Which of these products would you like to add to your home for a spring time fresh feel and smell?

• Alkylphenol ethoxylates
• Ammonia
• Chlorine
• Lye
• Formaldehyde and petroleum solvents
• Synthetic fragrance
The ingredients listed above are in most conventional cleaning products, and rather than cleaning your home, actually pollute it with a toxic mixture of petrochemicals. Synthetic fragrances are added to mask the odor of chemical vapors, implicated in headaches, dizziness, skin rashes and respiratory problems.

It’s easy, and healthier, to choose products that are readily available on your pantry shelves or at your grocery store to get your home sparkling clean and ready for spring.

Here’s what you’ll need:
• Baking soda
• Borax
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Kosher salt
• Lemon
• Olive oil or jojoba oil
• Rubbing alcohol
• Vodka
• White vinegar

This list not only sounds better; these items actually clean your home and leave no chemical residue behind. Here’s a guide to cleaning even the toughest messes in a healthy way:

Kitchen: Try baking soda sprinkled on counters, tabletops, sinks, refrigerators and cutting boards; use a damp sponge to scrub lightly and rinse. If you need more abrasive action, add a little kosher salt. For stains and greasy spills, you can add lemon juice or vinegar. Vinegar kills most mold, bacteria and germs, and lemon juice has antibacterial and antiseptic qualities, plus it is a natural bleach.

For marble, granite or stone countertops, use rubbing alcohol or vodka instead of vinegar for cleaning.

Your oven can be cleaned with a paste of baking soda and water; apply it with a damp sponge and let it sit overnight. In the morning, wipe clean. For greasy ovens, you can add ½ cup washing soda (sodium carbonate) and white vinegar.

Freshen the air in the kitchen by simmering a potpourri of cinnamon sticks and cloves on the stovetop.

Bathroom: Baking soda and vinegar will clean your sinks, showers, tubs and tile. If you like, add a little lemon juice for a fresh scent.

To clean grout, mix a half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with one cup of water. Spray it on the grout, let it sit for one hour, then rinse.

To clean the toilet, use one quarter cup of baking soda with one cup of vinegar. Pour it into the bowl, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub and flush.

Wood Furniture Cleaner: Make a natural furniture polish from ¼ cup white vinegar with 1 tablespoon of olive or jojoba oil. Or you can mix two parts olive oil with one part lemon juice.

Glass Cleaner: Mix ¼ cup white vinegar or 1 tablespoon lemon juice with 2 cups water. You can add 3 to 4 drops of liquid soap, but it’s not necessary. Spray on glass and mirrors, and wipe off using old newspapers for a fabulous shine.

Floor Cleaner: Mix ½ cup Borax with 1 gallon hot water. For hardwood floors, try a gentler mix of ¼ cup white vinegar and 30 ounces of warm water. Put it in a recycled spray bottle, then spray on a cotton rag until lightly damp. Use the rag to wipe your floors clean.

Carpet Cleaner: Sprinkle your carpets with baking soda before vacuuming to deodorize; to clean stains, mix equal parts borax or baking soda with salt and white vinegar. Apply the paste to the rug, let dry, then vacuum.

The March/April issue of Natural Home Magazine has a wonderful article with more tips on homemade cleaning supplies and tips for a healthy home.

As an alternative, good commercial products are made by Seventh Generation. Located in Burlington, Vermont, this socially responsible company has been making non-toxic cleaning products for twenty years.

Remember to open the windows and let the fresh breezes flow through the house. Add a good air filtration system, and you’ve made a great start on living in a healthier home!

living room photo courtesy of Erik Rank; daffodil photo courtesy of Stacy Bass

Part One of a Series on Mold and other Household Allergens

This winter’s cold and snowy weather has wreaked havoc on many homes, causing ice dams on roofs and subsequent leaks into interior ceilings, walls and window sills.  Bubbles and cracks in the paint and dry wall indicate the need for repairs, but you may also need to investigate the growth of mold that must be eradicated for your health.

There are a few basic requirements for sustaining life; among them are moisture, food, and warmth. Our homes are replete with these three things, and thus, they can be breeding grounds for dangerous and allergy-causing molds.  Water damage in walls and insulation, and sustained moisture in heating and central air conditioning systems, can create the perfect breeding ground for microbial mold growth.

If you have water damage from this winter’s storms, you may have the beginnings of a mold problem.

