Skip the Eco-Fakers: Purge Green Imposters from Our Homes

Earth Day is this month and many consumers hope to do their spring cleaning with ''green'' or nontoxic products. Sometimes, it's hard to tell the environmentally friendly goods from the eco-pretenders.

Terms such as ''all natural'' and ''organic'' are often misused on labels for household cleansers, shampoos, conditioners and other personal care products.

Consumer watchdogs actively scrutinize labels and test products for accuracy and safety.


In mid-March the Organic Consumers Association and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps jointly issued cease-and-desist letters to a number of companies using ''organic'' labels on merchandise made with nonorganic or petrochemical ingredients linked to cancer.

'We've grown increasingly frustrated with the companies in our industry who seem to feed off each others' misleading practices and show no inclination to clean up their formulations and live up to their organic branding claims,'' wrote David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner's.
Dr. Bronner's, a personal care company, is certified through the USDA's National Organic Program. To be certified, the product cannot contain petro-chemicals and at least 95 percent of the ingredients must be organic.

If a personal care or household product company is not certified under that optional program, a consumer should be wary of organic claims, says Adam Eidinger of the Organic Consumers Association.

Here are some tips:

• Avoid products with chemicals that end with the suffix: ''eth,'' such as laureth or myreth sulfate. Also avoid labels that mention PEG, a harmful chemical compound, said David Steinman, author of The Safe Shopper's Bible.


• Phrases like ''made from organic products'' and ''all-natural'' should be backed up by independent tests.


• The Organic Consumers Association posts information about products with harmful ingredients at http://www.organic/consumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm.

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.

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DIY Cleaning Supplies & Vinegar: A Post from My Past

Plain old vinegar and elbow grease are valuable products for beating back mildew, grease and other household problems. That’s the word from a reader named George Knox, who is poetical about the virtues of vinegar.

“Check out Vinegar as a miracle fluid,” George wrote in an email. “[Vinegar] kills weeds and makes flowers grow, removes rust; cleans stains and kills fleas. There are a number of websites dealing with its value - and it is among the cheapest items in the supermarket.”

The product is among the many simple solutions touted by Consumer Reports in the classic text: “How to Clean Practically Anything,” which is available at bookstores and through various online vendors.

White vinegar, according to the editorial team at Consumer Reports, “is good for a variety of household cleaning tasks, including removing carpet stains, clearing clogged drains and cleaning coffeemakers, chrome, cookware and counter tops.”.

Here is a partial list of other common problems with cheap solutions from Consumer Reports:

• Mildew on ceramic tiles: Wipe down tiles and grout with a mix of one-part bleach and four-parts water. A solution of baking soda and water can also be used to remove greasy stains.

• Bamboo blinds: Wipe down with a cloth slightly moistened with mixture of dish washing liquid and water.

• Damp books: Dry texts in an oven at the lowest setting. Or if needed, place toilet paper between pages to dry out individual pages. Dry the book flat with a light paperweight on top.

• Mildewed books. Dip a damp cloth into vinegar or use a baby wipe to gently remove mildew stains from books. Then place the text in direct sunlight for 30 minutes or less.

• Deck Stains: Scrub stains with a de-greasing detergent. ( A bleached-base product will remove mildew). Use fine sandpaper to scrub off set-in stains.

• Adhesive tape stains: Rub residue with a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol, water and a mild dish detergent.

• Candle wax drips: Rub an ice cube over hardened wax and chip off large pieces. Soften remaining wax with a hair dryer. Rub away remainder with a soft cloth.

• Musty futons: Sprinkle baking soda over the mattress. After 24 hours, vacuum up the baking soda. A pet-odor/stain removal product can also be used in place of baking soda.

Arm & Hammer, the maker of a popular baking soda, has a long list of affordable cleanup tips for kitchens, yards and other areas of the home. The tips are well organized-on a company website: www.armhammer.com

This post is from my archives.

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Frugal Jazz & Blues

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