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Here are natural tips for living clean!
EAT YOUR FISH
These fish are your best choices for both environmental sustainability and health reasons, and are safe to eat at least once per week: anchovies, clams, Dungeness crab, king crab (US), snow crab,Pacific cod,crawfish, Atlantic herring (US/Canada), lobster (US/Baja/Cananda/Australia), Atlantic mackerel, blue mussels, farmed oysters, wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, farmed scallops, shrimp (US/Canada), squid, tilapia (US/Central America), farmed rainbow trout, canned tuna (light/skipjack). The fish you should absolutely avoid include: bluefish, striped bass, American eel, weakfish, king mackerel, bluefin tuna, swordfish, shark, croaker, Atlantic salmon.
CLEANING HOUSE
Does the area under your kitchen and bathroom sinks qualify as a hazardous materials storage site? Cleaning up your cleaning products can eliminate many of the nasty chemicals that you and your family are exposed to.
I use a combination of purchased, natural cleaning products, from companies such as Seventh Generation, Ecover, and Mrs. Myers, to name a few, as well as some standard household items and homemade formulas. Consider these:
Baking Soda - cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.
Borax - remember "20-Mule-Team Borax"? It is great for cleaning, deodorizing, disinfecting, softening water, and cleaning wallpaper, painted walls and floors.
Citrus Solvent - cleans paint brushes, oil and grease, some stains. (Citrus solvent may cause skin, lung or eye irritations for people with multiple chemical sensitivities.)
Cornstarch - can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.
Isopropyl Alcohol - is an excellent disinfectant. (It has been suggested to replace this with ethanol or 100 proof alcohol in solution with water. There is some indication that isopropyl alcohol buildup contributes to illness in the body.)
Lemon Juice -
can be used as a natural deoderizing, or in place of vinegar for an acid cleaner.
Soap - plain, unscented soap (liquid, flakes, powders, bars) is biodegradable and cleans most things really well. Avoid using soaps that are labeled as antibacterial or anti-microbial
Trisodium phosphate - is a mixture of soda ash and phosphoric acid. It's toxic if swallowed, but is less dangerous than most other caustics for tough jobs, such as cleaning drains or removing old paint.
White Vinegar - is one of the most economical things you can buy, and it cuts grease, removes mildew, reduces odors, and is effective at cutting wax build-up and the alkaline deposits on bathroom and kitchen fixtures.
HOMEMADE FORMULAS AND CLEANING APPROACHES
Looking for more alternatives? Here are a few options:
Air Fresheners:
• Baking soda with a sprinkle of lemon juice or essential oils (available at natural food stores) placed in small dishes absorbs odors around the house.
• Reduce cooking odors by simmering a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in a cup of water on the stove while cooking. To reduce strong odors (such as fish, cabbage, or onion) from surfaces such as utensils and cutting boards, wipe them with vinegar and then rinse with cold water.
• Simmer water with cinnamon or other spices on stove, or place bowls of fragrant dried herbs and flowers in room.
Basic All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix vinegar one to one with water in a quart jar, add a 1/4 cup of baking soda (or 2 teaspoons borax). This is good for cleaning water spots on shower walls, bathroom chrome fixtures, windows, bathroom mirrors, and darn near any other surface you want to clean.
Mold: Clean mold from tile grout or walls by mixing one part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray on areas with mold. Allow it to soak for a half hour or so, and then rinse with cool water.
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