How Do I Go Organic and Enviromentally Safe in My Home?

Hi Y.! I am so proud of you!! You are making some great decisions, to try to eat healthier and cut back on toxic cleaners! I will preface this by saying I am down in Wellington, FL..2 1/2 hours from Orlando..so I can't suggest stores near you..but I do have lots of suggestions :) . Many years back, I decided to omit all of those yucky toxic cleaners from my home. I went full force into it, and made all my own cleaners from things like vinegar, borax, etc. Well, they were okay, but once I had a child, I did want to make my home a little cleaner. Let me suggest that you pick up a copy of the book, "Home Safe Home" by Debra Lynn Dadd http://www.amazon.com/Home-Safe-Debra-Lynn-Dadd/dp/087477... . That is a good place to start, because the author points out all of the many toxic substances that we bring into our homes. It is pretty eye-opening. She does offer natural solutions. I needed one step more than the baking soda cleaners, so after trying almost everything in the health food stores, I started using Method products. I absolutely love them. They are all non-toxic, and sold in recycled plastic bottles. You can buy them at Target, and they are very budget friendly, and smell awesome!!! The only one "yucky" thing I own is Comet. I sprinkle a little in the toilets to clean them, and in the kitchen sink. Honestly, all those heavy duty Clorox cleaners are not cleaning your home any better. It is more the illusion of clean. If you can make it okay, in your mind, to let them go, you will see your house getting just as sparkly with other, non-toxic cleaners. There have been so many studies out now, saying things like anti-bacterial soaps, etc, are no more effective than traditional soaps. We really don't need that "extra" cleaning power. I also have switched out our families laundry products. I use, and LOVE Seventh Generation liquid laundry soap. That is all I use. Safe for everyone from newborn and up...and no fading of our fabrics. Now when I smell Tide on someone, I almost gag. The perfumes are so strong..but you get immune to them when you use them all the time. It is interesting. I feel like removing all those products has cleansed my respitory system..and now I am more sensitive to all the chemical smells. I can tell when something is not healthy for my family, b/c it bothers my lungs. We don't use dryer sheets..they are totally toxic. I also use the 7th generation dishwasher powder. You can buy 7th generation at every health food store, and now I am seeing it at Publix and Target.

Now, on to food. The "healthy" rule of thumb is to shop mainly in the outer rim of the grocery store, and buy as little as possible in the interior. The outer rim has all the dairy and produce items. You want to stay away from as many processed foods as possible. Read, read, read ingredients. If you buy something w/ ingredients that sound like a recipe, you are in good shape. Something filled with chemicals, and things you can't pronounce..put it back. My basic rule is to avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup. To me that is a sign of a poorly made food. I also will not buy artificial sweeteners..which as I am sure you know, are associated with cancer. In fact, it is estimated that 30-60% of all cancers are caused by diet. I am sure that there must be a Whole Foods in your area. That is my FAVORITE health food store. It can be pricey, but they have a store brand, 365, that is more budget friendly. You know, even Target's store brand, Archer Farms, has lots of Organic products. Now, don't be fooled, and pick up anything that says organic. That doesn't necessarily translate into healthy. Look at sugar content as well. If it is loaded with sugar, it is not the best choice. Organic produce can certainly be expensive. Here is a list of the top 12 produce items to buy organic http://gourmetfood.about.com/od/slowfoodorganiclocal/a/or... . These are all items with thin skins that the pesticides can more readily penetrate. It would be awesome to buy all organic..but it is so expensive. Things like bananas and pineapples have thicker skins, that you don't eat..so they are generally safer..but with a strawberry you eat the whole thing, and want to get organic. Target also does have some organic produce. Even Publix does as well..but I find their prices high, and selection low. Publix does, however, offer Greenwise products. Sometimes in each aisle..sometimes all grouped together in one aisle..but you can find more natural and organic products there. I don't know if this is an option, but I am even in the process of planting my own, mini organic garden. I have just ordered my supplies from a company, Gardener's Supply company. I am going to try 2 3x3" grow beds http://www.gardeners.com/Grow-Beds/NewOutdoorPlanters_Cat... . I think it will be a fun project with my daughter. I hope any of these suggestions help. I am big on health. If you have any further questions, feel free to write me. I have read up on lots of healthy magazines, and would be happy to offer any more suggestions!! Good luck..you are being a great mama!!!
A. C.

