Category Archives: Erica’s Ass-Vice

Assvice: Unwelcome and unsolicited advice given to someone. Because the things I like seem to spread throughout various circles of friends as if it’s gospel I’ve gotten a big head and think that EVERYONE cares about what works for me and what I like. It’s my blog so just nod and smile or I shall smite thee.

Nursery Water

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I’ve seen this at Babies “R” Us and today I just saw it today at another store. My first thought goes to the name – I know what kind of liquids come from a baby nursery and I want nothing to do with any of them much less buy some of it bottled. My next thought is other than for convenience if your camping or something like that – why the hell are we buying bottled water? We already have to pay for tap. Just use that. It’s the same stuff I promise. Unless you live in a third world country or came from the same town in Alaska that I did where city water smelled like rotten eggs and actually had visibly brown sediment your tap water is at least as good as the bottled stuff.

Back to “Nursery Water”. At the store I saw this brand in it cost about 30 cents more than the surrounding brands. The marketing on the web site of this brand says, “Our water goes through an extensive process of steam distillation” – fancy huh? All that means is it’s distilled. Ok, distilled water usually costs more because something is actually being done to it, but is that really necessary? If you just boil water that will get rid of any bacteria. Distillation gets rid of bacteria and any minerals – What the fuck minuscule trace mineral are you afraid your baby might come into contact with? The marketing team at Nursery Water goes on to say, “We even add minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium for a refreshing taste your child will love!” If you take just one second to read the nutrition label on the bottle none of those things even register as a percentage of the daily recommended allowance, so anything they add to it is so little it’s basically ZERO and they might as well not bother. It’s water – there is no fucking flavor! “Specially formulated to contain the ADA recommended level of added fluoride” The tap water in most communities has fluoride and so do some other bottled waters.

From the EPA:

Bottled water is not necessarily safer than your tap water. EPA sets standards for tap water provided by public water systems; the Food and Drug Administration sets bottled water standards based on EPA’s tap water standards.

From the FDA regarding formula preparation using tap water:

In most cases, it’s safe to mix formula using ordinary cold tap water that’s brought to a boil and then boiled for one minute and cooled. According to the World Health Organization, recent studies suggest that mixing powdered formula with water at a temperature of at least 70°C (158°F) creates a high probability that the formula will not contain the bacterium Enterobacter sakazakii—a rare cause of bloodstream and central nervous system infections. Remember that formula made with hot water needs to be cooled quickly to body temperature—about 98°F—if it is being fed to the baby immediately. If the formula is not being fed immediately, refrigerate it right away and keep refrigerated until feeding.

From the FDA regarding formula preparation using Bottled water:

If consumers use non-sterile bottled water for formula preparation, they should follow the same directions as described for tap water above. Some companies sell bottled water that is marketed for infants and for use in mixing with infant formula. This bottled water is required to meet general FDA quality requirements for bottled water. If the bottled water is not sterile, the label must also indicate this. Water that is marketed by the manufacturer as sterile and for infants must meet FDA’s general requirements for commercial sterility.

By the way – Nursery Water does not meet the FDA’s requirements for commercial sterility they even say so on the FAQ section of their website, which means that according to the FDA you’re supposed to boil it anyway.

Why am I picking on this brand? Because when I passed by it in the store today I thought it’s stupid to market water just for babies, so I wanted to know more because I apparently enjoy torturing myself. It’s just water, and that particular zero calorie beverage doesn’t need to be any different for a baby than for an adult. Then I saw on the label, “specially formulated for babies” and I flew into rant mode. I know that those words tickle the guilt-ridden heartstrings of new moms and I have something very blunt to say about that. I will make no apology for the following sentiments – anyone who purchases this brand of water because they truly believe that it’s not only better for their baby than tap water but because they also think water can actually be “specially formulated for babies”, is fucked in the head. It’s water you stupid drone! You are the reason there are isles and isles of useless crap in stores that prevent me from finding something as simple as a replacement for my broken vegetable steamer basket because there are apparently so many of you out there buying this useless shit that stores don’t bother with actual merchandise. I went to Target, Fred Meyer, and K-Mart looking for one and finally found it at Safeway. I bought two of them!

