With the snow melting and the temperature rising a smidge, it's time to throw open those windows and get a little spring cleaning done. Here is a little list of the Good the Bad and the Ugly of spring cleaning. The Good-now there are plenty of ecofriendly cleaners on the market that will have your house shinning like the top of the Chrysler building......Seventh Generation, Ecover, Biokleen, and Solay Simple to name a few. The Bad-the old stuff and the ingredients found in them such as ammonia-poisonous, irritating to respiratory passage when inhaled and when mixed with bleach it produces a potentially fatal gas. Butyl Cellosolve/Ethylene glycol nonbutyl ether which is a synthetic solvent common in all-purpose, window and other types of cleaners. It has been shown to damage the nervous system and bone marrow as well as kidneys and liver. Jeez!!!! and for everyone who loves the super duper clean effect of bleach, well it's a major irritant and pollutes our earth. Fragrance- ahhh! such a deceptive word but BEWARE it often contains phthalates-a chemical linked to reproductive abnormalities, liver cancer in lab animals and asthma in children. Look for organic essential oils instead. The Ugly- spring cleaning doesn't have to be ugly, once you start using products free from harmful ingredients for your family and the environment!