We've been using clean cleaners in our house for years. Baking soda and vinegar are our best friend - to clean the kitchen we sprinkle on the counters and stove top and then spray vinegar on it. Of course once we had a kid - well needling a little cleaner - rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle acts as a disinfectant so I use that in place of anything else.

For the floors it's vinegar, baking soda and Murphy oil soap. For the windows its vinegar and newspaper. For the tub it's a cleaner green product from the grocery store.

Our book is probably out of print but here is a website that has some ideas.
http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/bakingsoda

I found the fantastic book we've been using for years.
http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Green-Non-Toxic-Environmental...

Hi Y.,
I'm also seeing this late. I echo that using better cleaning products that are non-toxic is critical. What is on your skin gets in your blood in about 30 seconds. I personally use Melaleuca.

Be sure to look at your skin care too. Unfortunately, this industry is not well regulated and claims of organic don't really mean much. I can email you a toxic 12 list of things to look out for. I used to use a botanical well-known skin care line and found each product had 2-6 ingredients on the toxic 12 list. The line I use now is certified organic through EcoCert plus is affordable and lasts a long time. I can get you more info on that if you want too.

Definitely look at the air quality in your home. Indoor air pollution is worse than outside with everything from building products, carpet, furniture, cleaning products and more. Look for a energy star certified unit that cleans at a HEPA level and produces negative ions without ozone. I can share more info on that as well. I'll be writing an article on that after I get my taxes done.

Finally, look at the electropollution in your home as well. This invisible threat impacts your body at a cellular, hormonal and DNA level. It is especially critical for kids and goes way beyond cell phones. Cordless phones are just as bad for you.

Articles, research links, and safer product links are available on livinghealthiernow.com. Check it out and let me know what questions you have.

Take care,
S.

Hi Y.,

First off, I'm not real big on the posters who are trying to sell me things.....

We switched to a healthier lifestyle about 2 1/2 years ago because we were having multiple miscarriages and the reg. docs couldn't tell us why... A natural path told us it was our diets and lifestyle. So, here is what we did.

We switched to eating about 90% organic. Check out the company azurestandard.com Call their phone number and ask if there is a drop point near you that they could have contact you. We belong to an organic buying club and we have this company deliver as well as 2 others. It saves a TON of money as you can buy in bulk and you're getting it at a discount. If you can find a buying club to join, perhaps they would have access to the other things as well. One of the other 2 trucks that delivers is a fresh produce truck!!! Great prices and the food is extremely FRESH. That truck comes every 3 weeks and IF we have any food left, it's almost always still really good!

We buy our bulk foods, frozen foods, and laundry detergents and dish soaps from the Azure company. We RARELY go to the grocery store anymore. You will need to set up an account to see their pricing though.

We also drink NO pop. Our beverages are pretty much water and milk. (We farm so it's our own bulk tank milk--not pasturized-- and we no it's good. There are NO medicines and who knows what else in it!!!) Only for special occasions do the kids get juice. We NEVER drink pop!

We also eat NO FAST FOOD. And very few desserts.

We juice fresh carrots, celery, and apples every night to get that extra serving of vegetables. We eat a salad with our noon meal every day. (That is our big meal. If supper/dinner is your big meal, I would have the salads then.)

We grind our own wheat berries to make flour.

I mostly clean with WATER! For glass, mix some vinegar and water into a spray bottle. There is NO NEED for expensive cleaners!!!

We all take a daily vitamin. We use the company Metagenics for my husband and myself and Nordic Naturals for our kids.

If you have any more questions please feel free to ask. We made it one huge day. We cleaned out our cuboards and gave or threw away EVERYTHING that was bad. That way there was no temptation. NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP ANYMORE!!! LOL. Then we went to the store and bought everything we needed. It was an expensive day. But once you have the basics, it doesn't cost as much. And try to find a buying club. It will save you a ton!

Good luck!

PS> We also drink our own well water and refuse flouride supplements and flouride wash at the dentists. It's a toxic chemical!!!

