HEAL of Southern Arizona

Non-Toxic or Less Toxic

Try to use non-toxic or less toxic products for your person and household.

It is hard to achieve absolute non-toxicity for everyone, but fairly easy to reduce the toxic load for anyone.

· Always read the ingredient list. Look for "contains no added dyes or perfumes". · Look for product not made from petroleum products. · "Natural" is meaningless. · Health Food outlets sell scented products and often some unscented products. · The FDA does not “approve” of toiletries. If it receives many complaints about a particular product, it may investigate. A product must be proven to be carcinogenic or toxic to be taken off the market (i.e., products are presumed safe until proven harmful). · There are two kinds of product sensitivity: 1. Products that are toxic and harmful. 2. Products that cause a reaction in some people.
Less Toxic Personal Care Products What to Avoid, What to Use See below the table for recommendations of specific products
Product Type Please do not use any scented or strong smelling products	Best for MCS Ok for use by most chemically sensitive people	Next Best For visitors to MCS homes, caretakers, and some people with MCS
Body Soap Please Do not use: Deodorant soaps or Ivory or Dove (scented)	“Basic” unscented soaps labeled “no added dyes or perfumes”	Castile soaps (do contain glycerin)
Shampoo Please Do not use: Johnson & Johnson Baby shampoo (it is scented)	For short hair, just use your body soap. Some use baking soda. Shampoo not made from petroleum products and unscented may be ok but, shampoos contain so many ingredients that it is hard to find any that do not cause a reaction for those with MCS.	Shampoos labeled “No added dyes or perfumes or scents”.
Cream Rinse	Cold water, vinegar or lemon juice diluted in water. Conditioners not made with petroleum products and unscented. For dry hair treatment use coconut oil.	Conditioners labeled “No added dyes or perfumes or scents”
Deodorant	Homemade deodorant – 3 parts corn starch or 2 parts clay to 1 part baking soda.	Unscented Deodorants - use caution – many contain strong herbs that may cause a reaction in the MCS. Antiperspirant ok for helpers
Body powder Do not use: talc or baby powder: contain scents and asbestos	Baking soda, cornstarch, arrowroot flour, clay or a mixture of above.	Unscented powders
Toothpaste	Nothing - not necessary according to dentists, baking soda. Toothpaste without formaldehyde with a tolerated flavoring -such as Trader Joes.	Any without a strong scent that is not tolerated by the MCS person.
Mouthwash	Nothing	Hydrogen peroxide mixed with water, lemon juice, bits of clove,
Moisturizing Creams Please Do not use baby lotion, it is scented.	Any tolerable vegetable oil - almond oil and jojoba oil do not get rancid. A mixture of tolerated oils and beeswax	Unscented lotions may be ok, but some have a strong smell of alcohol, please ask.
Makeup	Love your face (not a product, a state of mind) Natural pencils and powders made from clay such as Bare Essentials	Unscented makeup e.g. Paul Penders, Jason, Almay, Aubrey unscented versions, may be ok. But, other ingredients may not be tolerable, please ask.
Sunscreen Always ask before using sunscreen around people with MCS: even unscented versions have a strong odor and are very persistent.	Cover with clothing or stay out of the sun.	Sunflower oil for light protection. Plain zinc oxide for heavy protection. Homemade sunscreen of titanium oxide and oils or waxes
Fingernail polish	Polish with a flannel cloth board - 40's retro style.	Finger nail polish is usually tolerated by EI’s on others when completely dry. It is very toxic when wet.
Shaving cream	Use your body soap (the little left-overs in a mug) with a shaving brush.	Unscented shaving foam, or use an electric razor.
After shave	Hot water; to avoid getting a rash, use a sharp razor and shave before showering, followed by cold water.	Lemon or vinegar diluted with water, Witch Hazel.
Insect repellents Please Do not use Avon Skin So Soft (why do you think it repels bugs?) burning citronella candles.	None - cover or go inside. Try the "mosquito hat"	Try the insect noise machines if you are not electro-magnetically sensitive. Citronella and herbal based repellents (made for animals too.) may be ok for some.
Hair Spray Do not use commercial hair sprays - even in a pump – see Bill Moyer's Report - Trade Secrets	Nothing or kitchen mixtures such as egg white, sugar and water, stale beer (looses its smell), gelatin and water. Aloe vera gel	Styling gels are less toxic and do come unscented.
Scents Do not use any	None	None
Clothing Do not wear Clothing that has been worn in stores or places where there are deoderizers and people wearing scents. Do not wear dry cleaned clothes or unwashed new clothes	Organic Cotton, Natural, untreated Cotton, Older cotton without strong dyes, well washed silk.	Rayon, Linen, Tercel, and Wool are natural and could be ok is washed or aired well. Any clothing that is washed via less toxic cleaning methods enough to get the fabric finish out. (Natural fibers do not cling and thus do not need fabric treatments).

