NO Bleach!!

[toxicfreemom]

I'm sure most of you are aware of this, but chlorine bleach (any bleach you buy from the store such as CLorox) poisons more children every year than any other chemical!!! :

Trust me you don't need bleach to clean or disinfect...there are natural, healthy alternatives and this is one danger you can easily remove from your home.

[dex_millie]

Please teach me these natural ways. I am so trying to learn. I know the chemical things are bad I use to get a headache everytime I clean the bathroom when I was younger(I try to be as natural as I can, this is one subject I have not done yet and it bothers me everytime I/DH uses them). DH does it know because I cannot deal with the chemicals. I see on this site uses of baking soda, vinger and borax. I would like to switch over to non-chemical stuff - I do not like them and I am trying to research with the time I have.

I need bathroom cleaners, odor eliminators, disinfectant sprays. And I guess I will have to get bottle sprays to make my own stuff.

TIA

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by toxicfreemom

I'm sure most of you are aware of this, but chlorine bleach (any bleach you buy from the store such as CLorox) poisons more children every year than any other chemical!!! :

True, if "poisons" means "causes to seek treatment". However, bleach is far from the top for doing actual damage to children! I'm sure aspirin & iron, among other things, have bleach beat by far in terms of health consequences -- and that's just in terms of accidental poisoning. Throw in adverse rxns to deliberately administered drugs, and deliberate poisonings, and bleach sinks even further into the background.

Robert

[mommaof3boz]

Umm...I really like bleach for cleaning. However, my kids are way past the poisioning thing. I just rinse really, really well when I'm done.

[JustJenny]

Peroxide is just as effective as bleach, and can be safely used on counters and toilets. I use it in conjunction with vinegar/baking soda.

[maxwill129]

Tell me a tried and true effective way other than bleach to disinfect my cloth diapers and I'll switch- I've tried peroxide without any luck, if that helps!

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by maxwill129

Tell me a tried and true effective way other than bleach to disinfect my cloth diapers and I'll switch- I've tried peroxide without any luck, if that helps!

Why do they need to be disinfected? Even if I accidentally get feces on my fingers, I just wash them.

[Katheda]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Why do they need to be disinfected? Even if I accidentally get feces on my fingers, I just wash them.

[maxwill129]

Umm, because there is bacteria in crap, my child's butt is sitting in a cloth diaper that has bacteria in it, and if we don't disinfect and just wash, his penis and butt bleed. Once I started disinfecting (detergents clean, they don't disinfect, unless there is bleach, peroxide, and -I forget the other main disinfectant-in the detergent) that was suggested BY THE MOD *gasp* in the diapering forum we've not had a problem with smelly, disgusting diapers and bleeding penis and butt.

[DevaMajka]

How do I de-stink mildewy smelling dishcloths? I've tried washing in hot water, with full strength detergent and rinsing until there are no suds, I've used baking soda, and vinegar (at different times). They stink until I resort to bleach.
If I could find a different way to de-stink stuff, I'd gladly use that instead of bleach

Originally Posted by maxwill129

Umm, because there is bacteria in crap, my child's butt is sitting in a cloth diaper that has bacteria in it, and if we don't disinfect and just wash, his penis and butt bleed. Once I started disinfecting (detergents clean, they don't disinfect, unless there is bleach, peroxide, and -I forget the other main disinfectant-in the detergent) that was suggested BY THE MOD *gasp* in the diapering forum we've not had a problem with smelly, disgusting diapers and bleeding penis and butt.

I'm obviously not anti-bleach, but the BEST way I have found to get diapers totally clean and stink free is to use Calgon water softener AFTER washing with detergent. My diapers have absolutely no bad smell to them at all.
In the past, I've tried everything short of bleach (I don't want to bleach my FBs). I usually wash with a full amount of detergent, then wash wash wash in plain water until there are no suds, I've used baking soda, and vinegar too. And there is always a slight smell afterwards. Calgon got ALL the smell out.

I'm sure that I've read that super hot water disinfects just as much as bleach.

[JustJenny]

[QUOTE=Deva33mommy;9416613]How do I de-stink mildewy smelling dishcloths? I've tried washing in hot water, with full strength detergent and rinsing until there are no suds, I've used baking soda, and vinegar (at different times). They stink until I resort to bleach.
If I could find a different way to de-stink stuff, I'd gladly use that instead of bleach


What about Tea tree oil? I love this stuff. Its naturally antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic. I've added a few drops to the wash after I've forgot a load in there before. Plus its like a medicine box in a bottle! I don't love the smell - but it works!
I've also heard of somehting called eco- bleach but I've never used it. Its supposed to be safe on our clothes and won't poison our homes and groundwater.

