House Peters Jr., who passed away yesterday, will always be fondly remembered as the bald, muscular, and ear-ringed Mr. Clean who peddled Procter and Gamble products.   And while I mean no disrespect to the gentle giant who was tough on grease and dirt, perhaps his death knell signals a return to healthier, more environmentally-friendly cleaning methods.

Try getting that jingle out of your head.   They just don’t write ‘em like they used to.

The toxins found in everyday household cleansers and detergents create terrible health hazards for both humans and the environment, leaving behind irritated skin, eyes and ears, and polluted groundwater, in the wake of that sparkle and shine.   I began steering clear of many of these products in high school, and while my suspicions were initially unfounded and mildly teased by my peers, the more I learned, the healthier and less-paranoid I felt.   My mind was really made up when I met a woman who developed an auto-immune disorder from exposure to the very chemicals that were supposed to keep her clean and safe as a nurse.   I’m happy to say my parents have since replaced the hazardous items below their sink with green products.

Thankfully many safe household cleansers can be made simply and cheaply from items you probably already have in your food pantry, such as baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and salt.   But for those of us who like a little reassurance (and directions) from a label, plenty of all natural cleaning products can be found in most stores, including Seventh Generation, Simple Green and Ecover.   Many of these companies also offer concentrated cleaning solutions that help reduce plastic consumption and waste.

takepart by signing Women’s Voices for the Earth’s petition and demand that the major cleaning product companies, including Procter and Gamble, disclose all their ingredients and remove toxic chemicals from their products.   And why not throw a Green Cleaning Party?  Mr. Clean would be proud.