I need to add (because I've gotten some quesions on this.) For shampoo we use a product called Perfect Clense. It is actually a shampoo and shower gel in one. It only has a couple ingredients and they are all SAFE!!! It comes from a company called 7 LIGHTS. For toothpaste we order organic kinds from the Azure company as well. The sunscreen is also an organic and safe product that comes from Azure too. We do not use any moisturizers or unneccessary cosmetics. Deodorant is organic/ crystal rock. And I wear no perfume. The only scent I use is the essential oil JOY from Young Living.

And to let you all know the lifestyle change worked!!! 6 months after switching over we decided to start trying again. We got pregnant on our first month and gave birth 9 months after to our son!!!

I just found this great site and I have bought their fruits and veggies: http://offthevineproduce.com/

I order the medium box and it gets me to feed the kids their fruits and veggies so I don't waste. They also have milk, butter and bread products. Our office has a few people, including myself, that orders this so it cuts down on shipping. They only charge one flat fee. One of the girls here has a church that does that.

Y.,

I see you have gotten a ton of responses. I just saw your request featured and wanted to add a couple things. You can do a ton of cleaning with vinegar and baking soda or washing soda. Just google "cleaning with vinegar" and get a ton of ideas. It is cheap, safe and environmentally friendly!

Also, for natural foods, check out www.localharvest.org for farmers or CSAs in your area! Some of these allow you to pay a fee for the summer and in return you get a weekly delivery of produce all season long. Many of these CSA farms allow you to add organic meat and eggs for an additional cost. It might be worth checking into for your area! We are in Colorado, and I have a couple or recommendations for here, but I see you are in Florida, so that won't help much!

Good luck and good for you to be looking into healthier options for your family.

Hi Y., I missed this post, sorry...anyway check out my blog...www.lesstoxicbeauty.com. Also, you can buy organic foods at Kroger, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, etc.

As far as laundry, I use vinegar in place of fabric softener sheets. Just add the vinegar to the middle spin thing in the washer, your clothes should for the most part be static free unless it's really cold and dry out, then try a little crinkled up tin foil in the dryer.

I make my own cleaner by using vodka, grapefruit seed extract, a squirt of castile soap, spearmint, lavender, peppermint, lemon, rosemary and eucalyptus essential oils, then fill up the spray bottle with water. Great for everyday cleaning, but not quite strong enough to remove mold or dirty grout or soap scum.
I also make my own "hand sanitizer" by adding together vodka or rubbing alcohol, spearmint, eucalyptus & rosemary essential oils, aloe vera gel and water. Smells great and softens the hands.

Since I quit updating my blog I've been tryting to save money by not buying soap and shampoo...I use mainly unscented castile soap and add my own vitamin E and lanolin along with essential oils this gives me a nice soap and even shampoo.

Good luck!!

Here is a local organic delivery: http://www.orlandoorganics.com They include locally grown produce whenever available, and they also can bring eggs (from a farm in Ocoee). Whole Foods has the greatest variety of all types of items, but they are also the highest priced health food store in the world. Chamberlin's is better priced, but has less variety to choose from. Most of the grocery store chains now have an organic section.... not all of them, but more and more are catching on!!

I am originally from San Diego and we have many different health food stores throughout the city, all of which carry a good variety of FRESH produce -- not to mention the farmers' markets with locally grown food. I like Orlando Organics because freshness is important to me, and also their prices are fairly reasonable. (my last name is Colby in case you decide to go with them and use me as a referral)

For overall safe products I have been using Neways for years because they are all made without the use of any toxins, carcinogens, or other harmful ingredients at all. Too many of the so-called "safe" products being sold (even in health food stores) still contain many of the less publicized but highly dangerous harmful ingredients. You can go here http://www.safe4babies.com and there's a page with a list of ingredients to watch out for (it's actually two pages long).

I noticed a couple of the tips included using vinegar for cleaning -- that's one of the main ingredients in the Neways glass cleaner!! and the laundry cleaners use enzymes and oxygenation (something like that) as the cleaning agents.

Good for you for wanting to live healthy, not only environmentally but spiritually and mentally as well. It is a tough choice to home-school in today's career driven world, and (of course you know already) in later years you will be so happy you did this.

