Spring cleaning goes GREEN: Environmentally safe products - vinegar/baking soda/white vinegar/lemon juice/ hydrogen peroxide ... LVRJ Apr. 17, 2008

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Spring cleaning goes GREEN: Environmentally safe products -

vinegar/baking soda/white vinegar/lemon juice/ hydrogen peroxide ... LVRJ Apr.

17, 2008

Apr. 17, 2008 Las Vegas Review-Journal

Find this article at: http://www.lvrj.com/home_and_garden/17842539.html

EARTH FRIENDLY: Spring cleaning

goes GREEN

Environmentally safe products offer

same power as traditional cleansers

vinegar/baking soda/white

vinegar/lemon juice/ hydrogen peroxide

By JACK BULAVSKY

SPECIAL TO HOME Spring

brings many things: holidays, allergies, the beginning of summer fruit,

short-sleeve shirts, convertibles and, of course, spring cleaning. According

to the Soap and Detergent Association, 65 percent of us will take part in

this April ritual. The good news is that the demand for nontoxic or green

household cleaners continues to grow and they are becoming more available at

markets everywhere. And

with Earth Day just days away, there is no better time than now to begin

thinking about cleaning green. But

before you start buying all these eco-friendly cleaning products, what is the

first thing you should do? "Create

a cleaning plan in your mind," said Corral of andra's Home

Services. "It doesn't have to be anything elaborate, just an idea of

what really needs cleaning. I've been cleaning homes here since 1979 and it

pays to be time efficient. I've found that most people do a fairly good job

of keeping their homes clean throughout the year, but only do serious

cleaning, like a spring clean, maybe once or twice a year. My first

suggestion is to always start at the top with high dusting, because most

regular cleaning only goes about 6 feet high. That means dusting pot shelves

along with all those decorative pieces and artificial flowers. Dust from the

top down to the baseboards, do the windows inside and out, and the blinds,

shutters and window sills. Save the vacuuming until the end. And don't forget

to wash the dishes." Did

she say dishes? Bill Van de Graaf knows all about washing dishes; he is

general manager for Colgate-Palmolive's new ecological gel dishwasher

detergent, the first mass-marketed green dishwasher detergent. "Most

commercial automatic dishwasher detergents contain sodium tripolyphosphate,

also known as phosphate," he said. "This is an ingredient that may

harm lakes and streams. Colgate's Palmolive eco+ has been formulated to be

phosphate-free, yet still deliver clean dishes. This means consumers are

taking a small, eco-friendly step as part of their weekly cleaning

routines." Phosphorous

is a nutrient that is essential to the growth of plants, but too much of a

good thing can be harmful. Too much phosphorus, dumped into lakes and streams

from automatic dishwashers, throws off the natural balance of phosphors in

the waterways. According to Van de Graaf, a U.S. Geological Survey regarding

the effects of phosphates on water quality shows enriched phosphorus levels

can accelerate the growth of algae and other plants that impair the water's

suitability for municipal, recreational and fishery use. "There

are many natural ways to clean," Corral said. "A few simple

ingredients such as soap, water, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), vinegar,

washing soda (sodium carbonate), lemon juice and borax can satisfy most

household cleaning needs and save money at the same time. For instance, to

remove stains from clothing, soak fabrics in water mixed with borax, lemon

juice, hydrogen peroxide, washing soda or white vinegar. To clean windows,

fill a spray bottle with water and either one-quarter cup white vinegar or

one tablespoon lemon juice to cut grease. And white vinegar helps kill bacteria,

mold and viruses." Earlier

this year, The Clorox Co. launched its Green

Works line of natural cleaning products that are as effective as conventional

cleaners but are made from plant-based ingredients. "Green

Works is a breakthrough product for Clorox and for consumers who want to

clean naturally but don't want to compromise on performance," said Don

Knauss, chairman and chief executive officer. "During the past several

years, Clorox has been developing a formula that would clean better and

possess the highest levels of natural ingredients. We achieved this with

Green Works." The

line is at least 99 percent natural and made from ingredients derived from

coconuts and lemon oil. The products are formulated to be biodegradable and

nonallergenic, and are packaged in bottles that can be recycled. There

are many other companies producing green cleaning products for all rooms in

the home including Aubrey Organics, Bio Pac, BioShield, Ecover, Naturally

Yours, Seventh Generation, Shaklee and Vermont Soapworks. The

Middlebury, Vt.-based Vermont Soapworks has been making natural and organic

soap products since 1992 and say its Liquid Sunshine is certified by the

United States Department of Agriculture to be an organic, nontoxic

alternative to chemical cleaners. "Made

from renewable and organic vegetable and botanical sources including

saponified organic coconut, olive and jojoba oils, essential oils, organic

aloe vera and rosemary extract, Liquid Sunshine is extraordinarily mild,

hypoallergenic, all-natural and good for your skin. Because Liquid Sunshine

is made with natural citrus essential oils, it has a brisk and cheerful

aromatherapy scent," according to a company spokesman. Although

green cleaning products are now finding their ways to the masses, they are

not new and have been used commercially for decades, said Mike Krieg,

director of sales and marketing for Naturally Yours. In fact, the company's

products were part of the California city of

Santa 's

initial Heal the Bay program nearly 23 years ago. In

addition to making sure its products are nontoxic and biodegradable, Krieg

said Naturally Yours uses renewable resources for all its raw materials and

as much organic, natural and recyclable material as possible for its

packaging -- "down to the labels and inks used."

Hollender, chief executive officer of Seventh Generation, advises consumers

to be alert to "greenwashing." "Just

because a product says it is natural doesn't mean it's nontoxic," he

explained. "The word natural is undefined and unregulated by the

government and can be applied to just about anything, including plastic which

comes from naturally occurring petroleum. Therefore, because no standards

exist, claims such as 'nontoxic' and 'environmentally friendly' can be

meaningless."

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