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Keywords and phrases

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I’ve seen this done on a few blogs, so I thought I’d join in the fun. This is the list of searches that lead people to my blog during the month of August:

“heartburn potatoes” – You know when I started posting about my heartburn I expected it to come up in searches, but never with potatoes. I don’t feel like as much of a freak now. Thank you. Who ever you are.

“my mum does not want to know about my baby s birth” – Wow, that’s really sad. I’m so sorry to hear that. What’s odd is that I did the search in Google and found that the first draft of my birth plan was listed second using that phrase.

“alisha blimka”
“huntwood industries”
“huntwood discrimination”
“huntwood industries lawsuit”
“huntwood suit”
“huntwood industries court case” – Nothing funny about these SIX searches, but they were very near the top. These would all lead to my post about a woman that was fired for going against her employer’s religion and living with her boyfriend.

“why get cramp in my toes” – Why not? Seems as good a place as any to get a cramp.

“baby benadryl” – I don’t know if this person actually wants a bottle of it, but on my site it leads to a post about an irritated flight attendant.

“poker” – this person must have been REALLY bored to find my blog using just the word “poker”. The only post in which I mention that word (until this post of course) is one where I talk about how I spent my New Years Eve and I only used it once at the very end of the post.

“my first home birth” – I really don’t get this. Why would someone want to take this risk? I want doctors and nurses around me. I want to know that the baby and I will come out of this alive. Just because you’re in a hospital doesn’t mean that you have to accept all the cool drugs they offer. You can do the natural thing there and in the event that things don’t work out they will do their damnedest to make sure you and baby live. Yes, people used to give birth at home and in those days there was also a high rate of women dying during child birth and babies that didn’t make it. And why ruin your own bed and flooring with blood and other fluids – let the hospital ruin their stuff and the staff take care of the mess.

“animal boys mom” – I think in order to get where you want to go you’ll have to be more specific.

“7 foods never to eat during conceiving” – uumm I can’t think of anything you need to avoid during conception. As a matter a fact I hear alcohol is how most people get pregnant. :P I would avoid handling jalapeños (or anything containing capsaicin) and then handling your partner’s genitals though.

“worst pregnancy symptoms” – My worst were the taste in my mouth for the first trimester and in the third trimester definitely the heartburn!

“voyeur” – That’s it I’m investing in curtains.

“spotting and nosebleed at 10 weeks” – oh coming out at both ends, that’s no fun. I’d see a doctor about the spotting.

“are pregnancy symptoms worse at night” – The heartburn yes! When you lay down the stomach acid tend to come all the way up. Pregnancy, ahh what a magically romantic time. Oh and having to pee every 15 minutes is more annoying at night too. It interrupts the whole trying to get some sleep bit.

“pregnancy drain” – Yes, yes it is.

“bumgenius wordpress” – The only thing a cloth diaper and blogging software have in common is this search right here.

“bloody nose heartburn” – WOW, and I thought my heartburn was bad!

“panties for obese woman” – Try the special panties that Mormons are supposed to wear.

“car seat big enough for cloth diapers?” – uuumm if your child won’t fit in the car seat because of the diaper I’m guessing you have no confidence in the absorbency of cloth and have over diapered your poor baby.

“6 week burning sensation pregnancy” – I’m no doctor but it sounds like you got an STD with your pregnancy. Congratulations!

“journal of pediatrics and baby einstein video”
“journal of pediatrics baby einstein”
“journal of pediatrics baby einstein university of washington” – My thoughts on the article that prompted all these Baby Einstein searches in one word, BULLSHIT.

“foreskin blogs” – I say keep the foreskin, but really, is it THAT important? I can just picture guys all networking together blogging about their special connection with their foreskin.

“why does pregnancy make you feel like an emotional monster” – It’s called HORMONES dear.

“i am stuff and things” – I really don’t know how to respond to that. Truly you are special stuff.

“eat banana during cough” – Just try not to choke, ok?

“pregnancy pet bird safety” – Birds don’t get pregnant, they lay eggs. Didn’t your parents explain the birds and bees to you?

“woo hoo biking in calif a different animal” – Funny this search lead to my “about me” page.

