This a question that we get from time to time, but not so much recently.  I’ve also gotten this from my friends and acquaintances as well and that is, are there any safe products out there to keep stainless clean and streak free?

    Can I just say that for one, I’m over the stainless steel popularity?   I have it in my own home.  I was adamant about buying it when we moved into our house two years ago, because we lived in a rental that had a pretty sweet kitchen.  With stainless appliances.  I was pretty excited at first, but then I realized how hard it was to keep them clean.   They always had streaks and fingerprints, no matter how much I scrubbed them, and that was BEFORE I had kids.

    So when we moved to our new house, and went to buy a new refrigerator, I went in, fully intending to order white appliances, when the sales guy showed me the “magic stainless steel cleaner.”   And of course, being the sucker that I am, said, “oooh, pretty, I’ll take it.”   Of course, I was suckered, but it was either get my new shiny fridge NOW, or wait for the backordered white ones (right, sure, backorder).

    Of course, once I started to green my cleaning supplies, I didn’t replace that cleaner, as it didn’t really work that well anyway.  My poor appliances suffered, as my son got bigger and more grimy and mobile and nothing I used worked over the long term and everything was streaky.

    And then I found a very simple and very safe solution.   It’s a little more time consuming and I will tell you, that I am the LAST person to keep up with the fingerprints on my appliances.  Being pregnant has made it worse, but I try to make the effort, and one of the things that I have found to help the clean up and prevention easier is something that everyone has in their house: olive oil.

    To start, you take a spray bottle of 1 part vinegar, to 2 parts water.  Clean the stainless thoroughly.   At first, this may take a little time, and it will streak, but don’t worry.

    After you’ve cleaned the grime off,  take a paper towel and moisten it with some olive oil.  You don’t need much, so don’t saturate.   Gently wipe the olive oil, making sure to cover the entire area.  You may need to reapply some oil to the paper towel a few times to get adequate coverage.   Then, get a clean paper towel and buff.   I would say to be eco-friendly and use some rags to polish and buff, but I’ve found that it leaves fuzz behind.  You really only need to do an olive oil treatment maybe once every three months.   So I don’t feel entirely guilty for using 6-8 paper towels a year to clean my appliances.

    To keep clean in between olive oil treatments, simply use the water/vinegar solution.  The fingerprints will wipe off with ease, you won’t have streaks and you’ve not only used completely safe ingredients, you’ve used stuff that you probably already have and it only cost you a few bucks.

      FoodNews-shoppers-guideI know many of us groan when we’re filling our carts with organic produce… the prices are astronomical compared to the other stuff.  But the truth is there is “important” items to be bought organically and some that are safer to buy in the “regular” produce sections.  But how does one remember which ones are better than others?  We can all save a little moola if we follow the EWG Shoppers Guide to Pesticides when we shop.

      The EWG had a report on this in the past but have since updated it and made a handy wallet size for those of us without photographic memories.  Hop on over to The Environmental Working Group and download your Shopper’s Guide.

      You can also browser their full list and see what each item rated on their list.  Get all this info at FoodNews.org!

        I was just interviewed by the Palm Beach Post regarding the latest slew of crib recalls announced by Jardine.  Since then over 500,000 cribs have been recalled by Stork Craft as well, urging parents to stop using the crib immediately.  In the case of the Jardine cribs,  instances of  crib slats were breaking creating a large gap which could pose strangulation hazards.  If your crib is part of a recall, what do you do and how do you find out?

