YOUR HOUSE…
Filter PFAs from Your Drinking Water
September, 2024
By Linda Mason Hunter
I’ve had a whole-house water filtering system in place for several years. It gives me great peace of mind, but lately I’ve been concerned about PFAs in water. PFAs are what is known as forever chemicals, and they are everywhere in our environment—stain and water resistors, fleece clothing, plastics, you name it.
I was just about to buy a stand-alone water filter to remove PFAs when I thought, “I’ll just check to see if my whole house water filtering system eliminates PFAs.” I honestly didn’t think it did because knowledge about the harm PFAs does to the human body is relatively new. I called my water company (Iowa Soft Water, in West Des Moines) and sure enough, filters containing activated carbon or reverse osmosis have been shown to be effective at removing PFAs from water supplies. They also remove sediment, nitrates, and microplastics.
Installation isn’t cheap at $1200, and regular annual maintenance is required to make sure the system is working properly, but it’s worth it me. Iowa Soft Water is just one company. Others may cost less. To find a water company near you, go to the website ilovemywater.com and put in your zip code. It will bring up the company closest to you, and explain the process of installation and how the filters work.
For a less expensive remedy, stand-alone water pitchers are available that remove PFAs. The Environmental Working Group has recently published its Guide to PFAS Water Filters. To make their selection, EWG scientists tested ten different filters in ten different homes using real water. They measured how much each filter reduced forever chemicals, then figured in important qualities such as cost of the filter and potential useful life. Four water filters in their study reduced PFAS by 100% or came close. To get the guide, go to https://www.ewg.org/research/getting-forever-chemicals-out-drinking-water-ewgs-guide-pfas-water-filters
How to Remove Stains from Laundry
Source: CLEAN PEOPLE Blog, https://www.getcleanpeople.com/blog/
How to Clean and Sanitize a Sponge
June 25, 2022
Without regular cleaning, your ordinary kitchen sponge becomes a nasty petri dish full of live bacteria. It’s essential to clean and sanitize it regularly, ideally every day. There are three easy methods for doing this, but first always wash the sponge with warm water and soap.
The easiest way to clean a sponge is to microwave it on high for one minute. Make sure the sponge is wet (too dry and it can catch on fire) and does not contain any metallic elements, such as in the scrubber, that can spark. Let the sponge cool before handling; it will be hot.
Another method after washing is to soak the sponge in a bleach solution. Check the label for the correct formula for diluting bleach. Assuming your bleach is 8.25 percent sodium hypochlorite, you’ll need 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per quart of warm water. Soak the sponge in that solution for one minute.
A dishwasher with a drying cycle is almost as effective as microwaving. Just be sure the sponge does not come in contact with a heating element. But if the sponge is secure and you’re confident the temperature is high enough to kill bacteria, go for it.
Always thoroughly wring out the sponge after using and place it where air can circulate around it, not stuck in dish where it can sit in a little bit of tepid water and breed bacteria.
The healthiest option is to do away with a sponge altogether. Use a dishcloth instead, wring it out thoroughly after every use, and launder it frequently.
PFAS are in the Water of Every State
January 2, 2022
Here’s how to avoid PFAS in your life.
Avoid Paraffin and Scented Candles
March, 2020
Candles make for a cozy aesthetic, but please avoid scented and paraffin candles. They should not be in a home.
The majority of candles are made from paraffin wax, which is the final byproduct in the petroleum refining chain. When burned, its soot contains toluene and benzene, both known carcinogens. These are the same chemicals found in diesel exhaust and can cause damage to the brain, lung and central nervous system, as well as cause developmental difficulties. They’re also responsible for filling the air with particulates, phthalates, and volatile organic chemicals.
Best to use unscented beeswax and soy candles. They cost more and may be a bit difficult to find, but they don’t contribute to indoor air pollution and are much easier on the environment in their manufacture, use, and disposal.
How’s Your Indoor Air Quality?
July, 2018
When it comes to indoor air quality, impossible-to-see pollutants can prove harmful to human health—and our behavior may be making matters worse. Candles, pets, gas stoves, fireplaces are just a handful of the countless hazards that make home air pollution a major health concern—a threat exacerbated by the fact that average Americans spend 90 percent of their lives indoors.
