All parents are on the search for safe household and toy products that surround children. While researching this article, I came across the site Good Guide. It’s rating system similar to EWG’s (Environmental Working Group) Skin Deep database which is parent-friendly and easy to understand. I started browsing the Good Guide and while looking up SOS Pads and their ingredients, I drifted and found it to have the best information I’ve seen to date for toys. This site is a definite one to bookmark because it has so many of the commonly used, purchased, etc. products in our homes.

Before finding the Good Guide’s rating for SOS pads, the only information I could find was from the Clorox MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) where they list their product not hazardous because it’s not a carcinogen.  Well that is a big relief because so many people I know use them.  While I was out shopping today, I read some advertising on the packaging of SOS pads and although they’re not a carcinogen, I think the statement ”materials used on the pad are biodegradable” might be going a tich far. Different than the EWG’s rating system, the higher the rating with the Good Guide, the better the product and it ranks based on three categories: Health, Environment, and Society. I like the fact I can have 3rd party advice when researching products that I’ll be using in my home or giving my children. It’s very difficult for parents to read an ingredient list and understand if those listed are toxic or not. I am appreciative when a site can translate chemicals or materials into easier terms so I can decide if it’s a smart purchase. Using the SOS pad ingredients as my example, I’m able to judge that the ingredient (Sodium Nitrite) rating 4.0 in the Heath category as a possible kidney toxicant, as not being a product I want in my home. I’m also never a fan of fragrance (phthalates) and dye added into products that I’m using on my dishes and going into waterways.

Why am I suddenly so interested in SOS pads and eco-alternatives for them? A customer recently helped me remember a great use for my eco-alternative to traditional scrubbers that I use daily to clean pots and pans – stainless steel spirinetts. Here was the scenario – you know those irritating company labels on a new product that are so hard to remove you think the glue was applied with dynamite? A little bit of olive oil on a spirinette and the label comes off easy.  My last spirinetts lasted a year and the only reason they recently began to disintegrate was hubby used them to clean the BBQ. So with the summer months finally here I recommend grabbing an extra for cleaning the BBQ so it can have it’s own dedicated set. These kitchen helpers are excellent quality, made with stainless steel and simply a better product and money saver to traditional scrubbing pads. I also treat myself to the spirisponge on occasion, but the shelf life isn’t as long because of the sponge layer on the inside of the scrubbers.

Typical Mommy Footprint – I started to write about a great eco-alternative to the traditional SOS pad, but got a little off-course. I hope your find the Good Guide to be helpful too.

I’ve always had a problem with traditional household air fresheners – glade plug-ins, fabreeze, etc. for a few different reasons. Before I knew they were toxic, I felt confused by their purpose because they would smell good for the first few minutes of entering some one’s home but within an hour I’d have a headache. These days, most people know these ‘air deodorizers’ are simply masking our home’s odors and in the process blowing phthalates and VOCs like benzene and formaldehyde chemicals throughout our house and into our bodies. Most air fresheners on the market contain levels of chemicals that are considered too high to be safe for humans and so the focus for this article is to promote hand-made air fresheners so you can trust the ingredient list. With the amount of green washing with ‘all-natural’ products on the market isn’t it nice to be in control of an ingredient list?

It is funny to learn the most effective way to removing odours from your home is opening a window. This must be why our grandparents look at us and shake their heads.  I also found an awesome stove-top recipe from the Cleaning Naked site that I love because it’s super inexpensive and the fastest way to create a completely natural room deodorizer – without any chemicals! Plus it takes less than 2 minutes to prepare and create which works well in this busy house!

Put 1/2 cup water in a small pan
Add cut up 1/2 lemon (or orange)
Add cinnamon sticks (approx. 4-8 sticks)
Bring to boil and let simmer

The aroma is amazing and you receive a rewarding scent like you’ve been baking all day. It’s the same cozy smell and the cinnamon is wonderful and warm.

Another reason I liked this natural, home made air freshener recipe is because most home-made air freshener recipes call for essential oils and they are quite expensive. I purchased my cinnamon sticks – about 20 of them for just over $1. We always have an orange (can be substituted in the recipe for the lemon) or lemon ready to go bad in the fridge…so it’s worked great for us.

