Every time I ask someone to consider switching to a green cleaning product the first response is, “yes, but does it work?”
I was frustrated for years as well, wanting to use environmentally friendly cleaners but finding them sorely lacking in the power department. I finally found the dream combination, effective, totally green, and priced fairly. I like it so much I became an
Independent Shaklee Dealer and happily put my name out there backing it.
Having used Shaklee’s HE laundry detergent for about nine months now, it still continues to impress. To make a long story short, I sometimes go lend a hand in the dairy barn milking cows. I never minded the smell of a dairy barn, but there is a time and place for everything and it is a strong pervasive odor. You can pretty much count anything worn into a dairy barn as not useable again in any public setting. I used to use one of the “best” store-brand laundry detergents out there, tried several of them, and only smelled like a cow flop in a bed of saccharine flowers .. And usually got a case of dry skin / eczema for my trouble.
Just for fun I tossed a whole winter load of post-dairy barn clothing in the wash; coat, hat, jeans, sweater, shirt, gloves, all of it - set the washer on cold (I always use just cold, no problems after nine months, even with whites) and used only the regular amount of laundry detergent, pre-spotting two small areas with it as well. Clean, no spots or stains that barn matter is so well know for. Zero odor. Period. Impressive.
Get clean, really clean, the first time.
Showing posts with label non-toxic cleaners. Show all posts
Showing posts with label non-toxic cleaners. Show all posts
Friday, December 14, 2007
Sunday, June 3, 2007
In toothpaste we trust?
When it comes to our family it is all about trust, trust that the things we use to improve our lives or make them more comfortable will do us good, not harm. As an
Independent Shaklee Dealer, many people have said to me that “toxins in our lives are unavoidable, why try?” My answer is always to do the math. Every one less IS one less, leaving our bodies healthier and stronger to deal with the things we can not avoid. Math will tell you that every product you use, some several times a day, times 365 days a year, increases our exposure to toxins exponentially .... or not based on some very simple choices. Our choices directly increase our health, and our quality of life.
One simple choice we make every day is to brush our teeth, often several times a day. We have all heard and understand that proper regular brushing not only prevents dental caries, and by now most have heard that professionals such as Professors Robin Seymour and James Steele of the University of Newcastle Dental School in England say that you are less likely to get coronary heart disease if you have healthy gums. This seems simple enough until you ask, does trust need to be an issue with toothpaste? Unfortunately yes. “Off the shelf” toothpaste can contain anything from chemical detergents for “foaming” to those brands just pulled off the shelf because they contained the very inexpensive to use but toxic diethylene glycol; a sweet-tasting thickening agent in antifreeze (Associated Press http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070603/ap_on_re_as/china_us_toothpaste).
Trust is important to me. Not worrying if there are “safe levels” of multiple toxic ingredients in my children’s toothpaste is important to me. I became an
Independent Shaklee Dealer for many reasons ..one of which is that for over 50 toxin-free years, trust has been there. Do the math, brushing your teeth just three times a day means putting that toothpaste in your mouth 1095 times a year. Brushing as dentists recommend; morning, bedtime and after meals, puts toothpaste in your mouth 1,825 times a year. What’s in your
toothpaste? Check out The Sundance Life’s organic and kosher non-toxic
toothpaste to get clean with trust.
Independent Shaklee Dealer, many people have said to me that “toxins in our lives are unavoidable, why try?” My answer is always to do the math. Every one less IS one less, leaving our bodies healthier and stronger to deal with the things we can not avoid. Math will tell you that every product you use, some several times a day, times 365 days a year, increases our exposure to toxins exponentially .... or not based on some very simple choices. Our choices directly increase our health, and our quality of life.
One simple choice we make every day is to brush our teeth, often several times a day. We have all heard and understand that proper regular brushing not only prevents dental caries, and by now most have heard that professionals such as Professors Robin Seymour and James Steele of the University of Newcastle Dental School in England say that you are less likely to get coronary heart disease if you have healthy gums. This seems simple enough until you ask, does trust need to be an issue with toothpaste? Unfortunately yes. “Off the shelf” toothpaste can contain anything from chemical detergents for “foaming” to those brands just pulled off the shelf because they contained the very inexpensive to use but toxic diethylene glycol; a sweet-tasting thickening agent in antifreeze (Associated Press http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070603/ap_on_re_as/china_us_toothpaste).
Trust is important to me. Not worrying if there are “safe levels” of multiple toxic ingredients in my children’s toothpaste is important to me. I became an
Independent Shaklee Dealer for many reasons ..one of which is that for over 50 toxin-free years, trust has been there. Do the math, brushing your teeth just three times a day means putting that toothpaste in your mouth 1095 times a year. Brushing as dentists recommend; morning, bedtime and after meals, puts toothpaste in your mouth 1,825 times a year. What’s in your
toothpaste? Check out The Sundance Life’s organic and kosher non-toxic
toothpaste to get clean with trust.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Essential Oils 102
I will restate the beginning, as it is that important: Essential oils (EO)
NEVER ever ingest essential oils. They are a pure and natural product made by concentrating the active components of pounds of plant material down into ounces of oil. A very small amount of some oils can kill if ingested. Likewise, essential oils are generally too strong to use undiluted on the skin, most must be first mixed into a carrier oil such as almond, grapeseed or olive oil in a ratio of drops of essential oil to ounces of carrier oil to be safe. If you are interested in using EO’s either internally or in direct application to the skin ALWAYS consult a knowledgeable source first to prevent possible serious harm.
I add essential oils for smell and effect to my cleaning products, either when I make my own or now when I use the much more effective or purchased natural cleaners .
Bay: About $36 per ounce. (Add 3 drops per ounce of olive oil for cooking too). Said to clear mental confusion and clarify thought processes. Calming, relaxing.
