EnviroKlenz (product review)

EnviroKlenz is a "laundry enhancer" designed to take stink out of clothing. It actually sounded too good to be true: a product that would clean my yard sale and Goodwill purchases poisoned by toxic laundry detergents...a product that might even clean new, formaldehyde soaked clothing purchases from toxic smell? Would it work on perfume-soaked garments? I was curious, but then I found a few reviews that said it didn't work. Skeptical, I backed away not wanting to spend the $14.99 plus $10.50 shipping charge for the 58 ounce (15 load size) bottle.

Then Mrs. Washington International 2017 who explained in detail how ultra-sensitive her husband was to scented products highly recommended it. This was the same day I bought a whole new wardrobe of [toxic smelling] clothing from the outstanding Cancer Society sale and got incredibly tired of trying to wash each sweater six times and STILL not getting the stink out. So I caved. And ordered.

They ship it priority so it arrived in two days. I couldn't find the ingredients online, but the bottle lists water, magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide. Looks like a process of oxidization. Not sure about that titanium?

I started on my new black spy coat which didn't stink as much the other items. I had machine washed it once in regular unscented detergent, but I could still smell something. This was a machine washable coat on small load cycle, with a tiny bit of detergent and 1/4 cup EnviroKlenz. The instructions warn not to use with bleach or vinegar and warm water works best. Hmmm...it's a black coat...it gets cold water.

At the same time I hand washed a cotton sweater in a tub of water, tiny bit of detergent, and 1/4 cup EnvironKlenz. Yes, that's a lot of EnvironKlenz for a tub, but I want this to work. Too little might not work and be discouraging. For the sweaters I used lukewarm water. I place the sweater in the soapy water, move around a little, squish it a little, swirled it a little, and raise it for a dangerous sniff - no stink. I don't smell any stink!

I continued washing with some soaking for about twenty minutes or as long as a normal machine washing, then transferred the sweater to a rinsing bucket. I'm planning a frugality experiment. I placed the second sweater in the washing bucket used for the first sweater, swished, soak, swish. The water turned murky. After a few minutes I smelled the sweater - it still stunk. It was as if EnviroKlenz stripped the first sweater of the stink, but deposited it in the water. I was washing the second sweater in stink oxidized right into the water. It is necessary to use EnviroKlenz fresh. There is a warning on the label to not leave the cap off or it will lose its effectiveness. I assume if you let the garment soak for too long it would stop working, too.

Meanwhile back in the laundry room, the spy coat is finished. It has a smell, but it's not the toxic laundry detergent. I think it's the EnviroKlenz. Now I did overuse it and probably could have used less than 1/4 cup even in a laundry load with only one garment. Maybe I didn't get it rinsed enough? So I put it through another rinse cycle.

The sweaters also smelled, the cotton ones not so much, but the cashmere reeked. Wool often latches on to stink of any kind. I washed it again by hand with detergent and rinsed all the soap out of it. Much better. Lesson: Don't overuse EnviroKlenz. It has its own stink. I rinsed the cotton sweaters again as well.

Still, it's one thing to smell freshly washed, wet clothing and quite another to wait until the clothes are dry. As they dried, I kept checking for stink and with each sniff my nose burned. After a while with each subsequent inhale, I started feeling sick to my stomach. Hmmm.... When completely dry the cotton sweaters seemed fine. Cashmere not so much. The coat stunk, but it might be from something totally different. It's synthetic after all and now hanging in the garage. I re-washed the cashmere in the washer on the soak cycle without detergent. I think this is the twelfth attempt now. If this doesn't work it'll go in the garbage.

EnviroKlenz does get out the toxic laundry stink quite effectively, but you must rinse exceptionally well because it has it's own toxic stink. I also think I had too much to wash and, therefore, too much exposure all at once. Normally I would detoxify only one garment at a time, not a whole new wardrobe. We'll see. I have confidence EnviroKlenz is still going to save a whole lot of time, toxicity, and water costs. It's been an exposure-exhausting experiment.

I do wonder if it works on formaldehyde and other treatments. I so rarely buy anything new, but if I do, I'll try it and post an update.

UPDATE: It's been months and I've used EnviroKlenz dozens of times...don't waste your money. I'm not sure what it's supposed to do, but removing stink is not it.

