Dish Soap

I know that the people who read my blog come from a lot of different places in their eco journeys. Some are pretty far along, making their own shampoos and cleaners at home and commuting to work on their bikes. Others are, let's face it, skeptical of the changes that they have to make as we face "peak everything." Most of us are, of course, somewhere in the middle.

So, for those of you who are too far along to need anyone to talk you out of your chemical-laden brands that you've become attached to, skip ahead to a different article. For those of you who are at the beginning of your journey still, I bring you scientific proof that these changes are going to be ok. You will survive. You will not be making sacrifices in cleanliness, utility, or happiness. Promise.

The following article is from the TreeHugger blog. It’s about how environmentally-friendly dishwashing soap works just as well as the chemical-laden brands you’re used to!

“Earth Friendly Product's 'New Wave High-Performance Auto Dishwasher Gel' held its own against Cascade in an independent study showing that these phosphate-free cleaners can perform just as well as conventional cleaners. Most cleaners give the impression that they add enough toxic chemicals to make them ultra strong and therefore able to obliterate any germ they come in contact with. Now its becoming more apparent that not only do we not need toxic chemicals near our family and in our homes, but they also don't necessarily provide any additional benefit.

“The test looked at ph-levels, solubility and anti-suds formation. Both solutions performed equally well when it came to removing dirt and grime from dishes. Then dishes were inspected for spotting and filming and both received high scores. Cascade had a higher ph-level: 11 compared with a 7 for New Wave (their site states that the ph level is 4-5). Plates and bowls were covered with egg yolks, buttermilk, tomato juice, butter, powdered milk, and spaghetti sauce and then run through a dishwasher.

“Conventional dishwashing detergents can contain phosphates, 1.4 dioxane, chlorine bleach, formaldehyde and caustics. Several states, including Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Vermont and Washington all have legislation banning phosphates in products by 2010, and Massachusetts and Michigan (along with Canada) are also considering similar legislation.

“The Wave High Performance Auto Dishwasher Gel dish detergent is formaldehyde/caustic/chlorine-free, and is plant-based and 100% biodegradable. Earth Friendly Products Co. has four manufacturing facilities strategically spread throughout the US to reduce the distance traveled from production to the customer. The company also has what it calls their 'Freedom List' which is a list of all of the items that their products do not contain. The line has also won several awards, including Natural Home Magazine's 'Readers Choice Award' for Best Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products and the 2007 PETA Proggy Award for Best Line of Cruelty-Free Household Products.”

Greening your Cleaning

Previously, we wrote about greening your dish soaps. In today's post, we'll be discussing greening your cleaning supplies. However, the same greening philosophy should be used. You can take it slowly, easing into green cleaning products as your old ones need replacing.

There are seven main points about green cleaning you should memorize. You want to look for is a product with the following attributes:
1. Bio-degradable
2. Phosphate-free
3. Plant based
4. Chlorine free
5. Ammonia free
6. Solvent free
7. No synthetic fragrances or dyes

It's wonderful if you can find a product that is also made with organic ingredients and is animal cruelty free.

There are some good products that are affordable and easily available. Seventh Generation, one of my favorite lines, (found at Publix, Paradise Health and Nutrition) offers a full line of cleaning products.

Method brand (found at Target, Paradise Health and Nutrition) also makes just about anything you could need to clean your home. Some of their products contain dyes and perfumes, so choose "Go Naked" varieties if you can.

Clorox now makes a line called "Green Works" that you can find at your local grocery store or even Walmart. Call it "greenwashing" all you want; this product is at least biodegradable and plant-based. Besides, its availability everywhere and its association with the Clorox brand means that consumers will try these products who might otherwise not.

Other good brands for general cleaners to look into: Biokleen, Caldrea, Citra-Solv, Earth Friendly Products, Ecolever, Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, Planet, and Bon Ami.

Of course, with basic household ingredients, you can make your own cleaners. The following is an article written by the venerable No Impact Man. It gives you specific instructions on how to make your own.

Make Your Own Househould Cleaners and Avoid Health Risks

Here's a no-brainer: One way to stay healthy is to stay away from poison.

For years environmentalists worried about the effect on aquatic wildlife and our drinking water of the toxins that go down our drains in the form of household products. The funny thing is, no one spoke much about the fact that if it was poison to the fish who swam in the tainted water, it was probably poison to the people who used them, too--another no-brainer.

Well, there was a story in the New York Times on Thursday about how Women's Voices for the Earth is both publicizing the health concerns of using conventional cleaners and promoting a way around using them. Women's Voices is organizing house parties all over the country to teach people how to homemake cleaners from products like Borax, baking soda, Dr. Brommer's and vinegar.

You can read about how certain chemicals in common cleaning products have been associated with increased prevalence of asthma, exacerbations of asthma symptoms, and respiratory ailments here. You can also read about how chemicals used in common cleaning products have been associated with reproductive harm such as alterations in sexual behavior, decreases in fertility, menstrual changes, changes in the onset of puberty, cancers of reproductive organs, miscarriage, premature birth and other effects here.