“citrucel and pregnancy” – You must use it! I don’t know how I would have made it without.

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Cloth vs. disposable diapers

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At Friday’s doctor appointment, Kurt thought it would be funny to step on the scale as the nurse weighed me. When I saw the scale swing up to 190, I immediately flipped around to see “what” was fucking with the scale. I’m now 173 pounds.

This appointment Kurt also decided it was time he start asking the doctor questions and try to get an authoritative figure on his side of our cloth vs. disposable diaper argument. The question he posed was, “Are there any medial concerns for using disposable diapers?” Ass – I know that millions of babies use disposable diapers with no medical problems other than diaper rash, which also happens to cloth diaper wearing babies (that’s pretty much what the doctor said regarding medical “issues” as well). I have already told Kurt I just want to avoid all the extra crap companies put into disposables and I’m hoping that *maybe* we’ll have less diaper rashes to deal with. That’s it! I will clean the diapers, he doesn’t have to touch ‘em other than to change the baby, and the diapers I’m looking at will be just as easy to change as disposables.

Here is the warning on Pampers disposable diapers,

Pampers Swaddlers contain these mild ingredients which are gentle to the skin: Petrolatum, Stearyl Alcohol, Aloe Extract.

If you notice a gel-like material on your baby’s skin, don’t be alarmed. This comes from the diaper padding and can easily be removed by wiping your baby’s skin with a cloth.

By the way Petrolatum is the same thing as petroleum jelly which I was just told in our newborn care class shouldn’t be used on baby’s skin. And that “gel-like” material is Sodium polyacrylate, which is the same stuff that causes Toxic Shock Syndrome in women that wear tampons and don’t change them frequently enough. – Yes, I realize there is a difference between wearing a diaper and inserting a tampon in the who-ha. I just don’t like the idea of my baby wearing diapers 24/7 with that stuff. I also realize that Sodium polyacrylate is used in “feminine napkins”, but I don’t know anyone that uses them 24/7 for two plus years. Generally they’re only used 24/7 for three to seven days out of the month.

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Breastfeeding class

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I know I haven’t posted in a while. I’m still alive (pregnant but living) and the baby’s still kickin’

On Tuesday August 14th I went to the “Feeding your baby” class. That was a great class. I learned quite a bit. It’s funny that the class is supposed to cover both formula and breast-feeding but that only about twenty minutes of the hour and a half class was about bottle-feeding. My cliff notes to that section are – follow the damn directions on the can. That’s about it. Oh and don’t hold a baby horizontal to the floor to bottle-feed. The baby should be at an angle as if he or she is being held up to the breast in order to avoid ear infections. Holding the baby at an angle helps keep fluids draining properly as baby feeds. Other than those two major tips on bottle-feeding, it’s the natural way of feeding that we all have forgotten about. The part of the class that we should already know about, the part we should have learned from our mothers, sisters, aunts and so on was what was most covered. That seems wrong to me. Not that bottle-feeding is wrong, just that none of us seem to know how our bodies are supposed to work anymore. Someone might think that the hospital I’m going to leans more towards a non-medical, home birth type of deal where no one uses medication during labor, but no, we’re just that out of touch with the natural ways of things.

Before this class, I kept hearing from various people that breast feeding hurts and that you get sore cracked nipples. I really want to breast feed because I also keep hearing how healthy it is for the baby, but how could anyone breast feed for more than a few weeks if it hurts so much? The first thing I learned in the breastfeeding portion of the class was that it’s not supposed to hurt (boobs and nipples will be tender the first few weeks but actual breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt), and if it does, it’s probably due to the baby not latching properly. The nurse facilitating the class taught us how to hold the baby and the basic way to get a baby to latch. She also went over what it should look like when the baby is latched properly, how a suckling baby should sound when properly latched, and how to detach baby from boob if he or she isn’t attached err I mean latched on right. She also went over what to do when breasts become engorged, how to reduce swelling (cabbage leaves anyone?) and what to do if they’re so engorged that the nipple disappeared and baby has a hard time latching.