Y.,
I have a natural parenting/living blog that addresses some of your concerns about going green.

w w w (dot) puremothers (dot) com

good for you for looking our for your family's health, as well as the environment!

I make my own glass cleaner mix in a spray bottle 2 cups of water 3 tablespoons of vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of dish soap. It works really well and I use a microfiber towel instead of paper towels. I also use this as a surface cleaner to clean my counters and such. Also this works great on the shower glass doors takes the soap scum and hard water stains right off.

Hi Y., some how I never saw your post till today. I just wanted to tell you about a web site called "skindeep" I'm not sure if it's ,com or org. You can enter a product you use and it rates it's safty and tells you what's in it that is harmful so you can make healthy choices in stead of just blindly trusting that products on the shelves are safe. It's really eye opening and I found it very helpful in changing the prouducts I use. Best wishes

Baking soda and/or vinegar can clean and disinfect just about everything-- cheaper to make and better for the environment than just about anything store bought. Here is a great website for some make-your-own cleaners:

http://checnet.org/healthehouse/education/articles-detail...

I don't know if anyone else said this, but I notice that you have a 1 1/2 yr old daughter. I started using cloth diapers on my last 2 babies and am loving it! Disposable diapers are processed with a TON of toxic chemicals and the gel crystals used in the diapers are also not safe (banned from tampons because they cause toxic shock). I just think that it can't be good to have a child wearing chemical laden diapers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 2-3 years.
Check out www.diaperstyle.com for more information. I am glad to help you figure out what would work for you and to care for cloth diapers. And just so you know, cloth diapers are no longer plastic pants and pins! They come with velcro, or snaps and are cute and easy-many work exactly like a disposable diaper, the only difference is that you wash it instead of throw it in the landfill(that takes 300+ years to decompose)
Way to go mama! I am proud of you for caring for your family.

S.

Didnt catch this until now... good to hear that your quest for a healthier way proved successful. Just wanted to add my two cents and say that you can check a product on the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)to see if a product is what it claims. Happy Easter!

http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/formulat/formpartc.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/garden/26greenhome.html...

Y.,
I just wanted to add that I just started with Melaleuca and am very impressed with their products. Please look into them. They're stuff is concentrated so for example, one bottle of laundry detergent is $10 but it's equivalent to 6 Tides! It definitley takes some getting used to as the bottles are so small and make so much. Everything is biodegradable so it's safe for the environment as well. I'm very impressed so far. My kids are on the vitamins and the toothpaste. I've heard about kids that never have cavities using their toothpaste. Like I said, I just joined and am very impressed. My son who is 5 has precancerous moles so I decided to make some serious changes with how we live here at home. It's just not normal to have these problems when you're 5. Hopefully, I can change things for the better.
Good Luck!

here are some other websites - Green parents Network and www.safemama.net

I like previous advise on just getting rid of all the bad stuff in the house & making a day of it. It took me a week & I still can't get rid of all the food, my husband still drinks soda. I can't get him to quit. I gave my cleaners to a friend who is lesss well off & doesn't really care about being "GREEN". I gave the food to the food bank.

You really will notice a difference, the more you do to live a healthier life the better you, your family & everyone around you will feel. As consumers our dollars speak to our needs & wants for us. If we stop buying unhealthy products they will have to stop making them. If you are just more aware & look for "Green" things you will find them cheaply & cheaper in the long run.

Ikea recycles batteries & CFL's if you have one near you.

For personal hygene you might want to look at http://www.gladrags.com/.

If you don't want to clean diapers try a diapers service like Tidy Didy, make sure to ask what they clean with.

Here s a good article. http://articles.latimes.com/2007/apr/02/health/he-themd2

http://www.lime.com/blog/kim_d/2009/02/04/green_diapers_g...

Hope all this helps.

I also would like to recommend you check into Conklin products. I have been a distributor for 15 years and can't stress how great their products are. Unlikely many other products labeled "organic and environmentally friendly" these are money saving products. Not just products with inflated price tags because they are "green".

