Tuesday 30 July 2013

F**k you eczema or how to become a hippie-chic - PART 2

Alice (and I) has eczema and it sucks so we are undergoing a life makeover to figure out ways to make her (us) feel better...this is our f**k you eczema journal!

 
(at the museum last week)

Household cleaners

Yes, cleaning products kill germs and get out tough stains but they can also cause skin (and eyes and airway) irritation. But lets face it, we still need to clean our homes once in a while!  And also, what do we really need in term of household cleaners?

Choose safer household cleaners
(nontoxic, petroleum-free, biodegradable, phosphate-free, VOC-free, solvent-free) note: I'm in love with Method cleaning products and their refills.

Don't clean with the kids in the room when using commercial household cleaners

Take off your shoes as you come in the house (actually difficult!!!)

Don't use spray-on carpet cleaners by vacuuming regularly


* * * * *

Kitchen counter, stainless steel sink, cutting board, fridge, oven top, etc.
Dust surfaces with baking soda and scrub with a moist cloth. 

Windows and mirrors
Mix 1/4 cup white vinegar with 4 cups of warm water.

Carpet and rugs (especially if you have a smelly dog!)
Sprinkle baking soda and vacuum after 30 minutes.

Hardwood floor
Use 1/4 cup white vinegar and warm water.

Porcelain and tiles
Dust surfaces with baking soda and scrub with a moist cloth.

Toilet
Mix baking soda and 1 cup vinegar. Let it sit for 15 minutes, scrub, and flush.

Microwave
Squeeze the juice of a lemon in a microwaveable dish and mix with 1 cup of water. Microwave the mixture for 5-10 minutes. Wipe the microwave without effort!

notes:
We now use commercial all-purpose cleaner, vinegar and baking soda...but I'm still mourning my Vim with bleach and my Lysol toilet cleaner!

I might try those cute hedgehog dryer balls (lower dryer time and save energy).
A beautiful dust pan+broom if I was very rich and a bit crazy...and there is no word for this vacuum cleaner.


* * * * * 

Jules: Thank you so much for this great idea :)

New Duds: We don't ever get static and we never use dryer sheets ...but I don't run, ah ah ah (99% of our clothes are in cotton). Maybe using less detergent? Oh, I also read something about vinegar and safety pins!?!

Anonymous: Must investigate that Alep soap. 

Rebecca: Normally, Dan doesn't want me to look at "disease stuff" on Internet (I'm a bit of an hypochondriac) but I will take a look at it later today. Thank you!

5 comments:

ana said...

good for you for going natural. i don't use commercial household cleaners in my house mostly because i hate the smell, they are very harsh on your skin and because of my animals (2 cats). i use baking soda and vinegar for everything. this is a great combo for the bathtub too, which i don't think you mentioned. cleaning the bathroom and tub is probably the worst chore but using baking soda in the tub is miracle. baking soda is a great mild abrasive and very little elbow grease is needed.

Ali said...

Those dryer balls? Will make holes in all your t shirts. I found them used them loved them and abandoned them after I found them really hard on everyone's cottons. Shame.

Olga said...

I tried BranchBasics cleaner (it's an all-in-one concentrated liquid that you dilute based on what you are trying to clean). Allegedly, it is all-natural and food-safe(!), and I found that it works well as a counter-top and stove cleaner (haven't tried it on other things yet, but I plan to eventually switch to just using this cleaner once I run out of my other regular cleaners). If you decide to try it, I saw a coupon for 10% off -- code 100DRF10.

Anonymous said...

Hi claudia!

I'm from the netherlands, discoverd your blog and keep checking in from time to time, reading it.
Was wondering how often you give alice a bad? I think you know this already (since you also have excema) but wel baths once a week are more than enough if you have an excema prone child (talking from experience ;)
Also here in europe we have a brand called 'weleda' they have a line for baby's but i'm sure it will do wonders for your daughter as well!
Just some tips, good luck with everything!

Juultje

Tanja said...

Hi Claudia,
as you live in an old house you should also think about mildew, this was what causes my eczema.
Best regards
Tanja