Many manufacturers of beauty products, soaps, and cleaning products are now making unscented versions. You must look carefully though, as they are often labeled “natural”, or “mild scent” or “fresh”. Those all are scented. Climate-friendly, ecological, planet-friendly, recycled, not tested on animals, are all good things, but they do not mean scent-free. Mild nor lanolin nor Castile nor glycerin means unscented.

The best place to look is online. Try vitamin outlets like Vitacost.com. These often list the ingredients. Amazon carries several unscented brands, but a search on unscented will bring up scented also. The ultimate in non-toxic stores is NEEDS a store for and by the chemically sensitive.

Many grocery stores are now carrying at least one type of unscented soap and deodorant, and Seventh Generation or an equivalent brand. Again, it is important to look carefully. For example, most of Tom’s of Maine’s products are scented – but they do make an unscented line.

Target and some Walmart stores carry unscented lines, but the stores themselves are so saturated in air freshener scents that it is difficult for people with MCS to go there. If you do get their products the packaging will smell like air fresheners. Sometimes that can be washed off, but mostly it endures.

Less Toxic Cleaning Products

Task

Least Toxic

Ok For Some People

Laundry

Please Do Not Use Ivory laundry soap (it is scented).

Plain Hot Water, Baking soda, Hexametaphosphate (hexa) To remove fabric finish, try instant milk

Unscented detergents and laundry soaps

Fabric Softener: Please Do Not Use Dryer Sheets, even if unscented

Baking Soda, Vinegar or Hexameta-phosphate – ¼ cup in final rinse

Hanging to dry eliminates most static.

Unscented fabric softeners

Dishwashing and General Cleaning

Hot water and Baking soda

Dishwasher – Hexametaphosphate

Unscented dish soap such as 7^th Generation

Heavy Duty Cleaning

Same as for dishes

Unscented dish soap in a strong dilution, TSP (odorless, but very caustic and must be rinsed off: use gloves)

Windows

Never combine products containing ammonia (e.g. Windex) with products containing bleach - very toxic fumes result

Hot Water

Vinegar or vinegar and salt

Distilled water with a little dish soap and vinegar.

Windex, etc leave an oily residue: remove with alcohol, Ammonia based cleaners: wipe on, do not spray.

Disinfectants[1][2][2]

Do Not Use:

Lysol or equivalent

Borax

Lemon Juice (oil free)

Hydrogen peroxide

Citricidal Grapefruit seed extract,

or Tea tree oil, a few drops in water

Clorox, if not used in the presence of someone with MCS

Cleansers

Baking soda/salt on tacky rag, Emery stone for hard water

ring in toilet.

Bon Ami

Borax

Descale-it for hard water deposits

Deodorizers/Air Freshener

Do not use ANY spray, wick, candle, plug-in or oil

Substitute cleanliness, airing,

air filtration

To absorb odors, Baking soda, Zeolite crystals

None

Pest Control

Do Not Use: RAID or Roundup

Cleanliness

Diatomaceous Earth (do not breathe dust)

Sealing places bugs can get in. Eliminating water sources.

Boric Acid (apply according to istrustion)

Dish soap spray

Alternative Pest Control

7^th Generation and Earth Friendly type pesticide sprays (non-aerosol).

Carpets[2][3] - Do Not Use commercial no-steam cleaning methods or soaps sold with machines at the grocery

Remove carpets

Sprinkle with baking soda and vacuum

Steam cleaning with no soaps and fan drying (commercial process)

AFM carpet shampoo

Acceptable laundry soaps [rinse and dry thoroughly to prevent mold]

When cleaning for a chemically sensitive person be sure to use products that leave no residue or scent.

You may be able to use a product such as ammonia or bleach if the area is well aired and it cannot be smelled.

From the HERC Site (PDF) Hazards of household productsAnd recipes for less toxic alternatives

[1][2][2] Disinfectants: Lysol and similar disinfectants are unnecessary and are highly toxic and carcinogenic.

[2][3][3] Carpet Cleaning – Inexpensive commercial carpet cleaning methods, rented carpet cleaners and carpet soaps leave a carpet in worse condition than before cleaning – they clean surface dirt, but leave an oily, artificially scented residue, which causes the carpet to compress and retain soil, so it soon looks worse. The carpet will not dry thoroughly because of this residue and any water that seeps into the carpet below surface level will run down into the padding and under-floor, allowing mold to grow. If you are having your carpet cleaned, be sure that it is dried by large fans and heaters. The Chem-Dri system is obviously a chemical system and it is generally not tolerable to those with MCS.