maybe it's better to be a little dirty?

Day 1: Get rid of the nasty chemicals

I've always known too many chemicals are not good, but up until this point I've taken a somewhat half-hearted approach to the issue. I guess I figured it was unrealistic not to have any chemicals in the house since they are in everything! Now I'm realizing it's not so unrealistic, it just takes a little discretion before buying. For example, I've been using these "natural" cleaners. The label says biodegradable, non- toxic, bottle made from recycled material, etc. So I didn't actually read the ingredient list, I just threw it in the cart. They smell great, the packaging is cute, and they do the job. But now I'm looking closer. The ingredient list is still 10+ items long, most of which I don't recognize and cannot pronounce and they contain artificial colors and fragrance. 

So I stopped using these along with the not so natural cleaners I love (I have to admit I love Orange Pledge!) and for the last week I have been using my own homemade cleaners made mainly of distilled water, vinegar, baking soda and essential oils.

Honestly....they work just as well. My baking soda scrub does the same job as the store bought scrub with bleach I used to use.  But now I don't have a headache from the bleach fumes, I don't worry about filling up the tub for baby's bath, making sure there isn't any bleach residue before putting him in, and as an added bonus I'm saving money! The baking soda was 59 cents, I think the store bought scrub is around $3. My only regret is not doing this sooner.

 I found an interesting (and alarming) article on household cleaners and some of the scary things scientists are learning about the effects these chemicals have on the environment, animals, and people. The big take away for me was the info on anti-bacterial soaps, sprays and the like. I hate getting sick and I'm constantly wiping down shopping carts, door handles, and anything else I can with those anti-bacterial wipes. But this wasn't the first article I've read that suggests overuse of those wipes, gels, and sprays might be contributing to super bugs-bacteria resistant to antibiotics. The only thing worse than a sick baby? A sick baby that has an infection that antibiotics can't touch. Then what do we do? Definitely something to think seriously about.

 Check it out: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/avoid-dirty-dozen-chemicals.html

So the first step on my mission to go green is this: avoid chemicals as much as I possibly can, read labels before buying, and forget the Purell. I think I'll go wash my hands.;)