Often things we do to make our homes more hospitable can lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions—things like artificially scented candles, a new sofa treated with stain resisters and flame retardants, a brand new carpet, or one recently cleaned with solvents.
Most indoor air pollutants are colorless, odorless, or too tiny to be seen by the naked eye, so it’s important to pay attention to symptoms and smells. Symptoms range from chronic colds to dizziness, confusion, skin rashes, shortness of breath. More serious illnesses include pneumonia, asthma, respiratory infections, and cancer.
Always distrust “new car smell”—a soup of synthetic chemicals made by humans in a laboratory, not found in nature. Pay attention to how you feel. Do you get dizzy, headachy, develop brain fog or shortness of breath?
Best Solution: If you live in an unpolluted neighborhood, open up the house and bathe the indoors with fresh air.
Best Advice: Pay attention to what you bring into the house. Eliminate anything with artificial fragrance.
Don't Wear Shoes Indoors
May, 2018
Shoes are great. They protect our feet from snow and cold and thistles and brambles, but do we need to wear them inside? Many cultures think not.
Here are five reasons to leave your kicks at the door.
1. Bacteria: Shoes pick up sneaky bacteria which are then spread about your home when you wear shoes inside. This is no small thing. A study from the University of Arizona found 421,000 units of bacteria on the outside of a shoe, including E. coli, meningitis, diarrheal disease, and pneumonia.
2. Toxins: An EPA study provided proof that unhealthy herbicides can be tracked into residences on shoes, often for up to a week after application. The “track-in” exposures may exceed those from residues on non-organic fresh fruits and vegetables.
3. Dirt: Shoes bring in a lot of dirt and grime, which means more cleaning.
4. Wear and tear: More dirt and grit on hard floors means more wear on their surface; more dirt and muck on carpets means more cleaning and scrubbing.
5. Comfort and health: Unless you have a health issue in which the support of shoes alleviates pain, your feet are likely happier outside of shoes. The opportunity to be barefoot is good for your feet. Allowing your foot muscles to do their thing helps them stay strong and flexible.
So, adopt a new house rule today. Leave shoes at the door.
Adapted from https://www.treehugger.com/green-home/6-reasons-remove-your-shoes-inside.html.
Mattress Shopping: What You Should Know
By Linda Mason Hunter
April, 2018
Recently, when shopping for a new mattress, I found myself knee-deep in hours of research. It’s that complicated. Mattresses these days can be sprayed with all kinds of industrial chemicals that outgas into the air making you sick, so I’m very careful. If I’m spending eight hours a night in bed, I want the most restorative sleep I can get.
The Fill
There are three basic types of mattress fill—latex, foam, and fiber.
The most eco mattress you can get, in my estimation, is made of latex from a rubber tree, a very sustainable product. Rubber comes off the trunk of the tree in sheets, and grows right back. I had a latex rubber mattress once, but it was too firm and my partner hated it.
Foam mattresses can be entirely synthetic and retain body heat. If you’re thinking of buying a foam mattress, look for one made without synthetic chemicals, like solvents, flame-retardants, lead, mercury, formaldehyde, and ozone-depleting CFCs. I got an all-foam mattress once, one of those expensive ones that imprints your body and is advertised everywhere, but I couldn’t wait to get it out of my house, and sent it back the next day. The outgassing took my breath away, an awful chemical smell that filled the air, nothing plant-based about it.
The kind of mattress I prefer is made with a mix of non-toxic fibers, like wool and cotton, and low-tox foam that does not contain polyurethane or toxic chemicals, yet still provides pressure point support.
Several eco-mattresses exist that get their fill from plant-based sources, such as avocados and buckwheat.
Be sure to try the mattress out before purchasing, so you'll know what you're getting.
The Label
When shopping for a mattress, beware of words claiming “eco-friendly” and “natural.” No law or governing body currently regulates these terms, so you can’t be sure which benefits you’re getting.
Look for the words “certified organic.” Compared to conventional mattresses, certified organic mattresses contain fewer pesticide residues, fewer harmful chemicals and fewer fumes to inhale – benefits many shoppers feel justify a higher price tag.
