Words from a Reader

The “Writing Life Stories” e-mails I receive are such treasures. As soon as I see there is one in my inbox, I read it immediately. I look forward to them and never know how they will touch me. They can be interesting, informative, humorous, and/or touching.
Showing posts with label safe cleaning products. Show all posts
Showing posts with label safe cleaning products. Show all posts

Thursday, June 12, 2014

A Visit to Church Made Me Sick

While I have been recovering from back and leg problems, I developed a mean respiratory illness that has sapped my energy. Having multiple chemical sensitivity, I know I can't go to church or any place with tight crowds of people. But I thought I could and should go to a service the Friday before Memorial Day. 


The  fragrances worn by everyone in that church, mostly women, of course, but men also, hit me really hard and by Sunday I was sick. If you are at all familiar with MCS, you know there is no medicine that I can take that will stop the reactions I get from triggers such as perfume. I wore my charcoal lined mask most of the time I was in church, but it only takes a small amount of chemical toxin to set off problems for me and others who have these sensitivities. 

Now I am  taking antibiotics which may be helping a little, but I am not well yet. Over the counter drugs don't help me at all. In fact, the doctor said the nasal spray I used probably worsened my condition. 

I think I get it now. God is telling me to stay out of churches when people are there. 

In a discussion with my niece who is around fifty, we tried to figure who buys perfume and what kind do they use? People my age use the ones they wore when they were young. Young people wear the new fragrances promoted by celebrities, I'm told.  My niece said she nor her friends use perfume on a regular basis. I think my generation was brainwashed to believe they had to layer scents with bath powder, body lotion and  then spray themselves with the same smell so they leave a wave of chemicals in their wake. 

What is amazing to me is how many people I talk with hate the fact that every product we use these days is scented. Have you ever been in a nice restaurant where you are eating a great meal, then pick up your cloth napkin and the smell of laundry detergent or dryer sheets hits you right in the face? Scented Gain or Tide doesn't add to the taste of  your steak, does it? 

My niece said someone she works with insists that before parents come into the day care center where she works, the tables and everything must be wiped down with Clorox. Clorox is a terribly strong chemical that  is not good for anyone, especially children, to breath. The day care worker is not concerned about the germs, but about how the parents will feel about the center. "If they smell Clorox, they immediately think the place is very clean." 

See what the advertisers have done to us? They have brainwashed us into believing that certain smells mean clean. A young man detailed my car and I insisted he only use vinegar and water which will leave no smell in my car. But when he finished he asked, "Do you have anything we can spray in the car to make it smell clean?"

This result of research suggests that over ten million Americans are suffering from MCS. That's a number larger than the population of the state of Michigan in 2010.

We are killing ourselves and especially our children and those with fragile immune systems by dousing our homes and our bodies with petroleum based chemicals. Sadly, the American people think they have to accept it even if they don't like it. But if we quit using those products, we could make a statement. Go to the Environmental Workers Group, a research group that tests the products on the market, EWG.org, and see which products are safe and have the fewest dangerous  chemicals in them.

Save money by using a simple mix of vinegar and water along with plain old baking soda for household cleaning. It cleans as well as anything you purchase in a bottle or box. The odor of the  vinegar dissipates quickly and no harsh chemicals are left on your surfaces. Make  a  cheap but effective laundry detergent with unscented soap, Borax and Washing Soda. I use it  all the time and my clothes are clean with no synthetic odors. Contact me by email, Nightwriter0302@yahoo.com for recipes.



Thursday, September 22, 2011

Recipes from Pat, poet and writer

Most of you know I have chemical sensitivity which means I can't use products with petro-chemicals or fragrances. Pat Daharsh , a regular reader and an award winning poet and writer, sent me a long list of non-chemical cleaning recipes and uses for simple safe items we have in our kitchens. I am sharing a few here today. Some of you might have tried these already. I plan to print this list and keep it handy. If you have tried one of these, let us know

Hair Dryer as Sticker Remover - A little hot air quickly loosens price labels—with zero fingernail-chipping frustration.

Mustard Powder as Jar Deodorizer - Deodorize smelly glass jars by washing them with a mixture of one teaspoon powdered mustard and one quart warm water.

Onion as Basement Deodorizer - Clear the air in a dank basement. Cut an onion in half, place it on a plate, and leave it out overnight. Once the initial salad-bar aroma dissipates, you'll have a fresh (non-oniony) atmosphere.

Rubber Glove as Pet Hair Remover - Put on a damp rubber dishwashing glove and run your hand over hair-covered upholstery—the hair will cling to the glove, not the sofa. Rinse off the glove in the sink (with the drain catcher in place, of course).

Vanilla as Freezer Freshener - Trade frostbite funk for a more pleasing freezer scent and wipe the inside of the icebox with an extract-dampened cotton pad.

Vinegar as Garbage Disposal Deodorizer - Deodorize a garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through the drain.

Coffee Filter as Screen Cleaner - For lint-free viewing, grab a coffee filter to wipe down dusty and staticky computer monitors and TV screens regularly.


Club Soda as Stainless Steel Polisher - Shine stainless-steel cookware and fixtures. Buff scuffs with a soda-dampened cloth, then wipe dry.

Coffee Filter as Mirror Cleaner - Get a streak–free shine by using a coffee filter to buff a mirror or window.


White Bread as Painting Cleaner - To clean an oil painting, softly rub a piece of white bread over it to remove dust or dirt.