How to Do Chemical-Free Housekeeping

June 27th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

When the majority of us clean the house, we use a lot of different chemicals. Most of us have cleaning products like bleach and ammonia under our sinks and other products with chemicals we can’t even pronounce or know nothing about. While the chemical-filled cleaning products might do a good job of keeping our house clean, they might also be harming you and your family.

It is possible to get your house clean without using dangerous chemical. Chemical-free housekeeping can be done by using products with natural ingredients. This will allow you to have the clean house you want without exposing your family to danger. Here are few ideas:

  • Instead of using furniture polish, use a quality microfiber cloth that you can use, wash and use again. These are costlier than just making rags out of old clothes but are great for dusting and will leave your wood and other surfaces shiny, clean and dust free.
  • Use the power of steam. You can get your carpets and furniture clean and fresh smelling with a steam cleaner and it will be chemical-free. Other things that can be cleaned with a steam cleaner include wood floors and counters. You will have a damp but not wet surface when you use a steam cleaner so it will dry quickly.
  • A new technology you can use is UV-C devices that remove germs from your home by using ultraviolet light. There are vacuum cleaners, air cleaners and wands that use UV-C technology.
  • Instead of bleach, use hydrogen peroxide because it is as good at cleaning but less toxic. A little hydrogen peroxide in the wash will keep your whites white and even treat mold that may be in your home.
  • Always have baking soda handy. Baking soda is used in many recipes but it is also a good cleaning product. It can help you get out stains from clothing and other fabrics and keep odors away from fabric, carpet and more. Baking soda will help you get even the grimiest dishes sparkling clean and is great for scrubbing counter tops. You can add baking soda to your dishwasher or washer instead of regular detergents. The baking soda in your fridge that keeps it odor-free can later be used for cleaning.
  • Use vinegar to disinfect almost any surface in your home and get rid of mold and bacteria. Vinegar is great for keeping glass and mirrors sparkling clean and can be used along with baking soda to clear up clogs in your drains. Vinegar is also used to disinfect your dishwasher and clean things like coffee pots that are hard to get into.

It is going to end up saving you money and time in most cases if you do chemical-free housekeeping. While you pay upfront for technology like UV-C items and steam cleaners, you save money in the long run on the chemicals you no longer have to buy. You already have a kitchen with all the cleaning products you would ever need, you just don’t realize it. Chemical-free housekeeping is not as hard as it sounds.

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Keep Your House Pest-Free Without Chemicals

May 31st, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

We all love visitors, just not visitors that are bugs, rodents and other pests. No one wants flies, ants, mice or any other creepy crawly pest in their homes. Sometimes we are so desperate to get rid of these pests we do not consider the harmful effects of the chemicals we are using. We can be putting ourselves, our families and our animals in danger without realizing it.

Pesticides are effective in killing all kinds of pests they but can also be dangerous to people and animals. For example, insecticides kill bugs by attacking the nervous system. They can also affect the nervous system of people and animals, which can be dangerous. Rat poison is usually full of anticoagulants that do not allow blood in the body to clot. The way the rats die is from internal bleeding. Humans and animals who come in contact with rat poison can have a similar problem.

Pesticides and other chemicals are hazardous to us and our animals. You can get rid of pests without dangerous chemicals. Here are some suggestions:

  • Keep pests from wanting to come into your home by keeping your house as clean as possible. You can have a perfectly clean house and still have pests but you reduce your risk significantly by keeping it clean. Leaving crumbs and bits of food on the floor or on your counters is an open invitation to bugs, mice and other pests. Put your pet’s food away every night to keep pests out of your house and never leave open food containers on the counters.
  • Close up any openings that pests could come in. Usually, pests like mice and bugs get in through small openings like those around the pipes near the exterior of your home and at baseboards. Make sure all these places are sealed.
  • Make sure your windows have screens in them so you don’t let flying pests in the house.
  • Try natural home remedies for keeping pests out of your house. For example, borax will keep roaches from coming into your home and things like pepper, coffee grounds, chalk and charcoal are thought to prevent ants from entering your home.
  • Don’t let fleas take up residence in your home. Keep them at bay with frequent vacuuming and watch your pets for signs of a flea problem. To keep fleas off your pets, try rinsing them with an herbal remedy made up of rosemary boiled in 2 cups of water and strained and cooled. Spray this on your pets and fleas will stay away from them and stay out of your home.
  • Put out traps for mice and rats. The most affordable traps are those that snap and kill the pests. If you want the more humane approach, you can spend more on live traps but make sure you don’t let the pests out anywhere near your home or they will come right back.
  • Work on your lawn regularly so you do not need chemicals to keep it looking good. Aerating and mowing frequently along with letting grass clippings naturally fertilize your yard are easy things to do.

While products with chemicals will get rid of the pests in your home, they will also put you and your family at risk so they are not worth it. You can naturally control pests without using chemicals if you are willing to do the work.

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