Mommy Goes Green

Several months ago, I read about Eco Mist Solutions but it had not yet been released in to the U.S. for sale.  They have a line of home products, professional products, and industrial products that are non-toxic and eco-friendly.  What I particularly was interested in was their non-traditional cleaning products – those that typically don’t come in ‘non-toxic’ versions like patio furniture cleaner, deck wash, BBQ grill cleaner, and LCD cleaner. 

Fortunately, I was able to get a couple bottles to test out while I was waiting and I’m happy to say that I really like the two products I’ve used:

Eco Mist Solutions LCD Plasma Cleaner - we have both LCD and plasma screens in our house and this worked on all of them.  It doesn’t streak and is odorless – I prefer odorless cleaning products.  It’s made with sugarcane, coconut extract and non-chlorinated water so it’s non-toxic and safe.

Eco Mist Solutions Granite and Counter - this is one of my favorite cleaning products in the house.  We have black, speckled granite counter tops in our kitchen and they show EVERYTHING ( my advice: don’t get black granite counter tops ).  I use a general cleaner every day in the kitchen and it always shows streaking.  Every couple days, I get out this Granite Cleaner and wipe down all the counter tops and there are NO streaks – they come out nice and shiny.  It’s made with non-chlorinated water, corn, tree sap, coconut extract and sugarcane.  Like all Eco Mist Solutions products, it’s scent free and non-toxic.

NOTE: The U.S. distributor does not carry the Granite and Counter cleaner but suggests: “using the All Purpose Cleaner would be a great substitute for cleaning granite top surfaces because it’s a multi-purpose cleaner for all surfaces such as – kitchens, bathrooms, appliances, fixtures, walls, floors and more.  Please ensure that it is sprayed lightly and wiped off with a damp cloth.”

WHERE TO BUY: In Canada, you can pick up Eco Mist products at Home Depot.  In the U.S., DewItGreen is the distributor.

WIN IT!  DewItGreen is generously giving 3 readers any 3 Eco Mist Solutions cleaning products they choose!

You can enter to win in any of the following ways:

• Leave a comment telling us what Eco Mist Solutions products you want to try out!
• Follow us on twitter @mommygoesgreen.
• Retweet this contest.
• Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.

Leave your comment by Sunday, March 21, 2010 at 11:59pm PST. Contest open to all U.S. residents, ages 18+. We will choose 3 winners, at random, and notify them by email. Privacy Policy.

BonAmi is a great non-toxic alternative to Comet or Ajax.  The active ingredient in Comet is sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione dihydrate, a chemical rated ‘highly toxic’ by the EPA.  

Created over 120 years ago, BonAmi is made from calcite & feldspar mineral abrasives, and biodegradable detergent.  It contains no chlorine, dye, phosphorus, or fragrance.  It’s recommended for use by those with allergies or chemical sensitivities. I use it on all of my stainless steel appliances and in my ceramic sink – it’s not abrasive so it cleans without scratching.  At just over $1 per can, it’s totally affordable.

For tips on how to use BonAmi for cleaning crystal, swimming pools, wooden decks and other items, check out the BonAmi website.

WHERE TO BUY:  BonAmi is available at grocery stores, mass retailers, hardware and health food stores.  You can search for a local retailer by state.

VOC free paint isn’t cheap but it is worth it as the chemicals in paint can off gas in your house for over 3 years!   That’s over 1000 days of breathing in chemicals like formaldehyde, benzene, and perchloroethylene – not so good for the body and particularly not good for our little children’s bodies.  In the past couple years, several children’s furniture and decor companies have partnered with paint companies to design VOC free paint lines specifically for children’s areas.  The next time you need to paint, check out these safe, non-toxic options.

The Land of Nod and Mythic Paint – Mythic Paint is a VOC free, solvent free and carcinogen free latex paint.  In 55 colors with names like ‘Grass Stain’ and ‘Tutu’, your child can have fun picking out their next room color!  You can purchase online or at some Land of Nod locations.  4oz samples are available for $6.99 and 1 gallon cans are $44.99.

Pottery Barn Kids and Benjamin Moore Paint – Benjamin Moore’s line of VOC free paint is called ‘Natura’.  Natura is a waterborne acrylic paint that is VOC free both in the base paint and the colorant.  Natura is very low odor – I used it to paint my son’s nursery and with the window open for a day or two, the smell was gone (unlike other “low odor” paints I’ve used).  Pottern Barn Kids comes out with a new paint palette 2 times a year and you can pick up the current paint deck in their stores.  Their current spring/summer line has 15 cheery colors. You can purchase online or at Benjamin Moore stores.  8oz samples are $7.99 and 1 gallon cans are $49.99.

Restoration Hardware Baby & Child - The RH Baby & Child line of latex paint is VOC free and low odor.  Available in 6 signature colors, they perfectly match any of the bedding and decor items from Restoration Hardware.  Available in satin sheen and sold online only. 4oz samples are $4.25 and 1 gallon cans are $29.00.

