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Toxic chemicals surround us and contribute to allergy issues, breathing problems, pollution of lakes and streams, and general overall health of our planet.  One contributor of these toxic chemicals is household cleaners.  Have you ever wanted to know what’s in the cleaner you are using?  That should be an easy thing to find out, right?  Read the ingredients label, right?  Wrong.

The ingredients label for most commercially available cleaning products does not contain a listing of what is actually in the product.  Thanks to Earthjustice, a  non-profit public interest law firm, some of this information is becoming available.  Actually, one of the Earthjustice lawyers recently came upon a law in the state of New York.  Since 1976, the state regulations authorizes the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to require disclosure of the chemical ingredients and health risks, in manufactured household products.  Read more about the New York Supreme Court Case here:  http://www.earthjustice.org/news/press/2010/environmental-and-health-groups-face-off-against-household-cleaner-giants-in-court.html

Some companies, the SC Johnson Company, makers of many household products, including some well-known products as “Pledge” and “Windex”, have created a web site with detailed information regarding product ingredients.  http://www.whatsinsidescjohnson.com/

Another maker of household products, Simple Green, has filed a disclosure report:  http://www.earthjustice.org/library/legaldocs/simple-green-cleaning-products-report.pdf

Proctor & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Church and Dwight, and Reckitt-Bensicker have refused to disclose their ingredients. 

Baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, and handcrafted liquid soaps make fantastic household cleaners!  http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.naturalhomemagazine.com%2FLeafy-Greens%2FMake-Your-Own-Nontoxic-Natural-Cleaners.aspx&h=5bb26ae51b10d6206dd219cfe68791c8

But, if you find you just have to purchase a bottle of household cleaner from the grocery store shelf, please visit one of the previous listed links and consider a product from a company that is willing to reveal its ingredients listing.  

Considering we are entering the cold and flu season, remember, washing your hands with soap and water is one of the best ways we can protect ourselves from cold and flu germs! 

Use soap and water to wash your hands.  Forget anti-bacterial claims on products.  Even if they contain anti-bacterial ingredients, good old soap will remove dirt and germs from your hands!  And, anti-bacterials can be more harm than good because they can eliminate the good bacteria that our bodies need to fight off the bad bacteria.

Bar soaps should be placed in a soap dish that allows the soap to dry between washings.  This will keep your soap from becoming a mushy mess by swiming in water and also reduce bacteria from growing in the mush.  Liquid soaps are great for helping to eliminate the mush mess of bar soap and for only dispensing the amount of product needed per washing.   But soap, rather it be in liquid or bar form are both good for removing dirt and germs from the hands.

Encourage everyone in the household to wash their hands frequently, not just after they use the bathroom or before they eat.   We come in contact with all kinds of surfaces that may contain the cold and flu germs.  Some of these surfaces like phones, door handles, grocery carts, and even money, have been touched by several hands, not just our own.  

When we touch our face, eyes, ears, nose, or mouth, we transfer the germs from our hands to those parts of our body.  Naturally, our body is made to fight germs from invading us, but sometimes we can overpower our bodies with an overdose of cold and flu germs.  Proper hand washing, with good old soap and water,  can help tremendously in preventing the spread of these germs.

A stainless crock pot with a removable ceramic liner and 2 large stainless steel stock pots are my mainstays for the liquid soap making process. (Fig 1) 

Fiq 1 - Mainstay pots for liquid soap making

Using my favorite recipe, which has been carefully calculated for the proper amount of distilled water, lye (potassium hydroxide), and hard/soft oils I weigh out the distilled water and lye first.  Don’t be alarmed, all soap making requires a type of lye in order to produce soap, but the finished product does not contain any active lye. The lye is sprinkled over the water and allowed to dissolve while I measure out the hard/soft oils required and add the oils to the crock pot. The oils are heated to melt temperature and the lye water is added to the oils and mixed. 

The water/oil mixture will begin to “trace” and thicken. It will begin to look like what is often called vanilla pudding. The next stage the mixture will move into is what looks like applesauce and is commonly referred to as the “applesauce stage”.  As the mixture continues to cook, it will begin to look like you are making mashed potatoes. The final stage of the cooking process, which may take several hours, is what is referred to in the soaping world as the “Vaseline” stage because it actually resembles gooey Vaseline.

Figure 2 - the vaseline transparent stage

 

As the pots are heating, I measure out the dilution water and heat it separately. To the heated dilution water, I add Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (HEC) and vegetable glycerin, then mix until the heated water and HEC become a clear gel. This clear gel is added to the smaller stainless pot and the transparent soap paste is then added (Fig 2).  I choose to use HEC, which is a thickener widely used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry, because each batch of liquid soap will consistently remain the same thickness, or viscosity.

Figure 2 - transparent soap paste in gel

The smaller stainless pot is covered and when the water inside the larger pot has heated to almost boiling, the heat is reduced or shut off under the larger pot. I check the inside pot regularly and give it a little stir now and then. The dilution phase will take several hours to complete.  When the soap paste has completely dissolved, (Fig 3) I will then add a preservative, and/or coloring, and scents.

New product in development – natural deodorant.  Looking for product testers for our newest creation.  This is a natural deodorant formulated with coconut oil, organic arrowroot powder, zinc oxide, and meadowfoam oil.  No aluminum or harsh ingredients, and will not clog pores or keep your body from releasing toxins. 

Sweat does not smell.  Bacteria causes body order.  Often your sweat glands are not allowed to flush the toxins from your body because the glands have been sealed off with an anti-perspirant.  Help your body cleanse itself.  Drink plenty of water, dry your underarm area well after bathing, and apply the natural deodorant with a few swipes to the arm pit.

For those who are interested in testing this new deodorant, please send your request to:

melanie@herbalnatures.com

Names will be collected until July 6, 2009, at that time your product will be mailed, along with a feedback form.  You are encouraged to provide honest feedback. Thanks!

Fresh invigorating shea butter/goat milk soap – Surfs Up – unisex clean fragrance with a zip of fresh

Goat Milk Soap - Surfs Up

Hunters and Fishermens Soap – goat milk soap in “camo” colors, scented with Anise essential oil to disguise the human scent for hunters and attract fish for the fishermen

Hunters/Fishermans Soap

Island Citrus  - goat milk and cocoa butter soap with a luscious citrus fragrance of the tropics

Fresh Breeze – goat milk soap with a clean and fresh fragrance

Fresh Breeze