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How Green Are You? By Janey Lee Grace who is a broadcaster on BBC Radio 2 and author of Amazon best selling book ‘Imperfectly Natural Woman’ Global warming aside its fantastic that the daffodils are out and spring is here but along with the joy and renewed sense of optimism, am I the only one who also gets a sinking feeling when the sun streams in though the window and I realise how dirty they are? It’s officially time for a good spring clean, but at what cost to my purse, the environment and my health (before I even get started on my time!) In truth I’m hopeless at cleaning, loving a shiny sparkling house but absolutely resenting the hours in contrast to the seconds the kids seem to take to completely trash it again. What many global chemical companies prefer us not to know is that its entirely possible to clean things naturally, not just eco - friendly versions of chemical cleaning products but also really cheap back to basics things that are easily available. I first became aware that I even cared about green issues when I stayed at a fabulous hotel in St Ives. Making Waves won best vegan guest house a couple of years ago. Simon who runs it almost by himself and who believes in leaving as light a carbon footprint as possible. The 6 bedroom hotel is ‘green throughout’ energy efficient and low water consuming appliances, organic paint on the walls, furniture made from reclaimed wood even the tiny garden is full of edible and medicinal flowers and plants. I realised that if one guy can clean and maintain a small hotel I can surely do it at home! I duly chucked out the chemicals and stocked up on some cheap old fashioned basics like: - White vinegar (distilled) - Bicarbonate of Soda - Soda crystals. Borax - Commercial Epsom salts - Household salt - Tea Tree Oil and Lavender oil - Oh and of course no-one ever throws away a lemon in my place! Whenever possible of course just use a cloth and water. The best I’ve found are E cloths, simply wet the microfibre cloth and 98% of dirt and bacteria will be wiped away. I thought this month I’d talk to you about beating those washday blues with eco-friendly alternatives:I’ve never liked using conventional detergents to wash my clothes. I’ve tried using the non-biological liquid rather than powder, but still find my skin feels dry and flaky. Most commercial detergents don’t bio-degrade and play havoc with the food chain as they sneak their way into our rivers and seas. Then there’s the ridiculous amount of non-recyclable packaging not to mention the expense they add to our shopping bill. ALTERNATIVES The great news is that there are excellent alternatives available that are kind to the environment, your wallet and your skin. You can use one of the many ranges of eco-friendly brands of detergent. However, far cheaper and much more fun are soapnuts and laundry balls, and I’m proud to be the woman has brought ‘Balls and Nuts’ to the nation! So what are super charged laundry balls? Well they’re one of today’s best-kept secrets! I’m astounded that more people don’t know how brilliant these little wonders are. (I suspect the manufacturers don’t have the marketing budgets that big detergent companies have). Basically they’re little rubberized balls that are placed in the washing machine instead of regular detergent. They contain pellets, which produce ionised oxygen, activating the water molecules naturally, allowing them to penetrate deep into the clothing fibres to lift away the grime. They are totally environmentally friendly, unperfumed, non-toxic and very gentle to fabrics. Being hypoallergenic they are particularly suitable for babies and children, though you may have to remove the really stubborn stains from garments first. They help to soften the water so there is no need for fabric softener. Amazingly they last for around 100 washes, so they work out considerably cheaper than conventional detergents and are ‘kinder’ to the average washing machine. I’m a big fan and have been using them for about 5 years, and I don’t stink (…..do I?). They can also be used for clothes that need hand washing and often come with an eco-friendly stain remover. Remember if you actually want a slight fragrance ‘al la fabric softener’ add one or two drops of lavender oil in the fabric softener compartment. And what are Nuts!! We’re talking soapnuts, and these really are little wonders. Their proper name is – wait for it – Sapindus mukorrossi and they’ve been used to wash clothes and linens in India and Nepal forever. Really they are nuts, not berries, and they’re a renewable resource. The outer bit contains ‘saponin’ that acts like soap when it comes into contact with water, for an average load of washing you need about 7 or 8 half shells added to the drum with the clothes in an old sock or a cotton bag. As with the eco-balls they help to retain the colour and brightness of fabrics and there’s no need for softener. They can be used for between 3 and 6 washes and when they’re all used up and almost disintegrated just throw them on the compost. You can also make an infusion by boiling the shells and the amazing thing is that it’s said to make a fantastic shampoo that leaves your hair really soft and silky and protects against head lice and in fact can be used as a general cleaner for kitchens, bathrooms, even to clean the car. Soap nuts are 100 per cent natural so great for anyone with allergies and totally environmentally friendly. They are also very economical at around £3.00 for 100g (they reckon 1 kg will do at least 100 washes). If you want to add just a bit of brightness to your white wash, bi-carbonate of soda will do the trick, as will old fashioned borax and a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar in the rinse cycle. Happy washing! On a wider eco-note, the only problem is the air miles to get the nuts here……maybe I could try planting a few in the garden and hope they’ll grow into soapnut trees…. ABOUT JANEY Her new book ‘Imperfectly Natural Home' – tells you all you need to know to create a healthy natural home’ which you can buy just click here It’s full of best kept secrets and tips for a more holistic but realistic approach to natural eco-friendly living – without beating yourself up. She has a thriving forum for natural living and links to all her favourite companies on her free website www.imperfectlynatural.com |
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