AKA Dr. Laundry

(These two photo's of Luke were taken about 3 years apart....same kid, same hat, same ridiculous amount of cuteness. FYI...that's a treasure map in Photo #2, lest you think it was just some random piece of paper. Like I did. Duh Mom.)

So...I did it. I washed 3 loads of clothes in Dr. Bronner's soap. I used about 2 to 3 tablespoons per full load on warm water wash/cold rinse. I tested it on one load of lights, one of darks, and one with towels/linens. It worked SO well. It not only worked, It was SO much better than the laundry soap I had been using. There were no 'oil' spots as I had read there may be.

Until now I was using a 'green' brand that's biodegradable and free of perfumes and dyes. My clothes were getting pretty clean, but didn't smell so great and were a bit 'scratchy'.

The clothes and my laundry room now have a great clean smell (I used the peppermint scent...almond or lavender would be nice too). The laundry is also much softer than it was with the detergent I had been using. This was a huge (and unexpected) bonus as I had stopped using fabric softener/dryer sheets quite a while ago when I found out that they contained some of the most dangerous chemicals in my home!

From the EPA:

Principal chemicals found in Fabric Softeners/Dryer Sheets are:

Symptoms of exposure are taken from industry-generated Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

ALPHA-TERPINEOL

Causes CNS (central nervous system) disorders... "highly irritating to mucous membranes" ..."Aspiration into the lungs can produce pneumonitis or even fatal edema." Can also cause "excitement, ataxia (loss of muscular coordination), hypothermia, CNS and respiratory depression, and headache." "Prevent repeated or prolonged skin contact."

BENZYL ACETATE

Carconigenic (linked to pancreatic cancer). "From vapors: irritating to eyes and respiratory passages, exciting cough." "In mice: hyperanemia of the lungs." "Can be absorbed through the skin causing systemic effects." "Do not flush to sewer."

BENZYL ALCOHOL

Causes CNS disorders ..."irritating to the upper respiratory tract" ..."headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drop in blood pressure, CNS depression, and death in severe cases due to respiratory failure."

CAMPHOR

Causes CNS disorders. On EPA's Hazardous Waste list. Symptoms: "local irritant and CNS stimulant" ..."readily absorbed through body tissues" ..."irritation of eyes, nose, and throat" ..."dizziness, confusion, nausea, twitching muscles and convulsions". "Avoid inhalation of vapors."

CHLOROFORM

Neurotoxic. Anesthetic. Carcinogenic. on EPA's Hazardous Waste list. "Avoid contact with eyes, skin, clothing. Do not breathe vapors ...Inhalation of vapors may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, irritation of respiratory tract and loss of consciousness." "Inhalation can be fatal." "Chronic effects of overexposure may include kidney and/or liver damage." "Medical conditions generally aggravated by exposure: kidney disorders, liver disorders, heart disorders, skin disorders." "Conditions to avoid: Heat..." Listed on California's Proposition 65.

ETHYL ACETATE

Narcotic. On EPA's Hazardous Waste list. "...Irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract" ..."may cause headache and narcosis (stupor)" ..."may cause anemia with leukocytosis and damage to liver and kidneys". "Wash thoroughly after handling."

LIMONENE

Carcinogenic. "Prevent its contact with skin or eyes because it is an irritant and sensitizer." "Always wash thoroughly after using this material and before eating, drinking ...applying cosmetics. Do not inhale limonene vapor."

LINALOOL

Narcotic. Causes CNS disorders. ..."respiratory disturbances" ..."Attracts bees." "In animal tests: ataxic gait, reduced spontaneous motor activity and depression ...depressed heart activity ...development of respiratory disturbances leading to death."

PENTANE

"Danger - Harmful if inhaled ...Avoid breathing vapor." "Inhalation of vapors may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, irritation of respiratory tract and loss of consciousness. Repeated inhalation of vapors may cause CNS depression. Contact can cause eye irritation. Prolonged exposure may cause dermatitis (skin rash)."

So, to get a better than expected result from a product that I not only feel safe using, but that I actually feel good about using, made my day!

This is definitely going to help me meet my goal over at the Great Plastic Challenge.

The Good Doctor...

We've been using the fabulous Dr. Bronner's soap for a while now...and it's just occurred to me to try it in yet another capacity. Laundry! So far it's our dish soap, general cleanser for counters and floors, shower and tile cleaner, bathing soap, face soap, and carpet freshener. If vinegar and baking soda won't do , we grab the Dr. B's.

