I’ve written about dusting a lot in the past year. In March I explained the dangers of furniture polish sprays. I also shared a recipe for a do-it-yourself furniture polish made out of lemon juice olive oil, and white vinegar. I issued a dusting challenge. And I explained how I switched over to a different way of dusting without any chemicals or sprays.
In many ways, today’s just a review – but a timely one, since dusting is a typical way to prepare for a holiday party.
Why should you get rid of chemical dusting sprays?
The Environmental Working Group analyzed 46 different furniture polishes and 52 percent (24 products) received a rating of F – while 28 percent (13 products) received a D. Only 1 product received an A. And only 3 products received a B.
Forgive me for stating the obvious, but furniture polishes and dusting sprays are hazardous to your health.
What’s so bad?
Take, for example, almond-scented Old English Furniture Polish. It received an F because it contains the following ingredients of concern:
- Cyclotetrasiloxane affects human development, as well as endocrine and reproductive systems. It’s also toxic to aquatic life – and that’s a problem once you wash your dusting rags and it’s rinsed away and enters the water supply.
- Mineral Spirits may damage DNA, cause cancer, and affect your respiratory system.
- Petroleum Gases, liquefied, sweetened may damage your DNA and cause cancer.
- C12-20 Isoparaffin may be a carcinogen.
A natural option
To avoid inhaling a bunch of toxins while you dust your home, you may want to try your own homemade furniture polish. Simply whisk together the juice from half a lemon, a little olive oil (twice the amount of the lemon juice) and a splash of white vinegar. Rub this mixture on wooden furniture with a soft dusting cloth and enjoy the natural shine!
What I use
When I’m strictly dusting my home, I use two Norwex products – the Norwex dusting mitt and the EnviroWand. The dusting mitt fits easily over my hand and greatly reduces my dusting time. Dust clings to the microfiber and I can quickly dust surfaces with just a swipe of my hand.
For hard-to-reach areas, I love using the EnviroWand. I can easily dust ceiling fan blades, the top of my refrigerator, and under beds and heavy furniture with the wand. I also use it to dust corners and my ceilings. As a petite person, this EnviroWand makes my cleaning so much easier and quicker because I can clean areas without having to climb up and down a stepstool.
How do you like to dust your home without using chemicals?
Disclosure: I am an Independent Sales Consultant of Norwex. Opinions of Norwex products are my own. I will receive a commission from the products purchased through me. Thank you in advance!
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I mostly vacuum everything… we have a few antique pieces of furniture and they have lots of small corners… so to vacuum with the furntiure brush is just the easiest way. I never used those sprays, cause my mom never did, so it never even crossed my mind. We just used a damp cloth and later when they became popular microfiber cloth to dust.
I still use the occasional swiffer duster. That’s my one luxury :)
Otherwise I use a Trasan cloth which is a really nice microfiber cloth.