eco friendly clean!

LRB has made a decision to stop using cleaning products containing chemicals that destroy waterway eco systems. bad chemicals include; sodium, potassium, boron salts, enzymes, cellulose ethers, silicates, sulphates and, the biggest offender, phosphates.
 
these chemicals are in most dish soap, dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent and cleaning supplies. these chemicals contaminate the water supply when they wash down the drain. chemicals decimate fish populations and contribute to excess algae in waterways (a bad thing).

detergents are known to have a toxic effect on a wide variety of marine life. detergents ruin the protective external mucus layers of fish, leaving the animal highly susceptible to bacteria and parasites. other aquatic life are affected by the lower water surface tension caused by these detergents. when water surface tension is low, fish can easily absorb organic chemicals such as pesticides and phenols. 

with that said, martha would love to sell you expensive cleaning products made with natural ingredients. if you are lazy, give her your money. but, natural, eco friendly cleaning supplies can be made at home, by you, with vinegar, baking soda, washing soda, alcohol (vodka or rubbing) castile soap, borax, salt, citric acid (fruit fresh), hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, corn meal, olive oil, club soda and essential oils.

what you can do:

switch to a natural, chlorine-free, phosphate-free, non-petroleum based detergent. in a crunch, look for detergents with less than 0.5% phosphates.
 
buy pure soap or soap-based dishwashing and laundry supplies; unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything. avoid using soaps which contain petroleum distillates.
 
measure laundry and dishwashing detergents carefully and use only the recommended amount or less. use the 'suds saver' on your washing machine if available - this recycles the washing water. (this is a big one. more cleaner isn’t better. use some elbow grease!)

what i am going to do:

make my own cleaning products. i will make & use the products and pass along information, like, if my homemade stuff actually works. here’s an easy start; we’ve all seen fruit & veggie wash at the store, it’s a rip off, don’t buy it. make it. here’s how;

Fruit & Veggie Wash: 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda in a clean sink topped with water. immerse fruits & veg.

Spray Bottle Fruit & Veggie Wash: add ⅔ of h2o and top with ⅓ apple cider vinegar or fill spray bottle with h2o and add 2-3 drops of chemical free dish soap

Chemical Free Dish Soap: combine 1 cup liquid castile soap with 1 tablespoon lemon juice