WASHINGTON – Who doesn’t like the smell of a fresh, clean house? Well, one group claims that smell is bad for your health.
Women’s Voices for the Earth says while you’re busy spritzing cleansers and scrubbing the tub, your nose, and possibly your immune system, are taking a beating.
Among the problem chemicals – synthetic musks. The group claims they can build up in the body, disrupt hormones and break down the body’s natural defenses. And they want the Food and Drug Administration to pile on new regulations for manufacturers.
The FDA does publish a list of safer chemicals, but manufacturers aren’t mandated to use them.
The group says shoppers can look for the DFE (Design for the Environment) certification on cleaners including Clorox Commercial Solutions Green Works All Purpose Cleaner Spray and Earth Choice BioLaundry Advance Enzyme Detergent.
The one sure way to get away from potentially dangerous toxins is to use time-tested products such as baking soda, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.
Village suggests making your own all-purpose cleaner using water, washing soda (which can be found in the laundry section at the grocery store) and a touch of lavender oil.
Annie B. Bond, author of Better Basics for the Home and green living expert, also suggests making your own all-purpose cleaner. Here’s how:
- Fill a spray bottle with two cups of water and a teaspoon of washing soda found in the laundry section near the Borax.
- If you want to add a scent, mix in a few drops of an essential oil like lavender. Bond recommends the brand Aura Cacia.
- Conduct a test: “If the oil is pure, meaning not synthetic, drop it on blotter paper. If it stains, it isn’t pure,” says Bond.
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