Tip number 16: Stop using artificial air fresheners
I don't know anyone (besides us!) who doesn't have a can of toilet spray in their bathroom. Besides the toilet spray, you also get those wooden sticks that you put into fluid and leave scattered around your house? Another popular option these days are those battery operated air-fresheners that pump out supposed sanitisers every hour or so. I know people don't realise just how bad all of these are for you, but the reality is that they are TERRIBLY bad for you. Lately it seems that every house we go into has these things. I can't understand why anyone would want a fake, toilety kind of smell in their houses but, for some reason, they're all the rage.
Read this blog post to see exactly what you are breathing in every time these things squirt poison into your home. The list is too long to type here. We’ve been duped into thinking that we need these products to protect us from harmful bacteria or viruses even though there is no evidence that they actually disinfect the air AT ALL. They only mask smells. They don't get rid of them. What there is evidence of, is that they harm us, sometimes irreparably. And, as with everything that you use in your house, it generally doesn't stop there. The air travels out of your house, because that's the nature of air, and it carries those toxins with it, adding MORE pollution to our, already filthy, air. There are so many other alternatives to make your house smell good, while still keeping it safe and non-toxic for you and your family. Read this post for some ideas. I often get guests commenting on the lovely smells in our house and I only use natural air-fresheners so they must be doing something right:)
Tip number 17: Avoid chemical household cleaners
The kitchen cupboard under most people's sinks is full of dangerous toxins. Yet we keep them within arm's reach of any child or adult, in the same space that we store and cook our food. You hear horror stories of kids going into the cupboards and drinking laundry liquid, or staysoft and having to be rushed to hospital to have their stomachs pumped.
These days it's really easy to be aware of what we are exposing ourselves too. We have the power at our fingertips like never before. I googled the ingredients (because I don't have any in my house to look at) and found a pdf file with all the info you need on Sunlight liquid INCLUDING first aid instructions and fire-fighting measures! Turns out sunlight liquid is combustible because it contains ethyl alcohol. There's also a whole bunch of other ingredients you don't really want near the dishes you eat off.
These things MAY be considered okay in small doses, by the FDA. The problem is that we are ALL using them day in and day out. That's millions of households in South Africa alone, sending toxic household cleaning chemicals down their drains. Is it any wonder our planet is in such dire straits?
How about the fact that we are ingesting or breathing in these chemicals on a daily basis in our own homes. We make a sandwich on the plates that have dishwashing soap residue or on a counter that has Handy Andy residue. Our animals lie around on the floors and we stroke and kiss them. Or our babies crawl around on those same floors and stick their hands in their mouths at every opportunity. You don't think about the many ways that toxins can affect you and your family, but there they are.
If we could all stop supporting the big corporations, who have no respect for us or our environment, maybe they'd be forced to start going natural. It's possible to do. EVERYTHING I use to clean my house with is natural. I can water the garden with the water I use to wash my dishes and my laundry and even my car! I don't use anything that says, "Keep out of reach of children." Most grocery stores sell organic cleaning products so there really isn't any excuse. Even Clicks have come to the party now and are stocking earth friendly cleaning products which work really well and are affordable. Is a stain on a piece of clothing really THAT important to you that you need to sacrifice your health, and the health of our planet, just to remove it? We use a block of natural soap and it works just as well as Vanish. There are options. Start looking for them instead of just taking the easy route because a TV advert says so. Manufacturers will try and lure you in with all sorts of jargon. That's all it is. They spin a story and we buy into it. Their interest in is their bottom line, not your health or the planet's health. It's time we stopped allowing them to sway us so easily.
Two every easy ways to make a difference. Check out this blog post to get ideas on how to clean your house naturally and spread the word. It's so easy to do something positive for your health and for your planet and everyone benefits.
These days it's really easy to be aware of what we are exposing ourselves too. We have the power at our fingertips like never before. I googled the ingredients (because I don't have any in my house to look at) and found a pdf file with all the info you need on Sunlight liquid INCLUDING first aid instructions and fire-fighting measures! Turns out sunlight liquid is combustible because it contains ethyl alcohol. There's also a whole bunch of other ingredients you don't really want near the dishes you eat off.
These things MAY be considered okay in small doses, by the FDA. The problem is that we are ALL using them day in and day out. That's millions of households in South Africa alone, sending toxic household cleaning chemicals down their drains. Is it any wonder our planet is in such dire straits?
How about the fact that we are ingesting or breathing in these chemicals on a daily basis in our own homes. We make a sandwich on the plates that have dishwashing soap residue or on a counter that has Handy Andy residue. Our animals lie around on the floors and we stroke and kiss them. Or our babies crawl around on those same floors and stick their hands in their mouths at every opportunity. You don't think about the many ways that toxins can affect you and your family, but there they are.
If we could all stop supporting the big corporations, who have no respect for us or our environment, maybe they'd be forced to start going natural. It's possible to do. EVERYTHING I use to clean my house with is natural. I can water the garden with the water I use to wash my dishes and my laundry and even my car! I don't use anything that says, "Keep out of reach of children." Most grocery stores sell organic cleaning products so there really isn't any excuse. Even Clicks have come to the party now and are stocking earth friendly cleaning products which work really well and are affordable. Is a stain on a piece of clothing really THAT important to you that you need to sacrifice your health, and the health of our planet, just to remove it? We use a block of natural soap and it works just as well as Vanish. There are options. Start looking for them instead of just taking the easy route because a TV advert says so. Manufacturers will try and lure you in with all sorts of jargon. That's all it is. They spin a story and we buy into it. Their interest in is their bottom line, not your health or the planet's health. It's time we stopped allowing them to sway us so easily.
Two every easy ways to make a difference. Check out this blog post to get ideas on how to clean your house naturally and spread the word. It's so easy to do something positive for your health and for your planet and everyone benefits.
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