        • Always keep track of recalls on the CPSC Website… they have an Email Announcement newsletter notification feature that emails you recall information, they have an RSS feed you can subscribe to or you can visit their website to see the latest information.  Keeping ahead of these announcements will ensure you get the replacement parts, or in some cases replacement crib vouchers as soon as possible.
        • Call the manufacturer immediately to get your crib situation resolved.  Check the CPSC recall announcement or the crib company website for proper actions to take and what phone numbers to call.
        • In the meantime, if your crib has been recalled and the company advises you stop using the crib immediately, make SAFE arrangements for baby’s sleeping alternative.  Use a pack n’ play or a bassinet (if the baby is the appropriate size for it).  Do not “make” a bed or use your bed as a substitute.  Suffocation, strangulation and death can occur if proper cautions are not taken.
        • With any sleeping arrangement, keep cribs or pack n plays clear of stuffed animals, blankets, pillows or anything that could get near the baby and cause suffocation.  Make sure sheets are properly fitted, not lose, and snug on the bottom pack n’ play pad or bassinet mattress.
        • Keep pack n plays and bassinets away from windows, curtains, window blind cords or other hanging items.
        • Make sure babies or toddlers can’t climb out of pack n’ plays causing a fall injury.  The room they’re in should be properly babyproofed or they are located somewhere you can keep a close eye on them while sleeping.

        Baby’s safety is the top priority … be sure to keep yourself informed as much as possible.  But it’s also important not to beat yourself up either.  Do the best you can with the resources we have.

        Other good reading:

          We’ve gotten a great response to our new Dear SafeMama column and we will keep that coming, every Wednesday through the summer.  Thank you to everyone sending in your questions. Keep them coming!  We enjoy helping everyone and doing assorted research to find the best and safest, we KNOW you moms and dads out there have some great tips and tricks of your own.  We’d love it if you’d share them with SafeMama readers! (Which we so loving call SafeParents… awwwWe want to know…

          • What new safe products you found
          • Resourceful websites or books you love
          • Safe cleaning recipes and homemade shoo bugs! tricks
          • Ways you have found to reduce, reuse or recycle
          • Healthy organic snacks, recipes and kid goodies
          • Ideas on dealing with back to school junk food
          • Cool new products you want us to review
          • Anything you think is something SafeParents need to know!

          Go ahead and send them in and once a week we’ll highlight a handful for our loyal readers.  Parents need to help each other out… and we love helping you.  To send in your tips, tricks and finds send an email to safemama (at) gmail.com or use the form on the contact page and select “Reader Tips” from the menu.

          Thank you readers, for making SafeMama a growing and wonderful resource for all of us!

            Welcome to the first installment of Dear SafeMama!  We received quite a few questions and they were all really good. So good in fact, that while we’re not going to be able to answer every single one of them, we’re going to answer a few more than three for the first edition, and file the rest away because some of these give us great ideas. But now, onto the questions.

            Q: I can’t find anything on your site about safe toothpastes for babies/toddlers. I want one that doesn’t have parabens, SLS, phthalates, propylene glycol, fluoride, etc. Can you recommend any?

            Welcome to our hell. We’ve been going back and forth for quite a few months trying to find a toothpaste that we deem safe enough for our kids. I bought Tom’s of Maine, and was using that for a little while until I found out the dangers of Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfates). I personally am pro-flouride (it’s a personal choice for my family, but I realize a lot of people want fluoride free) and was looking for something that didn’t have icky chemicals in it, but still had fluoride. I stumbled across The Natural Dentist, which is free of SLS’s and other chemicals. It contains xylitol, which is a natural sweetener, known to prevent cavities. They also make a flouride free version as well. My son loves it and helps to brush his own teeth now. Kathy uses Weleda Children’s tooth gel, which is also free of chemicals and works great. And her son loves the taste too.

            Q: I am overwhelmed with information about going green. I don’t know where to start to rid my house and life of all these toxic products and plastic bottles and the BPA and phthalates!!! ahhhh…where do I start?

