March 19, 2024

Dangers of Shower Curtains & Bath Safety Mats

It’s the start of a new year and many of us have made resolutions we may or may not have already given up on.  I gave up on making resolutions a long time ago but I do still try to make positive changes to my life on a regulartoxin rubber duck basis.  New information frequently makes me change something I’m doing or thinking.

Which brings me to today’s topic…

Toxins!  Specifically shower curtains and bath safety mats made with PVC.

In the Home and Garden section of Sunday’s edition of the Post & Courier, yes I still get the newspaper, I found an article that gave me some concern. Now I’m not a germaphobe or anything like that.  I don’t freak out upon reading something that scares me but I am willing to make changes when it makes sense to do so.

I do enjoy keeping up with things and pretty much everything in my home has a place.  I’m a bit of a neat freak but by no stretch of the imagination am I an ecophile but I do feel responsible for doing my part.  I try to be environmentally conscious and I’m always baffled as to why I’m the only one on my street who sets out recycling every Wednesday night and so on.

That being said, the previously mentioned article made me want to run screaming and tear down my shower curtain!

Did you know that Polyvinyl chloride, more commonly known as PVC is suspected of causing developmental delays, liver damage, and respiratory problems?  Do you realize that this same PVC is used in plastic shower curtains and bath safety mats as well as many other plastics in your home?  I didn’t!  I knew about the piping of course but honestly, I never gave any of it much thought.

Evidently, I need to replace my vinyl shower curtain liner with one labeled PVC-Free.  They are made with a safer plastic known as EVA.  The second option of course is to use a cotton or polyester liner. Now I don’t know whether my shower curtain has pvc in it.  I may not.  I don’t know because there is no way to tell once you’ve thrown the packaging away.  I’ll pay more attention in the future.

In any event, I’m doing a lot of updates around my house right now and now is as good a time as any to get a fresh shower curtain liner and bath mat.

I browsed around the web, checked out the  Target website and finally decided on a extra long shower curtain liner at Amazon.   Although, I’m big on reading reviews and there is only one review for this product, it was given a 5 star rating by the reviewer.  She really likes it and says she would buy again in the future.  It looks like what I need anyway.  Soft Sensations Clear PVC-free Extra Long Shower Curtain Liner.  It’s mildew resistant and I always buy the extra long shower curtains because I make a mess otherwise.  This one is great because along with all that, it’s pvc free.

Ikea Kids Patrull Bathtub Mat Crocodile GreenI looked over the bathmats and didn’t see anything I was crazy about until I saw the Ikea Kids Patrull Bathtub Mat Crocodile Green  I just couldn’t resist how much fun it would be to have it!  I’m always musing about what people think when they look behind my shower curtain anyway.  This will sure surprise them.  You know who you are!  🙂

One last thing, while we are on the topic of toxins in the bathroom, if you are like me and have a thyroid problem, you might want to swap out your soap.  According to the article, Triclosan is the main ingredient found in many antibacterial hand soaps, gels and body washes.  There is evidence that the ingredient interferes with thyroid function and, if that’s not enough or you don’t have a thyroid problem, Triclosan is also linked to creating “superbugs” that are resistant to antibiotics.

So what’s the alternative and possibly more healthy way to suds up?  It turns out to be a very simple solution actually.  According to the FDA, “there is no evidence that Triclosan in antibacterial soaps and body washes provides any benefit over washing with regular soap and water.”  So there you go.  Sometimes the old stuff IS still the best stuff!

Well, that’s it for today.  I feel better about my own bathroom and about letting you know about the secret dangers lurking in your own bathroom.  Shouldn’t the packaging have to give a warning about this or am I just being over sensitive?

Happy Showering,

Leigha sig

 

 

P.S.  Hey ya’ll, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter.  There are some big changes taking place here at GardenDecorativeItems.com and my newsletter subscribers are always the first to know about happenings around here.  You’ll get my best tips, excerpts from my posts, home and garden projects, and advance notice about contests on the site.  Watch for the February edition for some big news!

