By Kathy D’Agati

A Native American proverb says “Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children.”

For too long now we have been committing chemical warfare on Mother Earth. She is not happy with us. The consequences get more dire with every passing year.

I know there is a lot that needs to be fixed and as an individual you may feel powerless in the face of it all. The temptation is to throw up your hands and decide this is a matter best handled by governments and corporations.

Coronavirus has taught us differently. We changed the way we did things for 2 months and the earth came back to life in ways we haven’t seen in decades. Mother Earth is apparently a very forgiving soul.

The truth is, everything you do matters.

Let’s start with changing the way we clean our homes.

Here is a list of potential harms in just 1 of many toxic ingredients in the ever- infamous Lysol wipes:

Concerns from [ETHYLENE OXIDE]: cancer, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects, damage to DNA, respiratory effects, nervous system effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage, damage to vision, general systemic/organ effects

Yikes!

You can’t find the heavy duty, foul-smelling, germ-killing, highly toxic cleaners anywhere anyway, so why not give this a try?

Many common household items such as vinegar and baking soda can usually cut through dirt and sanitize just as well as their toxic counterparts. Here are a few examples:

All-purpose mirror and window cleaner: Mix 1part white vinegar with 4 parts water. Add lemon juice for a citrusy smell. The lemon will also provide extra grease cutting power. Spray onto the window or mirror and wipe it off with a rag.

All-purpose countertop cleaner: Mix equal parts vinegar and water. Spray on and wipe off. For stone counters, use rubbing alcohol or vodka with water instead, as the acidity may harm certain surfaces like marble and granite.

Cutting board sanitizer (wood or plastic): Cut a fresh lemon in half and rub it across the surface. Let the juice sit for 10 minutes and then rinse. You can also use coconut oil to clean, sanitize, and condition your wooden cutting board. Use whenever the wood starts to look dry.

Deodorizing toilet scrub: Pour ½ cup of baking soda and about 10 drops of tea tree essential oil into the toilet bowl followed by ¼ cup of vinegar. Scrub with toilet brush.

To unclog a drain: Pour ½ to 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, then slowly pour ½ to 1 cup of vinegar in after it. Cover the drain and let it sit for 15 minutes. If it bubbles like a volcano, it means it’s working as planned. Flush with a gallon of boiling water.

As you can see none of these cleaning alternatives take very long to make and they are no more difficult to use than their very toxic and very expensive counterparts. You will not only save yourself from harmful carcinogens, you will also be saving a trip to the supermarket and lots of money too!

It’s a win-win-win situation. Enjoy your spring cleaning!

If you absolutely must buy something that comes in a bottle, please refer to the Environmental Guide for Healthy Cleaning to choose the right brand.

https://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners/

Kathy D’Agati is a Certified Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach. She can be reached at kathy@backtobasicwellness.com