I have not lived in Orlando for a few years, but I believe the chain of Chamberlin's Health Food Stores still exist. Check them out. Whole Foods is also good, but the person below that claimed everything at Whole Foods is green/organic is not right. No health food store is 100% healthy, but they are way healthier than regular stores. It is true that Publix has a Greenwise section with organic and natural products.
Read labels. The best natural soaps and shampoos are Aubrey Organics. all the ingredients are plants parts, pretty much. No petroleum products. The beauty industry is unregulated so probably all the stuff at the regular stores is bad for you because of petroleum products and cancer causing hormone mimicking ingredients.
As for cleaning, you can clean most things with white grain vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and or a natural soap like Dr. Bronner's (available at health food store). Look online for recipes of what cleans what best with those ingredients.
As for feeding your family, I agree with the person below who advised you to stick to the basic ingredients like produce, dairy, meat, etc and avoiding all the processed foods. And when you do buy processed/prepared food, read the labels first.
The vitamins at health food stores are far superior to those at k-mart or other locations. I like Animal Parade vitamins for my daughter. I usually take Solaray's vitamins for me.
Buying your produce from a local Grower's Market is really a good way to get the freshest stuff. Do they still have the mkt in College Park Thursdays from 6-9pm? Find out.
Oh, I thought of another Haleht Food Store ut it is so out of your way, it's on 436 just west of where it crosses 434. Economy Health foods. Which reminds me, if you want to buy something by the case from a health food store, order it in advance and they give you a discount.

Hello,

You have gotten so many great replies!

Take the time to get the "toxic" cleaners out of the house.
The chemicals get into the air...most folks don't know this.

My blog: kristenshealthylife.blogspot.com
...When you have time, go through the posts for simple text, great information.

We eat many organic foods, excercise, and use green cleaners. I DO NOT put pesticides on my lawn...and I purchase organic products from the local nursery for my garden.

Forget the toxic Clorox. You can buy Simple Green at the grocery store, which Publix carries as well as a lot of "green" organic foods...
Best cleaner is White Vinegar. A gallon jug costs about $2.00. This is what was recommended to me by the dog trainer. He explained that vinegar kills the enzymes in urine (when the dog pees on the floor - a habit she's finally broken...)
Google "vinegar" and you'll find so many uses for it around the house, cleaning counters, windows, bathrooms, tile floors etc. And the smell dissipates after only a few minutes, though your house will smell like a salad when you are cleaning with it!

Love all the previous advice on the food. The only one I have to add that I found a great deal was at Walmart they carry a brand called Mom's Best Naturals. It is cereal and contains no high fructose corn syrup and is all natural. The boxes are large and they are only $2.12!
For cleaning check out this company that uses enzymes. There are absolutely NO chemicals in any of their products.
http://wowgreen.net/ If you would like more information on it, you can contact me privately.

I use Shaklee products and LOVE them. I have used them for years and don't ever want to use anything else. They are environmentally safe, cost effective because they are concentrated and they work. I have not had anything work as well including the products you buy off the shelve.

N.

Mom of 3 with 2 grandchildren

Call me.
I have gone totally green about 6 years ago.
I sell nothing, stock nothing, have no inventory but I do refer others the store and teach others to do the same IF they want to. BUT they can simply shop for products under Dollar general prices ( the cleaners that is...)
I am a stay at home mom and have made over $470,000 in the last 6 years and have earned 2 brand new vehicles that they pay for :)
Call me if you would like more information and I can help you simply, switch stores,shop for safer products and save your time, your money and best of all EVERYONE'S health in your home ###-###-####.
They also have health and beauty, some foods, a line of nutritional products,a children's line, bath and body,plus the cleaners.
I should have read your whole article before I responded...
We have a lot in common as I have home schooled for the last 15 years :)
3 graduated and 2 more to go and I have loved my life doing this also.
I love to research and have found many ways to treat illness naturally by using certain items that clean the body and build it up inside.
There is much truth to seeking and ye shall find.
Even in health.
You are on the right track of getting rid of chemicals for cleaners. bleach is truly a killer.
it causes asthma, allergies, eczema, cancer, diabetes, hardening of the arteries, eye, nose lung, skin irritations, learning disabilities in children and much more.
We eat organic 80% of the time.
I have found that it is very economical to buy organic meat in large quantities like 1/4 cow or 1/2 cow and we also get raw ( inspected ) milk at the same farm. It is so good for strong bones and teeth.
Also it is very good to buy organic grains.
Price wise( in 50 # bags) and health wise...$21.00 makes about 45 loaves.
A great investment was our grain grinder and Bosch bread dough mixer. I have had them for 14 years and bake our bread, and cinnamon rolls on Mondays for the week. also makes great pizza crust.
the mixer kneads the dough perfectly and makes baking bread weekly possible.
It is so full of vitamins and fiber and it tastes great.
I just went in and looked at the website for the urban homemaker...here is the link :)
http://urbanhomemaker.com/productcart/pc/home.asp

