Saturday, April 7, 2007

Section: At Home
Page: 5E
Source: Staff
Publication: Times Herald

Clean with care

Natural cleaners are a less-toxic alternative

By Nicole Gerring

For many people, spring is the season for cleaning.
As they open up windows and shake out dusty rugs, many people use buckets of assorted cleaning products to freshen up their homes.  Some, however, say the very agents used to clean floors, toilets, walls and counters may be more harmful than the dust that’s accumulated during the cold days of winter.  More shoppers are seeking nontoxic ways to clean their homes, just as consumers are buying organic foods to steer clear of pesticides and chemicals in their diets.  Toxic cleaning agents found in common products can harm human and animal health and pollute the environment, says Stephan Conlee, manager of Honeycomb Natural Foods in Kimball Township.  “You’re introducing things into your environment whether you think about it or not,” he says. “It does affect how plants are grown, the quality of our water and trees. It certainly has an effect on the ecosystem.”  Water that’s drained into sewers eventually ends up in local lakes or rivers, which may be sources of drinking, cleaning or bath water, said Sheri Faust, environmental educator at the St. Clair County Health Department.  “It could pose a threat to our groundwater systems, nearby surface water and streams and creeks,” she says.  She says it’s important county residents dispose of toxic cleaners at the county landfill’s recycling center and not throw them away with other types of garbage.  In addition to environmental hazards, harsh cleaners can affect personal health. Some harsh cleaners contain chemicals that can interfere with the central nervous system, mimic estrogen or act as carcinogens, Conlee says.  Environmentally-friendly, nontoxic solutions are a safer option, he says.  “You’re not going to absorb them through your skin that way. You’re not taking them in, they’re not being absorbed in your bloodstream.”

The basics
Basic household products such as plain soap, water, baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice can function as effective cleaners, says Terry Jones, educator with the Washtenaw County Michigan State University Extension in Ann Arbor.  “Making your own simple and effective products is fun and economical,” she says.  Jones wrote a 21-page guide to cleaning with alternative products. The guide is available on the MSU Extension of St. Clair County Web site, and similar guides are available at the Sanilac County MSU Extension office in Sandusky.  White vinegar can be used in laundry wash water to eliminate soap residue and soften clothes, the guide says.  Janet Rettell, owner of Just Maid It cleaning service in St. Clair, says she uses white vinegar to kill bacteria, mold and viruses on floors and other surfaces.  “We do use vinegar, which kills germs 98%,” she says. “You can use vinegar on countertops, floors. It’s just a great product that’s been out for years.”

She says one of her customers, Michelle Stys of St. Clair Township, called her to ensure nontoxic chemicals were used to clean the floors to protect the health of her young daughter.  Stys says she was relieved to learn Rettell only uses vinegar and water to clean the floor.  “You’re always hearing about, ‘don’t do this, don’t do that, it could affect (the child) down the road,’” Stys says.  Stys also uses a fruit-based, nontoxic cleaner to clean her daughter’s toys.  Other household items, such as baking soda, can be used to scrub toilets, grout or oven tops, Jones says.  A mixture of lemon juice and vegetable oil can make scratches disappear on furniture, she says.  For those who would rather buy cleaners than mix their own, many eco-friendly products are available at area supermarkets, natural-food and home-improvement stores.  Conlee said the demand for the nontoxic cleaners is not as high as the popularity of organic foods, but is growing.

Contact Nicole Gerring at (810) 989-6270 or ngerring@gannett.com.

Local stores sell eco-friendly cleaners
Some local places you can find eco-friendly cleaning products:
Honeycomb Natural Foods Inc., 2838 Stable Drive, Kimball Township, (810) 984-1773
Nature’s Bounty, 1661 Range Road, A210, Kimball Township, (810) 364-9240
Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse, 4200 24th Ave., Fort Gratiot, (810) 385-6600
Target Stores, 4300 24th Ave., Fort Gratiot, (810) 385-5000

To find out more
For more about alternative cleaning products and methods on the Web:
National Geographic online magazine, The Green Guide, www.thegreenguide.com
Green Home environmental products store, www.greenhome.com
Visit the St. Clair County Michigan State University Extension site at msue.stclaircounty.org. Click on Feature Bulletins and “Safer Alternatives for Household Cleaners.” The office is at 200 Grand River Ave., Suite 102, Port Huron. (810) 989-6935.
Other guides to homemade cleaners also are available at the Sanilac County MSU Extension, 37 Austin St., Sandusky. (810) 648-2515.

Caption:NATURALLY CLEAN: Janet Rettell, the owner of Just Maid It cleaning service, adds vinegar to warm water to clean the floor of a Smiths Creek home. Vinegar can be used for cleaning as an alternative to toxic chemical cleaners.
Photo by WENDY TORELLO, Times Herald