Lead is often a topic of concern in children’s toys and there are numerous recalls every year just to prove it. Lead poisoning can cause damage to the brain and kidneys.  Research has linked lead with lowered IQ in kids and high blood pressure in adults.  During pregnancy, a baby receives lead from the mother’s bones which may affect brain development.

Toys are not the only source of lead contamination.   Water, paint, dust and even candy can contain lead.  Last spring I sent a sample of our standing water to the city water bureau for lead testing.  A standing water test uses the water that has been sitting in your pipes.  

The standing water test results returned telling us that we had 2 parts per billion of lead in our drinking water. Compared to the EPA Action level of 15 parts per billion, that seemed pretty safe.  However, on further review, I found that there is NO known level of lead is considered safe.  Particularly for pregnant moms and young children – we had both in the house.

Since we had young children, the water bureau offered to perform another test of our water but this time, we did it with running water.  A running water test uses water after the faucet has been turned on for two minutes.  The results?  Non-detected!

Since then, we have been vigilant about running the water until it’s very cold and we never use warm water for the baby bottle.  We just pop the cold water in a glass bottle in the micro for a few seconds to warm it up.

To reduce your family’s exposure to lead in water, follow these tips:

• run your water for a minimum of 30 seconds up to 2 minutes until it becomes cold, if using for drinking or cooking
• ONLY use fresh, cold water for cooking and preparing baby formula
• use a water filter and make sure it reduces lead as not all filters do
• buy low-lead plumbing fixtures
• have your child’s pediatrician do a blood lead level test
• have your water tested

To have your water tested, call your local water bureau to see if they perform testing.  For residents in the Portland, Oregon Metro area, FREE testing is offered by the water bureau – take them up on it.  If your water bureau doesn’t offer testing, the National Water Council will test it for $9.97.  The NWC will test for lead along with other common contaminants.

Remember, lead doesn’t only enter our bodies through water, it can also enter through lead-based paint and contaminated dust.  Houses built before 1978 are likely to have some lead-based paint.  According to the CDC, “approximately 24 million housing units have deteriorated leaded paint and elevated levels of lead-contaminated house dust. More than 4 million of these dwellings are homes to one or more young children.”  If your house was built before 1978, make sure you stay away from any peeling paint and the phrase “don’t eat the paint chips” absolutely applies here.   If you are renovating a house built in this time period, the CDC recommends that pregnant women and children not be present.  Also, clean your children’s hands and toys frequently as they can get contaminated dust on them.  Finally, regularly wet mop floors and wet wipe all window components to remove any leaded dust.

Seventh Generation has come out with another great line of eco-friendly and non-toxic cleaning products.  This time, they have joined forces with CleanWell, using their patented technology based on thymol, a component of thyme oil, to create a line of disinfectant wipes and sprays, including both a multi-surface cleaner and a bathroom cleaner.

Their disinfectant line kills over 99.99% of household germs commonly found in your home, such as Influenza A, H1N1, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli.  Now you clean AND disinfectant safely, in one step.

Look for their new line wherever you normally purchase Seventh Generation products including mass retailers such as Target, Walgreens, Toys ‘R Us and natural food stores such as Whole Foods.

Print a coupon for $1 OFF any Seventh Generation product.

January is National Radon Action Month, designated by the EPA, as radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer for smokers.  That’s approximately 20,000 deaths per year in the U.S. 

Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless, and colorless gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Because radon is a gas, it can enter homes through openings or cracks in the foundation. The radon gas itself decays into radioactive solids, called radon daughters. The radon daughters attach to dust particles in the air, and can be inhaled.

According to the EPA, over 8 million homes in the U.S. have dangerous levels of radon gas – could yours be one of them?   You cannot smell, taste or see radon so the EPA suggests that EVERY home regardless of age, location or type of construction be tested for radon gas. You can purchase a test inexpensively at a home improvement store or online for about $15.00.

I purchased our test in the fall and finally conducted it in early January.  It’s VERY simple, you basically hang it up in your house for 4-7 days while it collects the surrounding air particles and then mail it back in.  I got the test results within days.  The good news is that our home has a level of less than 0.3 pCi/L which is basically equivalent to the radon found in fresh air.

Purchase a radon test kit TODAY for your home and if you are planning to rent or purchase a new home, make sure you conduct a radon test as part of your inspection period.  If there IS radon, it’s not necessarily a deal breaker as there are ways to fix it.

I’ve been toying with the idea of wallpapering the wall behind my bed and was curious about what my wallpaper options are.   Frankly, I’ve never wallpapered anything but I’m always up for trying something new!

