Menopause Matters Forum

General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: CLKD on April 27, 2016, 12:57:16 PM

Title: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: CLKD on April 27, 2016, 12:57:16 PM
There have been media reports in recent weeks that the home maker is using too many chemicals which may be the cause of some allergies.  In the next breath adverts are telling us that a certain floor cleaner now has 'double' the cleaning power  :-\ …….. that sounds a rather flash comment to me ;-).

So Ladies  -  what do you use around the home when cleaning.

I have Cif for bathroom as well as a 'domestos-type' for toilets; hob-bright, a stainless steel liquid cleaner; Milton tablets, various squeezies for the crocks in the sink plus lemon dishwasher powder and that other stuff …….

I rarely polish.  There is 'pledge' under the sink 4 when I get an urge plus a cleaner for the windows, inside and out. I have various sprays for the shower.  I occasionally use a deep clean solution for both dishwasher and laundry machine. 

I buy what I fancy with regard hand wash and soaps, shower gels and hair products.
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: kpatton56 on April 27, 2016, 01:09:48 PM
I use washing soda crystals in both dishwasher and washing machine with a small amount of a cheap detergent. Saves money and does the job well. I use white vinegar as rinse aid. Haven't tried it as a fabric conditioner yet.
I put slightly diluted thick bleach in a spray to spray round any areas in kitchen or bathroom where mildew might form.
I use bathroom wipes generally but a bit of cif for more stubborn grime.
Flash for the floors.
Mr Muscle window cleaner with some Regina kitchen roll  :cheer:
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: CLKD on April 27, 2016, 02:08:55 PM
I use kitchen roll for most cleaning chores, that then goes into our compost at the bottom of the garden.
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: Dyan on April 27, 2016, 02:24:20 PM
I use a clear antibacterial cleanser on work surfaces.
Cillet bang grease & shine on my gas hob.
For the bathrooms I use whatever is on offer, mr muscle, cif but this week, the Eco friendly
Cleaner called Method worked out the best buy so I bought that and it's very good. Smells lovely too not chemically like other cleaners.
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: CLKD on April 27, 2016, 02:47:46 PM
>wave Dyan<
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: Dyan on April 27, 2016, 04:50:21 PM
>wave CLKD<
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: Dana on April 28, 2016, 01:01:26 AM
I definitely think we overdose on all these anti-bacterial things. It's not good for us.

I only use some disinfectant on the loo, and one of those cream cleanser things in the shower and hand basin. Occasionally I will also use it around the sink if I think the stainless steel is looking a bit stained, but that's about it. I just use hot water and detergent on the benchtops.

When I mop the floors (which I'll admit isn't that often) I just use either some vinegar or eucalyptus in hot water, and mostly I just use a fluffy duster on the furniture, but if it's looking a bit marked I'll just use some plain hot water.

I always find it so amusing when we hear all these horror stories about all the germs that are everywhere just lying in wait to hurt us. If that was the case, why aren't we all dead by now? The reality is our immune system needs a work out just like the rest of our bodies do. We need to make it work hard to keep us healthy. Make life too easy for it and that's when we'll get sick.
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: Lizab on April 28, 2016, 01:33:35 AM
Not in my home! Not because I'm all natural anti-chemical, but because I'm anti-housework!

I won't name brands since American ones are probably different, but I only use disinfectant cleaners in the bathrooms. Let's see, there's laundry powder, bleach, glass spray, dish soap and dishwasher detergent, a disinfectant all purpose cleaner for the bathrooms, and pine cleaner for the floors. I can't do antibacterial handsoaps, ruins my hands. I'm sure I have a bottle of ammonia and some other stronger cleaners around but only use them for occasional stubborn spots.
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: Dulciana on April 28, 2016, 07:18:08 AM
(My gran's kitchen was disgusting!  There was caked gunge and grease on so many surfaces, but that didn't stop her making treacle toffee, gooseberry pie and roasts whenever we went round there - and she lived to 87.   I think her motto was probably "You've got to eat a peck of dirt before you die"!)

