Welcome back.

“We spend so much time cleaning the inside of our homes, but so little time keeping our immune systems clean.” — Me

Ditch the fake scents and their brethren.

A quick guide to conscientious cleaning.

Inform & Reform to a healthier state.

In the previous blog, I mentioned leveraging change. If we want to leverage change we have to take initiative and come up with solutions. Do not expect immediate results and do not hit the ground running. A Change in behavior is a process. To notice a change in our bodies we have to listen to them. For the last 15 years, I’ve been very conscious of the products I’ve been using to keep my home clean...cleanish. Researching, smelling, and feeling what is right for me and my family. There are oodles of companies out there that boast about their commitment to offering cleaning products that help keep us safer and healthier. Some companies really try to adhere to that commitment to their customers and the environment, but some are just greenwashing. The term greenwashing means that the company has a great PR department and is misleading its customers with false claims. So be very aware of the ingredients listed, do your research, and keep cleaning simple. I feel we’re so easily persuaded by advertising that we’ve succumbed to the strain of research, become overwhelmed with schedules, and not using our innate ability to smell a rat. 

The more I researched, and I researched many things, the more aware and comfortable I’ve become with what I’m using in my home. After my first child was born, I was adamant that I was going to make our indoor air more favorable by eliminating elements that might contribute to immediate and long term health concerns. Some of us may have the wrong set of circumstances and we cannot remove ourselves from our conditions or environment. So we have to make some changes and hope you’ll concur and realize this change is going to be easy.

My last blog was about ways to help reduce indoor air pollution. In this blog, I’ll discuss using cleaning agents that help reduce our toxic load and how to eliminate possible offenders hiding in your cabinets. This isn’t about eliminating toxins completely, we know that’s impossible. It’s about reducing potentially harmful chemicals, to reduce our toxic load and reduce bodily harm. Reduce, not eliminate. Although I dream of a Utopia that is free of all things evil, even if they smell good, I know this will never be. It’s in our soil.

I’m an Interior Designer. I love to make spaces special and beautiful for each of my clients. It’s in my nature to be creative and promote designs and ideas that will make your house a haven. Over many years my design endeavors have slightly shifted. I wanted to offer clients who we’re interested in safer materials for their homes and businesses an access point. I wanted them to feel comfortable pursuing healthier choices and realize they wouldn't be sacrificing good design for their overall health and wellness.  

Our house should make us feel safe, after all, it’s home. Other than a refuge from danger and the environment, how are we keeping ourselves and our family safe from harm inside?  We need to preserve or improve our health and reduce disturbances in our indoor atmosphere.  I hope you're still with me! I know, I know you have a million things to do for your family and career and you don’t have time to make your own goods. Right? Oh, but you do my dears, you do.

I have not used a disinfectant like bleach in years. Not since it made me sick for days and that was my lightbulb moment. Remember, at least 60% of what we put on our body is absorbed into our bloodstream. I don’t want chemicals in my foods, so why would I use chemicals in the products I come in contact with? I certainly made some quick changes on the next grocery trip. So I’m going to discuss what we should remove and what we should invite in.

While I introduce some basic ideas on alternative cleaning products, I want you to remember, plant-based products can be potent and bodily needs and reactions are individual, no product is guaranteed to affect everyone similarly. And if you have sensitive pets like I do (budgie shot below), you’ll want to be conscientious about what you're using, because it affects their health as well. When you’re exposed to toxins and irritants repeatedly I have to wonder what long-term effects are waiting for us. After all, how many studies have been done on the long-term effects of cleaning products? Unless there are immediate or short-term effects, what we should look for after chronic exposure is difficult to gauge for most consumers and ignored by manufacturers. There are some great resources if you want to look into your current stash of beauty and cleaning products. I’ve been using EWG’S research for years to help me make purchasing decisions.  

Clean your produce well with vinegar and a natural food grade soap…I by mine at TJ’s.

We are what we consume.

I’m going to share a few cleaning agents I avoid. They are potential neurotoxins, disease triggers, endocrine disruptors, and my instincts tell me to avoid them. Here we go…Artificial fragrances, dry cleaning, antimicrobials, ammonia, chlorine, flame-retardants (children’s loose pj’s, upholstery, electronics), and stain-resistant products. There are a host of others, but going through the long list of ingredients when trying to make a decision can be daunting, just make your own. If you don’t always have time to make your own, find an all-purpose cleaner in a liquid spray or wipes that you have researched and keep them handy when you run out of your homemade cleaning products. Don’t be discouraged about making your own products because I”m going to share what I use on a daily basis for basic cleaning.

My favorite cleaner is vinegar. I use it to clean veggies, birdcages, glass, and mirrors. I use it diluted, with water and alcohol for cleaning glass. Full-strength to spray on veggies and on grease when cleaning the stovetops. I’m freakishly clean and paranoid when it comes to my veggies. Sure a little soil builds a child’s immune system, but it’s not for me and either is E. Coli. It’s also a great fabric softener. Remember fabric softener contains toxins that coat your clothes and make them smell oh so good? It’s really not necessary to use. Fragrances are huge indoor air pollutants. Dig deep and you’ll find that the term ‘fragrance’ is an umbrella term and there could be literally thousands of chemicals under that term and there’s no mandate to disclose this to consumers. Eeeeek! Think about using essential oils. Vinegar, water, and certain essential oils are healthy solutions for cleaning. I use lemon, thyme, or a combination blend, like thieves or germ destroyer. When using essential oils to clean air, beware of its effects on your allergies, sensitivities, or pets. I can’t use essential oils in the same room as my budgies because it may be harmful to them. 