It is wonderful for tips on learning to get healthier with foods.
Anyway I hope this all helps and I would love to help you with your switching to safer products, sincerely, J.
Ps also not an MLM.

Hi! I am trying to do the same things that you are. I saw localharvest was already mentioned. I also make my own cleaners. Google- "Women's voices for the earth" and they have tons of recipes. I also recently started selling Wildtree. It's stuff like taco seasoning, sloppy joe mix, easy to make food. Visit my website at smakinen.mywildtree.com.

Hi there, I know that you already have gotten advice and have responded. But I just wanted to add one thing. Just because the meat you buy says organic it could still be produced in a factory farm. Animals bred in factory farms are not as healthy as pastured animals because they are eating and breathing their own poop. They are not able to eat the grass and bugs that they need and therefor the meat is not as healthy and neither are the eggs. If you have a farmers market nearby you should try to get your meat from there. Know your farmers! Its a great way to know your food!

Good for you to GO GREEN! Our family did 6 years ago and it helped my son quit having Asthma Attacks!

I tried Shaklee, but the cleaners didn't get the RUST out and believe me, we live in the Country and I have rust. It also didn't get the soap residue from the tub .. so I kept searching .. I did find cleaners that were a bit less expensive then Shaklee, they make more products then them too and work on my rust! (yeah)

We also raise our own cows, chickens, ducks and this year I am going to venture into raising a pig! We have our own eggs and I thought about milking our goats for us for Milk, but the amount of milk we consume doesn't warrant the amount of work it would be! :-) We do buy Hormone Free Milk from the Store though ..

We plan to plant a larger garden this year then we have in the past and I am going to do some canning .. *new experience* I am getting Grapes next month, along with some Apple, Pear and Peach trees. It will take a couple years for them to produce, but will sure be worth it in the long run to have canned peaches, home made apple sauce and canned pears (FRESH) and also fresh jelly from the grapes. We currently have strawberries, so it will be a nice addition to our produce.

Best of luck to you!

i didn't see any one mention this, CFL lightbulbs contain mercury. check it out. and they require special disposal. i live in broward county and a while ago the newspaper ran a story and listed the disposal places and times.

I am so excited for you that you are deciding to go green! I went green about 2 months ago w/ a business called Melaleuca. They do have wonderful products that are extremely affordable. If you are interested in them at all let me know! www.livetotalwellness.com/erinstewart

I live in the Cocoa area and shop at Publix. They have a pretty good organic food section.
A few years ago I found a great cleaner--TKO Orange. It is an organic orange oil. Only orange oil, no detergents. It can be used to clean anything and everything--even in bath water and pets. I also use a steam cleaner and the TKO can be added to the water. I order it out of Canada. Just Google TKO Orange. Orange cleaner was invented down here in Titusville but I have to send to Canada for it--go figure. I usually order several and friends get it from me.
God Bless and Good Luck, M.

I can help with the environmentally safe home part. I use and sell great products that are so much safer for your home than what we were buying from the store. If you are interested in learning more about the products, I would love to share the information with you. Just message me back on here!

Take care!

There are lots of options these days that you can even buy at Target and Walmart as far as cleaning items. We bought into a company called Melaleuca a couple of years ago and all of their products are safe for you to clean with. They claim that the house is a toxic dump from all of the cleaning supplies in our house. SAHM's are more likely to develop cancer than women who work outside the home. I don't want to scare you, but we decided to support that for our children and us. If you are interested in learning more, you can go to their website and I would love to share more with you. It is more economically priced and when you learn what is in Chlorox wipes etc, you may want to explore a diff. option. We no longer buy that stuff from Walmart or Target.

