Author Archive for amy

Green cleaning - disinfecting with vinegar

Published
by
amy
on April 28, 2009
in Safer cleaning products and healthy ideas
. Closed

I’ve been thinking about it for a while now- does using vinegar really disinfect and kill germs? I use mostly all natural or green cleaning products around the house but still have been using things like Clorox wipes and toilet cleansers in areas that I am just too suspicious of: ie kitchen countertops, bathrooms, sink handles, door handles. Can I really trust vinegar to kill flu viruses and e. coli? (Can you tell I have swine flu on my mind? Can you blame me I am pregnant and have a toddler!)
So I am getting down to the bottom of it. Honestly, I would rather use nothing but natural cleaners, safer for my family, safer for the world I share with everyone, but I am a germaphobe and want to know that I am wiping out flu viruses, e. coli and salmonella. I am searching out some info- does vinegar kill germs and viruses?

Here’s what I have found: vinegar kills 99% of bacteria, 82% of mold and 80% of viruses. For something like salmonella on a cutting board, hit it with boiling water or the sanitize cycle in the dishwasher. So, it looks like we can trust the bacteria killing power of vinegar, lemon and hydrogen peroxide. But I think during flu season I still may use some rubbing alcohol on door knobs, remotes, sink handles, etc. But I am happy to know for sure that I can really let go of the bleach.

Also, I read you should use 1 part vinegar, 3 parts water to clean your produce, too.

Sources to check out:
DIY-cleaners, the green kind
Why chemical disinfectants are overkill
CBS 48 hours on old time cleaning remedies
Natural Remedies for disenfecting

Green Laundry Detergents- better for baby and the world

Published
by
amy
on March 24, 2009
in Uncategorized
. 4 Comments

babylaundry.jpgI should have written about this a while ago, and was reminded about it when my sister in-law with a new baby on the way asked me which detergent to use. I am a self professed laundry maven, so I like to think she came to the right place. I have long been picky about how my laundry is done, so I am the laundry lady in my house and have no problem with it. Years ago I stuck by Tide, and used Gonzo for bad stains, used Woolite for my hand washables. Then 10 years ago with more and more green household products hitting the market, I started using those - mostly because they were better for the environment. But I wasn’t totally committed- like a lot of natural household cleaners, (esp. in the beginning) it was lots of trial and error, I found while better for you and the environment, they just didn’t work that well. So sometimes I was going for the lesser evil, All Free & Clear (of perfumes and dyes).

But when my daughter was on the way I wanted something good for the environment, worked well and gentle on her skin. So I again searched and sampled many of the greener brands that would get out tough food and milk stains, be gentle and better for the environment. (these are the brands sans petroleum, dyes, perfumes, phosphates, formaldehyde, etc.) I tried many, but a few varieties that I gave second+ chances to were Ecos, Seventh Generation, and method. Ecos had one of the better prices so I have bought it quite a bit. Seventh Generation is consistently the most expensive and Method falls between. And I have found them all to be pretty good at cleaning clothes. I like that there are no funky chemicals against my daughter’s skin or going back into the water, but they are on a whole more expensive than many conventional brands which I think makes it hard for many to switch. I recommend any of these three, and use them (mostly bought by which is on sale). And I use Oxyclean spray on really bad stains. Something like hot cocoa, blood or grease is just too tough for any of these detergents.

Laundry Duty

I have to admit, I still use All (scented and F&C) on my husbands work clothes. He is an engineer and is outside on a lot of his projects, getting dusty, dirty, sometimes grease, etc on his clothes. So they are a challenge to even an expert laundry lady much less the greener cleaners. Until I find something natural and very hardy- I have to stick with that.