A lot of the information the nurse covered was in the book, Pregnancy Childbirth and the Newborn: The Complete Guide, that we received in our childbirth preparation class. As a matter a fact most of it is in there. Some of the cool tips I noticed were not there, but many of those can be found in What to Expect When You’re Expecting, Third Edition. Thank you to the friend that sent me that book! Yes, I found it incredibly useful and I have in fact been reading it. One tip the nurse gave that I noticed wasn’t in either book (or maybe I missed it) was when you have a bad latch don’t try to pull the baby off! Place your finger at the corner of the baby’s mouth to break the suction.

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More on cloth diapers

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I have found a one-size pocket diaper that uses snaps instead of the hook and loop fasteners. It’s called “Mommy’s Touch”. You would think that I’d be ecstatic and snatch some up right away, but not only do they cost a dollar more per diaper (not really *that* big a deal to me) they also have so many snaps! I would never be able to get Kurt or any sitter that’s even slightly apprehensive about cloth diapers to use these. From what I can tell via pictures on the web there isn’t even a way to snap them up to the right size before diapering the squirmy child. It looks like you put it on the baby and then snap down to size – what a pain! It also requires an insert (all pocket diapers do) but this one doesn’t even come with an initial/basic – we make this insert specifically for our diapers so we’re throwing it in for your convenience.

After doing more research and reading many reviews (Thank you Carrie for the link on the cloth diaper review), my current plan is to use Kissaluvs size 0 fitted diapers for the newborn days. Every site I visited said that Kissaluvs fitted diapers were the parents’ favorite for containing runny newborn poops. The size 0 should fit until Sophia is 15 pounds and then I think I’ll switch to a medium sized Fuzzi Bunz, which fits from 15 to 30 pounds. If I need an in-between diaper, I’ll either go with the fitted Kissaluvs size 1, which can also serve as a backup diaper until she’s about 25 pounds or a size small Happy Heiny Huggers depending on her size. I’m crossing my fingers that she’ll be potty trained before I need to buy the size large Fuzzi Bunz. – I have a plan for how I will do potty training, but I realize that part of it is up to her.

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Cloth diapers – am I crazy?

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I’ve been thinking about using cloth diapers. Yeah Yeah I know – with advances in technology and ease of use of disposable diapers why would I even want to deal with something like cloth diapers. For once, I’m not trying to do what seems more natural due to environmental reasons, well not really. I’m not afraid of adding some more diapers to landfills – they aren’t as evil as some may think. Many are actually becoming rather green by turning the methane produced into electricity. My “environmental” concern is actually the powder, which turns into a gel when wet, used in disposable diapers to make them super absorbent.

The one of the cloth diapers I’m really considering is the Bumgenius 2.0. I know what you’re thinking – holy cow 17.95 per diaper! That’s expensive! But the one size fits from newborn to potty training age and no covers or extra liners needed. The one thing that I don’t like is the “hook and loop” fasteners AKA Velcro. I used to have Velcro shoes as a kid and I’m afraid that type of closure may not last long. I also read some reviews about the elastic not lasing very long on them. Those reviewers still gave these diapers four out of five stars though. On the upside as long as I do the washing there is nothing extra that Kurt would have to do as far as diaper changes go and he might actually be willing to use them. At this point I have agreed that he can use disposable diapers, I already know I’ll probably never find a daycare that will deal with cloth diapers, so really they’ll be getting the most use while I’m on maternity leave for the first six months – yep I know I’m very lucky I get six months, so I’m taking it! With the schedules Kurt and I are negotiating with our work places Sophia will only be in daycare a maximum of three days a week, so the cloth diapering can still be about 50/50 after my maternity leave.

Using a chart that I found I figured the number of one-size diapers that I would want is 36, so the cost of buying the Bumgenius 2.0 pocket diaper would be $646.20. I used the same chart on some fitted diapers I was looking at (Thirsties fitted diaper). For those I would need to buy three different sizes as Sophia grows along with covers which also come in three sizes. The fitted diapers I was looking at were only $7.75 each which seems a lot better but the total cost including covers would come out to $855.00. The covers were $10.50 each and I figured I would buy the maximum recommended for each size.

The overall cost is higher for the Thirsties and because they’re a fitted diaper and not a pocket diaper they might be harder to get clean.

