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Jun
29
Review: Organic Baby Clothes by SOFT (Giveaway!)
Filed Under Giveaways Coupons, Product Reviews | 84 Comments
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- Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments): #WIN an Organic Onesie by SOFT from @SafeMama #giveaway ends 7/9 http://tinyurl.com/23x72ka
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- Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments): #WIN a @EIOKidsCup from @SafeMama #giveaway ends 7/9 http://tinyurl.com/29lkd92
- Blend a handful of cilantro with a small amount of water (2-4 Tbs). Strain the pulp and apply directly to the affected area and let sit for a few minutes. The cilantro pacifies itching.*
- For stings: mix equal parts baking soda and water to make a smooth paste. Apply directly to the bite, and let sit until completely dry. Baking soda helps neutralize the venom in the sting.
- A drop of tea tree oil on the bite or sting will disinfect the area and help prevent infection.
- ½ cup jojoba oil, sweet almond oil or even olive oil from your kitchen
- 10 drops each of the following essential oils: lemongrass, geranium, citronella, rosemary
- 5 drops each of the following essential oils: eucalyptus, cedar
- The oil from two Vitamin E capsules
- Hike through a nettle forest? These suckers can hurt, are nearly invisible, and scratching only makes things worse. The quickest, easiest and cheapest cure: lightly rub mud onto the affected area (you can use French green, kaolin, or red Moroccan clay mixed with water or milk, or simply grab some mud from your backyard – as long as it hasn’t been treated with pesticides). Let dry completely, then gently wash off. The mud draws out the stingers, leaving you with much happier skin!
- Apply neem oil directly onto hives, contact dermatitis, or eczema breakouts. Neem oil can be purchased from your local Indian grocery, or online at Mountain Rose Herbs.
- Try an oat bath: blend ½ cup oats in blender or food processor until finely ground (you can substitute oat flour to save a step). Pour into running bath water, mixing with your hand to dissolve large clumps. Soak for at least 15 minutes, then gently pat dry. For localized treatment, make a paste with oat flour and water, packing it onto the rash and gently removing with tepid water after 15 minutes.
- Pure aloe vera gel (no preservatives) or even better, the inner gel and juice from a piece of freshly cut aloe vera, can instantly ease heat and itching. Make sure to avoid the yellow sap that sometimes seeps from freshly cut aloe; use only the clear gel and liquid. Cold aloe vera (stored in the fridge) packs a greater pain-relieving punch.
- Sunburns are severely dehydrating; make sure to drink lots of water as well as coconut water, which has high concentrations of potassium and electrolytes.
- Coconut oil effectively soothes burnt areas. Massage lightly into the burn directly after bathing.
- Create a healing spray by mixing 1 cup pure distilled water plus 15 drops each lavender and blue chamomile essential oils. Store in a mist bottle, shake and spray directly onto sunburned areas to relieve inflammation.**
- Add 2 cups apple cider vinegar to tepid bath water and soak for 15 minutes. Make sure you use high quality vinegar with no added chemicals or preservatives – I’m partial to Braggs’. You can also use cool vinegar compresses placed directly on particularly burnt areas.
- Ecover
- Charlies Soap
- Allen’s Naturally
- Biokleen
- Crunchy Clean
- Ecos
- Soap Nuts
- Sun and Earth
- Seventh Generation (note: Contains SLS)
- Babyganics
- Eco Store USA
- Rockin’ Green
- Country Save
- By popular reader demand – Method
- One five gallon bucket with a lid (you can usually find them at hardware stores)
- One bar of soap (any kind is fine, but preferably one that’s free of all the ickies!
- One box of washing soda (NOT baking soda). You can find this in the laundry aisle of your grocery store or big box department store.
- One box of box of borax (optional) (Looking into the safety of Borax use – recipe still works without it)
- three gallons of tap water
- a measuring cup
- a knife or cheese grater, whichever you prefer (you’ll need it for the soap)
- your favorite essential oil (also optional)
- One bar of soap (any kind is fine, but preferably one that’s free of all the ickies!