There are a few I haven’t tried and have always wanted to Charlie’s Soap (supposed to do a bang up job on cloth diapers), Dropps and Soap Nuts (mostly because I am intrigued)… they are not kicking around at Whole Foods and I can only find them online so I have hesitated on trying them out. But given how great Charlie’s is purported to be on dirty diapers, I have wondered it they can take on my husband’s work clothes…

New baby in the family




Published
by
amy
on March 17, 2009
in Uncategorized
. Closed

I am so excited to announce the birth or my sister and brother in-law’s new baby, Evan. He arrived yesterday at 11 am. Years will tell what a lucky kido he is to have such great parents!
I am sure my daughter will get over having a boy cousin the minute she meets him.
Congratulations Sarah and Dave!!

First Trip to the Dentist

Published
by
amy
on March 17, 2009
in dentist and healthy ideas
. Closed

tooth-11.jpgMy daughter is 3, so it was time to have her first check-up at the dentist. I decided to bring her to her to my dentist, as opposed to a pediatric dentist. I like and trust them, the staff is nice and friendly. I was worried though, I have heard of little ones being totally freaked out by the whole experience. I did what I could to try to prepare her for what would go on. She kept saying that she didn’t want to go but had no real reasons for why. We looked at the dentist pages in Richard Scarry books, and saw Lowly getting his teeth checked. That seemed to be a good association for her. One of the best coincidences was that one of her little friends had an appointment the day before and we saw her after her appointment. She had a goody bag with all sorts of dental “treats”.
So the next morning we headed off and I held my breath. We got there and were in the waiting room a few minutes and we talked about her being able to pick a special prize at the end of the appointment which made her pleased and we headed in to the examination room.
The hygienist was great, she showed my daughter everything and explained what she was going to do with it. My daughter can be pretty reserved with people who she doesn’t know but was made to feel comfortable right away. She was relaxed and chatty through the whole exam. The hygienist was able to count, check and polish her teeth. (I was told that if things aren’t going well they would stop after getting a tooth count) Despite the fact that my daughter is sadly a juice junky- she had no cavities- which I was really fretting. The hygienist said we should use straws instead of sippy cups for juice and the sippy cups can have water only. The juice goes right onto the front teeth through a sippy cup spout. We were told if she can make sure she swished and rinses well, we should do a tiny bit of fluoride paste. I haven’t gone there yet but we are practicing with the “safe to swallow” stuff still. I really want to make sure she is definitely not swallowing the toothpaste. For now we are going to brush 2 times a day and use the little easy flossers.
Overall it went great, my daughter learned there was nothing to be afraid of and she was happy with her new toothbrush, toothpaste and little toys they gave her. I am so happy it wasn’t a traumatizing first trip the the dentist.

Finding the best BPA free bottles




Published
by
amy
on February 10, 2009
in BPA free, bottles and breastfeeding
. 2 Comments

Expecting our second baby in a couple of months has launched me on a search for which bottle we’ll use this time. I am hoping to nurse for the first year again, but I need something to bridge my absence. Last time, gulp, we used Avent, having no idea 3 years ago they were laden with BPA. They have since changed the composition to be BPA free. I am so irked by the whole BPA issue and that I used those bottles with warmed milk, no less, but I have to remember 90% of the time she was nursed so I can’t beat myself up over it.
Anyway, I am reading lots of reviews on the great and growing number of BPA free choices we have now. (amazing what 3 years can do) I am aware that the baby might not like my first choice but I want to start with one that come with high safety reviews (on testing for chemicals that is), easy usability, least leaky, etc. then if the baby needs a new style we’ll take it from there. I really want ones that are BPA, phthalate and PVC free.
Here is what I have narrowed it down to at this point…
Born Free
Green to Grow
Medela
ThinkBaby
and the new BPA free versions of Avent and Dr. Brown’s.

I am so happy to say that not only are there more bottles coming on the market, but the manufacturers of many traditional brands are switching due to consumer demand. Ah, sometimes the greater population does have a voice…
And glass bottle options are, as usual, BPA free. I think we are going to skip them though because I really don’t like the idea of broken glass. (My daughter dropped bottles enough for me to feel like we would have broke many)

The SafeMama BPA free cheat sheet
Great BPA free bottle comparison chart from Soft Landing
Another fantastic guide from Soft Landing/Squidoo

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