Ecobaby one-size diapers are the third brand I shall use to torture you. These only cost $13.00 each. They come with snap-in doublers for more absorbency and the closure uses snaps, but they require covers. The total cost for these (using the same chart) comes to $625.50. That’s less than the Bumgenius, but not by much. In addition, according to the same site that sells them they don’t fit very well at birth so I might need to use something else for the first couple of months.

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Borax

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I recently read the book, “The Safe Shopper’s Bible”. Some of the alternatives to brand name cleaning products they mention are great and are probably much safer for the environment than brand-name chemical cleaners, but are they safe for the person doing the cleaning? I’ve looked up some of these “nontoxic” alternatives…

Borax is a naturally occurring mineral, soluble in water, and many natural cleaning guides list it as a “safe” alternative to harsh commercial chemicals. It can deodorize, inhibit the growth of mildew and mold, boost the cleaning power of soap or detergent, remove stains, and can be used with attractants such as sugar to kill cockroaches. What a wonderful disinfectant cleaner… but if you go to http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov and look up borax and click on the first link under the heading “Information from other National Library of Medicine databases” you’ll find:

Human Toxicity Excerpts: Fatal doses for humans are variously est to be 5 to 6 g for children and 10 to 25 g for adults.
[Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 3059]**PEER REVIEWED**

By the way 5 grams is about a teaspoon! I’ve heard of many people using Borax as a carpet deodorizer – please please don’t ever do that if you have small pets or children. Using it mixed with water to clean bathrooms it’s great! – Just make sure to use gloves.

Borax and boric acid used in powders and ointments have resulted in serious poisonings and death.
[Seiler, H.G., H. Sigel and A. Sigel (eds.). Handbook on the Toxicity of Inorganic Compounds. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1988. 135]**PEER REVIEWED**

Chronic poisoning: (From ingestion, skin absorption, or absorption from body cavities or mucous membranes) prolonged absorption causes anorexia, weight loss, vomiting, mild diarrhea, skin rash, alopecia, convulsions and anemia. /Boric acid & boron derivatives/
[Dreisbach, R.H. Handbook of Poisoning. 12th ed. Norwalk, CT: Appleton and Lange, 1987. 361]**PEER REVIEWED**

Chronic poisoning: (From ingestion, skin absorption, or absorption from body cavities or mucous membranes) prolonged absorption causes anorexia, weight loss, vomiting, mild diarrhea, skin rash, alopecia, convulsions and anemia. /Boric acid & boron derivatives/
[Dreisbach, R.H. Handbook of Poisoning. 12th ed. Norwalk, CT: Appleton and Lange, 1987. 361]**PEER REVIEWED**

BECAUSE HIGHEST CONCN ARE REACHED DURING EXCRETION, THE KIDNEYS ARE MORE SERIOUSLY DAMAGED THAN OTHER ORGANS. /BORIC ACID & BORON DERIVATIVES/
[Dreisbach, R.H. Handbook of Poisoning. 12th ed. Norwalk, CT: Appleton and Lange, 1987. 360]**PEER REVIEWED**

Skin, Eye and Respiratory Irritations: … Borax … /is an irritant/ … when in contact with skin & mucous membranes of the eyes, nose & other sites in the resp tract. …
[American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices. 5th ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 1986.60]**PEER REVIEWED**

Medical Surveillance: No specific considerations are needed for boric acid or borates except for general health and liver and kidney function. /Boric acid & borates/
[Sittig, M. Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, 1985. 2nd ed. Park Ridge, NJ: Noyes Data Corporation, 1985. 139]**PEER REVIEWED**
Probable Routes of Human Exposure: These cmpd /Boric acid & borax/ may enter body by inhalation, ingestion or by skin absorption through mucous membranes or skin burns.
[International Labour Office. Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety. Vols. I&II. Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Office, 1983. 320]**PEER REVIEWED**

Sodium Perborate, an alternative to standard bleaches made with sodium hypochlorite. After reading about borax I think I’ll try and stay away from all borates, and stick to hydrogen peroxide as a bleach alternative.

Human Toxicity Excerpts: The fatal dose of boric acid, sodium borate, or sodium perborate is 0.1-0.5 g/kg.
[Dreisbach, R.H. Handbook of Poisoning. 12th ed. Norwalk, CT: Appleton and Lange, 1987. 360]**PEER REVIEWED**

In chronic poisoning with low levels of ingestion, there may be little more than dry skin and mucous membranes, followed by appearance of a red tongue, patchy alopecia, cracked lips, conjunctivitis, and sometimes periorbital edema and irritability. /Borates/
[Haddad, L.M. and Winchester, J.F. Clinical Management of Poisoning and Drug Overdosage. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Co., 1983. 931]**PEER REVIEWED**

Chronic poisoning: (From ingestion, skin absorption, or absorption from body cavities or mucous membranes) prolonged absorption causes anorexia, weight loss, vomiting, mild diarrhea, skin rash, alopecia, convulsions and anemia. /Boric acid & boron derivatives/
[Dreisbach, R.H. Handbook of Poisoning. 12th ed. Norwalk, CT: Appleton and Lange, 1987. 361]**PEER REVIEWED**

Skin, Eye and Respiratory Irritations: … May produce irritation of the nasal mucous membranes, the respiratory tract, and eyes. /Boron compounds/
[Sittig, M. Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, 1985. 2nd ed. Park Ridge, NJ: Noyes Data Corporation, 1985. 138]**PEER REVIEWED**

Medical Surveillance: No specific considerations are needed for boric acid or borates except for general health and liver and kidney function. /Boric acid & borates/
[Sittig, M. Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, 1985. 2nd ed. Park Ridge, NJ: Noyes Data Corporation, 1985. 139]**PEER REVIEWED**

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Safer Cleaning Substitutes

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One shelf of simple and relatively safe ingredients can be used to perform most home cleaning chores. These are about as safe as it gets. All that’s needed is knowledge of how they work and which ingredients should be combined at what proportions to get the cleaning power needed for a specific job.

Baking Soda is sodium bicarbonate. It has a number of useful properties. It can neutralize acid, scrub shiny materials without scratching, deodorize, and extinguish grease fires. It can be used as a deodorizer in the refrigerator, in drains, on smelly carpets, on upholstery and on vinyl. It can clean and polish aluminum, chrome, jewelry, plastic, porcelain, silver, stainless steel, and tin. It also softens fabrics and removes certain stains. Baking soda can soften hard water and makes a relaxing bath time soak; it can be used as an underarm deodorant and as toothpaste too. Use baking soda instead of products containing ammonia and lye. Although Baking soda is slightly alkaline it will not burn and it is safe.

Borax – A naturally occurring mineral, soluble in water. It can deodorize, inhibit the growth of mildew and mold, boost the cleaning power of soap or detergent, remove stains, and can be used with attractants such as sugar to kill cockroaches. Many guides to safe natural cleaning list it as a wonderful alternative to harsh commercial chemicals. It is a wonderful disinfectant cleaner, and it is natural, however please don’t sprinkle on the carpet as a deodorizer or flea terminator where pets and children play. Go to http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov and look up borax and click on the first link under the heading “Information from other National Library of Medicine databases” you’ll find that the fatal doses for humans are variously est to be 5 to 6 g for children and 10 to 25 g for adults. By the way 5 grams is about a teaspoon! Boric acid & borax may enter body by inhalation, ingestion or by skin absorption through mucous membranes or skin burns. Prolonged absorption causes anorexia, weight loss, vomiting, mild diarrhea, skin rash, alopecia, convulsions and anemia.

Cornstarch – derived from corn, can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs, and starch clothes.

Hydrogen Peroxide an alternative to standard bleaches made with sodium hypochlorite. Most people are familiar with hydrogen peroxide as hair bleach and for disinfecting cuts, so we know to handle with care, but be aware that it is a possible carcinogen. This is still safer than regular bleach as a cleaner.

Lemon Juice, which contains citric acid, is a deodorant and can be used to clean glass and remove stains from aluminum, clothes, and porcelain. It is a mild lightener or bleach if used with sunlight.

Mineral Oil, derived from seeds, is an ingredient in several furniture polish and floor wax recipes.

Liquid Soaps (NOT detergent) is made in several ways. Castle soap can be used as a shampoo or as a body soap. Olive-oil based soap is gentlest to the skin. An all-purpose liquid soap can be made by simple dissolving the old ends of bar soap (or grated slivers of bar soap) in warm water and can be used as an all purpose disinfectant cleaner. Liquid soaps can be bought in health food stores and supermarkets in either the cosmetic or dish washing sections.

Pumice Stone – Excellent as a stain remover, pumice stones are available in health food stores, drugstores, and supermarkets.

Sodium Percarbonate, another alternative to standard bleaches made with sodium hypochlorite. Sodium Percarbonate is not the same as Sodium Perborate, which is a borate. Sodium Percarbonate is yet another alternative to standard bleaches. I could not find anything regarding the toxicity of this particular chemical. The closest I came was Sodium Sesquicarbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate, and Sodium Carbonate, which I found are safely used in cosmetics. Sodium Carbonate is a skin and eye irritant due to the alkaline nature of its solutions. Sodium percarbonate is one of two chemicals found in OxyClean Multi-Purpose Stain Remover (Original Formula) – the other chemical is sodium carbonate (soda ash a.k.a. washing soda).

Trisodium Phosphate (TSP), a mixture of sodium carbonate and phosphoric acid. For environmental reasons most brand name earth-friendly cleaners stay away from phosphates. Phosphates create algae blooms, which eventually leads to a lack of oxygen in water.  For humans, TSP can be irritating, caustic, and toxic if swallowed; however it does not pose long-term health hazards such as carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity, or reproductive effects. TSP also does not create any fumes. It can be used on many jobs, such as cleaning drains or removing old paint that would normally require much more caustic and poisonous chemicals. Trisodium phosphate is available at supermarkets, drugstores, and hardware stores. Be aware that some products with the name TSP on their container do not actually contain trisodium phosphate. Read the label to make sure the product you buy contains trisodium phosphate. One warning: Be sure to use TSP only when it is diluted; wear latex gloves.

Vinegar – made from soured applied juice, grain, or wine. It contains about 5 percent acetic acid, which makes it a mild acid. Vinegar can dissolve mineral deposits, grease, remove traces of soap, remove mildew or wax buildup, polish some metals, deodorize, and disinfect. Numerous studies have verified the disinfectant properties of vinegar including those conducted by the Good Housekeeping Institute, as reported on 48 hours (on CBS) in 2000. From Our Toxic Times, May 2001: Heinz Company spokesperson Michael Mullen references numerous studies to show that a straight 5% solution of vinegar (same stuff found in any supermarket) kills 99% of bacteria, 82% of mold and 80% of germs (viruses), however Heinz can’t claim on its packaging that vinegar is a disinfectant since the Company has not registered it as a pesticide with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Mix distilled white vinegar (found in any supermarket) with water and keep spray bottles of this non-toxic disinfectant in your bathrooms and kitchen – to disinfect and clean. Vinegar can clean brick or stone, and is an ingredient in some natural carpet cleaning recipes. Use vinegar to clean out the metallic taste in coffeepots and to shine windows without streaking. Vinegar is normally used in a solution with water, but it can be used straight.

Washing Soda (also known as sodium carbonate, soda ash, and sal soda) is a mineral. It can cut stubborn grease on grills, broiler pans, and ovens. It can be used with soda instead of laundry detergent, and it softens hard water. Washing soda can be found in supermarkets and health food stores. Use with care, as washing soda can irritate mucous membranes. Do not use on aluminum.

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Terpene d-limonene, Safe on Pets?

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Be Careful with Citra-Solv, Orange TKO, and any other product tauting the use terpene or d-limonene of thinking that their advertisements of “all natural”, “nontoxic”, and “biodegradable” mean that they are completely safe. I have found many pet sites that rave about these cleaners that “are so safe you can use them on your pet”. I began using Citra-Solv to clean my bird’s cage when I came across a well known and trusted bird web site where the author claimed, “It is the only solvent safe for use on bird feathers, but it should be removed after it does its work.” But I have found that Citra-Solv and TKO-Orange, concentrated solvents made of these citrus byproducts, are mildly neurotoxic.

