemic (New Society Publishers, 2007) by Liz Armstrong et al, cautions against 10 household products, in addition to cleaners, that you should avoid having in your house.
1. Air fresheners: Often contain napthelene and formaldehyde. Try zeolite or natural fragrances from essential oils. For more information, see Easy Greening: Air Fresheners.
2. Art supplies: Epoxy and rubber cement glues, acrylic paints and solvents, and permanent markers often contain carcinogens. For more information, see Arts and Crafts: Make it Safe.
3. Automotive supplies: Most are toxic. Keep them safely away from the house and dispose of at a hazardous waste disposal center.
4. Candles: Avoid artificially scented paraffin candles that produce combustion by-products, including soot. Beeswax only, with cotton wicks. For more on beeswax candles, see The Brilliant Beeswax Candle.
5. Carpet and upholstery shampoos: Use only wet-clean, natural ingredients. For DIY carpet cleaning, see how to Remove Stains and Pet Odors from Carpets.
6. Dry-cleaning: Choose clothes that don’t need perchlorethylene to clean them. Ask for the wet-cleaning option at you local cleaners, or seek dry-cleaners that use liquid C02 or citrus juice cleaners. For more information, see Healthy and Green Dry Cleaning.
7. Flea, tick and lice control: Avoid lindane-based pesticides. For more information, see Natural Flea and Tick Control.
8. Paints and varnishes: Always chose low- or no-VOC finishes. For more information, see Is Your Paint Making You Sick?
9. Household pesticides: Go natural. Make a Sugar Ant Hotel.
10. Microwaves: Never microwave or heat food in a plastic container. For more information about the dangers of food and plastic, see Kitchen Plastic: Easy Greening.
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42 comments
add your comment »Soy-based candles are great--just don't eat them!
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is a soy based candle ok?
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Anyone heard of fragranced toilet papers? They are toxic too. Avoid!
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Good list but never even microwave food (plastic or not): "In 1991 a Mrs. Norma Levitt from Oklahoma died after microwaved blood transfusion was given to her. The microwaving killed nutrients in the blood."
And more at #3 of http://bit.ly/hlyYP
Some plants help to rid the air of some cancer-causing toxic too. (Yes, and avoid any synthetics! Sodium nitrate is a synthetic salt found in lotsa processed foods!)
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Sometimes you can't avoid using a "toxic" chemical, for example; when my power goes off, which happens more than I like... I use antique oil lamps to light the rooms. They produce a soot material but I'd rather be able to see than not...On that note, I would like to make an observation... It seems as though every organization has some kind of nutty agenda that drops off the deep end... ie..Peta is a good example of this...I agree with many of their causes; but draw the line at many of the off-the-wall projects. And just because someone says something, does not make it true..ie..Global warming... If you watch the mass media, you would think that global warming is a fact; when in reality, most scientists believe that it doesn't exist. But you don't hear about them because it does not fit the current agenda. I'm still waiting for the "Global Cooling" that was being predicted in the early 70's...lol
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To get rid of all the toxic chemical cleaners and laundry detergent in your home please go towww.wowgreen.net/13254 and help us free the world of toxic chemicals one household at a time! THANK YOU!
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So true! Air fresheners just coat the nasel passages and actually help kill your sense of smell. Vinegar and lemon are both good natural air fresheners.
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thank you...
Kabin
Konteyner
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(cont'd) It's Annie's great cleaning kit, mentioned and linked in this article (can't hurt to repeat the link).
Also, check out all the other articles in the "Healthy Home" section here on Care2.
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First, IMHO, there are a lot of people pushing their own barrow on this thread.
You don't need any air fresheners - open the window. You don't need disinfectants at all - a bit of dishwash and water will deal to that. For toothpaste I just use baking soda and water on my toothbrush. For my hair, plain, pure soap - it lathers up great, and leaves my hair squeaky clean with no buildup. Tea-tree oil stops athlete's foot in its tracks. Just use a Q-tip and dab it between your toes. You'll feel a strange tingling, and the athlete's foot will be gone. As stated here, it's great for cuts and sores as well - also hydrogen peroxide is good as a first treatment on minor cuts.
I make my own laundry soap:
HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP
2 cups grated Ivory soap or Sunlight Soap (or any natural soap of your choice)
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda
Put the mixture together in an airtight container. Use 2 tbsp for a large load.
Folks, you don't need either the expensive and toxic commercial products or these expensive alternative "boutique" products mentioned in this thread. You just need plain, simple things like vinegar, baking soda, washing soda, and a few other CHEAP easily available, plain, simple, natural products.
Please see this page for an all-natural, non-toxic, CHEAP cleaning kit you can make yourself:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/make-your-own-non-toxic-cleaning-kit.html
It's Annie's great cleaning kit, mentioned and linked in this article (can't hurt to repea
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