Natural Stain Removers Help Protect The Environment
It's a paradox: as more and more consumers look for ways to reduce the environmental
impact of the products they buy, they find themselves wondering if there's a natural way to make up for the shortcomings of industrial products.
Is there such a thing as a natural product, for example, that removes tablecloth stains made by highly processed foods? Cuts through stains left by that unappealing mixture of aluminum-based antiperspirant and armpit sweat? Gets that bit of factory-line lipstick off of an old handkerchief? Can you remove stains caused by industrially-produced chemicals or highly processed foods by using a safe, non-toxic, all-natural cleaning product?
Most people would answer that question, "Probably not." And there's another paradox: even though cleaning is, in itself, an activity in which we try to remove imperfections and impurities, restoring an object to something like its "original" state, we mostly associate cleaning with using harsh and unnatural chemicals. Maybe this isn't so surprising. After all, given the heavy chemical content of the cleaners most of us have grown up using - from the harsh-smelling products that kept school cafeteria floors shining dingily to the bleach-based sprays for cleaning white fixtures, it's hard for us to imagine that cleaning might not involve scouring our possessions with powerful industrial synthetics. We're not always sure how to remove stains without using something based on chemicals so strong they had to be synthesized in a chemist's lab somewhere.
But it turns out that, as it is with most things, nature has been fairly creative and assisted with ways to clean up unsightly discolorations. The most basic is cold water. Though many of us tend to reach for the hot water tap when it's time to clean up kitchen accidents, the fact is that heat sets stains. Therefore, for cleaning purposes, cold is often the way to go, unless there are bacteria or germs to be killed as well. (Coincidentally, many nature-conscious consumers tend to turn their washer settings to "Cold" because it cuts down on energy use and saves money.) Unfortunately, if water cleaned everything, we wouldn't be having to look into natural cleaning products at all.
Vinegar, in use for centuries as a foodstuff - the name comes from the French, vin aigre, "sour wine" - is also a reasonably effective cleaning agent when diluted with water, though the smell is unpleasant. But even vinegar only works with some lighter sorts of stains, and isn't likely to replace the stain-sticks sold by detergent companies any time soon.
Good old fashioned soap was the way people fought stains for many centuries. Soap recipes that rely mostly on natural ingredients are fairly easy to find in cookbooks and in books on sustainability and green-friendly living. However, soap can leave its own stain-like impression - as anyone knows who has ever cleaned out a shower. And many commercial soaps have dyes and other added chemicals (for smell's sake), which makes the problem worse.
These types of folk remedies work well enough with many simple stains. Unfortunately, the more complex the stain is, the more complex its remedy must usually be. This is why even the most hard-line natural product advocates tend to give up when it comes to, for example, permanent marker stains. Permanent markers such as Sharpie(R) use an ink that is made specifically to resist water - so how easy is it going to be to clean? One home remedy often suggested as a stain remover for permanent marker is nail polish remover - but this harsh (and strong-smelling!) chemical is clearly no option for those who want to use all-natural products. And this remedy also leaves a residue.
Thankfully, there are new innovations in stain removal that are made from ingredients to safely remove ink and other stains from a variety of surfaces. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Partnership Program, Design for the Environment's (DfE) Safer Product Labeling Program has recognized a number of cleaners with the DfE Safer Product label. The DfE mark enables consumers to quickly identify and choose products that can help protect the environment and are safer for families.
So when tough stain removal is the objective, remember that there are safe, natural stain removal products on the market today. Today's natural stain removal products can safely remove even the toughest stains while also protecting fabric, leather, vinyl, and many other surfaces from future stains.
by: Kara Knapp
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