[carla72]

I second the tea tree oil..I love it too. I use no chemical cleaners ion my house. I used to use mostly vinegar or lemon juice and baking soda but for my bathrooms (and other stuff) i use tea tree now.

[maxwill129]

Originally Posted by Deva33mommy

How do I de-stink mildewy smelling dishcloths? I've tried washing in hot water, with full strength detergent and rinsing until there are no suds, I've used baking soda, and vinegar (at different times). They stink until I resort to bleach.
If I could find a different way to de-stink stuff, I'd gladly use that instead of bleach



I'm obviously not anti-bleach, but the BEST way I have found to get diapers totally clean and stink free is to use Calgon water softener AFTER washing with detergent. My diapers have absolutely no bad smell to them at all.
In the past, I've tried everything short of bleach (I don't want to bleach my FBs). I usually wash with a full amount of detergent, then wash wash wash in plain water until there are no suds, I've used baking soda, and vinegar too. And there is always a slight smell afterwards. Calgon got ALL the smell out.

I'm sure that I've read that super hot water disinfects just as much as bleach.

Good to know about the Calgon thing! I know that super hot water does the trick, too, but our hot water heater is wierd. The water is either luke-warm or SUPER hot, and since we have 3 little kids in the house we do the luke-warm thing! I guess I could get off my lazy butt and turn the hot water heater up just for the diapers and then turn it back down...

[Katheda]

if he has bleeding and red diaper area if you aren't disinfecting, have you considered that there might be a yeast issue? infants are't the only ones who can have thrush or systemic yeast problems.

[MonP'titBoudain]

Originally Posted by maxwill129

I guess I could get off my lazy butt and turn the hot water heater up just for the diapers and then turn it back down...

This is what I try to do b/c we have yeast issues here but I always forget to turn it back down and end up scalding myself. My ds can't always turn on the water and fortunately it takes forever for the water to actually turn hot so I usually cacth him. I'd think twice if I had older kids who would be more at risk for scalding themselves. And honestly a little bleach in the diaper wash isn't going to do do much more than wear your diapers down a little faster, yk?

And while I personally don't use anything stronger than peroxide, bs, and vinegar, I'm a little skeptical about the incredible poisoneous effect of most household stuff. That's prbably b/c my little brother was so into evreything that they knew us by name at poison control! Seriously, he drank a cup (that's 8 oz) of bleach and still manages to be a thriving young adult with an IQ well over 150! (Although WHY he finished the whole cup eludes me to this day!) Not that every child can be so resilient or that we shouldn't be cautious, but we can certainly proceed without paranoia!

[utopia760]

we dont use bleach at all but i have a question does anyone know how to get white clothes white again without bleach or how to get stains out?

[kleines]

Sunning is a great way to get stains out! I didn't believe it until I tried it. It worked better than any bleaching I have ever done. No chance of ruining anything either!!

[Katheda]

Originally Posted by kleines

Sunning is a great way to get stains out! I didn't believe it until I tried it. It worked better than any bleaching I have ever done. No chance of ruining anything either!!

sunning damages fibers/fabric over time just as bleach does.

[angelcat]

Originally Posted by maxwill129

Umm, because there is bacteria in crap, my child's butt is sitting in a cloth diaper that has bacteria in it, and if we don't disinfect and just wash, his penis and butt bleed. Once I started disinfecting (detergents clean, they don't disinfect, unless there is bleach, peroxide, and -I forget the other main disinfectant-in the detergent) that was suggested BY THE MOD *gasp* in the diapering forum we've not had a problem with smelly, disgusting diapers and bleeding penis and butt.

As some have suggested, maybe tea tree oil? I didn't use it for the wash, but I put several drop in the diaper pail, along with borax. I used warm water to mix the borax, and then cold for as as much as I wanted, then a few drops of tto.


I"m not anti-bleach, either tohugh. I used bleach in the pail for awhile, but got better results with tto.

[imbarefoot]

I'm all for natural cleaners, I make my own. And use them religiously. But I *do* have to use bleach every couple of weeks on my countertops in the kitchen. They are white and stain really really easily. I've tried everything that's been suggested to me with no luck. The bleach is stored where my child can't get to it and I do clean up afterwards thouroughly.