            STOP! Take a deep breath. In………out………..iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin………….ooooooooooooooout. Ok, good. Now, we know as well as anyone else, that it can be entirely overwhelming. I went on a wild rampage, tossing everything in my house while my husband stood in the middle of the crazy tornado watching me with a worried look. When people come up to me and ask me where to start, I say, pick one thing. One thing that’s most important to you right this very minute and make the change. I realize that ALL of it is important to you, but doing it all at once is just too much for any one person (not to mention, expensive). Then, when you have a spare moment, make a list of all things you want to change, pick one thing a week (or however often it works for you) and change it. Cross it off the list. It might seem stupid, but I’m a list person. I get things done by making lists. Once you’ve made the major changes, you realize that it becomes easier, and eventually, becomes second nature. Before you know it you’re turning plastic bottles upside down to look at recycling codes and you become a toxic chemical rain man.

            Q: Ok, after reading your dirty dozen list of chemicals that should be avoided, I went on a hunt in my house and checked labels on everything! Some of those listed are in almost everything that we have from hairspray to hand soap from BodyShop! Do I need to be as worried for everything? or primarily baby products? Is there any exceptions? It looks like I would need to throw out everything!!!!!!

            We definitely don’t intend to alarm people. At all. When I made that glossary, it was mainly focused on kids products. Babies have really sensitive skin and will those ingredients hurt them on an individual basis? Most likely not. What about when they’re all mixed together? I really and truly don’t have the answer to that. You see, a lot of those chemicals have such limited studies done on them (as I had mentioned in my original report), that it’s hard to say for sure whether or not they’re truly bad for you. That said, it’s really up to you, as the parent to decide whether or not you want to use these products.

            I personally feel that the less chemicals a person exposes their bodies (and their babies bodies) to, the better, but unfortunately, it’s unavoidable sometimes (and you shouldn’t beat yourself up over it either). There are a lot of babies who have skin allergies, and maybe eliminating products (yes, even your household products and hairspray as they can linger in the air) might help. We always tell parents to proceed with caution and to also do their own research. My advice would be to ditch any of the truly harsh stuff, and slowly as you use up the other stuff with ingredients in question, replace them with products that are better for you and the environment.

            Q: We wash our bottles and bottle parts in the dishwasher and use jet-dry, a rinse aid. It is recommended by the dishwasher manufacturer and the dishes do not dry well if we do not use it. Is jet-dry safe to use on the bottles?

            I have a dirty little secret to confide. I have not yet made the switch over from my chemically laden, water and soil poisoning Cascade yet (see above RE: small changes). I KNOW. But, I’ve been doing my research on it, and am slowly mentally preparing myself for some alternative methods.

            Harsh detergents can wear on plastics and we usually recommend hand washing baby’s bottles and cups with warm water and gentle soap, like Dapple.  But if you need to use the dishwasher, use the top rack choose a gentle soap.  If you’re looking for something store bought Ecover makes a rinsing agent. I haven’t tried it yet, but I hear it works rather well. The other alternative, is vinegar. Just plain old white vinegar. I will tell you, there is NOTHING that white vinegar cannot do. It makes my tub and shower sparkle like brand new, it kills germs on my counter tops and it takes grubby finger prints off my fridge. Vinegar is a miracle product and it’s also extremely cheap. A gallon costs about 3 bucks and will last you forever. You can put vinegar in your rinse section, or you can put it in your pre-wash section of your dishwasher with a little bit of dish soap, or baking soda, or even some lemon juice. Since every dishwasher is different, you may have to experiment to see what works best for you.

            Q: I checked the list of BPA free sippy cups. My question is that although I own some for these “safe” cups, I have put them through my dishwasher numerous times. I have read that the hot temperature causes them to leach. Now that this has been done, should I throw them out and start over?

            We believe that all plastics have leaching qualities and health affects when heated on some level (which is why we recommend to never heat any sort of plastic in the microwave, ever. Use ceramic or glass and then transfer it to a plastic dish once it cools a bit). Once your plastic ware becomes looking scratched, dull and worn, it’s time to toss it into the recycling bin and get new ones. Even if you hand wash them. They’re just not meant to last forever.  Not all BPA Free cups are expensive.  Avent Magic Cups are a great affordable option.