For once I’ve managed a quick, short post so I wanted to add a funny story that recently happened with me and Fabreeze – just so you truly understand how much I dislike this product. My four kids and I took our dog to get groomed. While we were standing in the lobby, 2 dogs that were finished with their grooming walked into the waiting area and pooped and peed in front of where my kids were standing. My kids thought it was funny and I just moved them away from the waste. A groomer comes running out of the back room with a bottle of Fabreeze in her hand – poised and ready to shoot directly next to my head. Just like slow motion I screeched and blocked her from spraying the air freshener where me and my kids were standing. She looked at me like I was crazy (and my sons hid their faces in their hands with embarrassment) but I had no problem explaining simple facts to her. Like the fact if she’d blasted the Fabreeze anywhere need me, I would have had a headache for the entire day and because it’s so toxic I didn’t want it anywhere near my kids. I told her I preferred the smell of the poop and pee rather than being doused with chemicals. She had never heard of this before and actually thanked me for pointing it out. My sons can laugh about it now, but I know their crazy mother and her ‘toxin alerts’ are hard on them at times. I just want to point out that seeing that can pointed and ready to spray evoked such a strong reaction as a mom wanting to protect my kids. I think all parents would react this way – it’s just altering how we look at products after learning they are filled with chemicals – rather than ingredient you actually want sprayed around your home.

Related Articles:

Natural Tips to Improve Bedroom Air Quality

Protect Your Family From Phthalates In Your Home

Excitement has been brewing in our house for the past few days because a long time goal has been finally accomplished by my sons. My boys ages 6 & 8 have patiently waited through the last 2 Christmases, birthdays, tooth-fairy visits, etc. with their eye on a pretty big goal…. to purchase their own bunk bed! My guilt of not being able to run out and purchase this bed when my boys first started asking 2 years ago has completely disappeared watching how proud my boys are of this big purchase.  In our world where our children are accustomed to instant gratification – my boys have learned the value of saving their money. I’m also getting to put some Mommy Footprint knowledge and research to work because I’ve told my husband from the beginning that my goal was to purchase organic mattresses for the boys, since we don’t have mattresses that will fit a bunkbed. Because my 8 year old son has asthma I know an organic mattress is a must and if we can swing organic pillow cases and sheets – we’ll try to provide this too. Asking questions when researching mattresses has been a great refresher for me and I wanted to share since my questions and research because they are a great guide for an expecting mom trying to purchase a chemical free mattress for a crib or like myself, for an older child.

Questions to ask when purchasing a mattress:

~ What is the mattress made with? You need either the sales person or manufacturer to tell you what each layer of the mattress is made with – these are the materials you are not able to see. Does the mattress have metal coils, natural latex, wool, organic cotton, bamboo? Really these materials should be the only ones listed with an organic mattress. If there is polyester, polyurethane foam, or ? –  the mattress cannot truly be called organic.

~  Once you find out what the inside of the mattress is made with ask how all the materials are treated. How were the bugs removed from the sheep’s wool that was used?  Was it dipped in chemicals or an organic substance to remove dirt, bugs, etc.? Find out how each layer of the mattress was treated before it was built – these should not be difficult questions for a person selling a product that costs hundreds of dollars.  A hugely important topic is the issue of flame retardants with mattresses. The US standards for flame retardants is much more strict than Canada so ask how the company has protected the mattress with flame retardants. Steer clear if the mattress is chemically treated because there are organic or natural solutions with flame retardants that organic manufacturers can safely apply. I think it’s safe to assume if a mattress contains polyurethane foam – it’s had to be chemically treated with flame retardants because of how flammable this material is.

~ What material is on the outside of the mattress? If a crib or young child’s mattress is being marketed as ‘water proof’ – ask what the water proof material is covering the mattress.  This is also an important questions because this material is in closest proximity to your child. Does the shiny, smooth surface contain vinyl, PVC, or phthalates? A safer plastic that is food grade safe and doesn’t off-gass is polyethylene.  If you don’t need a water-proof exterior to your mattress, organic cotton, 100% cotton, various types of bamboo are great natural mattress alternatives.

~ Bonus question “where are the materials manufactured” and “where are the mattresses made?” There are many mattress companies that are manufacturing their mattresses local to where they distribute within Canada and the US.