A Healthy Home is the Ultimate Luxury

You may not see mold spores, but even when invisible to the eye, they can be present in the air you breathe.  Asthma, coughing, sneezing and rashes may be a clue that something unhealthy has permeated your living spaces.  Stachybotrys, a celluphyllic mold that is frequently found on the paper covering of sheet rock and ceiling tiles, can be toxic when inhaled, resulting in flu-like symptoms, including sore throats and fatigue.

Toxic mold has become a growing problem in the U.S. in recent years.  Why?  As insulation improved and homes became more air-tight, exchange with fresh air from outside has slowed, creating perfect conditions for mold to flourish.  If you smell a musty odor, that may be a sign there is a mold problem.  You may see a slowly spreading stain across ceilings or walls, on shower curtain liners, or even books or clothing that have become damp from humidity or water leaks.

Remediation Options

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) divides mold clean-up into three sizes:  small, medium and large. Small mold remediation is where the total affected area is less than 10 square feet; medium is between 10 and 100 square feet; large is greater than 100 square feet, or when exposure to mold spores during remediation is a risk.

Mold spores are invisible when airborne, yet still pose a risk to your health, so if you’re going to tackle the clean up yourself, you should isolate the work area as much as possible.

• Clear the room of any uncontaminated furniture.
• Items that can’t be moved should be sealed in plastic.
• Cover any open doorways with plastic sheeting.  You’ll need two sheets:  attach one to the left side of the doorway, covering two thirds of the opening.  Attach the other to the right side of the doorway, covering two thirds of the opening.  The overlap will provide a partial seal but will give you access into and out of the room.
• If books, papers or other items have a musty smell but no visible mold, take them outside and vacuum them with a HEPA filter vacuum.  Anything that has visible mold should be discarded.
• If items need to be carried through non-contaminated rooms on the way outside, place them in plastic bags first.
• Small patches of mildew on walls and ceilings can be wiped with diluted bleach (one part bleach to ten parts water).
• Even if you don’t think you are sensitive to mold, you should wear plastic safety goggles and a NIOSH N95 mask, along with latex gloves.  (Non-latex gloves if you have a latex allergy.)
• For anything larger than 10 square feet, you should consult a professional.

Seeking Professional Help:

Homeowners with winter water damage should call a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), and have their homes thoroughly investigated for microbial volatile organic compounds (VOCs).  A CIH is qualified to enhance the health and safety of people at work and in their homes by identifying hazards, and taking corrective action where necessary.  They have met stringent requirements for education and experience, and through examination, have demonstrated expertise in areas such as air sampling, bio hazards, ventilation and engineering controls, health risk analysis, toxicology and methods to mitigate these issues.

For More Information:

A local CIH in the New York metropolitan area is Bill Sothern, of Microecologies in Manhattan (www.microecologies.com).  An interview highlighting the dangers of toxic mold in New York City is available at the New York Times.

You can go to www.epa.gov and read A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home.

I also recommend a book titled The Mold Survival Guide for your Home and Health, by Jeffrey C. May and Connie L. May, available through amazon.com.

Don’t Underestimate This Serious Health Concern:

Like radon, lead paint and other chemicals we now know to be hazardous to our health, we are learning more about mold and its dangers all the time.  Mold can be found in multiple household locations that you might not expect, including the underside of furniture, interior window trim, bathroom walls and ceilings, underneath sinks and refrigerators, carpeting, and even around potted plants.

I will continue to cover the dangers of mold and ways to keep your home healthy and free of allergens in future posts.  Stay tuned for more ways to safeguard your health, and the health of your family, friends and pets!

“Let the clean air blow the cobwebs from your body. Air is medicine.”

–Lillian Russell (1862-1922)

There is a priceless gift you can give to yourself, and to your family: the gift of health. Most of us try to eat nutritiously, and exercise to keep our minds and bodies strong. We may take vitamins and supplements, meditate, or know the importance of sleep at night. There is, however, another element to consider. The environment we live in either supports us or stresses us. We’ve long thought of the environment as something “out there”— acid rain, air pollution, a diminishing ozone layer. As important, though, is our indoor environment, and the quality of the air we breathe in our homes.

I have been privileged to work as an interior designer for many years, in some of the most beautiful spaces on earth. Nantucket, in particular, has long been my home and one of my favorite places to design elegant interiors. The crisp ocean air blows cobwebs away from mind and body; homes there reflect the invigorating effects of sand, salt air and sea. The natural next step is to ensure that the air in our houses remains as pure as the breezes that first blew in, even when the windows are closed. That’s why creating homes that are both warmly inviting and supportive of health has been my design passion since 1987.