Citra-Solv contains Coconut diethanolamide (Mild skin and sever eye irritant. Reacts with nitrites to form highly potent carcinogenic nitrosamines. Nitrosamines have been shown to readily penetrate the skin.), Nonionic Surfactants (Eye irritant), Limonene fraction terpenes (Eye, skin and respiratory irritant. Mildly neurotoxic.).

Orange TKO An ad for Orange TKO in Birdalog states:

Orange TKO is a safe and effective bird cage cleaner and stain remover that is safe for your pets, plants, and the environment. Diluted for general cleaning you can use Orange TKO around you bird with complete confidence. In a concentrated form it is a fantastic stain remover. The citrus scent is derived from it’s natural ingredients, not harsh chemicals. TKO uses d Limonene to safely control mildew, odors, bacteria, and removed stains.

What they don’t mention is that d-limonene is an eye and skin irritant, sensitizer, neurotoxic, teratogenic, and there is suggestive evidence of carcinogency. D-limonene is used in some paints and pet flea control products. It is passed off as safe just like in the ad above yet can cause vomiting, nausea, salivation, muscle tremors, staggering, imbalance, and other symptoms of nervous system poisoning.

From http://www.nature.nps.gov/hazardssafety/toxic/turpenti.pdf (page 8 of 23)

Terpene cleaners are mildly neurotoxic. They are known to cause respiratory distress and/or irritation and that “pleasant citrus fragrance” can very quickly become nauseating. There is a controversy about the carcinogenicity of D-Limonene. One preliminary study linked D-limonene to testicular cancer in male rats.

From http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov

/OTHER TOXICITY INFORMATION/ Erythema multiforme major and disseminated intravascular coagulation developed in a dog 24 hours after exposure to a d-limonene-based insecticidal dip. Clinical signs included severe lethargy and weakness, ulceration of the oral mucosa, and erythematous serpiginous, annular, and arciform lesions on the head, trunk, and limbs. Clinicopathologic abnormalities included leukocytosis with neutrophilia, normocytic normochromic anemia, thrombocytopenia, prolongation of prothrombin and partial thromboplastin times, increased fibrin degradation products, hypoproteinemia, hyponatremia, hypochloremia, azotemia, high serum alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities, and high serum bilirubin concentration.
[Rosenbaum MR, Kerlin RL; J Am Vet Med Assoc 207 (10): 1315-9 (1995) ]**PEER REVIEWED** PubMed Abstract

/OTHER TOXICITY INFORMATION/ There is a diverse group of hydrocarbons that induce a specific spectrum of nephropathic alterations. Examples include d-limonene, an aromatic hydrocarbon. Only male rats develop kidney alterations upon exposure. Other mammals such as female rats, mice, guinea pigs, dogs and monkeys evidently are refractory to kidney injury upon exposure. The male rat hydrocarbon nephropathy should not be predictive of a normal human renal response.
[Alden CL; Toxicol Pathol 14 (1): 109-11 (1986) ]**PEER REVIEWED*

/LABORATORY ANIMALS: Subchronic or Prechronic Exposure/ d-Limonene administered to dogs at 1.2-3.6 mL/kg/day for 6 months caused frequent vomiting and nausea and decrease in body weight, blood sugar and cholesterol. No significant change was observed in organs except in the kidney.
[Tsuji M et al; Oyo Yakuri 9 (5): 775 (1975) ]**PEER REVIEWED**

If a product has a warning against using on some plastics or can cause the rubber gloves used while cleaning to deteriorate I don’t want anything to do with them. I mixed Citra-Solv according to the directions to clean my floors.The first time I used the cleaner: After I finished cleaning I took the gloves off, and the tips of some of the fingers came off. I dismissed it as a faulty pair of gloves.

The second time: I had finished part of my cleaning and left a new pair of gloves in the bucket and returned one hour later to find my gloves were deformed.

I highly recommend using something else to clean pet cages with and definitely don’t use Citra-Solv or TKO-Orange ON pets. If your pet has something sticky on their fur or feathers try using peanut butter to remove it! As for a good general cleaner refer to my Safer Cleaning Substitutes post.

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