- One box of washing soda (NOT baking soda). You can find this in the laundry aisle of your grocery store or big box department store.
- One box of box of borax (Looking into the safety of Borax use – recipe still works without it)
- a food processor
- essential oil (again, optional)
I haven’t had the opportunity to check out much in the way of organic baby clothing so when I was contacted by SOFT, a maker of organic cotton baby wear to do a review and a giveaway I was happy to be able to!
Creator, Yee Wong, who is originally from Hong Kong and now a New Yorker, created the line to meet the growing demands for organics in clothing – especially baby who is most sensitive to environmental toxins. SOFT clothing is made from 100% Organic cotton – never dyed or bleached and uses an eco-friendly water based ink. The designs are cute, cheeky and are an awesome gift or addition to an expectant mother’s layette.
I received a sample of their really adorable Growl Onesie. It lives up to it’s name and is very soft but what I was most impressed with is the construction. It has little stretch panels in the armpits and neck for added baby comfort. not to mention the little dog face on it is precious. All of SOFT’s baby items are super stylish. I mean, how adorable is this onsie for a boy? Boys always get stiffed in the cute clothes department!
Get Them: You can pick up any SOFT items right on their website.
Win It!
SOFT is giving away one Growl Onesie to a lucky SafeMama reader! AND, I’m going to giveaway the review sample too so that’s two winners!
To Enter the Giveaway (Required):
Visit SOFT and check out their selection of other items… Leave a comment here letting me know what you think is cute!
For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count):
One winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Giveaway open to US residents. Entries will be accepted until July 9, 2010 at midnight PST. Good Luck 
Giveaway closed.
Congratulations Commenters #41 Amber and #53 Lani! Thanks to all who entered and tweeted the giveaway.
Jun
28
Checking Out The New EIO Kids Cup (Giveaway)
Filed Under Food Safety, Product Reviews | 124 Comments
Lately I have really been into finding products that are less plastic and more centered on utilizing safer materials like stainless steel, bamboo, wood, ceramic and glass. I am on a glass kick lately and even bought my own glass water bottle which I have been loving (more on that later). So when the new EIO Kids Cup came out I was really interested in checking it out.
The awesome people behind The Glass Baby Bottle sent me an EIO Kids Cup to check out. I was really eager to check it out too because after looking at the “cup benefits” image they have, it looks a lot more complicated than it really is.
Essentially the cup is a glass 8 oz jar. But the great part is that it comes equipped with a 
silicone gripping sleeve that can come off for washing if need be. The cap screws on utilizing the threads of the jar to hold in place. The cap features an inward slant to create a spout effect. This isn’t a spill proof sippy cup, but more of a bigger kid training cup. Even though my son is old enough to use a regular cup, I still like to cap him at the table in case of accidents. You do need to be extra careful when screwing on the lid. If it’s not on perfectly, liquid leaks out from under the cap. But if it’s on nice and snug and level it works great.
There are no valve’s or hard to clean spaces so you can hand wash easily or run through the dishwasher in the top rack. It’s the perfect size for little hands and my son really liked having his own glass cup at dinner. I think it goes without saying that this cup is free of BPA, PVC and Phthalates and there is no risk of any kind of plastic leaching since it’s glass.
The cup comes in bright orange (the color my son chose), purple, and green and is pretty cute if you ask me!
Get It: You can purchase your own EIO Kids Cup at TheGlassBabyBottle.com!
Win It!
The Glass Baby Bottle is giving away one EIO Kids cup in Green to a lucky SafeMama reader! Yay!
To Enter the Giveaway (Required):
Visit The Glass baby Bottle and check out their selection of other products… they have a ton of great stuff (eco-friendly safe art supplies, organic crib bedding, blankets, cloth diapers, etc) Leave a comment here letting me know which other item they carry you’d love to check out!
For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count):
One winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Giveaway open to US residents. Entries will be accepted until July 9, 2010 at midnight PST. Good Luck
Giveaway closed.
