Safe for Kids: 5 Nature-based Household Products You Should Try

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We all want the best for our families, and this applies to everything related to our family and home life, too — the food  we prepare and serve, the education which we provide for our kids, the kind of entertainment we have, and so much more.

Indeed, when it comes to giving the "best," we want to make sure that we have covered all the bases — and this applies to the products we use to keep our homes clean and pest-free.

Most likely, though, we may not be aware that some of the products we use may actually contain harmful ingredients.

Take, for example, something as basic as dishwashing liquid. Most conventional brands of dishwashing liquid contain the chemical triclosan, which has antibacterial properties. However, triclosan also has potentially harmful effects.

Richard Mesquita of AquaMD, the water testing division of the American Water Council (considered one of America's premier testing laboratories) describes why triclosan is not as safe as it may seem on well-known natural health and wellness advocate Dr. Joseph Mercola's website:

"Triclosan is a type of chlorophenol. Chemicals containing chlorophenol are known as powerful pesticides, which means they are very good at killing things like insects and small rodents. That's why triclosan is added to antibacterial soap, detergents and other products: To kill any bacteria they come in contact with.

"Unfortunately, common sense tells you, when you add chemicals designed to kill things to consumer products, you are going to have trouble. And in fact, many consumers complain about skin rashes and other irritations when using products containing chlorophenols. Chlorophenols are linked to cancers too."

Thus, taking an alternative route when it comes to the products we use at home is definitely worth exploring. To help you get started, we list 5 nature-based household products that you should check out:

1. Nana Yaya Dishwashing Liquid
This dishwasing liquid is made of sabonel (a natural substitute of SLEs, which is usually found in conventional dish soap), coco dye, ethyl alcohol, fruit extract, and food grade colorant. It cleans effectively without any harmful side effects.

Available in 1-liter bottles at all SESOU Nature Source branches for P110 each. (You can view the complete list of their branches on Facebook.)


2. Human Nature Tough Love Natural Liquid Detergent
This 100% natural product is completely biodegradable, and 100% free from chemicals. Its gentle formula is also non-drying on hands, and leaves clothes smelling clean without any harsh chemical residue or fabric stiffness. The detergent contains no phosphates, chlorine, bleach, dyes, enzymes, petroleum, synthetic fragrance nor optical brighteners — so you can rest assured that it is 100% safe for your family!

Human Nature Tough Love natural liquid detergent retails at P299.75 per 950ml bottle, and is available online via www.humanheartnature.com, or at Human Nature stores and dealers nationwide.


3. Messy Bessy Anti-Roach Spray
This product will help get rid of pesky cockroaches without any toxic fumes. Comprising a blend of patchouli essential oil, sugarcane alcohol, deionized water, and coconut-oil-derived emulsifier, parents can confidently use this spray in any room or area even with their kids around.

Available in 2 sizes: 500 ml for P450 (comes in a convenient spray bottle) and 2 liters for P1,100 (comes in a big refill container, with no spray). You can purchase the spray online via the Messy Bessy online shop: http://messybessy.theshop.ph/. It is also sold at all SESOU Nature Source branches.


4. AMALA Pure Natural Laundry Powder
AMALA Pure Natural Laundry Powder is made up of all natural ingredients, with alkyl polyglucosides (APG) from potato and corn as its main ingredient. It is hypoallergenic and 100% safe for babies as it contains no harsh chemicals like phosphates, optical brighteners, artificial bleach, phtalates and dye. It is also 100% biodegradable, making it safe for the environment too.

AMALA is available in 1 kg packs for P232. You may order it from The Parenting Emporium via theparentingemporium@gmail.com.


5. Plantex Anti-Dengue Solution
Another quality product from Plantex, this dengue outbreak control (DOC) multi-purpose solution is made up of 100% plant-based ingredients. It is available in concentrated form so you just have to dilute 20 ml of it with 500 ml of clean water in a spray bottle for easy and effective protection from dangerous mosquitoes.

Spray it in places where mosquitoes are likely to breed for to prevent the growth of mosquito larvae. You can also use it as an odor eliminator and disinfectant.

Plantex Anti-Dengue Solution is sold for P780 per 500 ml bottle, and is available at all SESOU Nature Source branches.


Reference:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/06/04/dish-washing.aspx