Can you replace at least 2 of your daily/weekly/monthly household items with something less toxic/wasteful?
Beauty products, cleaning products, food products, etc.
So far what I have done:
returned a new box of Arm & Hammer detergent. Used the money to buy Ecos brand detergent. It claims to be safe for septic and greywater systems.
It is a company that does not test on animals.
in the next week or so I am returning the overpriced facial wash/toner/lotion and am going to try using Burt's Bees products. The stuff I was using tests on animals and the ratings for it on cosemticsdatabase.com rate it at I think a 7 (0-10, 10 being the most hazardous).
I am also downsizing our stock of toiletries (3 different brands of deodorant and none of them work for me...FFS if anyone wants to try Tom's of Maine calendula, Kiss My Face Patchouli, or Almay clear gel, all hardly used)....
So, what can YOU do?
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Becky,
SUPER DUPER single mama to my 2 lovely ladies!
patchouli wearin, dirt lovin, tree huggin, tiedye makin, tofu eatin, belly dancin, festival goin, vegetable growin, tea drinkin, hippy stinkin!
Well, laundry soap and facial products are both something I am not willing to switch to just because they are natural; they have to perform, as well; and I know laundry soap doesn't, and facial products, for creams and stuff, you need really work to find the right one, which I don't have the money to mess around with. Facial WASH, though, I am happy to try!
For my own house, I don't actually use many products beyond that. I HAVE been meaning to buy a crystal, rather than more antiperspirant, but never had the $6-7 vs $2 at the time of buying, but will try plan ahead this time! And dish soap. We already use a completely natural shampoo bar, with no conditioner, and handmade natural soaps.
Other than that, I use soft scrub cleanser, which I don't like using baking soda as a replacement for, and I have a bottle of disinfectant, specifically for sterilizing the spots the non-completely housebroken puppy makes a mess on!
I agree about laundry soaps and dishsoaps; I tried the Planet brand dishsoap..it sucks.
I don't see much of a difference in laundry soaps though, but I suppose we are not that hard on clothes. I use evil Spray N Wash for most stains and we have decent water. However, the Ecos brand detergent that I just switched to totally deodorized 3 loads of stinky laundry hand me downs, you know, that over powering left-in-the-washer-for-a-few-days mildewy sour smell.
Years ago, I used to make my own laundry soap with Kirk's barsoap grated (or liquid dr.bronner's), washing soda, baking powder, and tons of water.
This left a film on diapers. It did not get out stains, but it did seem to deodorize stinky teenage boy socks.
As far as shampoo/conditoners: tried the Avalon brand, that stuff did not work at all. My hair constantly felt and looked stringy and greasy.
I want to try Burt's Bees, but it's about $8 for a bottle, and that is expensive if it doesn't work!
So I use Tresemme. It isn't the most environmentally friendly stuff and I personally think it has a funky smell to it, but it gets my hair cleaner than anything I have ever used. One plus is, they don't test on animals. That, and it's super cheap.
And I totally hear you on the deodorant thing! I have tried averything out there at one point or another, except antiperspirants, I won't wear those, hence offering the Almay stuff, used once (for a wedding in a satin dress).
I had some Desert Essence tea tree deodorant that seemed to work better than most of the "hippy stuff" as my friends call it. I think that even though it is a few dollars more, it is worth it if it works for you. Less chemicals in your body.
Regarding Soft Scrub- have you tried the tub scrub recipe from "Clean House, Clean Planet"? It is comparable to Soft Scrub. I can pm you the recipe if you want. I clean houses and use it for scrubbing everything.
I'd love the soft scrub alternative. I clean houses, too, and while most of the products are environmentally friendly (it's one of the selling points for my boss), and I have gotten the cleaning down to a science so I actually use very little product, soft scrub is the one thing I can't let go of. And oven cleaner for final cleans. Ugh, those ovens can get bad.