Organic Bedding:

~ What material is the bedding made with? What are the patterns printed with (inks plant based, etc.)? Where are they made or manufactured?  To be honest, I haven’t done much research with older boy bedding because the options out there are very slim…especially with organic bedding. Have the organic bedding distributors not figured out that boys over the age of 4 don’t want to sleep on deer and owl printed sheets?  I personally would LOVE it if they would…but there is no way in this house. We need to encourage older boys with organic camouflage, sports themed, or action packed prints that are printed and created with non-toxic inks and materials.

An exciting time in our house mixed with the usual amount of research and questions. I know it drives my husband and children crazy, but I cannot purchase a new item that is toxic – the concept just doesn’t make sense to me. We’ve never purchased new mattresses for the kids before as they’ve been using hand-me-down mattresses for years. I’m completely beside myself with excitement to have them sleeping on materials I know aren’t off-gassing and giving them restful and healthy sleep.

Pardon this rant – no deep research in this article, just my thoughts after 2 years of spending lots of time thinking and writing about plastic.  You may even wonder what the big deal about plastic is?  Is it simply a ‘fad’ that mothers are feeling so neurotic about plastic and if toys are safe, reducing plastic in the kitchen, and many other household items? Plastic has been making parents crazy for the last few years because of all the research learned about the chemicals that can leach from this cheap, durable, and easily accessible material.

After writing 250 articles over the last 2 years, one thing remains a constant worry, a constant nagging concern for my family, have I done enough to protect them from chemicals that I believe cause so many horrible illnesses? It’s a challenge that can become very discouraging when you look at the massive amounts of packaging and our pre-programmed thought process when it comes to our relationship with plastic.  One reason I’m drowning in clutter and a lack of closet space in my house is what to do with plastic items I’ve accumulated over my 10 years of marriage and parenthood. I try to explain to my husband and friends if I thought it was even remotely able to be recycled, it would have been gone by now. Why is it so hard for toy manufacturers to code their toys with what type of plastic they are made from? If a toy is made from a safe plastic, wouldn’t the company want to market that fact?  Of course they would, meaning that those millions of toys out there are unrecyclable and a complete burden on the environment and our health. It’s a sick relationship because I still feel torn at birthday celebrations and (upcoming Easter) from wanting to splurge and buy everyone fun products that would emit the scream of delight from my kids and family. But – since I’m pretty sure that most are made from unrecylable plastic, some with PVC and others with vinyl – softened with toxic plastisicers - I can’t bring myself to reach for my purse. It’s just crazy that I’m even torn about this issue!  Right?

Then the problem of food and packing rolls along. I’ve discovered that toys are really not my biggest problem in life when it comes to plastic. If you tune-in to the number of products in your fridge that you children consume that are wrapped in bendy, soft plastic. What makes this plastic soft?  Even if the cling wrap is made from PVC -free material – some sort of chemical needs to soften the plastic.  Think about yogurt tubes, think about cheese strings, think about the block of cheese that comes wrapped in plastic, then when you cut into it, needs to be sealed with plastic wrap to ensure it stays fresh.  We’ve replaced our yogurt tubes with YOP (hard plastic) and I try to put wax paper in between the cheese and the plastic wrap after I’ve opened a new block of cheese. I make a big effort to not let plastic wrap touch my food directly – wax paper is usually a great barrier.  I’ve been meaning to try these Obeego Flats from Abeego Designs sold here at Every Little Bit.  They have a natural waxy coating that allows the hemp/cotton blend to mold to your dish or food item – it would be perfect for a bowl or food item you usually wrap in traditional wrap.

A few things continue to shock me about convenient food. We all know that unless you are growing your food youself that there is probably environmental contamination. It’s just not realistic to think that everyone can do this….but with the amount of convenience, it’s understandable why so many cancers and disease are on the rise. Let’s take McDonalds for example.  Probably the worst culprit on so many levels, but my two pet peeves are the toy that is distributed with every child’s meal and when I found out every wrapper on a burger contains phthalates to keep the wrap slippery. I want to point out these two points because we are already aware the food is not healthy, but this company insists on adding to an environmental problem with their packaging and waste. Really – why hand out a plastic toy with each child’s meal?  At most McDonalds the cost isn’t even decreased if you ask for the meal without the toy.  These cheap toys cannot be recycled and every parent I know has a ton of them cluttering up their house.