Non-Toxic Adhesive Removal

Lately I've been reading a lot of articles about the hundreds of uses for coconut oil. It is heralded as a non-toxic remedy for anything from acid reflux to cellulite, diaper rash to yeast infections. The most interesting use was for adhesive removal. You know, peel the label off a glass jar and what's left is the icky, sticky residue from the toxic glue. In the past I have purchased toxic, chemical-based removers and donned fashionable masks, goggles and gloves. Now, coconut oil doesn't come cheap so I don't know if I'd want to use it a lot for adhesive removal but I thought I'd give it a try just to see if it works. So I spread the coconut oil over the sticky stuff and let it sit for 24 hours. It did nothing. Still icky and sticky.

A friend of mine mentioned peanut butter should also do the trick. Hmmm...is it the oils? I just so happen to have a small jar of incredibly cheap peanut butter I bought years ago for rodent bait.

It smells less like peanut butter and looks more like shortening, but I figured mice, rats, and opossums might like it. There is no way I'd ever eat it. The ingredients are: peanuts, sugar and/or dextrose, hydrogenated vegetable oil (rapeseed and cottonseed), salt. Yes, people really eat this and pretend it's food. The expiration date on this jar is 05-06-08 and I keep it on hand should I ever discover unwanted crawlspace roommates again. Over the years when I see it sitting on the highest shelf in the laundry room I constantly think I should throw that away. I'm glad I didn't now!

I generously frosted the icky-sticky jar with peanut butter and sat it on the counter. How long do I wait? I had no idea so I left it there for a few days. On the third day I took a paper towel and wiped. It all came off including the sticky stuff! Hooray!

Newly inspired, I took all my recycled sticky jars out of their storage and frosted them with peanut butter for some experimentation. The stink of the fake peanut butter was nauseating so I wrapped them in plastic bags.

At 12 hours, the sticky stuff didn't come off at all. At 36 hours, most of it came off but not all. Three days more of it came off but on some jars small dots of sticky was still left. Perhaps that is where it was thickest? Since I'm in the experimenting mood, I decided to try the coconut oil again leaving it on the jar for three days. It all came off!

Hooray! 

Another non-toxic substitute for toxic chemical products!

Who needs chemicals anyway???

Impending Planetary Extinction

My hoard-like supply of Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid, the All-Purpose Miracle Soap is dwindling. I'm down to a mere two bottles, down from three cases. It took me years to get through it. Obviously, I didn't buy enough.

A few weeks ago as I was shopping I came across a display of a new dish washing liquid. It's called Biokleen Natural Dish Liquid. "Biokleen"? I hate it when people change the spelling of words and make it sound like the fake substitute. Like when people in education-type businesses us "skool" instead of "school" which makes one wonder if they can spell. Toys R Us? What does this teach kids?

Of course, "Biokleen" reminds me of "Beau-line" (pronounced "bee-o-leen") which was the toxic make-up poisoning everyone in the latest Catwoman movie, so I wasn't impressed. It's made in my area which is nice as I think supporting local, American products is a good thing. Then I read the ingredients on the label...teeny, tiny print that no human could read without some kind of visual aid, in my case a magnifying glass provided by the co-op's customer service desk. Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Lauramine Oxide, Capryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Grapefruit Seed Extract, C10-15 Alcohols. The weird thing about all these unpronounceable words is after each is (plant-based...whatever) to make those words seems less toxic. I passed it up. My co-op is really good at not selling anything toxic so I wondered how this product got on the shelves? Is it not as toxic as one would think? Did the co-op not read the ingredients? Yeah, it was on sale for $3.99 which was slightly less than the Planet, but the ingredients just didn't set well with me.

My next trip to the store, knowing my cherished supply of Planet was on the verge of disappearing, I thought I should check the Planet display and see if they've changed the ingredients list or whatever. Again I passed the Biokleen display reminding me of their sale. Planet has changed their label, but the ingredients are the same. But the price!! The price is now $5.25 a bottle! When I first started buying Planet it was $3.25 a bottle. By the time I bought the cases it was up to $4.10 a bottle. Jeez. I should have purchased I life time supply!

Before I bought the bottle of Biokleen I unscrewed the cap and took a big whiff. No smell. Hmm. Maybe I should try it anyway? I didn't realize using it with hot water would make it STINK. There is no scent, it's a raw, chemical-like stink that makes me gag. Damn. Oh well!  I should have known.

I'm not sure what I'll do if the new Planet also smells, but for now I'm staying with Planet Ultra Dish Washing Liquid, the All-Purpose Over-Priced Soap.