Congratulations commenter #4 Kari! Thanks to everyone who entered and tweeted the giveaway! Thank you The Glass baby Bottle for the great giveaway!
Jun
25
Review: Miessence Reflect Outdoor Balm
Filed Under Product Reviews, Skin Care | Comments Off
I’ve been trying to review more sunscreens that have made it on to our 2010 Sunscreen Cheat Sheet this year and this is one of them. There is a lot to choose from and even though we list only a handful – it’s still tricky to know which one is the best fit for you. For me it’s more or less on a scenario basis. I use one for the playground, one for the beach or pool and one on me vs the kids. So when I had the chance to check out the Miessence Reflect Outdoor Balm I was really psyched.
I’ll make a confession. When I first learned about Miessence I was really reluctant to trust them. When organizations set up their business so that people can resell it, I get weary about brainwashing and greenwashing. I felt similarly about Shaklee for that reason (and still kind of do – don’t crawl up my butt Shaklee people). But once I had a chance to really look at the ingredients and practices of Miessence my heart warmed for the entire product line and their products made their way to SafeMama approval.
ElyOrganics.com provided a sample of the Miessence Reflect Outdoor Balm for me to check out and I am so glad she did. Here’s what I think of it as a sunscreen.
It has an SPF marking of 15. But according to third party testing OneGroup (Miessence) submitted, gave it a rating of SPF level 29.5. Despite that I tested it on myself first to make sure it would provide adequate coverage and sun protection.
At first glance, the balm appears gray, which I’ll admit is a little off putting. But after everything I’ve learned when it comes to truly natural products is to not judge it by how it looks and rather, how it works and feels. So I slathered it on anyway and set out into the sun to see how my somewhat fair skin would do. Like natural sunscreens it does apply a little on the thicker side at first but does spread quite easy. You do get some of that “ghosting” that natural sunscreens give you but its not as prominent as other brands. In fact after about 30 minutes you couldn’t see it at all. So maybe there is something to the gray… less pale whiteness to deal with.
I wore it at the pool (apply every 2 hours as instructed) and came home with nary a burn mark on me. Success! This is a great choice in sunscreens and I really love the ingredients list which is mostly organic and natural. The sunscreening ingredient is zinc oxide which provide excellent broad spectrum protection.
Get It! You can purchase Miessence Reflect Outdoor Balm from ElyOrganics.com – Let her know SafeMama sent ya!
Jun
24
Review: Babo Botanicals Hair Care
Filed Under Product Reviews, Skin Care | 4 Comments
When I was working on the new edition of the SafeMama Skin Care Cheat Sheet for 2010 I came across several new brands that were worthy of the list. One of those was Babo Botanicals. They carry a full line of shampoo and skin care for babies and kids that is free of many of the ingredients we try to avoid such as parabens, phthalates, sulfates, 1,4 dioxane, formaldehyde, mineral oils, synthetic fragrances and dyes and propylene glycol. What IS in Babo Botanicals is carefully selected plant and vegetable based ingredients and organic oils and extracts.
Babo Botanicals sent me samples of their entire line (which I was really grateful for!) and I was really impressed with the presentation. These would make awesome shower gifts. You can purchase gift sets and they come in cute little jute handle bags.
Another thing I found cool is their Rosemary Tea Tree Lice Repel shampoo and leave-in conditioner. I get questions all the time about handling lice naturally. This is a great way to deal with lice problems (and perhaps to keep them from spreading if you have multiple children). It’s also clinically proven 95% effective which sounds pretty good.
I really like how they provide “solutions” with their products, like their Clean Sport Shampoo for sun and swim or their Berry Primrose for tangly or unruly hair. What’s great is these are all color safe for mom too. I used them on my own chemically highlighted hair (I know but seriously? Come on) and had good results.
The scents, I’ll admit are a tiny bit stronger than I’m used to with other natural brands but they get great feedback on all their products. My personal favorite is the Berry Primrose! I also packed the Clean Sport detangler in my beach bag for post-swim comb outs.
