Natural Home Products

The sun is shining and now you can enjoy dining and entertaining on your sundeck.  But preparing your sundeck to look its best is no easy task.  Weather you have a wash and wear surface on your patio, or you are preparing to restore a wood sundeck, cleaning your deck is the single most important step in having your deck look its best.   

The cleaning agent you use to clean your sundeck can have a large impact on the job at hand.  If you are using a chemical cleaner, it can also have a huge impact on the environment.  One of the simplest remedies available today is to clean your deck with a natural oxygenated bleach.  An environmentally and ecologically safe alternative to chlorine bleach products, natural oxygenated bleach contains high concentrations of sodium percarbonate (a natural mineral bleaching agent).  If you are restoring a wood deck, natural oxygen rich bleach will remove stains from discoloured wood and your deck will look almost new.  It will also safely remove stains like grease and mildew from deck surfaces.   The greatest part of using all natural cleaning products like this is that it will not harm your grass or landscaping.  Safe to use, safe for your family and it will leave your deck looking its best!

It is nice to see that increased environmental awareness is bringing even small changes in our behaviour.  More people are using reusable bags when shopping and more people are choosing reusable gift bags for those special occasions. With increased consumer choice, eco-friendly gift wrapping has certainly become more popular over recent years.

 While eco-friendly used to be associated with drab, colorless gift wrapping products, the new trend to eco-chic gift wrapping has led to more fun and stylish choices.  Even reusable gift bags are giving way to this “eco-chic” mentality, with vividly coloured natural fibres, such as jute and burlap, becoming the next trend in eco-friendly gift wrapping.  With natural dyes and adornments, these natural fibre bags are fun and stylish.  Environmentally sensitive, these eco-chic gift bags are both fun to give and great to re-use.

There aren’t many days that go by without using some kind of dishwashing detergent. Whether you’re doing a few dishes in the sink or you’re putting on an entire load of dishes, that’s a lot of potential toxins that we’re pumping into the water system everyday. Just think how many chemicals and detrimental additives that adds up to when you consider that practically everyone is using the same amount of dishwashing soaps on a daily basis.

So if you’re concerned with helping contribute to a cleaner environment, make the switch to natural dishwasher detergent. This type of soap doesn’t contain the chemicals that some dishwashing soap contains, and as such, they are safer to enter into the general water supply. They are also safer for the marine life once it actually hits that water supply. It’s one of those small changes that is easy to implement in your life but can make a big difference.

While bamboo bed sheets may be the most comfortable sheets you’ll ever lay on, they may also be the most practical sheets for dealing with those hot summer nights.  Not only are bamboo bed linens luxuriously soft to touch, the ’smooth as silk’ bamboo fabric is more absorbent and more breathable than cotton, keeping you cooler during those hot summer nights.

Another benefit of bamboo sheets comes from a unique natural agent called ‘bamboo kun’ which has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties. This means your bed linens stay fresh longer, do not retain odours and are more healthy and hygienic.  Bamboo bed sheets are ideal for those prone to night sweats or skin irritations as bamboo sheets are extremely comfortable next to the skin and are produced without “softening” chemicals.

Many people are turning to organic food to avoid the pesticides used in standard farming practises.   The term “Organic” refers to an ecological system of growing and processing food and products that prohibits the use of chemicals and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).  Organic farming practises rely on healthy, rich soil to produce healthy plants that are disease and pest resistant.   Using innovative farming practises such as crop rotation, cover crop planting, beneficial insect release and composting, organic farming works with nature, instead of against it. 

Choosing organic food reduces our exposure to chemicals and pesticides, but did you know that the skin can also absorb chemicals and pesticides?  Everything from irritating cleaners to shampoo and lotions can contain small amounts of toxic chemicals. The bloodstream then carries these toxins to the rest of the body’s organs, and there is no way of knowing the short term or long terms effects of this exposure. So why risk your health and well being when organic body care products offer safer, healthier and milder alternatives to good hygiene?  Organic bath and body products avoid the use of petroleum based products, sulphate cleaning agents, synthetic fragrance, artificial colors, parabens, and chemical preservatives.  Organic body care relies on organic plant based ingredients and natural fragrances.   Using all natural and organic bath and body products reduces the exposure to toxins that may someday produce adverse effects.

Many earth-conscious people are concerned with purchasing gifts that are earth-friendly. They scour the aisles for solar lights or all natural, organic cotton products. After all, they believe that giving these gifts will promote a higher awareness of the need for green products and will subsequently lead to an overall healthier lifestyle. But there is one aspect of the gift that many devoted earth lovers forget about.

That aspect is the gift wrapping. People almost always forget to pursue eco-friendly gift wrapping options. The easiest way to do this is by taking a page from the grocery store. In this way, put your presents in reusable bags. They can be as decorative and ornate as you want, and in this way, the bag is almost a gift in and of itself. After all, it’s beautiful, and it’s earth-friendly, because the recipient can use it the next time they give a gift to somebody.