P.S.S.  Be sure to share this info with anyone who has children.  This knowledge might save some family a lot of heartache.

 

 

Olive Oil Soap and Other Natural Homemade Beauty Products

Happy New Year!Happy new Year 2010

Since today is the first day of the new year, I thought that something to lift body and your spirit was in order.  With a few veggies and a few natural ingredients that you probably have on hand, you can give yourself a treat and help yourself put your best foot forward in the new year. Whether for olive oil soap to other natural and homemade beauty products, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to make your own homemade and natural beauty products!  Have some fun with it.

As you know, nature is the newest trend in skin and hair care. For years, we’ve been putting chemicals and preservatives into our bodies that build up and over time, make us feel tired and sick, regardless of whether we eat them or apply them to our bodies. People are finally catching on that natural is better way to treat ourselves.

Whether you find your beauty products at the Department Stores or in the discount stores, practically everyone carries lines of “natural” beauty products. Unfortunately, they often come with a big price tag attached too. Often times many of these products are not actually “natural” so it does pay to do your homework to ensure you are getting what you pay for.

avocadoAnother aspect of these “natural” beauty products that most of us don’t even consider is the packaging.  Today most of the packaging used by cosmetic companies is not biodegradable and perhaps even not recyclable.  Do mother nature, yourself and your pocketbook a favor and try making some of the products you use yourself at home with ingredients from your own garden.  Your fruits and veggies don’t have ANY packaging!

Making most of the beauty products you need yourself isn’t too difficult. So if you want beauty products that you know are natural and are also inexpensive, just make them yourself. Here are 5 quick and easy recipes you can make at yourself.

To get you started, I found these simple recipes with just a few ingredients each.
olive oil2Olive Oil Soap

  • 80% olive Oil
  • 20% coconut Oil

Or, to make about 4.5 lbs of soap, you would use:

  • 40 oz. olive oil
  • 10 oz. coconut oil
  • 16 oz. water
  • 6.9 oz. lye
  • Between 1.5 and 2.2 oz of fragrance or essential oil, according to your preference.  You can find basic soap making instructions and other olive oil soap recipes here.

natural face maskFace Mask

Eating good food helps give you the right nutrients you need to look good.  You can get more of these vitamins and minerals by putting the good stuff right on the skin.

Combining a mashed carrot, mashed avocado, and a beaten egg with a half cup a few tablespoons of honey creates a great face mask that provides vitamins, and improves the tone and texture of your skin. Just stir well, apply, let sit for about 15 minutes, and then wash off with cool water.

After you’re washed and nourished your skin, you can use grated cucumber or diluted lemon juice as a toner to help tighten your skin and close up your pores to close your pores and keep your skin looking great.

Hair Conditioner

Many people pay a lot of money for a conditioner that actually makes your hair look and feel good. Here’s a great natural recipe to save you money and help your hair.

Just mix an egg yolk with a tablespoon of castor oil and apply to hair. Let sit for about ten minutes and rinse out. You can use this every so often as a conditioning treatment for healthy shiny hair. If you like being experimental, you can try mixing other kitchen items, herbs, and natural items with eggs for healthy, shiny hair.

Hand and Foot CreamNatural Beauty Products

A quick face mask will help make you look great in not a lot of time, but hands and feet require extra care.

Use ½ cup of olive oil mixed with natural sea salt and massage into your hands and feet. Leave a few minutes to soak and then rinse off with warm water.

When it comes to natural beauty products, these recipes are just the start.  You can find hundreds of different combinations in natural beauty books, magazines, and on the internet. Or you can go to your kitchen cabinet and make your own special creations.

A new year and a new decade.  Many opportunities await!  I am optimistic that the new decade holds many new opportunities for us all.  May you enjoy happiness, health, and prosperity in the coming year.

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