            Q: I am very concerned about my 21 month old son’s safety when it comes to sippy cups, storage, etc., but am on an extremely tight budget. I know I cannot afford to do it all, but if you had to pick the top 5 or 10 things that I should be doing or buying, what would you suggest?

            Thankfully, there are plenty of great and inexpensive options out there for you to replace your wares with BPA free options. If I had to pick a top five:

            • Replace your sippy cups, bottles and dishes. We always recommend The Soft Landing for the latest in what’s BPA free. You can save 10% off your order by using the code SAFEMAMA2. They have products available for every budget and you can rest easy knowing Alicia has done extensive research to make sure that the products she sells are BPA free.
            • Replace your house cleaners. You don’t have to go out and buy expensive organic or eco friendly cleaners just to be green. As I mentioned above, vinegar. Buy yourself a gallon of vinegar, straight up lemon juice (not from concentrate) and a big box of baking soda. The whole thing will probably cost you less than $10 and will last you forever. You can clean almost your entire house with those three things.
            • Get rid of your chemical beauty products (for both you and your baby). You may have to do these in small steps, but You can even find them in Target. Burt’s Bee’s and Giovanni to name a few. And they’re also not highway robbery.
            • Stop buying individual bottled water and replace them with a reusable one.  ThinkSport, Thermos and Camelbak all make great safe water bottles for adults.  The kids have a reusable cup, why shouldn’t we?  If water quality is a concern, check into a tap filter for the sink.
            • Freecycle, Craigslist, Garage Sales and Ebay.  We know people buy too much STUFF.  Just look in any closet in your home… or our homes.  We’re guilty too.  Buying used instead of new helps to lengthen the life of items that aren’t ready for the landfill and reduce how much we buy. You’ll save money (or make it if you sell) and you’ll be doing your part to eliminate extra waste.

            Q: Hi there. I was wondering if you had any information on vaccines and their (so called) relation to autism. there has been a lot of hype in the media about this and I am due to start getting my son his shots and I am very concerned about what to do and what is the right thing to do. any information you have can help. thank you in advance.

            This is a big can of worms, and I’m only going to try to pry the lid off here, just a little, to peek and make sure they’re still breathing. No doubt you’re worried. You read all of these studies that are conflicting with each other. Yes it’s fine, no wait, it’s not. Vaccinate!! No, DON’T vaccinate!! I’ve done a lot of research on this because my son has displayed very minor autistic behaviors, and of course, I freaked out. What if it’s the vaccines? There’s a lot of debate on the whole issue, and here’s my disclaimer: This is my own personal thought about the whole thing. I am NOT a doctor. Do your own research and discuss any concerns you have with your pediatrician.

            I don’t believe that vaccines themselves cause autism. What I believe is that on some level, Autism Spectrum Disorder (and a very broad spectrum it is) is hereditary, and that children who are at risk for having autism get aggravated by the metals that are used in the vaccines. And it’s not just the MMR vaccine which most people seem to believe. There are children who seem to be fine, developing at a normal rate and maybe they ended up missing a vaccine somewhere, and falling behind, only to have to go in and get five or six vaccines at once, and then the problems started. Which could lead to the metal poisoning theory. People are always quick to blame the vaccines themselves as the sole cause for causing autism. But I believe there’s a certain level of pre-wiring there, just as with any other disease or disorder. I definitely think that there should be greener vaccines available and there are people lobbying for them all the time. Until then, if it’s a real concern for you, or if Autism runs in your family, talk to your pediatrician about spacing vaccines out on a schedule that you’re comfortable with. This is definitely not a subject where you should just take our word for it. The more research that you become armed with, the better.

            Thanks so much for your questions. Keep submitting and we’ll see you back here next week.

              With so many recalls of toys last year, the awareness of paint containing lead has never been higher. And the worry doesn’t stop at just toys. There are lots of places where children can be exposed to lead. Having grown up in a new home myself and now living in a new(er) home with my own family, I never really gave much worry to the thought of lead poisoning. But if you’re living in an older house (one built before 1978), you have more cause for concern. In general, pediatricians don’t generally even test for lead in children, unless you meet certain criteria. I know that our pediatrician hasn’t even asked us whether or not we live in a house that was built before 1978. That’s kind of disturbing.