Chemical sensitivity is expensive....

Tolerable Laundry Detergent!

I've been noticing my Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid, the All-Purpose Miracle Soap sometimes smells strongly on clothing. This is not good. It's only when I hand wash a sweater or something thick. I'm probably not rinsing the soap out adequately, no matter how hard I try, no matter how many times I rinse. Although it works fine in the laundry, it's not really meant to be used that way so even a laundry load never really rinses well and I often have to wash twice to get the soap residue off the fabric.

A few weeks ago I was shopping the house cleaning aisle at my local co-op and thought I should sample the bulk, fragrance- and chemical-free laundry detergent they have for sale. I sniff tested it before pouring and it was fine. I tried it on several loads of laundry and even washed my toilet with it. Soap must be multi-purpose to be justifiable. It doesn't smell nor does it bother me! I re-washed all my sweaters. And it's cheaper than Planet by about half price!

Hooray!

Vehicles and Transportation

Only once in my life did I exist without my own transportation. I was living in a city, walked everywhere, used public transportation for distances, and if I needed to travel long distance I'd rent a car. It was heavenly not to have to pay for gas, maintenance, parking and insurance, not to mention feeling like I was doing my part toward a cleaner environment.

Alternative transportation for the chemically sensitive is more of a challenge. Riding a bike or walking long distances is only an option if you have the energy and health, however, both are constantly compromised and not dependable on a daily basis. Public transportation is risky. Enclosed in a bus wondering if the next rider will stink and knowing you may have to get off in the middle of nowhere is painfully stressful.  When does the next bus come? Who knows. Although most rental car companies strive to provide clean, scent-free cars, renting a car on a full-time basis would be incredibly expensive. And there is never a guarantee when dealing with the unstable variable: previous renters...people!

Living outside a city without your own transportation is difficult; living in the country without transportation is nearly impossible if you want to get anywhere unless you own a horse. Even a simple errand like getting groceries is a major event if you live miles from the nearest store. In search of organic food? Those miles may turn into hours of driving. Depending on another person for transportation is frustrating, especially someone who does not live with you. MCSers need their own reliable transportation for safety and peace of mind.

Shopping and Buying  Eight years ago I was forced to shop for a new vehicle after a crazy man high on Coca Cola and sleeping pills plowed into me at a stop light going forty-five miles an hour. Never mind my injuries, the thought of having to shop for a car was more worrisome. Automobile salesmen are notorious for cologne and used cars are guaranteed to be perfumed with air fresheners. Ditto on private sellers. After a long search, I did find a fragrance-free salesperson who seemed to understand my restrictions. He found a van that wasn't air freshened by snatching it up before it was detailed and asked the detailers not to put stink in the car when they prepared it for purchase.

Detoxifying When I was finally granted custody, it smelled. They did avoid any smelly preparations on the inside, but who would have predicted a freshly cleaned engine would stink so badly inside and out?  I drove home with all the windows down and my head hanging out like a dog.

Once I got it home it took about a week of vacuuming, carpet cleaning with non-toxic carpet shampoos, vinegar bowls to suck up the stink, baking soda all over the carpet followed by more vacuuming, and finally freshly ground coffee beans in bowls sealed up inside over night. I don't know if all this did any good, or if the week of sitting with the windows down was enough time to offgas, but eventually it was clean enough to enter and drive.

Practicality I chose to buy a van even with its less than stellar fuel efficiency as I needed something as a backup should my living area become contaminated. It was definitely a change from my tiny, energy efficient Toyota. It felt like I was driving around with my living room attached behind the driver's seat, but so much potential and well worth the sacrifice. In addition to serving as a emergency shelter, it has moved all my furniture to my current location, carried all manner of construction materials, transported garage sale treasures and freebies, and last fall hauled sixteen loads of rabbit manure, two yards of beauty bark and one yard of river rock. I don't recommend hauling river rock - it nearly flattened the back tires and I drove home with the tail pipe about an inch above the roadway. As mentioned in the previous post, I've often used it for accommodations and camping, too. I love my van.

Maintenance For the chemically sensitive, keeping the vehicle in good running condition is extremely important. Proper maintenance prevents problems such as leaks, ventilation issues, etc. that would contaminate the interior air space.  I also have a fear of breaking down somewhere. Who would I call? If the tow truck driver wore cologne or had air fresheners in his truck, would I be forced to walk home? From miles away? Most mechanics who offer me a ride home from their shops have air fresheners in their car so no matter where I go for maintenance, it must be within walking or cycling distance. Be sure when you take your vehicle into the shop that you state very clearly no one wearing cologne should get in it and no one should be tempted to add an air freshener or anything that stinks.