The Global Organic Textile Standard, or GOTS, requires that at least 70 percent of cotton or wool fibers are organically grown. In the remaining 30 percent, it bans the use of polyurethane foam and hazardous chemicals, including fire retardants and formaldehyde based-glues.
In addition, look for third party certification, so you can be confident of what you’re getting. USDA-certified mattresses don’t go far enough, in my estimation. They can still contain toxic chemicals. Among the more stringent certifications are the Global Organic Textile Standard (or GOTS) and Oeko-Tex Standard 100.
Lastly, look for a guarantee, so you can return the mattress if you don’t like it. Most have a 90 to 120 day return policy.
My New Mattress
I have an all-wood platform bed frame that doesn’t require box springs or foundation. I don’t like box springs anyway because you feel the movement of your partner, and they raise the height of the bed.
I rejected innerspring mattresses because they amplify every movement of my partner, waking me up several times a night.
I settled on a medium soft mattress filled with individually encased coils cushioned with eco-certified fibers and foam. The mattress provides good body conformity, pressure relief and heat dissipation, which I need. Mattresses that retain heat make me exceedingly uncomfortable.
My new mattress provides a buoyant, yet cradled feel—firm, but not too firm—while reducing partner disturbance. It comes from Room and Board, a Minnesota retail store that partners with a local company to create exclusive, private-label, low-profile mattresses that fit my eco-specifications. They make each mattress individually, so it takes a month of so before delivery. The Room and Board delivery guys are clean, helpful, and well-groomed. They set up my new mattress and hauled away the old one. All in all, a good experience.
Other companies also provide private label eco mattresses.
For more info:
https://www.roomandboard.com/catalog/bedroom/randb-mattresses.
Change Bedsheets Weekly
October, 2017
I’ve always wondered about how often bedsheets should be changed. Ipractice the rule of not making the bed until at least a half hour after I’m out of it, to allow sweat and body odors to dissipate into the air. But changing the sheets weekly usually seemed like more work than necessary. I was wrong. Turns out you should wash your sheets weekly. Here’s why.
You spend more than one-third of your life in bed. It’s important to keep it clean. Sheets, if left unchecked can become a botanical park of bacteria and fungus, according to scientists. If left for too long, microscopic life produced by sweat within the wrinkles and folds of bed sheets can lead to sniffing, sneezing, and allergic reactions, especially if you’re already prone to allergies and asthma.
Studies show we produce up to 26 gallons of sweat in bed every year—sweat that is responsible for at least 16 different species of fungus. The same is true for feather pillows. In addition, foreign microbes from animal dander, pollen, soil, lint, dust mite debris and feces, and finishing agents from whatever your sheets are made of can trigger sniffing and sneezing.
Microbial buildup reaches “significant” levels in as little as a week. So wash your sheets weekly. One to two weeks of this buildup is enough to leave anyone with a scratchy throat. One scientist likened dirty sheets to coming in contact with animal waste. If you touched dog poo in the street, you’d want to wash your hands. Consider that analogous to your bedding. If you saw what was there, you’d ask yourself “Do I want to sleep in that?”
Sleep Cool
July, 2017
Turn down the thermostat, crack a window, and ditch the blankets for some science-backed health benefits. That’s the advice from treehugger.com, one of my main go-to places for reputable green advice. This month the site posted an article about the health benefits of sleeping cool, something of particular interest to me because I always sleep best when the room temperature is cool to cold and I hunker down under a down-filled duvet—oh so cozy.
If research turns out to be accurate, then my preference is the healthier one. Scientists are now surmising that humans’ lack of cold exposure could actually be harming us. We spend our lives in climate-controlled spaces, where the temperature doesn’t fluctuate much year-round. If it does get cool, we rush to turn up the heat or put on a sweater, so as not to experience any physical discomfort.
Read more: http://www.treehugger.com/health/importance-feeling-cold.html
Reduce Clutter
November, 2017
Clutter creates a very real psychological burden on people. There are many reasons why one should fight clutter every step of the way, even before it gets bad.