              But you can take certain measures to protect your child:

              • Avoid purchasing non-brand or older toys likely to contain lead paint.
              • Do not give young children toy costume jewelry, since it has been associated with the highest lead content.
              • Encourage your children to wash their hands frequently, especially before eating and after playing.
              • Before moving into an older home or apartment, check for possible lead problems.
              • If you have lead pipes, use cold water for preparing formula, drinking or cooking. Run tap water one to two minutes before each use.
              • Repair areas where paint is flaking or peeling before putting cribs, playpens, beds or highchairs next to them

              These are just a few of the things you can do to keep your child safe. You can find more information out from the American Academy of Pediatrics by simply clicking on the drop down button on the left hand side and choosing “lead exposure.”

              Source: Tampa Bay Online

                We know that right now, after reading all of these recent articles about toxic plastic, and parabens, and lead paint on toys, that you’re freaking out. You probably want to pick up your house and shake the entire contents of it out into a dumpster and paint the walls with hemp paint and buy organic furniture that you can sit on and whittle wooden toys for your children to play with.

                No? That was just me? Ok, then.

                All of this is overwhelming, and no one understands that more than we do. We’ve been where you are, and this is why we’re here. But instead of causing mayhem and undo stress to yourself, here are a few tips to help you make an easier transition to eliminating some of these hazards in your home:

                • Take Baby Steps: Small changes are the easiest way to start. If you have to break it up into starting with bottles, then do it that way and then move onto changing something else. Babies and children are adaptable, but you’ll meet less resistance if you change one thing at a time, which in the long run, will help your sanity.
                • Help us, help you: Start with our BPA Free Cheat Sheet (cheat sheet for pacifiers and teethers here). These are the items that we know are BPA Free. If you don’t see your particular brand on here, don’t freak out. Instead, help us out. We started this site to make this resource for you and your family. We love that this site has become what it has, but it’s because of you that it’s so great. If there’s a particular product on here that you don’t see on any of our cheat sheets, we encourage you to call the manufacturer. If you’re able to find out information, let us know. We’ll post the information with a big hearty thank you. At the end of the day, we’re parents just like you, who are trying to compile this information to help you out. But we have families too. Have something you want to write about? We’re always looking for contributors. Contact us.
                • Utilize our resources: We’ve taken the time to put together as much information as we can, and we add to it daily. By randomly commenting and asking if your product is bad because it’s not listed, is spinning everyone’s wheels. We completely understand that all of this is overwhelming, which is why we’re trying to make this one source for all of your needs. However, you’re still going to have to do some digging. Please take the time to peruse the sidebar. There are also other great cheat sheets by some of our friends as well. Z Recommends has a really great and extensive guide. Did you know they also have text alerts, as well as a printable pocket guide to take with you when you’re out shopping for BPA free baby goods? They really have thought of everything. On top of that, it’s no secret how much we love The Soft Landing. ALL of The Soft Landing’s products are free of Bisphenol-A, PVC and Phthalates, and if you order from the safe landing, you can save 10% off your order. Just enter the code SAFEMAMA2. Could it be any easier than that?
                • Look ahead, not behind: When I first read about Bisphenol-A and phthalates last year, my son was 7 months old. The thought of the damage I could have potentially done had made me sick. It’s true, when you have a child, all you want is what’s best for them, and when you think you’re doing what’s best for them, only to find out, it’s all wrong, it’s easy to beat yourself up, but from one Mama to another, I’m telling you: don’t. What matters is that you’re here now, and you’re taking the baby steps to change all of that. We have no way of knowing, so instead of making yourself crazy, just keep on doing what you’re doing and know that you ARE making a difference.