What I really love is the care and consideration that goes into this line of products. Their entire line is made on a certified organic farm in New York. They do products in small batches to ensure the highest quality and it really shows in their delivery. The products came to me wrapped up in colorful tissue in a jute bag. I felt like I was opening a box of expensive candy rather than shampoo. Very classy. Babo Botanicals ingredients earned them a respectable spot on our Skin Care Cheat Sheet.
Get It: You can order any of their products on their website Babobotanicals.com!
Jun
23
Summer Skincare DIY Tips from Soapwalla
Filed Under Guest Articles, Skin Care | 3 Comments
The creator of Soapwalla, Rachel Winard, has so graciously provided the following tips and DIY recipes for battling summer skin woes. Her product line, Soapwalla is one of my absolute favorites so I know you’ll appreciate her bountiful knowledge – Enjoy!
It’s officially summer! That means lazy days, walks on the beach, drippy ice cream cones and blueberry-stained fingertips, as well as the accompanying – and annoying — bug bites, rashes, and sunburns. Luckily, the most effective remedies for the itchier side of summer can be found in your kitchen cupboards!
Think of the recipes below as your natural summer first-aid kit! (Please test any new ingredient on the inside of your wrist to ensure you don’t have a sensitivity or allergic reaction.)
Bug Bites
Bites and stings cause localized skin irritation, generally due to the insect venom that remains under the skin. If you or someone close to you has general swelling and/or difficulty breathing, call 911 immediately. This can be a life-threatening reaction and should not be taken lightly.
For the more common itchy, painful bite or sting, try the following:
DIY Insect Repellent
To avoid bites in the first place, whip up this super easy and effective DIY insect repellent. This is gentle enough to be used daily, and can be reapplied as needed:
Pour all the above in a clean and completely dry spritzer bottle, shake vigorously and let sit for 2-4 hours before use. Shake before each use, then spritz and massage into arms, legs, etc.**
Rashes
Treatment varies on type, location, and duration of rash. However, the below is a set of general guidelines and tips. If a rash lingers or is accompanied by fever, nausea or increased pain, please see a doctor.
Sunburn
A sunburn is an acute inflammation of the skin cells because of overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Sunburnt skin may blister and peel, both of which are painful and distracting.
Rachel Winard is the Brooklyn-based creator of Soapwalla, a line of luxury organic face and body products made with the highest quality organic and food-grade ingredients, never questionable additives such as sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens or harsh and synthetic additives.
*Dr. Vasant Lad, The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies.
**Basis of recipe courtesy of Organic Body Care Recipes, Stephanie Tourles
Jun
21
Modern Twist Placemats: Functional, Stylish & Safe
Filed Under Food Safety, Product Reviews | 3 Comments
I had not heard of Modern Twist until recently and was eager to check out their products. Modern Twist creates stylish chic placemats, coasters, and other fun items like drink markers – all made of hand silk-screened silicone. You can choose from botanical or modern patterns that are subtle and delicate but have a very chic look.
The sheer soft silicone enhances your table top and is very pleasing to the touch. Best of all they are very practical.. no more washing and ironing cloth mats. These silicone mats wipe or sink rinse clean. You can also fold, flop or mess them up all you want and they will flatten out wrinkle and crease free every time. I tried.. they’re still flat! Since they are made from silicone they are free of BPA, PVC, lead, and phthalates. They come in recycled and recyclable packaging too!
They carry a really creative and fun Kidz Box that comes with one silicone doodle mat (14″ x 16″) and 6 dry erase markers so your little buddy can color or doodle the same mat over and over… which is whats been going on here for 2 days. I’ve washed the doodle mat about 15 times and it shows no signs of wear or staining. We also received their cute owl placemat which my son decided to color on with a marker of his own choosing (not the marker they provided) and it did stain a bit but I think it was partially my fault since it sat overnight with marker on it before I got to cleaning it. Lesson learned – use the dry erase markers or clean it off right away f you use a washable marker. I don’t think the marker my son used was washable (we have a zillion markers in this house) and the other mat he’s doodled on 15 times shows no staining whatsoever.
