|
Chapter 8 Some Final Thoughts Chemical
sensitivity is a growing problem; more and more people are finding they are becoming
affected by the ever increasing amount of chemicals that are used in the environment
and in our homes. This eBook has been designed to
give a basic understanding of chemical sensitivity in “layman’s terms” and to
point the sufferer in the right direction – remove as many sources of these
chemicals as you can and replace them with alternative products that are
safer for you, your family and the ecology of our planet. The chemicals
that act as a trigger for chemical sensitivity and which have been linked to
illnesses ranging from asthma and eczema through to cancer and ADD are found
in perfumes, air fresheners, household cleaners, polishes, disinfectants,
washing powder, fabric conditioners, and many other personal care items that
you buy every week from your local supermarket. The
European Union is so concerned about the threat to health caused by thousands
of chemicals that it is currently reviewing legislation aimed at forcing
manufacturers to assess the chemicals they produce and to provide full
details of ingredients, together with appropriate warnings. But the costs of
doing this are so high that the manufacturers are highly resistant and even
the most optimistic sources estimate that it will take 11 years before the
practical benefits of legislation get through to consumers. I
understand that life is full of risk. When you drive on the motorway, there
is risk. Going outside in a thunderstorm is risky. But it is important to
distinguish between what are avoidable risks and what are unavoidable risks.
Many people have given up smoking, changed their diet, and started exercising
because they want to reduce their risk for heart disease, cancer, and a host
of other possible conditions. They avoid placing themselves at risk. In the
same way, I encourage you to make your house a healthy home by eliminating
toxic chemicals. By removing the dangerous cleaners and personal care
products, you remove the potential harms they cause. You eliminate the
unnecessary risk for cancer, ADD, nervous disorders, asthma, birth defects,
MCS, infertility, and a host of other problems. I said at
the beginning of this eBook that there is a happy
ending —a solution to this problem; well two solutions actually. There are
methods of cleaning your house and your body very effectively that use simple
ingredients which do not irritate, toxify or carry
the other risks described in this eBook. Your
granny probably used them for many years and even though they may require a
little more “elbow grease” than more modern products, they are still very
effective and very low cost too. The final section below has details of what
you can use and how to use it. But if
you prefer to use modern products, there are conscientious manufacturers who offer
people-friendly products at economical prices that are just as effective, if
not more so, than the hazardous brands found in your local supermarket. It’s
not the purpose of this eBook to promote any
particular one of those ethical manufacturers, but if you’d like a list of
them, send me an email at opps@blue-equity.com
and I’ll let you know who they are. I am glad
you took the time to read this eBook. I hope it
opened your eyes to a menace you may not have been aware of before. I hope
you now are able to make a more informed choice about what you bring into
your home. And may your house be a healthy home. Safer Air freshener Place one
teaspoon bicarbonate of soda in a pump action spray bottle and add two tablespoons
of white vinegar and two cups of clean water. After the foaming has stopped replace the spray top and shake well. (You can also add two
teaspoons fresh lemon juice or
essential oil) Ant repellent Wipe down
the effected area with a solution of half vinegar and half water to keep ants
at bay. (Try to keep all sweet products away from the infested area) Bottle cleanser To remove
sediment stains from bottles, jars and vases half fill them with white vinegar
and shake well. Leave for a few minutes, and then rinse. Burnt pots and pans Cover the
burnt area with equal quantities of water and vinegar. Bring to the boil, then remove from heat and leave to soak overnight. Carpet shampoo Add one
cup of vinegar to five litres of water. Clean the carpet with a soft brush dipped
in the solution, but do not soak or make too wet. In case the carpet colours
are not fast, you should always test on an inconspicuous area of the carpet
before using. Chewing gum Chewing
gum can often be removed by freezing it first to make it brittle using ice
cubes in a plastic bag Cleaning without chemicals “Microfibre” cleaning cloths and mops don’t contain
chemicals and neither do they need to be used with any added chemicals. Dry
dusting attracts dust to the cloth where it stays and used damp can be
effective for all other surfaces. Clogged shower-head First dismantle
the shower head. Then soak the pieces in a bowl of white vinegar for two to
three hours and clean off any sediment with a stiff brush. Clothes brightener Add two
tablespoons of white vinegar to the rinse after washing clothes. Cooking smells To remove
cooking smells from the kitchen; boil a cup of water with one tablespoon of
vinegar added to it and/or open window/door After
washing crystal glassware add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water when
rinsing. It will give it that extra sparkle. Cut flowers Cut
flowers will keep fresh for longer if they are kept in water containing a
solution of one teaspoon of vinegar and one teaspoon of sugar mixed with 500ml
of hot water. Allow to cool before using. Cutlery cleaner Make up a
solution with two tablespoons of vinegar and one teaspoon of borax in two
cups of hot water. Immerse the cutlery in the solution and then rinse in hot
soapy water. Drain cleaner Make up a
solution of 200ml vinegar and 75g of baking soda. Pour directly into the drain. Leave this for ten minutes, then run
clean hot water down the drain to clear the grease and debris. Dish washer Instead
of using rinse aid in your dishwasher use white vinegar and you will get the
same result. Fish smells on plates and utensils Add a
tablespoon of vinegar to washing up water, then rinse thoroughly in clean
water before drying. Hard water deposits To clear
the scale in the toilet, bale out the water to below the line of deposit.
