Itty Bitty Bonzai is a collection of tiny tips and tricks for living a life more mindful. Small actions, collectively and compounded, become a powerful force of change.
#1 Chlorinated bleach, when washed down the drain, degrades into a substance called ‘organochlorine’. This compound is believed to be carcinogenic, as well as harmful to the reproductive, neurological, and immune systems. Instead of cleaning with a chlorine containing bleach, try making your own solution. Fill one spray bottle with 3% hydrogen peroxide, and another spray bottle with white vinegar. Spray to mix as needed (this is more effective if they mix on contact).
BONZAI!
Amber Kaplan
3 February, 2009
How do you avoid using bleach in your whites laundry load? Is the “oxy” stuff better or worse? What’s the best substitute to try and get whites white again?
Sayward
3 February, 2009
@Amber – There are various natural lighteners/whiteners around, with reports of variable success. Living in SoCal is definitely an edge – sunlight is a natural whitener! Simply line drying your whites will help keep them bright. Another trick to avoid yellowing is to soak in a 1:1 solution of lemon juice and water. So you would do a load of laundry, then soak the wet clothes in lemon juice/water, then rinse, then line dry.
Of course, there are also non-chlorinated bleaches available. This is not as natural as lemon juice, but certainly preferable to chlorine. Look for one that contains hydrogen peroxide, sodium percarbonate, or sodium perborate.
Hope that helps!
~Sayward
Friendly Chemist
22 June, 2009
The compounds potentially formed are called “organochlorides,” a wide variety of compounds. While some of these compounds have known toxic properties, many (for example 4-chloroindole-3-acetic acid, a naturally occurring plant compound found in peas http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1066676) do not.
Katie
2 March, 2010
Hi Sayward, does this peroxide/vinegar combo kill germs as bleach does? Any suggestions for cleaning the germs out of places like the toilet? Thanks for all of your FABULOUS tips (i love your blog), and best of luck to you as a new momma!
Sayward
2 March, 2010
@ Katie – Vinegar (and peroxide) is a GREAT disinfectant. It’s all I use (with a sprinkle of baking soda) in my toilet, and it works great. Vinegar will definitely kill the germs that need killing. =)
And thanks! I can’t wait to be a momma!
6 Comments to Itty Bitty Bonzai #1