The Kidz Box would make a very unique gift for any kid – especially those kids that have everything. The placemats or coasters or drink markers (which double as napkin rings) would make a terrific hostess gift instead of the usual bottle of wine. The Kids Placemats would also work great for kids at restaurants or visiting friends and relatives… roll it up with the markers and bring it along to keep them busy.
These are really cool … I kind of want a set of the coasters for myself. They’re going on my wishlist!
Get Them: You can order any of the Modern Twist items from their beautiful website Modern-Twist.com or find a retail location near you!
Jun
19
Lunchbots New Stainless Dishware
Filed Under product finds | 2 Comments
I’m always looking for dishware and kitchen items that are not made of plastic. True there are lots of BPA and PVC free options available but I think alternatives like stainless steel and glass or wood tend to have a longer life and less risks of plastic leeching issues.
I discovered LunchBots last year when I was looking for safer lunch box options (new cheat sheet for that coming soon).. what I loved is that they were stainless steel and they fit an average sized sandwich. There were plenty of bento box style stainless options but none that fit an actual sandwich.
Now they have this great stainless kids dish set that includes an 8″ plate, a 5″ kid-sized bowl which looks perfect for cereal and oatmeal, and an 8 oz. mug. I think these are really sharp looking and practical (no breaking!) for kids. What an adorable set!
Get It: You can order online from their website LunchBots.com – set retails for $25
Jun
14
Study Finds Lead In Kids Drinks
Filed Under Articles, Food Safety | 37 Comments
One of our wonderful readers emailed me about this over the weekend (Thanks Vanessa!) and of course I was all over it, checking it out. I’m not the first to report on it but I felt it warranted SafeMama attention. A study done by the Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) revealed that a large number of juice and baby food brands, including organic brands, exceeded levels of lead that would be dangerous for the 6 and under age set. This infuriates me beyond belief.
It infuriates me for obvious reason but mainly because of the inclusion of the brands I have grown to trust showed up on the list. The Earth’s Best pictured here is a product I have given to my son many times. It sickens me. It’s things like this that make a parent think “I give up! Everything is toxic!” and is really discouraging. So many parents strive to find the best products, the safest products, the best food, buy organic, for our kids only to find out that the things we thought we did right were not. Who would think a box of organic apple juice could possibly contain LEAD?!
They have published the list of products tested for lead (PDF) and listed the brands that exceeded the CA Prop 65 limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving and those who did not exceed it.
Update (6/15/10) This is the response I got from Earth’s Best on Facebook which is now buried by their father’s day contest submissions:
“Earth’s Best: Hi Katherine, thank you for your question. Earth’s Best Organic ® juice products are safe and meet our high standards for quality. The Environmental Law Foundation (“ELF”) claims are specific to California Proposition 65 and name over 100 companies and nearly 400 products. We do not yet have information on the report’s alleged findings on our Earth’s Best Organic® Apple Juice and are currently investigating the matter.”
Update (6/16/10) I encourage you, before you freak out entirely, to read the perspective of my friends at Z Recommends on this topic. I think it’s clear that the issue is something parents are concerned about but perhaps its gotten blown out of proportion - on purpose. Definitely something to chew on.
I have also come to a few other realizations since the publication of the study done by ELF. One is the lack of solid information. They make some very grand claims and provide very little information or details (to the public) about the study claiming its proprietary and legal sensitive. There are questions about what sizes, portions, containers, etc were actually tested and they also do not reveal the actual lead content results. I have contacted ELF and of course got no response as of yet. I assume they are busy after announcing this but I am holding out hope to get some clearer facts.
Here’s another take on it from Healthy Child Healthy World.
