Breathe Easier at home with VOC free paint

I talk about the importance of eating whole food free of chemicals, dyes and toxins  in about 90% of my posts. Food is not the only place toxins come from, they are all around us and especially in our homes.  Many of you have asked about the progress we are making on our new home, that we moved into over the winter. Until very recently my answer was not much. We've spent a ton of time cleaning everything and also reclaiming the yard to get our organic garden growing in time. Other than unpacking, not much progress had been made indoors.  Until my home is very bright and colorful it just doesn't feel finished to me yet. We had to delay painting when we first moved back in December because it posed two main problems:
1) if you paint when its too cold the paint get air bubbles trapped in it

2) you can't open a window for fresh air in so yo get all fuzzy headed from the fumes and feel like you need a gas mask.

We got some basic painting done with the use of some extra space heaters. Now that the warm weather is here, we're painting like crazy.  As far as the euphoria  & nausea created by  fresh paint fumes, we had none because we discovered VOC free paint.

VOC stands for volatile organic compounds, a fancy term to describe chemicals that leak out of solids and liquids in the form of a gas. When you hear articles in the media about carpets or paints off-gassing, the VOC's are the primary culprits they are talking about.  The most common places you find it in our home are in new wallcoverings, furniture such as matresses, carpeting and most predominately in your wall paint.

In extreme cases exposure to too many  toxic VOC's can lead to symptoms such as sensory irritation of the eyes, nose, throat; neurotoxic or general health problems; skin irritation; nonspecific hypersensitivity reactions; and odor and taste sensations. This is known as sick building syndrome.  People with allergy concerns, especially those suffering from asthma tend to be the most affected.  

The way I see it, being surrounded by too many toxic chemicals is never a good thing so I choose to use VOC free paint.  I 've tried several and Olympic brand is very inexpensive compared to its competition and i like the selection of colors too.  It actually makes painting much more pleasant, there is no strong paint smell hanging in the air for days, actually not even while you're painting. You an start combating indoor air pollution by making sure there are plenty of nature's air filters,  plants, in your home and good ventilation. You can also help reduce VOC's in your home with a few easy practices, courtesy of Gaiam. com:

Formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds are guests that have worn out their welcome.

Our indoor environment is often far from pristine places. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates people spend as much as 90 percent of their time inside, mostly in their homes. You work hard to create a sense of comfort and peace in your everyday spaces. Shouldn't you also decorate with health and quality of life in mind?

Eliminating the hazardous chemicals found in traditional household cleaners is a great start. But you and your family may also be cozying up to hidden toxins lurking on walls, under the couch cushions and beneath your feet. These chemical concoctions off-gas for years into indoor air, potentially impacting your long-term health.

1. Find Formaldehyde-Free Furniture

Most people don't think of their furniture when assessing their indoor air quality, but if yours is made from treated wood or particle board, it probably contains formaldehyde, the same chemical used in funeral homes as a preserving agent. A study by the California Environmental Protection Agency says indoor levels of formaldehyde are typically several times higher than outdoor levels.

Formaldehyde was recently classified a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization. And according to the American Lung Association, short-term effects of exposure to formaldehyde vapors include eye, nose and throat irritation as well as coughing, skin rashes, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and nosebleeds.

If you're planning to remodel your kitchen, choose cabinets made from solid, untreated wood. And phase out your particle-board furniture, such as shelving and office desks, with pieces made of natural materials such as hardwood, rattan and iron.

2. Stop Sleeping with Chemicals

You've heard that you spend approximately a third of your life in bed. That's roughly 25 years in this one room in your house.

Most mattresses contain considerable amounts of synthetic and chemical-based foams, plastics and artificial fibers, and most box springs are made with chemically treated wood and chemical adhesives. Next time you buy a mattress consider one made from more health-conscious materials, such as natural fibers and untreated wood. In the meantime, a mattress cover made of barrier cloth can help isolate a chemical-laden mattress.
Also consider that most bed sheets are made from cotton, a crop that takes 25 percent of the world's pesticides to grow by today's common agricultural methods. And most conventional sheets have a formaldehyde-resin finish to make them "easy care" and/or water-resistant, and to reduce shrinkage. Use organic sheets made from natural fibers — organic cotton is readily available in a wide range of styles and colors from low-impact dyes.