First of all, clutter compromises your perception of home.
Your home should be a retreat from the world, a place in which to take pride and to relax. Having too many things in too small a place will lead you to feel that your home environment is your enemy, not your friend.
More: https://www.treehugger.com/cleaning-organizing/clutter-bad-even-if-youre-not-hoarder.html
Choosing Kitchen Flooring
January, 2019
It’s not easy picking material for a kitchen floor. It has to do so many things. You want it to be:
· Water-resistent, to handle spills and regular washing.
· Durable, to stand up to a lot of traffic in a small area.
· Resilient and shock absorbing; so things don’t break easily when dropped.
· You want it to be attractive, particularly for open kitchens.
What is a savvy eco shopper to do? Here’s the skinny:
Vinyl passes the above test, but it’s made from fossil fuels and chlorine, and softened with phthalates—not healthy at all.
Wood is easy on the feet but fails the durability and water tests. If your kitchen doesn’t get seriously heavy traffic, wood may not be a bad choice. Just make sure it is not engineered wood, and is sustainably harvested and local, like maple, oak, or salvaged wood.
Ceramic Tile is durable, water resistant, and easy to clean, but really hard underfoot, leading to shin splints if you stand on it for a sustained period of time. If you drop anything hard and heavy, it will probably break either the object or the floor tile.
Concrete and Terrazzo are durable and easy to maintain, but as with ceramic tile they are hard underfoot and fallen objects are prone to break.
Natural Rubber is a great kitchen flooring material. It’s used in hospitals because it’s easy to maintain and soft underfoot. Many are free of toxic chemicals, but they’re expensive.
Linoleum/Marmoleum is among the greenest of floors, made from natural materials—a mix of linseed oil, pine rosin, wood flour, and cork dust, with jute backing.
Cork is affordable, sound absorbing, installs quickly and easily, and looks good. It’s soft underfoot, durable, resilient, and a renewable resource, made from bark of the cork tree. It’s even anti-microbial, which fends off mold and rot. Best to buy cork in sheets, rather than engineered planks, which tend to come unglued.
In my kitchen I have Marmoleum with cork underlayment, and it works great.
Source: “6 Different Kitchen Floors That Are Healthy and Green,” by Lloyd Alter, treehugger.com. November 7, 2018. https://www.treehugger.com/kitchen-design/x-different-kitchen-floors.html?utm_source=TreeHugger+Newsletters&utm_campaign=32696f5d36
Find a Mattress You’ll Love
March, 2024
Waking up tired and achy? Here’s how to choose a bed that will lead to restful nights and brighter days.
Source: “Find a Mattress You’ll Love,” by Joanne Chen. CR Consumer Reports, March 2024.
Research carefully before you buy
How to find a non-toxic mattress protector
Essential organic mattress protectors
https://shop.leafscore.com/products/essential-mattress-protector?mc_cid=31c7a8f6b6&mc_eid=6cc15c6960
Pay Attention to Products Containing PFAS
By Linda Mason Hunter
November, 2023
I’ve been spending excessive energy worrying about plastic lately. It started with noticing the buildup of plastic food wrappers and containers in my kitchen trash can. I used to be fairly diligent about paying attention to recycling numbers in the little triangle on the bottom of plastic products, recycling what I could. But I know all that plastic isn’t recycled. Most is incinerated, which is terrible for the environment. I guess incineration is probably better than depositing it in the local landfill where it takes a century to completely degrade, if at all.
That got me to thinking about PFAS, a class of several thousand different plasticizers, many of which are ubiquitous in the products we buy. PFAS are found in everything from guitar strings to food wrappers, from climbing ropes to artificial turf to medical implants. Turns out 99 percent of us have detectable levels of PFAS in our blood, all from exposure to plastic. This is a relatively new phenomenon. We weren’t living in a plastic world when I was growing up in the 1950s. Most plasticizers hadn’t been invented yet. Now we’re drowning in them, and it’s one reason our cancer rates are so high.
Time to pay attention, folks. Where in your life do you run into products containing PFAS? Find out!
Where Do You Find PFAS in Your Daily Life?
By Linda Mason Hunter
November, 2023
Yesterday, while researching PFAS, a class of plasticizers that’s much in the news lately, I stumbled upon a YouTube video of comedian John Oliver, riffing on the environmental and human harm of living in a plastic world. PFAS is a class of synthetic plasticizer chemicals found in thousands of products we encounter every day. They’re in household cleaners, pesticides, guitar strings, climbing rope, food wrappers, products that claim to be water-resistant and non-stick. They are abundant in medical and dental procedures.
In his YouTube video John Oliver interviewed a man who has plastic mesh planted in his body as a result of a hernia operation. His body is probably absorbing PFAS 24/7 and there’s not much he can do about it, save another surgery to take it out. And replace it with what?
On a personal level, I’ve been worrying about PFAS in the new non-stick skillet I bought for my disabled adult son. The label claimed the skillet didn’t contain PFOAs. I was in a hurry so I bought it, not understanding that PFOA is one of more than 15,000 synthetic chemicals classified as PFAS. The manufacturer likely substituted a different type of synthetic plasticizer for the PFOA, and that’s just as bad.
Look around you. Where do you find PFAS?
Have you discovered dryer balls?
January 12, 2024
If not, it’s something to consider. While most of us are familiar with the trusty washing machine and dryer duo, there’s a lesser-known hero in the laundry realm that deserves some spotlight—the humble dryer ball. These unassuming alternatives to dryer sheets are making waves for the right reasons.
· They reduce drying times by aiding the circulation of hot air.
· They are natural fabric softeners, reducing wrinkles and making ironing less of a hassle.
· They are eco-friendly and cost-effective. Unlike single-use dryer sheets, dryer balls are reusable for around 1,000 loads or more.
For optimal results use three to six balls in your dryer, adjusting the number based on the size of your load. Once your laundry is done, keep the dryer balls inside where they are ready for next round of laundry.
To freshen up or banish wrinkles from garments, try spritzing the dryer balls with water, thus creating a steam effect when they bounce around in the dryer.
If you fancy adding fragrance, use a couple drops of essential oil dabbed onto the dryer balls before tossing them into the dryer.
I get my dryer balls from a company called Clean People. You can find them at https://www.getcleanpeople.com/product/woodl-ddryer-balls/.
By the way, I’m a professional journalist. I don’t take freebies from companies wanting publicity. I only advocate for products I like and I use.
Avoid Non-Stick Cookware
November 3, 2023
From the David Suzuki Foundation, Vancouver, British Columbia
Many convenience kitchen products claiming to be “non-stick” contain toxic chemicals that can harm our health. There are eco-friendly alternatives that are safe, sustainable, and durable. You just need to learn how to use them to get best results. Choose cookware made of these materials:
· Stainless steel won’t interact with food or change the taste. It’s easy to clean and durable. Marked safe for induction cooktops.
· Carbon steel is durable, versatile, and high heat tolerant.
· Glass is versatile, easy to use, and won’t absorb flavors or odors.
· Ceramic is free of harmful chemicals, non-reactive, and versatile.
· Granite is non-stick, durable, rust-resistant, high heat tolerant, and easy to clean.
· Cast iron is long-lasting, high heat tolerant, durable and versatile. Safe for induction cooktops.
Make Your Pans Non-Stick Without Toxic Chemicals
Folks are drawn to non-stick cookware because it’s marketed as easy to use and clean. But if you learn how to master your stainless steel, carbon steel or cast iron pots and pans you won’t have to worry about food sticking and they’ll last longer.
Stainless Steel:
· Preheat the pan. Allow it to achieve medium to medium-high heat before adding oil or food.
· Use sufficient fat or oil.
· Control heat. Stainless steel conducts heats fast, so check and adjust temperature as needed. Lower the heat if you notice food sticking. Let it sear or brown before flipping or stirring.
· Deglaze the pan. If food starts to stick, add a small amount of liquid (broth, wine or water) to the pan while stirring to loosen the stuck bits. This helps release the food and makes it easier to clean the pan.
Cast Iron and Carbon Steel:
· Season the pan. Seasoning creates a natural non-stick surface on cast iron. Follow manufacturer’s instructions. If you don’t have any (say because you got your pan at a thrift store), follow these steps. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Clean the pan thoroughly. Apply a thin layer of vegetable oil to the entire surface, including the bottom and the handle. Place the pan inside your oven upside down on the rack. Bake for one hour. With cast iron, you may need to repeat this process a few times to build up a good seasoning layer. You may also need to do regular maintenance seasoning.
· Use enough fat or oil. This helps prevent sticking and, as you keep using the pan, makes it more non-stick.
· Preheat the pan. Ensure the pan is properly heated before adding food. This helps create a barrier between the food and the pan’s surface, reducing the chances of sticking.
How To Clean a Stainless Steel Skillet
· Preheat the pan. Allow it to achieve medium to medium-high heat before adding oil or food.
· Use sufficient fat or oil.
· Control heat. Stainless steel conducts heats fast, so check and adjust temperature as needed. Lower the heat if you notice food sticking. Let it sear or brown before flipping or stirring.
· Deglaze the pan. If food starts to stick, add a small amount of liquid (broth, wine or water) to the pan while stirring to loosen the stuck bits. This helps release the food and makes it easier to clean the pan.
How To Clean Cast Iron and Carbon Steel Cookware
Never, ever wash cast iron with soap! This will remove all your seasoning and food will stick. Instead, simply wipe clean or scour with hot water and coarse salt for messy jobs. Dry it well to prevent rust. Place the clean pan back on a warm burner for a few minutes to ensure it’s completely dry.
Castile Soap, Miracle Worker
March 21, 2023
By Linda Mason Hunter
If you haven’t discovered it already, Castile soap is a versatile, eco-friendly, gentle-on-people ingredient used in many do-it-yourself personal and household cleaning recipes. It’s named for Castile, Spain, a region renowned for its olive oil. Authentic Castile soap is made of plant oils—coconut, hemp, sunflower seed, jojoba, and olive. It’s vegan, scent-free (even free of essential oils), free of foaming agents, and is concentrated, so a little goes a long way.
When purchasing Castile soap, please read labels carefully. It should contain only vegetable-based ingredients and should not contain unsustainably harvested palm oil.
In addition to being eco-friendly, Castile soap is amazingly versatile. I prefer liquid Castile soap over the bar kind. It can be used for so many purposes:
* as a hand and body soap, for washing your hair, even for washing your dog.
* as a laundry soap, an all-purpose scouring agent, a spray.
* to wash fruits and vegetables, just add a squirt to a sinkful of water and rinse.
* use it to make an all-purpose spray.
* to make a diaper wipe solution; just add a few drops to a squirt of water.
* to wash reusable menstrual cups, sex toys, and makeup brushes.
* to wash floors, even your car; just add a squirt to a bucketful of water.
AND it’s not expensive. What’s not to like?
Source: The David Suzuki Foundation, Vancouver, BC Canada
Do Detergent Pods Really Biodegrade? Some Say No.
December 14, 2022
Easy-to-use detergent pods have become ubiquitous in American homes, containing just the right combination and amount of cleaning agents to leave clothes fresh and dishes sparkling. But now a debate is raging over whether they may contribute to the growing plastic pollution problem that threatens human health and the environment.
Blueland, an eco-friendly company selling a “dry-form” laundry detergent tablet, argues that the material surrounding detergent pods does not completely break down in water as advertised. Blueland and several advocacy groups have petitioned the EPA to require health and environmental safety tests for polyvinyl alcohol, also known as PVA or PVOH, which encases the pods.
Blueland’s co-founder Sarah Paiji Yoo says, “Polyvinyl alcohol is a polymer, so by definition it is a plastic—a synthetic petroleum-based plastic…which is arguably worse than plastic straws. At least with a straw you can look at it and know it’s trash, you should put it in the trash can. These pods and laundry sheets are plastics designed to go down our drains and into our water systems that ultimately empty out into the natural environment.”
Asked for comment by the Washington Post, an EPA spokesperson said the agency “will review the petition and respond accordingly.”
Source: “Does the film around detergent pods really biodegrade? A debate is raging,” by Allyson Chiu, The Washington Post, November 15, 2022.
Hang Laundry to Dry
By Katherine Martinko for Treehugger.com.
January 5, 2021
A small but interesting resolution to make: Commit to hang-drying your laundry throughout 2021. It's a slow process, but it can be a meditative one. Over the years I have learned to enjoy the act of shaking out clumped-up laundry and hanging it on an indoor rack or outdoor line. (This is a good chore for children.) It has major environmental benefits, as well. Dryers emit more than a ton of carbon dioxide every year, and there are 88 million of them across the US. Dryers shorten clothing's life span, ruining elasticity over time and wearing down fabrics.
Don’t Use the Delicate Cycle
February, 2020
Using the delicate cycle of your washing machine is not eco-cool for two reasons. First, a delicate cycle uses twice as much water as a regular wash. Second, when washing synthetics--like polyester, nylon, acrylic, and fleece—the delicate cycle releases 800,000 more plastic microparticles per load.
According to new research, water volume triggers the release of plastic microfibers more than agitation does during a laundry cycle. Microfibers are a greater concern because they wash out into waterways, lakes, and oceans. Most washing machines are not equipped to filter out the small particles; and because they're made of chemical-laden, non-biodegradable plastic, the particles can enter and poison the food chain. There is also concern about polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) which stick to the particles, aiding the spread of viruses and disease in marine environments. The tiny size of these microfibers allows them to be readily consumed by fish and other wildlife. They have the potential to bioaccumulate, concentrating toxins in the bodies of larger animals, higher up the food chain.
So, stick with a regular cycle whenever possible. Buy a high-efficiency washer and make sure it's full before running a load.
Source: “Why you shouldn’t use your washer’s delicate cycle,” by Katherine Martinko, treehugger.com, Sept. 30, 2019.
Clean with Salt
February, 2018
There are several ways to put ordinary table salt to work in cleaning your home.
1. Use it to scrub a sink: If baking soda doesn't have quite enough scrubbing power for your needs, mix it with table salt in a 1:1 ratio. That will get your sink sparkling clean in no time. Dip half a lemon in salt and use it to rid faucets of lime buildup and leave them shiny.
2. Use salt to clean a cutting board: Some vegetables like beets, carrots, and strawberries leave stains on a cutting board, while others, like onions and garlic, leave powerful odors that don't go away entirely with soap and water. Simply sprinkle salt over the cutting board, then rub it in a circular motion using a half lemon. Rinse and set upright to dry. You'll have a stain free, odorless cutting board.
3. Salt is an effective stain remover. If you spill red wine, blot the extra liquid and cover liberally in table salt. Let it dry, then launder as usual. If you have stained ceramic mugs, sprinkle salt inside, rub it around with a half lemon, and rinse. This same technique works for stained stainless steel.
4. Use salt to clean cast iron. You're never supposed to use a metal scrub pad on cast iron because it will destroy the seasoning. Salt, however, can give abrasive cleaning power without ruining anything. Sprinkle salt into a dirty pan, and either (1) fill with water, heat over stove, and stir with a wooden spatula to loosen food bits, or (2) rub it into the dry pan until all food bits have been lifted. Dump out the now-dirty salt and wipe it with a cloth.
More tips for cleaning with salt can be found on treehugger.com, one of my favorite websites for green tips.
Source: https://www.treehugger.com/cleaning-organizing/6-ways-clean-your-home-salt.html
Twenty more cleaning hacks to rid your house of harsh industrial chemicals in commercial cleaning products.
13 Items to Always Buy in Bulk
October, 2017
Toilet paper--never goes bad
A good way to reduce household expenses by buying in bulk. Unit prices drop as quantity increases, which, over time, has the benefit of reducing household expenses. But you have to know what to buy, as not all items are suitable for bulk purchase. There are four main rules for buying in bulk:
(1) non-perishable is a must, (2) don’t buy items that tempt you to use more of them by buying more (like sweets), (3) you must have the space to store it, and (4) buy quality items you know you like, or you’ll end up not using it or throwing it away.
Here’s a list of items ideal for bulk purchase:
https://www.treehugger.com/green-home/13-items-you-should-always-buy-bulk.html