What causes indoor air pollution? The list is longer than you might imagine, and includes chemicals like formaldehyde and polyurethane, emitted from both furniture and wood used for cabinets, stairs, banisters and trimwork. Fabrics and stuffing from upholstered furniture can be a source of noxious indoor fumes; mattresses and bedding can be laden with chemicals intended to keep us safe (for instance, flame retardants) and yet be dangerous to our fragile immune systems. Paints and finishes emit VOCs (volatile organic compounds), a term for chemicals that emit harmful gases.

As daunting as this sounds, there is good news. Manufacturers are responding to consumers’ demands for healthier products, and today we can choose from low-toxic building materials, low VOC paints and finishes, and fabrics and stuffings made with 100% natural materials like cotton and wool. Eco-friendly wood products are available that are FSC-certified, a designation from the Forest Stewardship Council ensuring that the wood was grown and harvested in a way that protects forests for the long term. If you are planning to build a new home, or intend to renovate an existing one, I urge you to consider these materials. Not only is it better for you and your family, but when the day comes to sell your house, prospective buyers will surely be in the market for sustainable construction and design. (Homeowner interest is growing: according to the U.S. Green Building Council, the market for green building products and services has catapulted from $7 billion in 2005 to more than $12 billion today).

If you’re simply considering redecorating, there are still good choices to be made. Bare floors are easier to keep clean and free of allergens, yet they can be stunning when painted in mosaic patterns, or tiled in colors and textures reminiscent of carpet. Where rugs are used, 100% organic wool is a wise choice. Antique furniture has always been desired for its unique blend of beauty and history; it has the added benefit of no longer emitting harmful gases from wood or finishes.

If you are like one of four Americans, you may well suffer from allergies and asthma. Children, especially, are prone to these ailments. Good home design should include a combination HEPA and carbon filtration system for household ventilation, designed to remove both airborne particulates like dander and pollen, as well as chemicals, gases and odors. It is imperative to properly ventilate kitchens and baths to prevent the growth of mold; hiring a designer knowledgeable in sustainable construction can literally be a breath of fresh air for your whole family.

I have always emphasized natural light and fresh air in my designs. At first, it was an intuitive response to my love of sunlight and nature and the joyful feeling of a home that reflects the best of the outdoor world; today, I know that it is crucial for indoor air quality as well. This is a wonderful time for all of us to take a deep breath, and resolve to live lightly on the earth, both indoors and out.

“The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.” ~Wendell Berry (American author)

After spending more than two decades of my life dedicated to “green” home design, and the life-affirming value of “green” living, I’ve found that there are myriad ways to live in harmony with the earth. I know that many people are trying to leave a lighter footprint. Most of us recycle now, many of us carry canvas bags to the grocery store, some of us search for organic alternatives in food and other products.

But we can do more. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology estimates that Americans spend 80-90% of their time indoors, and with more than 77,000 new chemicals introduced into the environment since World War II, our homes are the most logical place to start. Indoor air quality can easily be compromised with the introduction of new furniture and carpeting, or by using chemical-laden materials in a renovation or building project. There are many hazardous toxins in the normal construction process, but there’s also a healthy substitute for every one of them.

My passion for green design came out of my desire to live in harmony with myself and with this beautiful planet. I’ve built two healthy waterfront homes for myself, one on Nantucket Island, and one on Long Island Sound in Connecticut. In 1993, I built my first Holistic House™ on the harbor on Nantucket, determined to make it a haven for healthy living and minimize its impact on our fragile ecosystem. Later, in an ironic twist of fate, I developed Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, resulting from exposure to pesticides on a farm as a child, and years of working in unhealthy construction sites. Fortunately, my home on the island was a clean environment where my body could heal.

If you’re not planning new construction or a major renovation project, there are still key spaces in the home that you can make as pristine as possible. Bedrooms should be first. While you sleep, your liver is working to detoxify the body of any contaminants encountered during the day. Adding a room air-purifier can be a great first step. Next, use only non-toxic products, including paints with low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), natural fiber carpeting without chemical treatment, and fabrics and wood furniture produced with non-toxic products. I tell my clients to begin with the nursery, then their own bedroom, then continue to examine opportunities to live lightly in their homes, and on the earth.

In future posts, I’ll share ideas for beautiful choices in interior design, keeping our homes healthy by using chemical-free home cleaning products, and adding to the soul and spirit of our homes through organic choices in lawn and garden care.