So many more stores are offering organic/green products now. Publix has a great 'Greenwise' section in their stores...depending on the store, it's either it's own section by produce with all organic items, or smaller sections throughout (for example, organic cookies in the cookie aisle). Whole Foods is also a great store, and there are two in the Orlando area--one in Winter Park, and one just off I-4 at the Turkey Lake exit. EVERYTHING in Whole Foods is organic/green. They don't sell it otherwise. Costco even has many organic/green items now!

As far as cleaning products go...Seventh Generation products are good, and are sold at Publix in the cleaning aisle. Also, Babies R Us (at least, the one in Altamonte) sells many, many green cleaning products. GL!

My husband and I have felt the same way in the past. Not just for our daughter but our precious dog. I didn't want her walking on floors cleaned with chemicals and have that stuff go into her body through her paws! I mop a lot so it was a concern and.....did you know some toothpastes contain carcinagens? I would love to tell you how we fixed lots of these things. I also have an article about hidden poisons in our homes! Email me at ____@____.com and I will forward it to you!

Bev K

Hi Y.,

You got some great answers and I hope you feel so much better. I too have a business that works in all phases of your life to eliminate all hazard chemicals from your home. We have vitamins, cleaning produts, bath, dental, shower,body lotions, make up just about everything you would you on a daily bases and you can get it for 30-40% off by being a customer. I've learned so much about toxin and chemicals not only for our children and pets, but in the air and on your clothes, towels, sheets, it's amazing. I have a catalog for anyone who is intersted. you can slways go to my sight, www.grandmasworkingfrom.com, fill out the info and I will get back to you. It's amazing what a difference it makes when you rid your home of the nasty chemicals in your home and clothes. Anyone with children or any type of medical issues should make the move. What is great as well, our products are concentrated. So they last longer which saves you money. Enhaning the lives of those we touch is part of our motto. Or if you just have questions, I have answers. Feel free to contact me, I'm here to help. An again, it's a great choice you made, find the products you like and if they work, stick with them. By the way, we don't carry inventory, so your products would be delivered directly to your home. Have an awesome day.

Hi..

I appreciate your desire to have a healthy, safe home for your two precious gems!! Great mom!!

I recommend and have used Shaklee GetClean Products which are made from nature with NO preservatives, chemicals etc.
They are made in harmony with nature and are safe for our bodies, our home and our planet....AND they work!!

They are totally guaranteed...money back if you are not totally satisfied...so there is no fear in trying!!
Once you try them, you will use them for life.

It is easy to get Shaklee...if you contact me, I will be glad to help you. For the next 4 weeks, there is a FREE
Shaklee Membersip (gives you a l5% discount on all products) This is normally $l9.95...so it is a savings!!

There are no requirements to achieve or use....just givs you the benefit of 15% off...kind of like a co=op.
With a memebership, you will be able to order directly from the company and it will be delivered to your door.
Feel free to check out our web site at http://www.shaklee.net/TLC4& or email me back at ____@____.com and I will be glad to help you...or call me at ###-###-#### and I will be glad to answer your questions. Shaklee is a company of integrity..has been in business for 50+ years...Our Household Cleaner, Basic H, was the first Earth Day product!!

It's a great way to have a safe, healthy home for your family....and peace of mind for yourself!! Try it, you will like it!!!

I commend you for your desire to create the best for your family. This is also great for you...no unhealthy fumes to breath in or come in contact with while you are cleaning!!

There is also a great opportunity for stay at home mom;s to earm an income by sharing with their friends the Shaklee products. They have a get to gether ont he phone every Saturday to share what they are doing. Let me know if this interests you. I ahve done this for 30 years and has been a great help to our family...

Blessings,
Ruth Stutesman

Somehow I missed your original request. Congratulations on making the choice to go green and non-toxic. We've had a safe home for 11 years with Shaklee's Get Clean Products. I thought you and others might be interested in know that there is a new preschool opening in Cape Coral that is making arrangements to have a natural/organic program for the children. Everything from the cleaning products they are around to the food they eat. It will be on Chiquita in a brand new building at Cape Christian Fellowship.
A.