Make up a mixture of domestic borax and vinegar in equal quantities. Spread
the mixture on the deposits and leave for two hours. Brush off the sediment with a stiff brush. You
can treat all hard water deposits on bathroom fittings using the same mixture. Hard water film on tiles and glass Rub the
surface with undiluted white vinegar and leave for about fifteen minutes,
then rinse thoroughly and repeat if necessary. Ink stains Soak the
stained fabric in milk for one hour. Mix up a paste with vinegar and cornflour. Cover the stain with the paste and when it has dried wash the fabric in the
normal way. To remove ballpoint ink marks from cloth, rub a paste of baking soda and milk
over it. Rinse and then wash in your normal way. Ironing To
prevent clothes becoming shiny when you are pressing them with a hot iron,
place a cloth over the garment that has been sprayed with a solution made up
of one part of vinegar to two parts of water. Keep a small piece of damp
sponge handy when ironing. When there is a dry crease, rub the sponge over it
and the fabric will be lightly and evenly dampened. To clear
a clogged iron, use one cup of vinegar instead of water and allow to steam
until the jets release. If the base of your iron is stained or sticky, unplug
it and when cool rub with a cloth dipped in vinegar. Use melted ice from the
freezer compartment of your fridge as distilled water for your steam iron to
prevent limescale build-up. Kettle descaler Cover the
element with equal quantities of water and vinegar. Bring to the boil and
leave to soak overnight. Brush off the sediment and then rinse thoroughly
with cold water. Leather softener MIx 150ml hot lavender vinegar with 150ml olive oil. Make sure to blend thoroughly. Microwave ovens Persistent
smells such as fish can be difficult to remove from the microwave oven. Heat
50ml of vinegar diluted with 200ml of water in the microwave in a
microwave-proof bowl. Painted surface cleaner Make up a
thin paste of 15g cornflour, 30ml of vinegar and
275ml of hot water and your paint will shine as never before. Perspiration and deodorant stains Dab the affected
area with undiluted white vinegar. Then wash in the normal way. Rust stains Soak affected
area with vinegar, then rub salt into the stain. Allow to dry, and then wash
in the normal way. Salt stains on shoes in winter Wipe the
shoes with a solution of one tablespoon of vinegar in one cup of water. Scorch Marks Lightly rub
the scorched cloth with a lint-free cloth soaked in vinegar. Scratched table top If a
beeswax-polished surface becomes scratched or spotted, rub the scratches or
spots with white vinegar and then polish again with beeswax whilst the
surface is still wet. Stains on aluminium pans Mix a cold
solution of vinegar and water in equal quantities in the stained pan. Bring
to the boil and soak overnight. Alternatively boil Cabbage leaves or rhubarb
in the stained pan. Tea and coffee stains Soak
china and glassware in hot vinegar (but do not boil). Then wash in the normal
way. For stubborn stains on cups and pots add a teaspoon of salt to a little
of the hot vinegar and rub onto the stain. Windows, mirrors, and glass Add two
tablespoons of vinegar to a small bucket of warm water. To finish off, buff
the surface with a clean dry cloth or newspaper. References
|