3. Change Your Paint Color Along with VOC Levels

You know that new paint smell? It usually has something to do with the chemicals added to paint to improve spreadability and durability. These volatile organic compounds (VOCs) evaporate at room temperature and can damage the kidneys, liver and central nervous system, according to the EPA. While the paint is drying, VOC levels can be up to 1,000 times outdoor levels, and VOCs will continue to off-gas at much lower levels after the paint dries.

When shopping for paint, look for one that contains VOC levels of 150 grams per liter or lower, advises Mother Earth News magazine. Or, better yet, choose from the growing selection of no-VOC paints.

4. Walk Away from Synthetic Carpets

VOCs don't just come from your walls; they can also come from your wall-to-wall carpeting. The American Lung Association says new carpet — as well as the adhesives and padding used during installation — can be a source of VOC emissions and act as a "sponge" for chemical and biological pollutants. For example, pesticides used on lawns can be tracked inside your home and remain inside the carpet fibers.

Leave your shoes at the door and opt for natural flooring such as sustainably harvested hardwood, bamboo, cork or tile, and no-emission carpeting of natural fibers such as sisal or wool.

All of these simple changes improve the quality of your indoor environment — as well as the environment outside. Sustainably harvested natural materials are gentler to the planet and can actually help promote healthier ecosystems, so you'll help clean your surroundings outside your home, too.

Homemade Household Cleaners

A while back I had a friend who accidentally splashed some typical household cleaners in her eyes. Most cleaners are not environmentally friendly for the planet, or your body. The chemicals burned my friend's eyes to the point she had to see a specialist about repairing the damage. It been over a month and she just was able to get the bandages removed from her eyes and she will be using prescription drops for some time. It got me to thinking about ways to clean without exposing my loved ones (including the furry children) to potentially dangerous chemicals.  The answer when I was growing up was to put a "Mr. Yuck" sticker on everything to let us know that these products were dangerous & to stay away.

I don't think this is a good enough solution. I've been researching homemade cleaners  made from every day items & testing them out. Here are a few that work well and will save you some serious money too.

• Baking Soda- Baking soda's mild abrasive action and natural deodorizing properties make it a powerful replacement for harsh commercial scouring powders. Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge to tackle grimy bathtub rings, scour vanities, or remove food deposits from the kitchen sink. For tougher grime, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply to the tub or sink, and allow to stand for 10 to 20 minutes. Dirt, soap scum and deposits soften and are easier to remove. Slow-running drains? Keep bathroom drains running freely by pouring 1/2 to 3/4 cup baking soda into the drain, and dribbling just enough hot water to wash the solution down. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, then flush thoroughly with hot water. The deodorizing effect is an added bonus! [Do not use this method on blocked drains.]   Carpet deodorizer: Sprinkle baking soda around the room – my son thinks this is the most fun ever. Add some dried crushed lavender or basil. Wait about 1/2 hour. Vacuum
• Lemons- there is a reason why most commercial household cleaners smell like lemons, because they not only smell good, but they're great for cleaning! Have a stinky sink? Drop a couple of lemon wedges down the disposal & run it...tah dah instantly fresh.  Have a dirty microwave? Place a bowl with lemon wedges (oranges work too) & water in the microwave. Cook for 3 minutes. The microwave will smell wonderful & the caked on gunk wipes right off ! Metal rust: Mix 2 tablespoons salt with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Apply and rub well.
• Table Salt- is amazing stuff. Got a red wine spill on the carpet? Do not blot at it! Immediately pour a heaping pile of salt over the spot. Cover it with a towel and leave it alone for 24 hours. The next day remove the towel and vacuum up the salt. The stain will be gone.  If you have a hot spill in the oven , sprinkle it with salt. Mix some baking soda – I just toss maybe two tablespoons with into a cup, with some water to make a thin paste. Use an old toothbrush or bristle brush to scrub it down.
• Vinegar- Mildly acidic white vinegar dissolves dirt, soap scum, and hard water deposits from smooth surfaces, yet is gentle enough to use in solution to clean hardwood flooring (and doesn't leave streaks on tile floors). White vinegar is a natural deodorizer, absorbing odors instead of covering them up. (And no, your bathroom won't smell like a salad! Any vinegar aroma disappears when dry.) With no coloring agents, white vinegar won't stain grout on tiled surfaces. Because it cuts detergent residue, white vinegar makes a great fabric softener substitute for families with sensitive skin.
• Rubbing Alcohol- Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol provides the base for an evaporating cleaner to rival commercial window and glass cleaning solutions. Use this glass cleaning spray recipe for windows, mirrors, chrome fixtures and for a shiny finish on hard-surface ceramic tiles:
  
  
  Homemade Glass Cleaner Recipe
  
  Mix in a sprayer bottle:
  
  1 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
  
  1 cup water
  
  1 tablespoon white vinegar
  
  
  Here are a few more cleaning recipes & tips:
  
  
  
  1. Clogged sink and bathtub drains: prevent clogs altogether with the amazing drain trap. I’m shocked at how many people don’t use a drain trap. I got one at Home Depot for under two dollars – five years ago. If you have a sluggish drain, pour a cup of white vinegar plus one cup baking soda into the drain. Let that sit for a few minutes (it will bubble). Flush with a teapot full of boiling water. If you really have issues, use a snake or plunger. Drain cleaner is honestly something you should never have in your home
  2. Everyday toilet cleaning: Sprinkle some baking soda and lemon juice into your toilet and walk away. Eventually you’ll want to return and scrub it with a toilet brush. Bachelor pad toilet cleaning: No offense guys – I’ve seen my fair share of bachelor pads though. Spray vinegar around the bowl, sprinkle with baking soda, scrub.
  3.  Musty stuff: Say you have an old suitcase or truck that’s all musty, but you’d like to use it. Fill it with recycled crumpled newspaper let it sit for a week. The paper will absorb the smell (mostly) then, fill a mister bottle with water, add a few drops of tea tree oil, lightly spray the case and leave it open to dry.
  4.   Disinfectant all purpose cleaner: Mix a few drops of natural soap, 2 cups water, and 15 drops each of tea tree and lavender essential oil (you can use just the one oil- but 30 drops, I just like the mix). You can spray this on all surfaces, like cutting boards, counters, toilets, walls, (except it will streak glass). This stuff disinfects but is so safe you can actually spray it on your baby – you can’t say that about most commercial household cleaners.
  5. Silver polish: Rub silver with plain old toothpaste and rinse with water
  6.  Furniture Polish Most of us no longer use hard-to-apply furniture wax, but rely on oil-based polish to keep furniture protected and shiny.
     This "salad dressing" version avoids the danger of silicone oil, found in most commercial polishes and sprays. Silicone oil can penetrate tiny cracks in furniture finish and enter the wood, causing problems in the event refinishing is needed. Lemon juice dissolves dirt and smudges, while olive oil shines and protects the wood:
     Furniture Polish Recipe
     Mix in a sprayer bottle:
     1 cup olive oil
     1/2 cup lemon juice
     Shake well and apply a small amount to a flannel cleaning rag or cleaning cloth. Spread evenly over furniture surface. Turn cloth to a dry side and polish dry
     
     
  Benefits of homemade cleaners:
  
  
  
• Less packaging waste. You’re not buying new bottles over and over.
• Less expensive. I actually started making homemade products before I was really all the way green – why? To save money.
• Less harmful (often not harmful at all) to humans, animals, and the earth.
• Less noxious home smell. Homemade natural cleaners always smell better than store bought. Well, except vinegar – but I have major vinegar issues. There are ways to mask the smell of vinegar though – not completely, but somewhat. Lavender essential oil and lemon juice both work some to hide the icky vinegar smell. 

I hope these tips help you keep a cleaner & safer home for your family.