NATURAL STAIN REMOVER
Introduction

Here's one of the ironies of running a home: While you are working at keeping your immediate world clean for
yourself and your family, you could be compromising everyone's health and the health of the environment.
You may keep your floors scrubbed, your living areas dust free, your kitchen surfaces germ-free, your furniture highly polished and your clothing well washed and stain free, but what are you using to achieve this?

If it's non organic commercial cleaning products you're reling on, then in trying to solve one potential problem
you may be introducing another. Check out the average house, and you'll find any number of hazardous chemicals lurking:

* in kitchen cupboards
* in bathroom cabinets
* on laundry shelves
* in garden sheds

They may come in bright, attractive packages, and their labels may present images of cleanliness and purity,
but the products themselves may also contain substances that would disturb you- if only you knew their nature
and effects. For example, did you know that a solvent found in many common commercially available nonorganic detergents has been linked to respiratory illness?

Every day, the environment is being penetrated by load of chemicals present in cleaning products used around the home. These chemicals are not the only cause of polluted air or waterways, but they are a contributing factor.
What's more, we have the choice of whether or not we add to the use of these chemicals.

If you are reading this book, it's probable that you have concerns about what is sprayed into the air, used near skin, or washed down the sink. You may want more direct imput into what is being used around your family and your home. You may be wondering how you can help to achieve an ecologically sustainanle future for yourself and your children.

Remember that every person makes a difference, and every small step does too. Once you recognize this, you'll be able to look for ways you can contribute. If the environment benefits, so will your family.
This book offers you many ways to make changes around the home. You'll be surprised at their simplicity, and amazed that all you need to keep your home sparkling are every day products that are perfectly safe for the health of your family and your environment.

WHY ORGANIC
THE DANGERS OF TOXIC PRODUCTS
There was a time when people used simple substances to clean up stains, disinfect, wash, and do the polishing around the home. These products seemed perfectly efficient, and their use was based on household wisdom, passed down from parent to child for centuries. Before you label those times of simple products "the good old days," however, keep in mind that in those days, too, toxic ingredients were often present in the home. For example, although asbestos was once considered a miracle because of it's highly desirable ability to resist fire, we are now aware of it's devastating legacy. Likewise, the parents of children who playfully picked and chewed at peeling paint had no idea of the disastrous consequences for their children of ingesting the lead in that paint.

We are far better informed now. We know far more about the factors affecting our families' health. We also know far more about the ingredients in the products we bring home for daily use. With this increased knowledge comes responsibility, and the power to make sound choices.

THE RISE OF CHEMICALS
Before the 1940s, basic everyday products were used to keep the house clean. Even cosmetics were based on kitchen products such as eggs, oil, and vinegar. In the late 1930s, many newly developed chemicals were considered safe only because the skin was regarded as an effective barrier to such products. After World War 2, research on chemicals proliferated, and householders were offered magical solutions to every kind of job throughout the house and in the garden. New products appeared to offer limitless possibilities for a "better" life.Both increasing competition between brands, and increasingly large advertising campaigns, have boosted the use of these products- to the point where many households now find it difficult to imagine a clean home environment without them. To watch this phenomenon in action, take a look at some of the commercials featuring cleaning products. Take note of the claims, and also the emphasis on whiteness and purity. Often the underlying message is that if you were truly clean and responsible, and cared for those around you, you would choose such a product for your home. We are led to believe that we will only be safe and clean, and our immediate environment sparkling and germ-free, when we use these commercially available products.

INDOOR POLLUTION As the Environment Protection Agency has pointed out, while most people are aware of the damage that outdoor air pollution can do to their health, they are less aware of the harmful effects of indoor pollution. In fact, studies have indicated that indoor levels of pollutants can be 25 times higher than outdoor levels, and in some cases,100 times higher. The high exposure to indoor pollutants is due to a number of factors. For example, to save energy, buildings may sometimes be more tightly sealed, thereby reducing ventilation rates. The decision to take measures such as these may be out of our hands, but we can do other things instead to counter the high exposure rates. We can make the decision based on chemical formulas: personal products, pesticides and household cleaners. If we avoid purchasing these, the air in our homes will be less polluted. And that will be good news for both our personal health and the health of the environment.

"AWARENESS OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE IS RELATIVELY NEW. INDOOR AIR POLLUTANTS CAN HAVE BOTH SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM EFFECTS ON HEALTH, ESPECIALLY WHEN CONCENTRATIONS BUILD UP. ONE CHALLENGE FOR RESEARCHERS TODAY IS TO INCREASE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE POSSIBLE HEALTH IMPACTS OF BEING EXPOSED TO MIXTURES OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTANTS AT LOW LEVELS FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME" (u.s. environmental protection acency 1993) PERSONAL HEALTH Cleaning products that contain chemicals may pose a health threat to us, and to those around us, because of the hazardous nature of their ingredients. At least some of the chemicals contained in many popular household cleaners are poisonous, corrosive and flammable. Exposure to such chemicals can cause a huge range of reactions, such as headaches, lung irritation, irritability, fatigue, and even cause damage to the nervous system, the mucous membranes, the kidneys, liver, skin and eyes. The fumes from cleaning products can also trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory problems. For some people, the effects of exposure are immediate. For others, it may be years before the effects are felt. Long or repeated exposure can have a cumulative effect. One challenge for researchers today is to increase our understanding of the possible health impacts of being exposed to mixtures of indoor air pollutants, at low levels, for long periods of time. Children are far more vulnerable to pollutants of all types than adults. Their systems are still developing, and it takes far less of any product to affect a small child than a fully grown person. Children will also poke and scratch at areas where residues hide- and then put their fingers in their mouths. Also, do not overlook the health of your pets. Their health may also be compromised if they are exposed to the toxins present in many chemicals

