Get clean the healthy way - Getting Started - Brief Article

The following five cleaners are the worst health offenders under your sink, according to Grace Ross Lewis, the Cincinnati-based author of 1,001 Chemicals in Everyday Products (John Wiley, 1999), and Greg Marsh, an environmental chemist in Arvada, Colo. Read on to find safer alternatives.

1. Ammonia-Based Window Cleaners: Listed on the EPA's list of toxic chemicals, ammonia irritates your skin and eyes and is a common ingredient in window cleaners. Make your own by mixing equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Or try the window cleaner from Heather's Natural & Organic Cleaning Products. It's made with apple cider vinegar and biodegradable detergents that cut through the smeary residue left behind by conventional window cleaners (16 ounces; $4.88; 877-527-6601; www.jason-natural.com).

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

2. Chlorine Bleach: Ingesting as little as seven drops can cause irreparable damage to the esophagus and respiratory tract of a 150-pound person, Ross Lewis says. And if you accidentally mix bleach with ammonia, you will create a deadly gas. Look for a nonchlorine bleach made with hydrogen peroxide or borax, like Free & Clear Natural Non-Chlorine Bleach from Seventh Generation (48 ounces; $3.50; 800-456-1191; www.seventhgen.com).

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

3. Overt Cleaners: They contain the highly toxic duo of ammonia and corrosive lye, and are frequently sold as aerosols, which send tiny droplets into the air where they can be inhaled or absorbed by your lungs, mouth, nose, and skin. Try safer cleaners made with citrus-based solvents, like Citra-Solv (16 ounces; $8.99; 800-343-6588; www.citra-solv.com).

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

4. Drain Cleaners: They also contain lye, which can damage your skin, eyes, nose, and throat. Clear clogs with a drain snake from the hardware store, or pour a handful of baking soda and 1/2 cup white vinegar down the drain and cover tightly for 1 minute. Carbon dioxide bubbles produced by the reaction push the blockage through. Rinse with hot water.

5. Stain Removers: Some stain removers designed for fabrics and carpets contain petroleum distillates, which are harmful when inhaled and are frequently laced with carcinogenic substances produced in the refining process, like methylene chloride. For old or greasy stains, try a citrus-based solvent instead, like Citra-Solv (mentioned above).

COPYRIGHT 2002 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group