Why not laundry? I read around on the internet and found mainly good reviews of the peppermint soap as a laundry soap...a few folks mentioned oil like stains on their clothes. I am thinking if I dilute it in the laundry water before adding the clothes I may be able to avoid this. I'll report back.

Dr.B's also sells a 'Sal Suds' which is meant more for this use, but I really don't want to have any more cleaning products in my home than Absolutely necessary. The thought of only needing ONE for everything sounds Amazing!

If you've not heard of Dr. Bronner's...It's a counterculture Classic.

It's a castille soap which is vegan, biodegradable, organic, packaged in 100% post consumer recycled plastic bottles, scented with essential oils, and not tested on animals. The crazy labels are printed with organic hemp seed ink.

There is even a documentary about the man himself and the story of how the soap came to be..called Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox. The proprietor, Dr Bronner, apparently created the soap after escaping from a mental institution and seemed to care more about the soap than his own family.

Interesting stuff.

Anyone have an interesting use for Dr Bronner's...or a soap/detergent/chemical alternative for use around the house?

Shopping with Style

In an effort to encourage some of my friends and family to be mindful of their consumer choices I am creating reusable shopping bags as holiday gifts this year. I found this sweet strawberry vine vinyl over at Cheap Threads Etsy shop a while ago and stocked up. I knew I would find a great use for it. I know vinyl isn't a 'green' material...by my logic is that if the bags are cute enough and sturdy enough they may see a bit more use. Also, I have impulse control issues.

The bags are lined with the same cute vinyl for wipe-ability and durability and the top edge is bound with red bias cut double fold binding. I just need to attach the sturdy vinyl handles, which are also red, and they will be complete.

I'm pretty sure I am going to need a few for myself!

Thrifty Treasures...

A few recent trips to my favorite local thrift store yielded some real treasures.

The 'tablecloth' is actually a sweet strawberry vine bed sheet which may have yet another life as a blouse for me or an adorable tote. The shiny chrome flour and tea canisters are 50's vintage in great condition...and the blue and white vintage Pyrex cuties match a set that my Grams gave me when Chris and I got married. The green boomerang candy bowl is just beautiful...simple as that. I also found an 'American at Martinsville' walnut step table (not pictured) in pretty good shape which had been on my wanted list.

It's been a very rewarding few weeks in thrift land. It always seems to go this way. I'll have a stretch where I find something amazing on every trip and then I'll have a stretch where it all dries up.

Either way I'm an addict...

Local Harvest...

On of our favorite breakfasts, lunches or snacks around here...Plain yoghurt, berries and nutty granola.
We use frozen local berries most of the year as we generally try to eat seasonally. In the summer we get to indulge in all of the fresh produce from our area. Living in Northern California we have so much to choose from.

We will be beginning to receive our local CSA (community supported agriculture) box in a couple weeks, at the begining of the new quarter...and I am so thrilled. We really make an effort to eat seasonally and to support local farmers. Up until now we have purchased most of our produce from the local farmers market or the Co-op (which buys from local growers). But, we have noticed that we really tend to slack off in the winter due to not wanting to brave the weather for produce.

So, this year we will be splitting 2 boxes of produce, grains and bread among 4 families. This will guarantee we eat locally, make sure we get together with some of our closest friends on a weekly basis to divvy up our bounty, and force me to get creative with recipes as we work with what we get. Another advantage to sharing boxes is that we can all share successful recipes since we are receiving the same items.

We will be working with the Good Humus Farm in our area...have you looked into a CSA where you are? If you are concerned about it not being cost effective, how about sharing your box with friends or family?

A Handmade Holiday Season...

(a couple 'in progress' photos of a Metro diaper bag I made for my good friend Lucia. for some reason it never occured to me to take any photos of the finished bag. (smacks forehead.))

I took the Pledge this morning! So, if you are a holiday gift recipient of mine you have a bitsy clue as to what type of gift you may be receiving (as if you didn't already have a hunch it was going to be handmade!).

Now you know with certainty, no McGifts from me. Depending on which side of the handmade fence you sit this may be good or bad news ;-)

*Pledge Bonus*

No last minute runs to the dreaded Mall. I have been to a Mall one time in the last year and it was absolutely under duress (and was closley related to my being a bridesmaid). I also have not stepped foot into a T@rget in the last 2 months or a Wall M@rt in the last 2 years (the T@rget addiction was harder to break, let me tell ya). It has been truly life altering. Really. Life outside the 'stuff for stuff's sake' realm is not as scary as I thought it may be. My goal is to never return...

I'll report back...