Indoor Air Pollution.

So, as I mentioned on Tuesday, we've been making an effort to reduce the volatile organic compound (VOC) load in our new home. We've started with recycled barnboard floors (more on those later!) and an eco-friendly floor finish, VOC free glues, and VOC free paint & primer as well. There will, of course, be a some VOCs sneaking in (it's so hard and EXPENSIVE to keep them out completely) but we're doing our best to be conscious about keeping the air in our home as clean as possible.

I thought I'd attach an article I wrote awhile ago on indoor air pollution: where it comes from and why it's so detrimental, especially for children.

The article also includes a recipe for an eco-friendly household cleaner, though
plain old vinegar and water seems to do the trick!

Clean GREEN Homes
Who doesn’t appreciate a clean home? Freshly laundered sheets, a sparkling kitchen countertop, a toilet scrubbed within an inch of its life….Mmmmm, you can almost smell the clean!

In fact, you probably can smell the clean. If you are using any of the common household cleaners sold in Canada today, and you’re breathing in that fresh lemony scent, you may also be inhaling any number of harmful chemicals. From volatile organic compounds to neurotoxic petroleum-based solvents, the air in our homes is swarming with “un-pronounceables”.

Studies have shown that indoor air tends to be much more toxic than the air outside. Depending on where you live, the air in your home may contain 10-100 times more pollution than outdoor air. Significant numbers, considering Canadians spend approximately 90% of their time indoors.

Neurotoxic chemicals can cause, or adversely affect, a number of health issues including headaches, irritability, lack of concentration, endocrine (hormone) disorders and respiratory illness. Children tend to be at a greater risk for many reasons: their body systems and organs are not fully developed, they metabolize chemicals differently than adults, they practically live on the floor and they put everything in their mouths! As a result, children are particularly susceptible to developing vision problems, respiratory illness (such as asthma) and cancer from exposure to these hazardous products.

Unfortunately, because companies are protected by trade secrets, they aren’t required to disclose all of a product’s ingredients on the label. The label will list any serious toxicity issues (if you get it in your eye, if you swallow it, if it has the potential to blow up) but none of the long term toxicities. So it’s up to us to become aware of what we are using in our homes.

As a naturopathic doctor, I am trained to consider all aspects of an individual’s health: the food they eat, the fluids they drink, how they exercise and, of equal importance, the environment in which they live and work. Our environment is inextricably linked to our well-being. It is virtually impossible to be a well individual in the absence of clean air and water.

So how do we wade through the masses of information and find a cleaning solution for our homes, our families and the environment? KISS! Keep it simple…..silly!

Prior to World War II, the cleaning products used in the home were mainly composed of basic, safe ingredients: baking soda, vinegar and castile soap. Over the past 60 years, as our understanding of bacteria, viruses, fungi and molds has grown, so too has our fear of these microorganisms. No longer content to merely wipe away the dirt, Canadians are waging war on germs. The pressure to sterilize our homes has us using harsh chemicals that damage our health and hinder the development of our immune systems.

Let’s get back to basics! Most households contain several bottles of cleaning products. We invest in separate and different cleaners for almost every surface in the house. In reality, a family needs only 2-3 homemade products with which to keep the home clean and green. The best part? You can make them yourself!

DIY Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

Basic Ingredients
Baking Soda: Removes stains, mild scouring tool, deodorizer
Borax: an alternative to bleach, I use this for my daughter’s cloth diapers!
Castile/Vegetable oil based soaps: biodegradable, non- petroleum based, free of dyes
Lemon juice: deodorant, cuts through grease, excellent for windows and stains
Essential oils: can be used for both disinfecting and fragrance. Handle with care.
Vinegar: great disinfecting tool, cuts through grease and wax build-up, removes stains
Hydrogen Peroxide: more gentle than chlorine bleach, sterilizes, disinfects, removes stains

Recipe for All-Purpose Cleaner
(From Green Clean: Eco-Friendly Cleaning for the Home)
3 Tbsp Vinegar
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp vegetable oil based liquid soap
450 ml hot water
Mix ingredients in a spray bottle. Apply and wipe clean.

Green cleaning products require a bit more “elbow grease” as they aren’t designed to dissolve dirt like their more harsh counterparts. Fortunately, the effort is worth it. Do-it-yourself cleaning products are non-toxic for pets and children, easy to make, easy on the environment and the wallet!

References:
Children's Health Environmental Coalition (www.checnet.org)
Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia (www.lesstoxicguide.ca)
CBC News: Marketplace (www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/home/cleaners)
www.canada.com
Health Canada: Indoor Air Quality (www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/air/in/index-eng.php)
Green Clean: Eco-Friendly Cleaning for the Home. L&K Designs. 2007

Lastly, I thought I'd pass along a homemade laundry detergent I've been using and loving! It's a Soule Mama special...she always has the greatest recipes...so thoughtful and conscious!

Laundry Soap
1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Baking Soda
1 Cup Washing Soda
2 Cups of Grated castille Soap

Store in an airtight jar. Use approximately 1/8 of a cup per load.

See you Friday with more Holiday Gift Ideas!