Apple Juices Tested that exceeded the Prop 65 lead limit:
Beech Nut 100% Apple Juice
Earth’s Best Organics Apple Juice
First Street 100% Apple Cider from concentrate
First Street Apple Juice from concentrate 100% juice
Full Circle Organic Apple Juice
Gerber 100% Juice Apple Juice
Great Value 100% No Sugar Added Apple Juice
Hansen’s Natural Apple Juice
Kroger 100% Juice Apple Juice
Langers Apple Juice 100% Juice
Minute Maid Juice Apple – 100% Apple Juice
Motts 100% Apple Juice
O Organics Organic Unfiltered Apple Juice Not From Concentrate
Old Orchard 100% Apple Juice
Parade 100% Juice Apple
Raley’s Premium 100% Apple Juice not from Concentrate
Safeway 100% Juice Apple Cider
Safeway 100% Juice Apple Juice
Stater Bros. 100% Juice Apple Juice
Sunny Select 100% Apple Juice
Trader Joe’s Certified Organic Apple Juice, pasteurized
Tree Top 100% Juice Apple Cider
Walgreens Apple Juice from concentrate 100% juice
Walnut Grove Market 100% Apple Juice
Grape Juices That Exceeded Prop 65 Lead Limits:
365 Everyday Value Organic 100% Juice Concord Grapes
First Street Grape Juice from concentrate 100% juice
Gerber 100% Juice – White Grape Juice
Great Value 100% Grape Juice
Kedem Concord Grape Juice 100% pure grape juice
Kroger Grape Juice 100% Juice
Langers Grape Juice (Concord)
Langers Red Grape Juice
O Organics Organic Grape Juice from concentrate
R.W. Knudsen Just Concord Grape Juice
R.W. Knudsen Organic Just Concord
Raley’s 100% Grape Juice
Safeway 100% Juice Grape Juice
Safeway Organic Grape Juice
Santa Cruz Organic Concord Grape Juice
Stater Bros. 100% Juice Grape Juice
Stater Bros. 100% Juice White Grape Juice
Sunny Select 100% Grape Juice
Trader Joe’s Concord Grape Juice made from fresh pressed organic concord grapes
Tree Top 100% Juice, Grape
Valu Time Grape Drink from Concentrate
Walgreens Grape Juice from concentrate 100% juice
Walnut Acres Organic Concord Grape
Walnut Grove Market Grape Juice
Welch’s 100% Grape Juice (from Welch’s Concord Grapes)
Welch’s 100% Red Grape Juice from Concentrate
ELF also tested packaged peaches, pears and fruit cocktail – all of which are listed in the document they published online. (See Here)
What Do I Do Now?
I absolutely loathe posting articles like this when I don’t have a “best course of action” or “alternative” to recommend. But really, I don’t know what the best thing is to do. But if you are concerned, like me, I would check your juice box brands and packaged fruit against the PDF and toss any offenders. Not worth the risk, right?
I have switched my son to filtered water in his packed lunches for camp and school for other reasons beyond this one, so I am one of the lucky ones to not have an issue but I know MANY people rely on boxed drinks and fruit for their kids. What worries me is that they didn’t test every brand possible, even though they tested a lot. ELF has issued a violation letter to all offending brands so hopefully measures will be taken. I know I’ll be waiting to hear a follow up from ELF n the status of this issue and will certainly post follow up here on SafeMama.
In the meantime, I am going to be writing a few letters to the offending brands I have used in hopes that some outraged parents like myself can get these companies to do more proactive testing in areas like this.
Here is an NPR story transcript on the subject.
Jun
11
If you aren’t familiar with Sophie Uliano she is the fabulous author behind the New York Times Best Seller Gorgeously Green and The Gorgeously Green Diet: How to Live Lean and Green that came out a year or so ago. She just published her third book Do It Gorgeously recently, and it is the perfect follow up and a terrific resource. Sophie believes that as women, we can make an impact on the earth and live an earth-friendly life without giving up style and glamor. She is my kind of lady!
The basic premise of the book is to highlight ways we can create things ourselves… which usually end up being more eco-friendly and easier on our wallets. A lot of you know that saving money is paramount right now and living for eco-consciously can really help you save money. Who wants to buy expensive shampoo when you can make it yourself? Well, some of us do but that’s just one of a zillion ideas she presents in Do It Gorgeously.
