HOUSEHOLD SAFETY
Avoid or lessen the use of chemical products for cleaning
Open windows and allow air to flow throughout the house on occasion; if windows are secured, open door
Buy an air freshener and/or humidifer
Wash clothes with natural powders and rinses (go to http://shop.embellir.us.com)
Add natural scented fragrance drops to vacuum cleaners with bags (go to http://shop.embellir.us.com)
Clean your house often; vacuum often; be sure to sanitize door knobs
Change bedding weekly or more if necessary; use natural linen sprays (go to http://shop.embellir.us.com)
When using your fireplace, use scented pine cones (go to http://shop.embellir.us.com)
Periodically add a zinc oxide compound during the burning phase of your fireplace to help keep chimney clean
Periodically wipe down remote controls and phone receivers
Vacuum overhead in kitchen and keep ceiling fans or lighting clean and free of dirt and dust
Remove carpeting if possible and reveal hardwood floors
If you add new carpeting to your home, ventilate thoroughly for several days or go on vacation for a while
Be careful of baby bedding; some can emit fumes that may be harmful to infants
Keep your basement clean and organized; be sure to check for mold and mildew-use chlorine if present
Keep your garage clean and organized
Clean bathrooms weekly
Use wall sprays and toilet seat sprays in between cleaning (go to http://shop.embellir.us.com)
Change heating and cooling filters annually
If you have window-unit air conditioning, check for mold and mildew; clean unit often
Remove garbage safely and promptly
Recycle plastic, aluminum, and paper when possible (click here for recycling information)
Keep yard and patio clean
Add indoor and outdoor plants that remove toxins from the air and deter pests (click here for a list)
Use aromatherapy to freshen the air and help to eliminate airborne contaminates
Use natural pesticides to kill ants, silverfish, and roaches (go to http://shop.embellir.us.com)
Chemicals in Household Products
There are lots of dangerous chemicals in ordinary household products from cleaners to air fresheners. No one know exactly how dangerous because of the 80,000+ listed with the EPA--most of them have not been thoroughly tested. To date, the government does not require most chemicals to be listed anywhere on product labels. However, at Embellir, we are providing the following list of dangerous ones for your wellness awareness.
air fresheners & room deodorizers, can include toxic naphtalene, synthetic terpenes, dichlorobenzene, and others. Some plug-in ones contain chemials that react with the ozone to create formaldehyde, a respiratory irritant. Many air fresheners contain phthalates.
ammonia, while we are not completely against ammonia, it can be fatal if swallowed and is a lung irritant.
butyl cellosolve, dangerous when inhaled; can be found in degreasers, oven cleaners, and glass cleaners.
carpet cleaners, can contain toxic ingredients.
fabric softeners, can contain toulene, styrene, trimethylbenzene, a-terpineol, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, limonene, linalool, and pentane.
formaldehyde, can cause cancer; can be found in nail polishes.
glass cleaners, can contain ammonia.
hydrochloric acid, can be fatal if swallowed; highly corrosive; can be found in pool cleaners and fertilizers.
naphtha (coal tar), can depress the nervous system.
perchloroethylene (perc), can damage liver tissue; used in the dry cleaning industry; found in air, food, & water.
petroleum distillates, can damage lung and liver tissue.
phenols (carbolic & phenic acids), considered extremely dangerous; a strong neurotoxin found in plastics and paint thinners. Its vapors can cause eye, skin, and lung damage. It can cause second and third degrees burns. Injections of phenol have occasionally been used as a means of execution. In particular, phenol and cyanide injections were used as a means of individual execution by the Nazis during World War II.
propylene glycol, can be irritating; used in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals.
sodium hydroxide (lye), highly caustic; can be found in hair products.
sodium hypochlorite (bleach), can cause eye damage and liver and kidney damage; strong oxidizer--making it caustic. Chlorination of drinking water can oxidize organic contaminants, producing trihalomethanes (also called haloforms), which are carcinogenic. Household bleach and pool chlorinator solutions are typically stabilized by a significant concentration of lye (caustic soda, NaOH) as part of the manufacturing reaction. Skin contact will produce caustic irritation or burns due to defatting and saponification of skin oils and destruction of tissue. The slippery feel of bleach on skin is due to this process. Sodium thiosulfate (thio) is an effective chlorine neutralizer. Rinsing with a 5 mg/L solution, followed by washing with soap and water, quickly removes chlorine odor from the hands. Mixing bleach with some household cleaners can be hazardous. For example, mixing an acid cleaner with sodium hypochlorite bleach generates chlorine gas. Mixing with ammonia solutions (including urine) produces chloramines.
sodium lauryl sulfate, is a skin irritant and can be found in hair products, bath products, cleansers, and soaps.
sulfuric acid, highly corrosive acid and can cause dangerous burns; can be found in acidic drain cleaners.
trichloroethane, a strong solvent; can damage liver and kidneys; acts as a central nervous system depressant.
REMEMBER, READ THE LABELS. It is unrealistic to think that we can avoid all things toxic (including toxic people), but it is wise to lessen the degree of toxic chemicals in our environment by using as many natural products as possible.
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