Piece by piece, room by room, making changes and learning about where toxic materials exist is important. It’s just such a huge undertaking, I sometimes wonder how many of the large companies are listening and what needs to be done to get them to change. Until this happens, I’ll continue to chip away at my immediate surroundings and hope that it makes a difference in my children’s health and that I don’t wind up crazy in the process.

Our Mommy Footprint contest for the stainless steel popsicle mold has now closed and the contest winner (Anna) has been contacted.  Thank you for participating via Facebook and the referral form.  Stay tuned for our next contest in April.

A shocking quote from a great new book I’ve been reading called Ecoholic Home really jolted me into shifting my cleaning agenda with my home’s carpet. “One researcher said you’d have to vacuum 25 times a week for several weeks to bring the level of contaminants below safety standards”. Yikes!  There’s a shocking statement for anyone that hasn’t started to pay close attention to the health of their carpet. What do I mean by carpet health? Maintaining a regular routine of proper carpet care and here are 3 great tips, mentioned in Super Natural Home, if you’re looking for natural and effective ways to start:

1) If you must buy a new carpet, choose one made of wool.  It’s naturally flame retardant, nontoxic, and non-allergenic, and it deters bacterial growth.

2) Vacuum with a well-sealed, high-quality high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuum cleaner.

3) A good doormat will stop a lot of toxins right at the door. Or, take your shoes off when entering your house.

Thanks to Beth Greer for these tips. I totally agree with the tip regarding a great quality HEPA vacuum cleaner. My Dyson HEPA vacuum has already make a noticed improvement with the air quality in my home. I also learned that dirty shoes can drag in pesticides and unwanted chemicals into your home. A new found reason to have guests remove their shoes and put out door mats.

Air deodorizer are very toxic and should be removed from any cleaning routines (glade plug-ins, fabreeze, etc.), as they simply mask odour and off-gass phthalates into your home. Same goes for traditional carpet cleaners that you sprinkle, leave, then vacuum.  Skip the toxic route and grab your box of baking soda.  Even better <evil smile emerges>, give the box of baking soda to a young child and watch their delight in sprinkling this natural homemade carpet cleaner. Just like the antibacterial cloths that only need water to clean your windows, children can help out because it’s totally natural and safe. My sons love to help sprinkle the baking soda before I begin a deep vacuum of my carpeting. It’s a good idea to test the baking soda on darker carpets in a small test area first. My carpet is white so I’ve never worried about it.  Another tip before you vacuum is to replace toxic carpet spray for stains and go to the pantry to mix a paste of white vinegar and baking soda, work into the carpet with a brush or toothbrush, let paste dry and vacuum.  Two very easy methods to help remove odours, stains, and naturally reduce pollutants in your carpeting.  A huge bonus is you’re not yelling at your kids to get out of the room while you apply the cleaning cocktail or baking powder because it’s safe for them to be exposed to and even help clean with!

My last bit of research on improving the quality of your home’s carpet is the topic of hiring professional steam cleaners. There is nothing like a deep clean with steam that helps eliminate dust mites, allergens, dust, dirt, and chemical contaminants. BUT – with an extra big BUT…it is very difficult to find professional carpet cleaners that are truly non-toxic. I went with the company Citrus-O for many years, but they continually ask if you want the scotch guard extra (which is offering Teflon coating with the highly toxic chemicals PFOAs – a proven carcinogen). Also, I would always have a headache for days after Citrus-O left my house, dry mouth, and very irritated eyes. I haven’t the time to look over the material data sheets on their site, but my reaction says it all to me. If I find a company I can recommend, I’ll write a follow-up article. Over the last year, I’ve borrowed steam cleaners from friends that own them, and filled them with Dr. Bromers liquid soap (or you could use vinegar).  But if you want to hold companies marketing themselves as all-natural carpet cleaning accountable, ask them if they use either of these chemicals to ‘clean’ with: perchloroethylene (nickname is perc) or naphthalene. Suspected to be carcinogens, they are notorious dry cleaning additives known to cause dizziness, fatigue, nausea if inhaled (sound familiar to my symptoms?), kidney and liver damage. Next time you book your carpets to be cleaned, ask the company these questions and please post back to the comments of this article and share the results.

For more information on carpet health, you can read my recent review of the Dyson HEPA filter vacuum at: Dyson Asthma Certified Vacuum Cleaner