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THE ENVIRONMENT
Sometimes we talk as if the environment were something separate from ourselves, as if we can remain unaffected even as the environment is being degraded. But we too are being affected.
*The water we drink and the air we breath are extremely vulnerable. It takes only small quantities of solvents and other chemicals to pollute the large amount of water we use. The chemicals found in modern cleaners find their way into river, lakes and groundwater. For example, phosphates, found in many cleaning products, accelerate the growth of algae and plants in natural water, leading to the depletion of oxygen in the water mass and the loss of species. What's more, when algae forms in large amounts, the water beneath it can become putrid. * The compounds released from some aerosol products are responsible for depleting ozone in the atmosphere. * Toxic fumes from certain products add to the poison floating in the air, which we know as pollution. Being alert to the ways that the environment is being degraded is the first step in helping turn the situation around. You can make a start now by cutting back on your own use of toxic products, and using the organic products, and using instead the organic
products suggested in this book.

THE BEAUTY OF CLEANING ORGANICALLY WHAT IS "ORGANIC"? The term "organic" usually refers to anything that is natural, unrefined and untreated. The ingredients offered in this book fall into this category, and on pages 17 to 25 you'll find a description of each of them. Their uses will be detailed in "Recipes: formulas, blends and treatments" on pages 33to 61, and in the "A-Z of stain removal and cleaning" on pages 62-117. While organic products are natural, some of them do hold dangers. For example, borax is a marvellous stain remover and has many other uses as well, but although it is a naturally occurring mineral salt, it is poisonous and must not be used around children or pets. However, this warning applies to very few of the organic products suggested for use in this book. Generally speaking, organic cleaning products are safer overall than nonorganic cleaning products. After all, some of them are used in cooking!.

THREE GOOD REASONS TO SWITCH There are three main reasonsfor switching to organic cleaning products; 1. Your health and the health of those around you will benefit as exposure to toxic substances is reduced. 2. The environment will be less burdened and depleted. 3. You will spend less money, because the cost of organic cleaning products is usually far lower than the cost of the commercially available nonorganic variety. There are other benefits too. For example, once you start using organic ingredients you'll find yourself wanting to experiment. You'll be doing your own mixing, and you may be doing your own creating too. You'll find yourself becoming more curious about how to strengthen their power, how to add natural perfumes, and how to adapt the products for specific situations. You will feel very resourceful. and this feeling will spill over into other aspects of your life as well. The other benefit is that when your children see you using these basic household products to clean and remove stains, they will pick up on attitudes and approaches that show respect for the environment, both in the home and outside of it. DO THEY WORK? If you've spent years using nonorganic products to clean, shine and remove stains, then the organic products may take some getting used to. Nonorganic products often seem to achieve instant results with little effort. But remember. the ingredients in many of these products are dangerously strong, and that while you are using them, you are inhaling their toxic fumes and coming into contact with their damaging effects on the skin. Are the fast results worth it? Note also, that when cleaning takes a bit longer with these products, it means longer exposure to chemicals that may be affecting your well-being. You'll find that organic products will work just as well. You may have to apply a little elbow grease at times, but in many cases you'll be astounded at how quickly and almost effortlessly they remove stains. Also keep in mind that basic products were being used for cleaning for a very long time before the chemical age began. It's worth
relecting on how much advertising has influenced us, encouraging us to buy a whole range of commercial nonorganic cleaning products. Practice replacing the images created by the commercials with your own images of healthy cleaning substances. ONE STEP AT A TIME Does changing from nonorganic cleaners to organic cleaners seem too big a jump? If you don't want to get rid of all your bottles and cartons and jars of nonorganic products in one go, then change one step at a time. You could start with a simple paste of baking soda and water to remove stains from your kitchen counter and to clean your stainless steel sink- or a paste of cream of tartar and water to remove stains from fabric. You'll be amazed at how effective it is. Many recipes for organic cleaners include small quantities of essential oils. Not only do these oils add perfume to your mixes, but they are also effective in their own right. For example, lemon oil and the other citrus oils will cut grease, and lavender oil has antifungal and antibacterial properties. Try out the recipes in this book. They may well change your approach to cleaning. Once you test their effectiveness for yourself, you may want to expand the experience. Before long you may find yourself buying baking soda and other such organic cleaning products in bulk, rather than spending time in front of the enormous range of brightly packaged cleaners, trying to decide which to choose.

GOODBYE TO HAZARDOUS HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS THE PROBLEM OF STORAGE The use of nonorganic chemical cleaners is concerning enough, but compounding the problem is the extent to which the average home accumulates and stores them. Around your home you could find a great deal of dangerous waste materials, some of which are cleaning agents, and the rest an accumulation of paints, chemicals and pesticides.

DISPOSING OF TOXIC PRODUCTS SAFELY Be sure to dispose thoughtfully of products you no longer want to use. Those with hazard symbols should not be poured down the drain or put into the rubbish. Leave them at a hazardous-
waste facility. Contact your local municipal authorities for details of the nearest facility.

For a free no obligation quotation Harlow Carpet Cleaning call Tina Kimmens on 01279 279011