There are, of course, "green" brands on the market but Women's Voices' rationale is: Why pay $5 for a bottle of cleaner from a "green" brand that won't tell you the ingredients when you can make your own for pennies and now exactly what's in it (if you're a business person trying to be eco, you now see why transparency is important).

As you may know, we began making our own household products during the No Impact project, both to avoid the toxicity to both people and the environment but also to avoid buying the same throwaway plastic bottles over and over again. You can find my recipes here and here, but I thought it would be fun to list Women's Voices' recipes.

But first, if you want to join in their countrywide house-party promotion of homemade household products, go here. I've cut and pasted their recipes from here.

All-Purpose Cleaner
suggested uses: hard surfaces like countertops and kitchen floors, windows and mirrors

2 cups white distilled vinegar
2 cups water
20-30 or more drops of essential oil (optional)

Tip: Warming in microwave until barely hot will boost cleaning power for tough jobs. Only microwave in a glass container.

Creamy Soft Scrub
suggested uses: Use this creamy soft scrub on kitchen counters, stoves, bathroom sinks, etc.

2 cups baking soda
½ cup liquid castile soap*
4 teaspoons vegetable glycerin (acts as a preservative)
5 drops antibacterial essential oil such as lavender, tea tree, rosemary or any scent you prefer (optional)

Mix together and store in a sealed glass jar, shelf life of 2 years.

Tips: For exceptionally tough jobs spray with vinegar first—full strength or diluted, scented—let sit and follow with scrub.

Dry soft scrubs can be made with baking soda or salt (or combination of both) with 10-15 drops essential oil to scent

Furniture Polish
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
20-30 drops lemon essential oil

Shake well before using
(2 teaspoons lemon juice may be substituted for lemon oil but then must be stored in refrigerator)

Dip a clean, dry cloth into the polish and rub wood in the direction of the grain. Use a soft brush to work the polish into corners or tight places.

Tips: To remove water spots rub well with toothpaste. To remove scratches use 1 part lemon juice and 1 part oil, rub with soft cloth.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Option 1

Sprinkle toilet bowl with baking soda, drizzle with vinegar, let soak for at least 30 minutes and scrub with toilet brush.

Option 2

Put ¼ cup borax in toilet bowl and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Swish with a toilet brush and then scrub. A few drops of pine oil can be added for increased disinfecting. (Note: some people are allergic to pine oil.)

Tip: Let ingredients soak for a while to make for easy scrubbing, especially on persistent stains like toilet bowl rings

Drain Opener

½ cup baking soda
½ cup vinegar

Pour baking soda down the drain and follow with vinegar. Cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Flush with boiling water.

Tip: Prevent your shower form clogging by using a drain trap to catch hairs.

Laundry Detergent

1 cup soap flakes
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup Borax

Soap flakes can be made by grating your favorite pure vegetable soap with a cheese grater. Mix ingredients together and store in a glass container. Use 1 tablespoon per load (2 for heavily soiled laundry), wash in warm or cold water.

This standard recipe can be adjusted for soft water by using 1 cup soap flakes, 1/4 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax. For hard water, use 1 cup soap flakes, 1 cup washing soda, and 1 cup borax.

Note: Borax should not be ingested.

Tips: Add 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to rinse as a fabric softener. For a whitener, use hydrogen peroxide rather than bleach. Soak your dingy white clothes for 30 minutes in the washer with 1/2 cup 20% peroxide. Launder as usual.

For more great recipes, visit care2.com

Some great recipes (pdf) from the Association of Vermont Recyclers

Dishes

Remember to take care of the water when you're doing housework, too!

We use "Seventh Generation" liquid dish soap for when we wash dishes by hand. It comes in a fragrance-free version or a handful of soft, natural scents. We're currently using the "Lavender Floral and Mint" scented soap. I love the light, fresh scent of the mint in it.

For the dishwasher (which can be just as water-efficient or even more so than washing by hand if you run only full loads and use basic settings), we also currently use Seventh Generation, namely the "Lemon" scented automatic dishwasher gel.

It's important that you choose your next cleaners and soaps to be completely biodegradable. Many cleaning products on the market contain phosphates, which get into surface water and causes imbalances in aquatic plant life-cycles. For a fairly thorough scientific article about phosphates, read this.

We like Seventh Generation brand because it is affordable and really easy to find. Here in Melbourne, FL, you can find Seventh Generation brand soaps and cleaners at any Publix grocery store, as well as Paradise Health and Nutrition (at the intersection of Minton and Palm Bay Road).

The story behind the name of the Seventh Generation brand is really sweet, too. The name comes from the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy, part of which states, "In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." Most of us can think only as far as grandkids (and that may well be stretching it!), so thinking about the impact of our actions and choices on the next seven generations is a real challenge. However, it is a challenge we should all take upon ourselves on a daily basis.

To learn more about Seventh Generation and score some coupons, check out their website.

We have recently picked up some other phosphate-free cleaners and soaps lately and will let you know how those compare to Seventh Generation.

Image from www.seventhgeneration.com