I totally agree with the people who recommended Melaleuca. I just started using their products recently and love them. Clorox is way to posionous and harmful to be using; especially with small children in the house.

As I read your question about eating better and cleaning better, it touch my thoughts, just last week I was at the Gym, and we were chatting about eating healthy foods, because one of the guys was saying that he cannot loose weight, but like I told him, it is not what you eat, but mostly what you do after you eat, and how you go about eating. I explain to him you cannot eat heavy , at 9pm and then go to bed, that is a no, no. also how people pretend to work out at lunch time, and fill their rest of the afternoon eating, and then eat dinner, not back to the main topic. We spoke about health food, we both agree on a few things. It is very difficult to have the kind and type of food, lets say 20-30 years ago, when there was not plenty of chemicals used to treat the food that we eat, until the big government and their partners go involved and start using sprays chemicals to preserved food for month instead of food spoiling in a few days. Then we go into the organic area, and they was a question, what kind of chemicals do they used to grow the food produce to keep the bugs out. I was in the commissary last week and I was looking at some organic potatoes and when I see the amount of worm holes in them I stop and question why was so many worm looking holes. But the cleaning part, vinegar is a good cleaning solvent, along with a little clorox mix in and that should do the trick, but it is hard to get it germ free, no matter what you try, because as long as the wind blow, germs is going to be moving. There is a lot of site out there with plenty of solutions about everything, but I must say the one thing that work for me is my grandmother old time remedy, blue soap, vinegar and warm water.

Hi Y.,

I'm sorry this is so late, but I wanted to at least comment on it. First of all...awesome that you are going green! Take your time, it can all be overwhelming!
I have been "green" for many years, but you have to be very careful about what "green" means. There are a lot of companies out there that claim to be green, but aren't. There are no regulations on what is put into cleaners or personal care products. Make sure that you buy from a company that discloses ALL of their ingredients. I think that is one of the most important things to remember. Also, make sure you do some research on some of the chemicals in the products. If you want, I can email you directly a couple of "handouts" that we give our clients about ingredients to avoid.

I work for a company called Chartreuse. Check out my website at www.chartreuseearth.com. I'm not sure where you are located, but I am in the East Bay area of San Francisco. A local mom in our town is who designed this company and has made some AMAZING products!

We offer cleaning products, organic baby products and reusable products. We are a one stop shop:) I am especially excited about our baby line b/c I have a 19 month old and I LOVE how the products work on him. They smell great, they work great and I know they are safe for his little skin!

I hope this helps a little bit. I wish you luck in your adventure. Enjoy going green...it really is fun!
S.

Y.,
I have completely changed to totally natural cleaners. I originally saw them on the Oprah and Today show. It made sense to me that they way they are making homes these days (energy efficient)that the air pollution inside the home is greater than the outside, due to the toxins in our cleaners. How could it be good for you to cough and gag while cleaning your bathroom? So I bought them, fell in love with them and now I promote them. Check it out on my website www.shaklee.net/nancyrice.

Hi,

I started using Shaklee products about 8mo ago for the same reasons you meantioned above. Their products are so amazing that I have started my own Shaklee business two months ago. They have a line of natural, non-toxic cleaners that are really effective (I'm a clean-freak too!), super concentrated for money savings, and environmentally-friendly. I used to love to clean with bleach until I learned what it could be doing to my daughter's health. There's a very scarey study out on bleach and the effects it can have on children. They also offer vitamins/nutritional supplements that could improve the health of your whole family. Shaklee is the #1 natural nutrition company in the US and has been around for over 52yrs. All of their products are safe (they perform over 80,000 quality control tests each year), effective, and green and they're backed by clinical studies and research. They have a team of over 60 scientists on staff. That's unheard of! I'd love to share the Shaklee company and products with you. Call me or email anytime ###-###-#### or ____@____.com you'd like more information you can visit my website at www.shaklee.net/greennutrition. You can also register to win $200 of free Get Clean cleaning products at www.freegreenproducts.info.