I use a kitchen cleaner spray and a bathroom spray, furniture polish and glass cleaner for internal windows and mirrors.  I do use a steam cleaner for my kitchen floor, though.
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: Scampi on April 28, 2016, 12:13:59 PM
Persil pods for laundry, with those Lenor scent bead things (smell FAB, even after a flop round the tumble-dryer!), Fairy Platinum for washing-up (no need to soak anything for more than a couple of minutes - it really works), Flash for cleaning kitchen and bathroom, whichever liquid soap takes my fancy for hand washing, Domestos for the loo.  And that's it! 

The only way I'll entertain 'antibacterial' (other than the Domestos) is if it's a handwash with something like eucalyptus oil in!  I'm a firm believer in the idea that a awful lot of allergies are down to over-use of antibacterial products - if your immune system (honed over hundreds of thousands of years of evolution to work pretty well!!) has nothing to do, it's hardly surprising it turns on innocent substances (or even on you - the rise in auto-immune disorders can't be purely co-incidence?).
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: CLKD on April 28, 2016, 06:44:22 PM
I'm anti-housework too ……… Himself whizzes the hoover-thingy round on a Monday even to the mattress on the weeks I strip the sheets off, I deal with laundry/dishwasher/sink ……… we bought a steam mop at auction recently for a tenner which he uses on the utility and kitchen floors when we think it is required.

Dusting takes place when we walk into a cobweb  ;D
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: Dyan on April 29, 2016, 01:50:43 PM
 ;D nice one.
I clean my bathrooms weekly and kitchen surfaces daily but dusting gets done when & if it needs it and I never use polish a) because it makes me feel :sick02: & b) my lounge furniture mustn't be cleaned with polish just a damp cloth.
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: CLKD on April 29, 2016, 04:25:46 PM
OOhhhh there's posh  ;D …… what's in polish that would hurt  :-\

I clean our bathroom several times a week ('cif' and shower cleaner) and the down-stairs cloakroom weekly.  It's out of use currently Bcause the loo broke on Wed.  :o I mean it's got a chunk out of the pan  :-[  ;D

My Big Kitchen Clean is on Mondays after Mum has phoned, in fact I can do some of it whilst listening to her chuntering …….  ;) Himself does the Hoovering and I do surfaces etc., using 'cif' and stainless steel liquid.
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: kpatton56 on April 29, 2016, 04:30:51 PM
You are so organised! I don't have a routine as my work schedule varies 😳
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: CLKD on April 29, 2016, 07:55:47 PM
I have to keep to a routine if possible or anxiety sets in  :-\ but if Himself suggests we go out and about, then housework comes way down on the list  ;D
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: Tempest on May 15, 2016, 09:43:43 PM
I use mainly Method products for cleaning due to allergies. For laundry, it's good ol' trusty Fairy and the Fairy softener as it causes me the least problems. For scenting my home, I use an aroma diffuser which creates a fine mist - it's a lovely wooden electric one I picked up on Amazon. I'm constantly piping lavender and rose geranium as these are two essential oils I 'get along' with and it helps to calm me as well as smelling beautiful.😊
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: CLKD on May 16, 2016, 01:46:33 PM
I open the windows  ::)
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: Tempest on May 16, 2016, 05:07:17 PM
It's too blinkin' cold here most of the time CLKD! ;D
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: CLKD on May 16, 2016, 05:08:35 PM
Never stopped my Granny - the first thing Dad did was to go round shutting all the windows, some were sash and came down with a thud  ::)
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: Tempest on May 16, 2016, 05:13:02 PM
It doesn't stop my MIL either! Her house is always baltic. I married a Scot, but I'm from warmer climes myself. I've been here 14 years now and still haven't got used to it. You always know it's Autumn in Scotland when the birds change colour and fall from the trees..... ;D
Title: Re: Chemical (over) use in the home
Post by: CLKD on May 16, 2016, 05:16:07 PM
 :lol: