Weekly DIY: All Purpose Cleaner
Clean as Clean Should Be: Yes, this is the household bottleIt is difficult to find an all-purpose cleaner these days that doesn’t fill your kitchen with the fresh scent of artificial toxins. Whether the cleaning agents are safe or not, oftentimes the most harmful chemicals in cleaning products are the fragrances.
Currently, there are no regulations on the fragrance industry resulting in a lot of unnecessary airborne pollution, or VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Chemicals such as toluene are abundant in the fragrance aisle; they're also abundant in auto parts stores. Toluene has been proven to cause cancer and nervous system damage, and is designated as hazardous waste in large amounts. Now, that doesn’t sound very refreshing or romantic does it?
Oftentimes these harmful chemicals in our everyday environment, from cleaning products to air fresheners, contain hormone disruptors, which are toxins that fool our body by imitating our natural hormones. Hormone disruptors bind to the sites in our body where our natural hormones usually bind, and block those sites from our natural hormones. This often results in low sperm count, high breast cancer rates, prostate and testicular cancer, thyroid problems, and behavioral abnormalities in children.
Now I’m not saying that one cleaning product a day is going to steal your health away. But, exposure to many products through out the day containing toxic chemicals can lead to an unhealthy state. So, I am encouraging you and helping you to use cleaner, safer, homemade products that perform just the same!
Following is my All-Purpose Cleaner Contents 101 just for you!
- Rule of thumb # 1: if it burns your nostril, it shouldn’t be topical.
- Rule of thumb # 2: if you can’t pronounce it, denounce it!
- Rule of thumb # 3: If the scent is strong and synthetic, keep in mind that it is probably present to mask the scent of another equally harmful chemical in the product.
Below is a recipe for an All Purpose Cleaner, and although you certainly could clean your body with it I am recommending it for windows, countertops, mirrors, sinks, tubs, even use it as a weed killer, or in a bowl to remove unwanted odors from a room!
Vinegar: originally a French word meaning “sour wine”. It is simply made from the fermentation of ethanol (the alcohol commonly found in alcoholic beverages) in wine, cider, beer, fermented fruit juice…basically anything that has an alcohol content. The active ingredient is acetic acid, which is usually between 4-8% of the liquid volume. At a PH of about 2.4 the rather acidic liquid helps to kill bacteria, prevent bacteria from growing in the first place, and cuts through grease.
Visit these pages to find millions of opportunities to substitute vinegar in everyday cleaning and even weight loss.
The Vinegar Institute: Uses and Tips
Hints and Things: Vinegar
Borax: an umbrella word for a few closely related natural mineral compounds that differ in content and structure. Commercial borax is usually sodium borate decahydrate. It is very water-soluble and uses that property to convert water molecules into hydrogen peroxide, thereby becoming a great natural, yet mild, bleach and cleaning agent. At a PH of 9.5 the alkaline, the basic compound uses it’s salt, and/or oxygen content to disinfect and kill unwanted pests/organisms. Borax is used in many detergents, fungicides, preservatives, and disinfectants.
Now that you have the facts, here is how you make it!
Ingredient list:
- 4 T Vinegar
- 2 tsp. Borax
- 10-20 drops of the essential oil of your choice (optional)
- 32 oz hot water
Step 1: Find a spray bottle that will hold about 32 oz or more. If you want to use an old spray bottle, which is a great idea, first disinfect and clean it. How? Put in 4 T Vinegar, 2 tsp Borax, and fill it about 1/3 with boiling hot water (if your bottle is plastic, reduce the heat of the water a bit). Shake it real well, let it sit for a day or two and rinse it well.
There you have it!Step 2: Add the 4 T Vinegar right into the bottle
Step 3: Add the 2 tsp of Borax right into the bottle
Step 4: Add 32 oz of hot! Water
Step 5: Add 10-20 drops of your chosen essential oil if you please
Step 6: Put on the top/lid and shake it up.
Step 7: Clean away to your hearts fancy and be breath deep. It won’t hurt you!
Isn't it refreshing to know that having a cleaner home requires less: less ingredients meaning less harmful disguises?
Source articles:
No Perfume Means Healthier Air
About.com: How Does Borax Clean?
July 11th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
so “sodium borate decahydrate” passes rule two, but acetone wouldn’t?
now, i’m not saying that your solution isn’t pretty safe, but your rules are certainly not. there are a number of compounds that smell fine but are quite toxic and a number of the reverse. there are a lot of things that are represented in products by chemical names that are very safe, and natural potpouri or lavender oil can smell just as potent as a synthetic stuff.
i hope no one attempts to sniff their box of borax to see if it burns their nostrils, inhalation is a very bad thing with borax, but it’s of minimal topical danger.
-responsible- use of chemistry is the friend of the green movement.
as a side note, hydrogen peroxide that you’re talking about borax producing as a cleanser attacks protein very well, but is degraded rapidly by light, so the clear bottle won’t have much left if it’s an effective ingredient.
July 12th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
The About.com link says not to use Borax around food, pets or kids. Is this stuff safe?
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:33 pm
The percentage of Borax in the solution will not harm anything (accept for the unwanted bacteria…) or anyone. It is most harmful when in the power form upon purchase. You dont want to leave to box of powder just laying around so your dog could knock it over and lap it up. But you can be much less concerned spraying this on your countertop and eating off it rather than all conventional cleaners.
Elizabeth Redmond l Sustainabile Design
July 24th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Not sure if you have heard, but Shaklee ( 51 year old company) makes an organic all purpose cleaner that is all natural, non-toxic, biodegradable, would probably cost less than making your own messy cleaner and will not leave your house smelling like vinegar. Check it out here: http://www.gogreenandmakegreen.com/environmentally_safe_cleaning_product.html
Why DIY when you don’t have to?
Shaklee has zero impact on global warming by offsetting 100% of its greenhouse gas emissions. For this innovative environmental leadership, Shaklee became the nation’s first Climate Neutral Certified Company.
July 24th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Eco WAHM asks, “Why DIY when you don’t have to?”
And I ask you: Why spend money on something you can make yourself for much less? I mean, why consume simply because you can? I think people, especially Americans, need to ask themselves that question every time they feel the urge to spend money just because they have it.
July 25th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Shaklee’s H2 Organic All Purpose Cleaner costs less than .06 per 28 oz bottle! So again, Why DIY when you don’t have to? Borax, vinegar and essential oils would end up costing more.. I know, I have done both.
July 25th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Thanks for your comment.
These rules clearly don’t cover everything. They are simply a base for many rules.
Rule 1: If soemthing burns your nostrils it is probably a harmful chemical that does it rather than a good natural ingredient. Vinegar might have an obnoxious scent for some, but it certainly doesn’t burn your nose hairs. Chemical compounds that smell fine clearly don’t pertain to this rule.
Indeed, borax is harmful upon inhalation 10mg/m3., but only in a dose that is much more potent than that of my solution. I would not adise sticking your nose in a box of borax, we are also
not advised to go huff a can of aerosol yet we feel fine spraying
aerosol cleaners on our surfaces and allowing the gasses to dissipate
into our household environment. When I reference "topical" I am speaking about putting it on the countertops then eating off it, touching it, and allowing it to dissipate into our environment. Borax is estimated to have a fatal dose of 0.1- 0.5 g/kg according to the Handbook of Poisoning, this is lower than my solution to a point where is it not harmful. Since it is not harmful to your skin, we don’t need to worry about Borax.
Rule 2: Borax is the common name for "sodium borate decahydrate" while acetone
is the common name for "dimethyl ketone". Wouldn’t you say dimethyl
ketone is a bit more difficult to deconstruct than the former: sodium, borate [borate salt], and a crystal water content?
Rule 3: Oftentimes your potency note is true, but undoubtedly there is a difference in scent. It is much healthier to breathe true lavender essential oil than a synthetic substitute. One is aromatherapuetic and present for your benefit, the other is
toxic and present becasue we like scents or because an even more noxious ingredient needs a mask. The shame is that due to our daily exposure to synthetic frangrances, we have a hard time diciphering the two.
These rules do not suggest you
should go snuffing materials around the house. They do suggest that
there is a difference between botanical names and chemical conpounds. Certainly most everything is a compound of elements, natural or manufactured. These are a couple of suggestions to help one begin deciphering the good from the bad. All additional constructive help is welcome.
Elizabeth Redmond l Sustainable Design
July 26th, 2007 at 8:53 am
Eco WAHM asks, “Why DIY when you don’t have to?”
I ask, why constantly buy new plastic containers when you can make your own cleaners and refill the same container each time?
Does the Shaklee product come in a glass container? Or even a recycled plastic container? If not, then we are using virgin petroleum-based plastic for each new container, a non-rewable and highly polluting natural resource.
So, why buy new plastic when you don’t have to???
July 26th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
After reading this initial post and recipe for non-hazardous cleaners, I forwarded the link to colleagues at an elementary school where I have been working as an artist-in-residence for several years. We are currently discussing ways to “green” the school, and creating safe cleaning products seems like a practical and fun lesson for children and their families.
In response to the post by Eco WAHM, suggesting purchasing a cheap and safe product simply because we can:
There is much to be learned from creating something from scratch that we use regularly, as well as re-using bottles before tossing them into the recycling bin. Making our own household cleaning products or other items that we frequently purchase be may exactly what we need. I consider myself to be environmentally conscious, but as a person living in the U.S., an industrialized and capitalist nation, I am grateful to be reminded of my relationship to the planet, as a consumer.
Peace.
July 30th, 2007 at 1:58 am
OK. This is my last comment on this subject. Instead of buying borax, vinegar, essential oils and a spray/mixing bottle; Shaklee’s cleaner comes in a recyclable 16 oz bottle. You then buy a spray/mixing bottle and use 1/4 teaspoon of the cleaner and add water. You re-use the same spray/mixing bottle over and over. The cleaner makes 214 28 oz bottles of cleaner. It is easy, cheap and “Green”. If you want to make your own cleaner, go right ahead. Unless you use a mixing bowl, be sure to use a funnel or the borax will go all over the place and if you use baking soda, as many DIY recipes do, when you add the vinegar, it can make a fizzing mess. If we really want main stream consumers to use environmentally friendly products, they need to be convenient, fast and easy to use. People usually do not change overnight, they might try making their own cleaner but most will go right back to using their scrubbing bubbles.