Interior cleanliness is also very important. The driver is sealed in a tiny compartment with limited air space. Dirt, animal hair, dust, food particles, dead insects, and trash can make this environment intolerable. Opening a window for fresh air will make these contaminants airborne. I vacuum the carpets and upholstery all the time, wash surfaces with vinegar, and occasionally shampoo the carpets with non-toxic shampoo. I also don't leave items in the car as I value the limited amount of air space available.

Mold is a concern in my area of the country and the HVAC system can be easily contaminated affecting ventilation and air quality. Turn on the vehicle, turn up the air conditioning and pour vinegar down the air vents on the OUTSIDE of the vehicle, located above the hood near the window. This simple precaution kills any mold spores, mildew or bacteria. Avoid eating and drinking in your vehicle as dropped liquids or food particles promote mold and bacteria growth as well. (Yeah, easier said than done, I know.)

Driving City or freeway driving especially during high traffic times is enough to kill someone who is chemically sensitive. When I still lived in a suburban area, one short jaunt on the freeway during a traffic jam and I'd have to exit for home, curl up in my bed for a few hours and sleep off the nausea and headache. One way to alleviate the asphyxiating smell of car exhaust is to keep your windows rolled up and turn the air conditioning on full blast making sure the air is re-circulated from the inside rather than using air pumped in from the outside. This is a situation where it is imperative to have a clean interior or the dust, dirt and mold will become airborne creating more breathing problems.

Passengers In the small interior of my van, I become ultra chemically sensitive! Passengers must be truly fragrance-free with no residue on their bodies or clothing. Anytime transportation is necessary, I always volunteer to drive. It's a requirement. If my prospective passenger shows up with even a hint of smell on them, we drive separately. I warn them in advance of my rules.

Shopping and Buying: Ten Years Later Lately, I've been considering buying a more fuel efficient car. My technique is going to a dealership and waiting for the first eager salesperson to approach. As you watch them rush to your side with that I-can't-wait-to-screw-you-over smile, ten to twenty feet away I loudly ask, "Are you wearing any cologne or scented products?" If he says he is I respond loud enough so he can hear it clearly, "I am deathly sensitive to stink, don't come near me." I turn and leave. Sometimes they try to talk me into staying or offer to find another salesperson, but I keep walking hollering over my shoulder, "No thanks!" It sends a clear message.  My belief is if one salesperson is ignorant, there obviously isn't some kind of fragrance-free policy. Sales personnel really should more knowledgeable about health issues of potential customers. If not, they aren't that interested in selling anything. If he says he isn't wearing anything smelly, I exclaim also loudly, "You are my guy! Thank you so much for not poisoning me!" Out of twenty encounters last summer, only ONE wore stink. Another said he normally wears cologne, but the dealership manager was fragrance sensitive and he's not allowed. That is a HUGE improvement! Eight years ago it was one out of every twenty wasn't perfumed!

I've stuck my nose into some of the new economy cars: Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevy, Dodge and the interiors are made with such cheap plastics the chemical offgassing is deadly. I can't even get in them. In fact, I have to select and limit the number of cars I smell with each shopping trip. One bad smell can make me stagger home and crawl into bed.


I have found only two cars I can enter because they don't have cheap, smelly interiors: the Smart Car and Mini-Cooper. They use leather which could be problematic for many but for some reason, I had no issues with it which leads me to believe they must be using a safer treatment. I'm not looking at the more expensive Mercedes or BMWs although I'm sure their interiors are made from quality materials as well. Unfortunately luxury cars are not anywhere near my budget so I have to settle for their economical counterparts. I've considered buying a convertible. I can't imagine being in traffic surrounded by car exhaust with not only the windows down but the roof down, too! These are the factors one must consider when chemically sensitive.

Currently my plan is to save my money and wait for an electric car of quality. Can you imagine driving around without the stink of car exhaust? Mini-Cooper is on the top of my list, but they are in the testing stage. Buying an electric car may involve moving closer to a city in order to use electrical facilities. We'll see. I'm not in a hurry. Until then, I love my van and plan to keep it as a second car anyway. I won't be hauling rabbit manure in a new Mini-Cooper!