For shampoo, I actually use a Lush shampoo bar...it took me a few months of greasy mess for my super greasy hair to adjust, but now that it has, the difference is AWESOME! I don't have quite as greasy hair, and can go for a two or three days now without shampooing, where I used to have to shampoo every single day, and since coloring my hair (now THERE'S a non-friendly product! ) I don't get the frizzies and washing out in two days even for permanent I used to get! AND it's natural and enviro-friendly!
And deodorant, ugh. I can't even use the natural stuff...I have tried MANY brands, all highly recommended, and usually end up smelling like a cat in heat. I didn't used to get this bad before ds was born, but he changed a lot of hormonal things in my body, and that was one of them. Yuck! But I have found that I can use a crystal for a week, and then once with antiperspirant, and then back to crystal again, and it keeps me reasonable, even during summer....I just haven't bought the crystal in over a year.
Last edited by ChantingMama : 09-03-2007 at 11:40 PM.
Reason: crimes against grammar
With the official start of Autumn upon me I will be dropping using shampoo and just using conditioner again. I have to use shampoo in the summer between seating and swimming. Maybe I can work harder on using an enviromentally friendly conditioner. I'll be switching soaps, too but it's an ivory for Dove trade so it's rather horizontal.
I'm STILL using up all the cleaners left here by my Dad and step-mom. It's driving me a bit mad.
Oi, I'm going to have to think for a bit about what two products I could change!
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Elizabeth
Mama to Annabelle who is making me feel ancient now that she's EIGHT!
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If you're serious about unloading the Tom's and Kiss my Face deodorants FFS, I'll take them. Unless you wanted someone to take them to try them out. I happen to know DS would use the Tom's, and I already use the KMF patchouli (have for years).
Two products, you say? All I can think of that's left is shampoo and conditioner. Who wants to recommend a natural conditioner that actually works on long hair? I could hack it all off for the sake of saving the planet and use the awful stuff I've tried in the past, but I'd rather hear about a good conditioner. Once I'm out of my shampoo, I'll try ACV again. I got a lot of compliments on my hair the first few weeks I tried it.
Seriously, though. I'll try a new face lotion this week since I'm out of the Aveeno, but the Dermalogica my sister sells is a nice and relatively natural product, and it's what I use when I have it on hand. Ran out of that, too. Guess I'll call her from the HFS and see what she likes.
Murali - you you get Mrs Meyer's products down your way? Her scrubby stuff is divine. It's a powder, but man does it work, and it smells so yum.
And speaking of cleaning, I really am going to get up and do some of that now.
Murali - you you get Mrs Meyer's products down your way? Her scrubby stuff is divine. It's a powder, but man does it work, and it smells so yum.
Never heard of it, actually. Not that I would have bothered looking down here, cause the selections at your local HFS are sad, bordering on pathetic. There are a few good products, but basically, walking into one is an exercise in despair, lol. Man, makes me miss a proper one SO BAD. A Mrs. Gooch's, or Erewhon, or Down to Earth in Hawaii.
THis is going to take me a while as well. We do pretty darn well around here. I have to admit I purchase Dr Bronners Aloe bar soap. Since I live in New Zealand, it is shipped half way across the world. I could make my own soap(if I learned) from more local ingredients. but, most vegetable oils are shipped in as well..ugh.
For cleaning I use baking soda, vinegar and some essential oils. also natural laundry soap...no chemicals/petroleum prods whatsoever. PErsonal prods are all natural. hmm....thinking...
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When you step out of the shower, immediately dab baking soda on your armpits. THis works awesome as a deodorant for many people - even when exercising in the heat.
started using mostly vinegar for cleaning
bought 7th generation dish soap- actually pretty cheap at Target
AND *bonus* using recycled paper toilet paper- yeah it's not cloth, but we have a septic tank and I can't risk it getting flushed by accident
Tawnya, your memory lives on in your children.
And dish soap. We already use a completely natural shampoo bar, with no conditioner, and handmade natural soaps.
I clean houses, too, and while most of the products are environmentally friendly (it's one of the selling points for my boss), and I have gotten the cleaning down to a science so I actually use very little product, soft scrub is the one thing I can't let go of. And oven cleaner for final cleans. Ugh, those ovens can get bad. 
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