Next up, is hydrogen peroxide. This is my alternative to bleach. It’s an amazing anti-microbial, anti-fungal, it doesn’t smell and it’s safe if used properly. It’s most effective when it’s allowed to sit on soiled surfaces for about 10 minutes. Just don’t get it on your skin or brass instruments, it can be corrosive. I spray toilets, accidentally soiled areas, and counters that have been potentially contaminated with raw meat. I don’t intend to strengthen anyone’s immune system with salmonella. Bleh! You may use it to disinfect sponges, toothbrushes, and diamond rings. Mix baking soda with hydrogen peroxide to polish your jewelry. The wonderful thing about Hydrogen peroxide is that it’s more effective than Lysol. It penetrates matter, whereas Lysol just works on the upper layers of bacterial grime. It is effective at killing viruses at lower concentrations than 3%. The 3% strength can be purchased in the well known brown bottle at most grocery stores. Prepared cleaners usually utilize lower concentrations than 3% and are still as effective, so the brown bottle is a great option because we don’t need all the other additives and chemicals used in prepared solutions. As I mentioned above, it can be corrosive or have bleaching effects on some surfaces like wood or fabric, so best to test the area first and use it on hard, non-porous surfaces. It can be used to remove stains on many fabrics, as I’ve done this many times, especially on whites. Please do not mix it with other substances.

Now, about over-the-counter isopropyl alcohol. I use it primarily to disinfect certain surfaces at concentrations of 70% or more, but you don’t need anything higher than 70%. Common places I use alcohol on are countertops, glass, stainless steel, and homemade hand sanitizer. I don’t use this as a primary disinfectant, but in a mister bottle that covers more area to disinfect possible contaminants. For example, the germs that you can’t see, but you suspect are lurking. Like when the appliance repair comes in and touches almost everything. A quick spray on non soiled surfaces and done. 

I’m not opposed to store-bought cleaners. I just look for products with natural agents and no dyes, preservatives, parabens, sulfates, dangerous chemicals, etc. If you do some research you’ll find quite a few brands that live up to their claims and you’ll feel great about the healthy steps you’re taking to protect yourself and your family. I don’t always make my own cleaners and detergent, that’s just too much work for this gal.

Soap folks! I use soaps like Castille or Meyer’s to make my own all-purpose cleaner with essential oils. It’s perfect for counters and floors. There are many recipes online and you don’t need a lot for it to clean well.

You’ll be floored with this idea! To minimize the need for floor cleaners, don’t wear shoes in your home and steam mop instead. No chemicals there! Steam can kill up to 99.9% of dust mites, germs, and bacteria, which is great and inexpensive since you already have tap water. Just don’t use it on painted surfaces, and natural stones that may be damaged. I use a steam mop on my wood floors and tile, with a special attachment for grout.

We’re are most vulnerable the first years of life and our last. But we have all the years in between to live our healthiest, happiest and most challenging life. Embrace your wrinkles. Drink plenty of clean water and beware of beauty product promising age reversal, but delivering endocrine disrupting toxins. Think natural oils, like olive oil and jojoba oil.

The age barrier. I want to talk about my age and yours. As we get older our barriers breakdown, which causes our skin and lungs to become more sensitive. I would venture to guess that is also an immune response and why auto-immunities are on the rise. These reactions are a response to an irritant that develops over time. Our biological aging is one factor and the amount of exposure over our many living years in another. So the older we are, the more exposure we’ve experienced. My constitution is not susceptible to common allergens. Allergies do not run in our family. Throughout my younger life, I was also not particularly sensitive to products or had any reactions. But … as we get older, we become more sensitive to chemicals as mentioned, even phytochemicals. We’re all special and unique. I’m well aware of that as I age. I’ve become particularly sensitive to fragrances. The chemicals that cover up the awful smell the products would really omit if fragrances were not added. Pay attention to your body. 

One more thing! What’s inside the bottle may not be any of your business according to the government. According to EWG’s website, 'Cleaning products, unlike foods, beverages, cosmetics, and other personal care products, are not required by federal law to carry a list of ingredients. This means that manufacturers have no reason to avoid risky chemicals that happen to clean well – even if they can trigger asthma attacks or skin rashes or are linked to cancer. Without full disclosure, consumers lack key information they need to select cleaning products made with safer ingredients.’ You can use their site to rate at least a couple of thousand products and decode ingredients.

Think of this blog as a booster. It won’t list every possible solution or ingredient to avoid, but I want to encourage you to research and research again. Don’t stop at my blog or another author's article and believe your journey has ended. You need to find out what drives you to make better decisions for yourself and your family. This applies to all facets of life, especially your health. Some believe I should be writing about design ideas and trendy tips and I will. Yet, I started this blog to share why I believe having a healthier lifestyle and home is part of good design. When you're ready to hire an Interior Designer, discuss your concerns about new products entering your home and how they will satisfy your wellness needs. There are ridiculously talented Designers out there who will give you the interiors of your dreams. Yet, most of them don’t focus on sustainability and toxic loads, but if you share your interests with them, they may pivot to source products that meet your needs. As I move forward as a Designer, I embrace my client’s wishlist for healthier furniture and fabrics. I make it necessary to engage them in the processes and educate them on safer sources and materials. Find out more about our services here.

If your house was the most gorgeous house on the block, but also the least healthy, how would that make you feel?

For my next blog, I hope to write a brief about ...  chemicals in our furniture and textiles.

Thank you for reading.

Eleni

Owner & Principal Designer at Design Tree Interiors

Never ignore the courage of your convictions.

Thank you for visiting the Design Tree Interiors blog.

We love serving the Milwaukee community and Northern Chicago suburbs.

Aside from my children, these are my loves. They call me grandma.

P.S. Never heat Teflon coated products in the same environment as your birdies. It’s harmful and may potentially cause death. It’s also not healthy for humans. Another contributor to poor air.

This blog is for educational purposes only and the author will not be liable for the

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