Antibacterial Wipes For Kitchen??

[Sophia3]

Hi

This is on topic since controlling our surroundings is vital to our health.

My room mate suddenly feels he needs these darn wipes to clean the kitchens the rare times he cooks.

He got some EASY LIVING BRAND that stank so bad, it burned my throat and lingered forever. the counter tops stank forever afterwards like a cheap perfume.

I NEVER use this stuff but wash hands and use paper towels for drying hands after handling meats.

but is there a compromise? I HATE strongly scented stuff, it affects many of us.

I can NOT find a holistic approach online to this dilemma.

Has anybody tried the diluted bleach of 10% bleach to 90 % water? Does that smell strongly and is it enough? I use that ratio to clean bird feeders in the laundry room. I do it quickly.

the kitchen here is part of a giant great room and near the furnace. So not only does it stink up the entire place but it gets in the furnace the next 20 times it cycles...its bitter cold so opening up the windows is not an option.

So I threw the current bottle in the garbage can with the bags of dirty cat litter....but he asked I BUY the next brand...the sprays I can lift the lid and smell them but he likes the wipes...tho I find them a waste of cloth and litter...but sprays can be rough too.

Oh, to get rid of the odor in the kitchen, I sprinkled dry coffee grounds on the counter. coffee is a natural deoderizer.

Thanks for any input.

[yogini]

Hi Sophia,

I've always loved the blue version of Fantastic (oxygen?) because it has hardly any smell. It comes in a spray, though, not wipes. I also have Lysol wipes and the smell is also mild. I used to be horribly sensitive to smell, but not so much anymore, so maybe someone else can confirm.

-Rita

[Rachel]

Sophia,

As far as wipes go, baby wipes don't bother me. But they aren't all that disinfectant! I suppose they're better than nothing, though.

For cleaners my husband uses vinegar and rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. It's about the only thing that doesn't bother my throat and lungs. When necessary he uses a bit of bleach in the bathroom.

Wish I had more suggestions! There just isn't much out there for people that are sensitive to chemicals.

Rachel

[MomtoGiuliana]

I would look at the products offered by alternative/organic food stores. I like the ECOVER brand of cleaners. The scents are mild and natural and the cleaners are effective.

Also, I agree that just simple vinegar and water works wonderfully.

I would never use standard chemical products for a host of reasons.

Katherine

[lalalisa]

Hello,

Smells really "Get to me" as well. Lately i've been using products by "Method." (Target carries them) They are non-toxic, don't smell strongly and are safe for the environment.

(So far the only "Method" brand product that didn't smell well was there "daily shower spray" with Ylang Ylang.)

Here's a link:

http://www.methodhome.com/products/detail....athroom_ttspray

Lisa

[Tanzanite]

If you want something natural use about 10-20 drops of pure tea tree essential oil in a 500ml spray bottle of water. It's an excellant disinfectant. They used to use it to clean hospitals! (perhaps they should go back to it !)

[calypso]

I use Simple Green lemon scent all over the house. It's one of the safest and cheapest products available. The fact that you can theoretically drink it makes me feel good about it. You can buy it at almost any hardware store and many grocery stores. I do NOT, however, like the original scent (green). It is gross. I also use very diluted bleach/water mixtures if something has to be disinfected, and vinegar/water mixture and an ammonia/alcohol/water mixture also very sparingly. Ammonia really stinks but cleans certain things very well.

There is a line of products called Mrs. Meyers that also are very good and natural, but they are quite expensive.

FYI, I also use some air freshener that is just made from oranges. I can't think of the name, but I love it because it has no garbage ingredients in it or perfumes.

Amy

[Rachel]

Funny thing about Simple Green - it is actually the worst cleaner for me to be around! I don't know why. I thought it would be fine since it is non toxic. But it was the first cleaner that I started having a reaction to. I can't breath around the stuff without coughing. Maybe I didn't dilute it enough, I don't know, but I'm afraid to try it again!

It might be okay for most people, but do be careful. If Simple Green does work for you, that's great, because it is a really good cleaner.

Rachel

[pat57]

cut a lemon in half, use it like a wipe. Wipe- but wait 10 minutes (for thoro cleaning) and wipe with water (or it will be sticky). Really cleans. Vinager and water for glass or chrome.

[jlmahon]

I refuse to use any chemical cleaners in our house. A while back my sister-in-law gave me a recipe for an all-purpose cleaner and I have to say it works better than any chemical cleaner I have ever used. It contains natural disinfectants and you can custom design the scent. Here's the recipe:

2 tsp borax (natural mineral found in laundry aisle)

4 tbsp vinegar

2 tsp all-purpose liquid soap (I use Dr. Bronner's)

20 drops essential oil in scent of your choice (I add lemon to my kitchen cleaner, lavender and tea tree for my bathroom)

Add borax to a 32 oz spray bottle. Fill bottle 1/4 full with hot water and shake to dissolve borax. Add vinegar, soap, and essential oil. Shake to combine.

I use this cleaner for virtually everything. You don't have to worry about contact with food because it's all natural. We save so much money too. I will never go back to chemical cleaners.

Here is a recipe for a homemade fruit and vegetable wash:

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp citric acid

10 drops lemon extract

Add above to 32 oz spray bottle and shake to combine.

[Rachel]

Tanzanite and Hanna,

Where can one find essential oils?