Greening Up Your Home

We want to keep a clean and beautiful home for our families. New research shows that keeping a home that is "too clean" can lead to an increased risk of asthma, eczema, allergies, and that a certain amount of dirt in the environment is actually good for our kids and their immune systems! But more importantly, the cleaning products that are commercially produced are make of chemicals that are quite toxic, cancer causing, and lead to genetic defects. To make it a safe and clean home for your family, you may choose to buy "green" products such as Seventh Generation brand (available at your local co-op, as well as many other locations), or to save money, you can make them yourself. You can even turn it into a family project for a rainy day!

Streak-Free Glass Cleaner

• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 quart warm water

Mix ingredients and apply with a sponge or pour into a spray bottle.

All Purpose Cleaner

For a general purpose cleaner, you have a couple of options:

• Make a paste from baking soda and water, or
• Mix salt and water with a little bit of vinegar

You could choose to add some lavender, geranium, or tea tree oil for a little lovely scent. These can be purchased as essential oils from your local co-op or or whole foods market. Use just one, or use a blend to make the perfect scent. Ask about our Cleaning Product Workshops at 3 Bears!

Air Fresheners

Commercial air fresheners may smell good, but they're full of chemicals that aren't great to breathe on a regular basis. If you like to have something wafting through your house that smells yummy, try getting an aromatherapy diffuser to use with essential oils. There are many options that you can plug in or use with a candle. If you choose to use candles, soy candles are the cleanest burning. There are some lovely pre-blended oils for stress relief, headache, sinus clearing, and many other purposes. We have some options here at the clinic for you to try.

Personal Care Products

Consider also choosing safer hand soaps, bar soaps, shampoos, and toothpaste. They may be a little more expensive, but it's worth the peace of mind knowing that the stuff you're putting on your skin is good for your and your precious little ones. Do some price shopping between the organic stores in your area to find something affordable, or see what we have in stock here at 3 Bears!