What I didn’t know was that most stock wallpaper is made with or coated with vinyl (PVC) - a product I stay away from.   The stinky smell from products made with PVC ( new cars, plastic shower curtains, etc. ) emits hazardous VOCs in your house contributing to indoor air pollution.  Our indoor air is already 5x more polluted than the outdoor air, let’s not add to it with PVC wallpaper!  As I often find, there are better alternatives – vinyl FREE wallpaper.

Mod Green Pod vinyl-free wallpapers use water-based inks on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper and finish the product with a water-based glaze that can tolerate light wiping.  They’ve got some fun prints, check out the photo above!

For more prints, Graham & Brown has 46 wallpaper prints that are VOC-free and printed on paper from managed resources.

I love this Juicy Jute grasscloth wallpaper – it’s got great texture and is made with jute, a natural fiber.  It also comes in 29 different vegetable dyed hues.  For other natural fiber wallpapers, check out raffia or hemp.

Traditional wallpaper paste has a bunch of chemicals, too, so try this great DIY recipe from Annie B. Bond.

• •1 cup flour (wheat, corn, or rice)
• •3 teaspoons alum
• •water
• •10 drops oil of cloves (natural preservative)

Combine the flour and alum in a double boiler. (If you don’t have a double boiler, set a smaller pan inside a bigger one that contains enough water that can be brought to a boil without overflowing). Add enough water to make a consistency of heavy cream; stir until blended. Heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened to a gravy texture. Let cool. Stir in the clove oil. Pour into a glass jar with a screw top. Apply with a glue brush. Makes 1 cup. Shelf life: 2 weeks refrigerated.

If You Care is a unique line of unbleached kitchen supplies including coffee filters, cupcake baking cups, parchment paper, waxed paper, and cheesecloth. Why should you care? 

The most common method of bleaching these products is to use chlorine.  During the bleaching process, dioxin is released into the environment and is considered a carcinogen.  According to the EPA, dioxins can alter the fundamental growth and development of cells in ways that have the potential to lead to many kinds of impacts. These include, for example, adverse effects upon reproduction and development; suppression of the immune system; chloracne (a severe acne-like condition that sometimes persists for many years); and cancer. 

EPA estimates that most dioxin exposure occurs through the diet, with over 95% of dioxin intake for a typical person coming through dietary intake of animal fats. Small amounts of exposure occur from breathing air containing trace amounts of dioxin on particles and in vapor form, from inadvertent ingestion of soil containing dioxin, and from absorption through the skin contacting air, soil, or water containing minute levels. These processes result in widespread, low-level exposure of the general population to dioxins.

If You Care also carries 100% recycled aluminum foil.  Check it out – I’ve been using the foil for about a year and it works great.  I know it’s more expensive than some of the conventional brands but I really don’t use that much foil, maybe 1 or 2 boxes per year.  We store most of our foods in plastic, glass or other reusable storage containers.  If you can’t find the If You Care line, Reynolds now makes a recycled aluminum foil that I’m sure you can find in your local grocery store.

Know someone interested in a greener, more eco-friendly lifestyle?  Put a green kit on your Christmas shopping list, a collection of tools and tips to start out on their green journey. 

Kathy’s Climate Kits - kits include: compact fluorescent bulbs, weather stripping, tire pressure gauge, faucet aerator, reusable bags, LED nightlight, toilet leak detection tablets, letters to Congress, junk mail removal, and more. Plus, one tree is planted for every kit sold.  $45

Green Lemonaide- kits arrive in a reusable tote with SIGG water bottle, cleaning scrub, sink aerators, CFL and shower timer.  $35

The Green Starter Kit - kit includes It’s Easy Being Green book, Canvas Grocery Tote, Produce Bag, Stainless Steel Water Bottle by THERMOS, Stainless Steel Mug, Banana Paper Note Pad, CFL Bulb, Sun & Earth healthy cleaning products and coupon for 2 Trees Planted  $59

Seventh Generation Kits – You can’t go wrong with a kit from Seventh Generation.  Choose from their healthy home and cleaning kits or baby kits.  All filled with great Seventh Generation products.  $30 – 45

Ever wonder where the plastic products you recycle goes?  Preserve is one company that takes them to make new personal care, kitchen and tableware products.   All of their products are made in the U.S. from 100% recycled materials.  Better yet, they are all recyclable when you are done using them.

In face, if your community doesn’t recycle #5 plastics, Preserve will take them back to use in their recycling process.  You can drop them off at a local collection site or mail them to Preserve.

Preserve’s personal care product line includes toothbrushes, razors and flavored toothpicks.  Toothbrush handles are made from 100% recycled plastic, including Stonyfield farms yogurt cups and come in soft, medium and hard bristles for both adults and children.  Every three months, when you replace your toothbrush, you can mail the old toothbrush and case (postage paid) back to Preserve and they’ll recycle them into plastic lumber for park benches, decks and more.  They will also take back their razors and tongue cleaners for recycling.  How’s that for full circle?  Love it!