by Jeri Dansky

Want to take an easy first step toward a greener lifestyle? Consider switching to less toxic cleaning products.

Why make a change? There are two main issues associated with many commercial cleaning products: health problems and environmental problems.

Cleaning products may cause immediate heath problems: skin or eye irritation, for example. They may also lead to longer-term problems; many have ingredients that are carcinogens or neurotoxins, or are otherwise linked to medical issues. Products with antibacterials may contribute to the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and many experts feel that antibacterials are usually unnecessary. And of course many cleaning products are very toxic if swallowed, so keeping them away from children and pets is essential.

Secondly, cleaning products may contain chemicals that will damage the environment when they get washed down the drain. Some contribute to smog. And some contain petrochemicals, manufactured from nonrenewable resources in a process that releases large amounts of air pollutants.

So what are your alternatives? There are three basic choices: make your own cleaning products from a few simple ingredients, buy less-toxic products, or hire someone who uses the types of products you prefer.

You can make many of your own cleaning products from baking soda, vinegar, Castile soap, lemon juice, and a few other items. For example, a combination of white vinegar and water can be used to clean windows, mirrors and glass.

If you’d prefer to buy your cleaning products, some brands that are widely recommended include Bi-O-Clean, Ecover, Naturally Yours, and Seventh Generation. Look for products that list all their ingredients, so you can assure yourself that they don’t include any chemicals you’d rather avoid.

Or you can hire a housecleaning service that specializes in green cleaning; more of these are becoming available as the demand increases. There are businesses providing green housecleaning to San Francisco, the San Mateo coast, and the peninsula.

On the Net:

http://greenerchoices.org/products.cfm?product=greencleaning

www.thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=15

Books:

Green Clean by Linda Mason Hunter and Mikki Halpen

Clean: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing by Michael de Jong