Her recipes and do-it-yourself how-to’s include things like making your own health remedies (cough syrup and chest rubs), how to make your own barbecue sauce, make your own compost bin, recipes for making your own skincare or baby care products… there are a million things in here that I never even considered doing myself like making my own shower curtain out of bed sheets or making my own Mint Zinger mouthwash. Most of her recipes and how-to’s try to utilize things you may already have. For some of the skin care and product recipes, you’ll need to invest in essential oils and ingredients but in general, this is a great resource to have on hand when you’re wondering what to do with an old pair of jeans (make a diaper bag out of them!) or with an unused Tupperware tub (compost bin!). It’s staying on my shelf for when I need some ideas for DIY and re-purposing.
GET IT: Do It Gorgeously is the perfect resource for the eco-chic who want to do more DIY and less spending. Pick up your copy at Amazon.com
Jun
8
SafeMama Laundry Detergent Cheat Sheet
Filed Under ** Cheat Sheets!, cleaning products, Cloth Diapering | 41 Comments
For years and years, I was a Tide girl. I loved my Tide in all its stain fighting glory (especially with a husband who is a habitual leaver of lip balm in his pocket and my rule is, I do the laundry, I don’t check pockets) and optical brightening power. Then I read about phthalates and other chemicals which could possibly be slowly poisoning my son, and the rest, as they say, is history. So of course, all of our research has led you here, to another production of the SafeMama cheat sheet. (Know a brand you think belongs here? Let us know!)
Make Your Own!
You can easily make your own detergent with just a few simple ingredients. I actually have a friend who made her own and liked it. However, I can’t really attest to how well it gets out grime and dirt, just because she said that they don’t get really dirty (empty nesters, such is the life). But if you want to try it for yourself, you’re more than welcome to give it a whirl and see how you like it.
What you’ll need (the liquid version, i.e. maybe a little more time consuming, and a little more mess to prepare):
First, put about four cups of water into a pot and turn the heat on high. You want to heat it up, but not boil it Then, begin grating or shaving strips of soap into the water. Once you’ve put all of the soap into the water, stir until soap particles have dissolved, but your water is soapy.
Next, add three gallons of hot water to your bucket, along with the soap mixture from the stove. If you want to use essential oil, go ahead and add that too. Add one cup of washing soda to the mixture and stir. Once you’re done, let it sit overnight, and let cool. The next day, you should have a slime like consistency. For each load, you’ll want to use about a cup to your washing machine.
The Powder Variety (the easier of the two):
What you’ll need:
This is pretty similar to the liquid kind, except you just keep it in powder form.
First, you’ll want to cut up your soap into manageable chunks for the food processor. Chop up the soap until fine. In a large ziploc bag or container, add one cup of washing soda, along with your soap flakes. If you’re using essential oil, you can add 5-10 drops to the mixture. seal the container or bag and shake until well mixed. Voilà! You can use this in high efficiency washing machines as well. Just use less. One to two tablespoons will do the trick.
Got any other green laundry tips? Share them with the class!
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- North American Rescue, LLC Announces A Follow-Up to the Recall of Crickit Convenience Kits Because of Possible Health Risk Related to Nationwide Recall of Triad Povidone Iodine Prep Pads
- Healthy People Co. Issues a Voluntary Recall of Specific Lots of the Dietary Supplements Found to Contain Undeclared Drug Ingredients
- Nest Collective Voluntarily Recalls Select Revolution Foods Jammy Sammy - Strawberry Jam & Peanut Butter Snack Size Sandwich Bars Due to a Labeling Error (Undeclared Peanut on Inner Wrapper)
Latest Recalls in Canada
- Seymour Custom Solvent recalled over labelling
- Kids eyeglass cases recalled because of lead levels
- GUND board books pose choking hazard
Safer States Action Alerts
- 28 states to consider toxic chemicals legislation in 2012
- Report round-up: Toxic chemicals in hidden places
- Obesity: What do chemicals have to do with it?
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