David Suzuki’s very own Queen of Green is inviting Canadians to breakup with their household cleaners with a 4 week Spring Breakup Campaign to help rid our homes of everyday cleaners that could potentially be harming us and our family.

Over the next 4 weeks, Lindsay aka Queen of Green will be offering advice on how to avoid toxic chemicals and make healthier choices with the environment in mind, of course.  And, just to make things a little more fun and interesting-  each step along the way, you have the opportunity to win some great prizes from RONA and Sears, among others.

You of course, don't have to be Canadian to take part (just need a Canadian mailing address to win), but the real prize by signing up is knowing that you are putting your best clean foot forward in your green journey.

This is the break down over the next four weeks:

• April 10th- Do you know what toxic chemicals are in many household cleaners?
• April 17th- What isn't listed on the label of your favorite household cleaners?
• April 24th- Are green cleaners as effective as your favorite big brands?
• May 1st- Is it time to break up with your cleaners?

This week being the first week, Lindsay offers a Sustainable Shoppers Guide to Cleaners, which can be downloaded once you sign up. So- what are you waiting for?

In the mean time, here are her 5 tips for purchasing everyday products:

• Read the labels– some companies don't even list all their ingredients or just put fancy names for some making you think you are making a smarter choice. Just because a company says they are “green” or “eco-friendly” or environmentally-friendly” doesn't mean they actually are. These labels mean different things to different people. Let's call that greenwashing– a term describing the deceptive use of green PR or green marketing in order to promote a misleading perception that a company’s policies or products (such as goods or services) are environmentally friendly. The term green sheen has similarly been used to describe organizations that attempt to show that they are adopting practices beneficial to the environment, a whole other topic. Be vigilant and do your homework
• Go fragrance-free– basically “fragrance” is just a mix of chemicals to give off an odor. Just go unscented to be safe.
• Wash with plain soap– some germs are good, so skip the anti-bacterial soaps. FYI- many bacterial soaps contain triclosan.
• Freshen air naturally– keep those windows open and let the fresh air in. Mix a few drops of essential oils or lemon/lime juice with some baking soda and voila air fresher. That is what I use when my composted is a little smelly. Synthetic freshers are just masking the smells, and besides don't you find you get a headache when using them? I do.
• Simplify– less is better. Don’t buy 5 or 10 different products to clean. You know- baking soda, vinegar, lemon and castile soap go a long way. Those are the 4 products I personally use for cleaning.

To find out what chemicals to avoid- you will have to sign-up and download the document. I know- I am a green tease.

Will you be pledging to reduce or remove all the harmful chemicals from your home?

If so, please join us to help you along your path to a healthier and greener you, family and environment!

Source: Queen of Green