                If you take these few steps, we hope that you’ll find this site easier to use. If you’re still confused and you still have questions, please contact us. We’ll do our best to help you out.

                  candleI feel like a broken record with this phthalates business and on top of it, running a site like this I hit moments of panic where I feel as though everything around me is potentially harmful. I have to reel myself in once in a while or I start to give myself anxiety and need to drink red wine until it passes.

                  But then I get a grip and see that there are small changes I can make that are easy and make sense for my family. I ran across an article somewhere ( I forget where) and decided to look into it further. The premise of it was over phthalates in scented candles. I’ve been meaning to post something about phthalates and chemicals in household air fresheners and I’ve long sworn off the use of spray air fresheners for a long time. But phthalates, which helps synthetic fragrances bond to the product, are found in candles, incense and potpourri. Healthy Child Healthy World (one of my favorite websites) sums this up nicely:

                  Candles are also a source of indoor air pollution, according to the EPA, leaving black soot deposit (BSD) on floors and surfaces. Scented candles create the most soot.

                  BSD is primarily made up of elemental carbon, but may also contain phthalates and volatile organic compounds like benzene and toluene, which can cause cancer and neurological damage. BSD can be inhaled while airborne, but may also settle on surfaces like floors. BSD is especially attracted to electrically charged surfaces such as freezers, plastic blinds, TVs and computers.

                  Children may ingest BSD, after touching the floor or other surfaces and then putting their hands in their mouths. BSD, when inhaled, can lodge deep in the lungs, the lower respiratory tract or alveoli (very tiny tissue inside the lungs).

                  I know what you’re thinking. “GREAT… one more thing…” But there are easy solutions to this without selling your home and moving into a mud hut and sewing your clothes out of hemp.

                  • Clean the air in your home with plants. Bamboo (I’ve read that Lucky Bamboo has great air cleaning qualities), Weeping Figs and Spider plants are some that clean the most pollutants (like formaldehyde and benzene) out of the air.
                  • Baking Soda! That stuff does wonders for odor. Use it on carpets, or place a small dish of it near offensive areas.
                  • Embrace the soy candle.  If you need candle burning (I love candles), opt for soy based candles or beeswax candles which burn cleaner (and last longer). I found these
                  • More tips: Here are a few other great tips from Healthy Child Healthy World: Freshen Indoor Air Checklist

                    As we all may have already read, some plastics, mostly polycarbonate plastics can leech harmful chemicals into foods and liquids. This of course is a serious concern, especially for young developing children. There is a plethora of links to great information over in the sidebar, but I ran across a good “cheat sheet” on the Environmental California website to use as a guide for checking out your own inventory of household plastic and what to keep in mind when out shopping. Notes:

                    • Avoid polycarbonate plastic in food containers. Check the bottom/underside of the product. If you see “PC” (usually in or near the recycling triangle) signifying polycarbonate plastic, do not purchase it. Often a number “7” on the bottom in the recycling triangle, by itself, also means the material is polycarbonate, but not always. To be safe, avoid #7 plastic. Choose plastics labeled #1, #2, or #5 in the recycling triangle, but do not heat beverages or food in plastic containers of any kind.
                    • Avoid PVC plastic in food containers. Check the bottom/underside of the product. If you find the number “3” in the recycling triangle, it is made from PVC plastic and should be avoided. Choose plastics labeled #1, #2, or #5 in the recycling triangle, but do not heat beverages or food in plastic containers of any kind.
                    • Avoid canned foods: Unfortunately, bisphenol A can leach from metal can lining into the foods and liquids contained within. Buy baby food in glass containers, and avoid feeding your child food from cans as much as possible. You can often find popular children’s foods, such as tomato sauce, applesauce, and black beans, in glass jars.
                    • Choose safer containers for sippy cups and water bottles. Look for plastics labeled #1, #2, or #5 in the recycling triangle. As an alternative to hard plastic water bottles (such as the polycarbonate Nalgene bottles), try a lightweight stainless steel bottle instead.

                    Read the full list here.

                    Source: Environmental California

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