Donna's Healthy Living Tips

My sister, Marie, recommended “Scour Off” to me as a great product back in the 1990’s.  She told me how great it worked and she knew I had tried Shaklee’s Basic H and that I liked that.  For some reason I was resistant to trying Scour Off (back then it was called “At Ease”) and I didn’t try it until 2006 when I promptly fell in love with the product.  Why do we humans resist good advice?  I trusted my sister and knew her to have good information.  When I tried Scour Off in 2006 I had one of those, “I could have had a V-8”, slap on the forehead kind of moments.

Today I’m going to share with you a few suggestions of why certain products are hazardous and some safe (and more cost effective) alternatives.  Like all advice it is yours to do with as you will.  There is so much information when I started getting into this post that I needed to break it down.  A separate post will deal with some of the pest control considerations and food/plant poisons.

Swifter spray mops: I have heard from multiple sources reports of cat seizures brought on by their use.  In addition, their wipes are not recyclable.  Use Shaklee’s Basic H Wipes and Basic H spray (if you need more liquid).  You simply toss the wipes in with your paper recycling when done.  The Basic H is so safe you can take a bath in it (in fact, Jewel does).

Butyl Cellosolve: Found in many cleaners including tub and tile cleaners and, surprisingly, Simple Green. This is very harmful to human lungs (15 minutes of cleaning a shower stall and you could inhale three TIMES the acute exposure amount!!!) so it doesn’t take too much imagination to know that it is likely even more harmful to our furry friends.  For tub and tile use Scour Off (made of cherry pits and sand) and Basic H, the combination works great on tile.  For stubborn grout stains, use Nature Bright.

Bleach: Is one of the most hazardous products out there, damaging to our lungs, skin, and affects by inhaling or touching.  It is also one of the most common causes for poisoning in children.  For laundry and stain removal use Nature Bright, not only is it safe for you it also is safe for colors.  For disinfecting, use Basic G which is a germicide.  Still use caution because germicides are designed to kill germs which means they are all pretty powerful.

Febreeze: A friend of mine had a cat losing its hair and after discontinuing use of Febreeze the issue was resolved.  Do your pets lie (lay?) on the furniture as much as mine do?  That is exactly where you spray those products and then they lick themselves.  Use throws where your furry friends like to lie so you can wash them often to keep them fresh and use your vacuum to pick up stray hairs and keep your furniture fresh.

Odor eliminators/air fresheners: While “fragrance” is what is innocently listed on the ingredients, as the fragrance is released formaldehyde is often released too.  Isn’t that a lovely tidbit of information?  I remember formaldehyde from high school chemistry and how it was used to “pickle” the little creatures we would dissect.  If you see “fragrance” on the label, including personal care products like shampoos and lotions too, formaldehyde is a possible outcome.  The best air freshener is opening the windows for a few minutes, don’t you think?  In winter I use drops of essential oils on a cotton ball and stash it in an out-of-the-way place in the room I want scented.  Watch out for candles as they often emit harmful chemicals when burning plus they can be hazardous to our furry friends.  One time Fari burned off his little eyebrows by looking at the mesmerizing candle flame and another time I caught him stepping OVER a burning candle.  Needless to say, we rarely burn candles anymore for those reasons.  Shaklee also has a wonderful air purification unit that has been laboratory tested.

We have been brainwashed by advertisers that clean is supposed to have a particular scent.  True clean doesn’t have a scent, true clean is odorless.  Consider what products you reach for under the sink; not only for your furry members of your family but what about members of your family with asthma or while someone has a cold and breathing challenges?  You can find more information on the products discussed here at: www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland/GetClean  By the way, all the products are money-back guaranteed so what do you have to lose?

You will enjoy the information coming in the next post as I have been attempting to battle ticks naturally in Tennessee and also mice.  Stay tuned!

Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor with a passion for educating others on ways they can keep their entire family safe from toxins.  Learn more at www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland/GetClean or for general Shaklee information: www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland