Category Archive for ‘Safer cleaning products’ at Healthy Tot

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

Yuck, bleck, ugh! That’s what goes through my mind when I think about all the toxins lurking in our houses. Long before it was on everyone’s radar, my stepfather, a mechanical engineer, was always reminding us to be careful with household chemicals, don’t let them touch your skin, careful of the fumes from them, open the windows, air out dry cleaning and shower curtains, use nail polish remover outside!, keep the thermostat low, turn off the lights, consume less, recycle, compost- the list goes on. He earnestly drove a tiny car for years, putting along in the slow lane, while others drove bigger and faster cars. His knowledge came from years working for engineering firms and as a professor and having understanding and insight into chemicals, waste, limits on resources and their impact on the future of the environment.

What to do…

Since having my daughter more than two years ago, these matters went from subconscious, ingrained habits to a forefront priority to make sure I am doing all I can to make our home a safe place. And with the more knowledge I gain I find that many of the things he preached over the years are becoming a bigger part of what we all need to pay attention to, some of which are toxins in the home. I have dutifully draped my shower curtains outside to gas out for 4-5 days and since they been on the market been using EVA curtains instead. We compost, try to use as many non-toxic household products as possible, keep chemicals off our lawn (aka the clover patch- whatever, it’s green), rarely dry clean our clothes (only the ones that can’t be washed with water), use safer bath products. Today, we are at an advantage and disadvantage, every year there are more chemicals on the market but there is a greater awareness, demand for safer products and availability to information on how to make your home a safer environment. Everywhere you turn in your house there might be something unhealthy, here’s where to look.

This is a huge subject so I am going to list some articles and provide links to some good resources out there, including an article I wrote for a friend’s blog about indoor pollution and solutions. Please comment with any questions or ideas you might have and I will do my best to get you the answers.