Lavender: About $34 per ounce; a familiar and popular smell, lavender is said to bring balance, lifting mood and energy when down, settling nerves and focus when anxious. Lavender mixes well with just about anything, try it with citrus or floral in the spring / summer and or pine or clary sage in the winter. Lavender is said to have antiseptic qualities so may be a good choice when someone in the house is ill.
(Sweet) Basil: About $18 an ounce. Member of the mint family with a well known fragrance. Sweet basil is said to be uplifting and a memory aid. Flies seem to hate it so I use a few drops or peppermint) in my non-toxic window cleaner during fly season, streak free and bug repellant windows, who could ask for more.
Rosemary: About $18 an ounce. “Rosemary for remembrance.” It is said to not only be uplifting in spirit but clears the mind and helps memory. Some have said that rosemary (and chamomile) are just as effective for a headache as a pain pill. Rosemary is said to have antiseptic and antibiotic properties, so you will often find it in my non-toxic all purpose cleaner . A drop on your hairbrush or in a pint of water as a final hair rinse may make your hair shine and help with dandruff.
German Chamomile: About $145 an ounce (ouch - hang on for floral water!) Smells somewhat like green apples and is said to be great for relaxation, the blues and headaches. German and blue chamomile are high in the chemical Azulene, which seems to lend anti-inflammatory properties to it. Roman Chamomile is the preferred choice for relaxation. Chamomile is a very thick oil, almost like cold pancake syrup, so is usually cut with a carrier oil for ease of use.
Pine: About $23 an ounce. Said to be energizing and uplifting, a great scent to start your day. Pine also has a reputation for helping aching muscles. The pines are one of the few oils with a short shelf life, you will want to buy small amounts and store them in the fridge.
Cardamon: About $90 an ounce. Said to add that “warm and cozy” feeling to the day. Uplifting. Try mixing one drop of cardamon with 3 drops of sweet orange during a winter snowstorm and wrap up with a good book. Just be careful you don’t wind up suddenly craving some holiday pie!
Other fun oils to play with are orange, lemon, clary sage, vanilla, cypress, bergamot, .... once you try them alone begin to combine for even more fun. Try tea tree and peppermint, orange and cinnamon, and lavender and lemon.
1 oz = 2 tablespoons or 6 teaspoons or 30 ml/cc or 28.35 grams or approx. to 580 drops
20 drops to one mL if the liquid is water and delivered from a burette or medicine dropper -1 ounce is equal to 29.57 milliliters
NEVER ever ingest essential oils. They are a pure and natural product made by concentrating the active components of pounds of plant material down into ounces of oil. A very small amount of some oils can kill if ingested. Likewise, essential oils are generally too strong to use undiluted on the skin, most must be first mixed into a carrier oil such as almond, grapeseed or olive oil in a ratio of drops of essential oil to ounces of carrier oil to be safe. If you are interested in using EO’s either internally or in direct application to the skin ALWAYS consult a knowledgeable source first to prevent possible serious harm.
I add essential oils for smell and effect to my cleaning products, either when I make my own or now when I use the much more effective or purchased natural cleaners .
Bay: About $36 per ounce. (Add 3 drops per ounce of olive oil for cooking too). Said to clear mental confusion and clarify thought processes. Calming, relaxing.
Lavender: About $34 per ounce; a familiar and popular smell, lavender is said to bring balance, lifting mood and energy when down, settling nerves and focus when anxious. Lavender mixes well with just about anything, try it with citrus or floral in the spring / summer and or pine or clary sage in the winter. Lavender is said to have antiseptic qualities so may be a good choice when someone in the house is ill.
(Sweet) Basil: About $18 an ounce. Member of the mint family with a well known fragrance. Sweet basil is said to be uplifting and a memory aid. Flies seem to hate it so I use a few drops or peppermint) in my non-toxic window cleaner during fly season, streak free and bug repellant windows, who could ask for more.
Rosemary: About $18 an ounce. “Rosemary for remembrance.” It is said to not only be uplifting in spirit but clears the mind and helps memory. Some have said that rosemary (and chamomile) are just as effective for a headache as a pain pill. Rosemary is said to have antiseptic and antibiotic properties, so you will often find it in my non-toxic all purpose cleaner . A drop on your hairbrush or in a pint of water as a final hair rinse may make your hair shine and help with dandruff.
German Chamomile: About $145 an ounce (ouch - hang on for floral water!) Smells somewhat like green apples and is said to be great for relaxation, the blues and headaches. German and blue chamomile are high in the chemical Azulene, which seems to lend anti-inflammatory properties to it. Roman Chamomile is the preferred choice for relaxation. Chamomile is a very thick oil, almost like cold pancake syrup, so is usually cut with a carrier oil for ease of use.
Pine: About $23 an ounce. Said to be energizing and uplifting, a great scent to start your day. Pine also has a reputation for helping aching muscles. The pines are one of the few oils with a short shelf life, you will want to buy small amounts and store them in the fridge.
Cardamon: About $90 an ounce. Said to add that “warm and cozy” feeling to the day. Uplifting. Try mixing one drop of cardamon with 3 drops of sweet orange during a winter snowstorm and wrap up with a good book. Just be careful you don’t wind up suddenly craving some holiday pie!
Other fun oils to play with are orange, lemon, clary sage, vanilla, cypress, bergamot, .... once you try them alone begin to combine for even more fun. Try tea tree and peppermint, orange and cinnamon, and lavender and lemon.
1 oz = 2 tablespoons or 6 teaspoons or 30 ml/cc or 28.35 grams or approx. to 580 drops
20 drops to one mL if the liquid is water and delivered from a burette or medicine dropper -1 ounce is equal to 29.57 milliliters
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