Alternative Cleaning Products

Women are statistically more often afflicted with chemical sensitivity because of our traditional roles as house cleaners. Because of this social history, we have been and still are exposed to some of the most toxic chemicals on the planet. I, personally, would like a new role.



I'd rather be an heiress.

Laundry  I am laundry-impaired. Always have been. Unfortunately, unless I win the Lotto someday, doing laundry is a lifestyle requirement I haven't be able to ignore. I use Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid for soap. It bubbles too much so I am careful not to put too much in the washer. Planet laundry detergent makes me wheeze so it's OUT. 


Vinegar is added for germ killing and dye setting with dark clothes, and hydrogen peroxide for germ killing with light clothes.

Borax is used for really dirty stuff, but nothing that I have to wear or sleep on as it's too strong.

Every now and then I use bleach for whites. Because I dislike dull, dingy whites and laundresses needs to use bleach to get them bright, I have few whites in my life. To use bleach, I need to seal off the laundry room, open the windows and wash the load. Then wash it again without bleach two or three times more to get the stink out. (UPDATE: NEW DISCOVERY: Vinegar neutralizes bleach. During the rinse cycle, put on a mask, open the washing machine and dump in about 1/4 gallon of vinegar. Whites come out white without any bleach smell! Same if you inadvertently get bleach on your hands while adding it - wash them in vinegar.)  I've tried hydrogen peroxide for bleach - it's never worked for me, but again, I'm cursed when it comes to laundry skills so maybe it was just me.

I did recently discover ammonia. I guess you are supposed to use it for oils instead of bleach. Am I the only one that didn't know this? As long as I wear a mask, seal the room off, open the windows, I'm fine with ammonia and the smell is gone by the end of the rinse so unlike bleach, I don't have to do multiple washings.  (Ammonia is also used to excite a compost pile into faster composting.)

No dryers here. They damage clothes and waste electricity.

Buying anything new involves washing it multiple times before it's worn. Sheets or other bedding I must wash a minimum of ten times before I can go near them let alone sleep with them due to the formaldehyde and other chemicals manufacturers use to deter mildew in storage.  I opt for organic products whenever possible, but they are very expensive. Most bedding I get is from estate sales, brand new, still in the package, for $3 to $10. Hard to pass up. This is how I end up with whites or dark colors and need to figure out how to wash them safely.

I also avoid buying anything from China as products from China tend to be over treated with chemicals. I never buy synthetic fabrics which are made from petrochemicals. Just the feel of synthetics make me cringe and they always need fabric softener or fabric sheets to stop static electricity and that horrid cling. <shiver>  I stick with mostly cottons and wools, organic if I can find it.



The All-Purpose Miracle Soap

Oven Cleaner Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid, sometimes non-aluminum baking soda, always a pumice scouring stick that gets off any baked on gunk.

Car Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid. It's environmentally safe.



Toilets Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid and Borax. For a good scrubbing or  iron stain removal, I use a pumice scouring stick.


Baths and Showers Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid for bubble scrubbing, vinegar to kill any residue, germs and mildew. (Don't use vinegar on marble - it eats it.)


Windows Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid to scrub off dirt and grime, then hot water and a little bit of vinegar for rinsing. Wipe dry with a rag.

Dishes I use Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid for basic bubbly soap and aluminum-free baking soda or scouring pads for scrubbing.

Carpets I don't have toxic carpets, only wood and tile floors and cotton throw rugs. But on occasion I rent one of those carpet cleaners and do furniture or the carpeting inside my van. I use SafeChoice Carpet Shampoo which is chemical free and odorless. I bought two gallons of this stuff two years ago and I've only gone through a half a gallon so far. First, I rinse out the rental cleaner with vinegar and water. Then I add some shampoo, turn it on, and wash nothing as I flush out residue left from the chemical shampoo. When I think it's properly cleaned and rinsed, I add the SafeChoice shampoo like normal and shampoo. If I ever run out of this stuff, guess what I'll be using? Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid. :)

Floors Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid and peppermint oil with a bucket and a scrub brush. Then I rinse and polish with a towel. I can tolerate small doses of peppermint oil. I use it because spiders hate it and I hate spiders.

No spiders...

Deodorizers and Air Fresheners These products are so incredibly toxic I don't know how anyone tolerates them. Instead of chemicals, I boil some cinnamon or cloves in a pan and everything smells like cinnamon rolls. When I have spider-treated my house with peppermint oil, people say it smells wonderful, but I don't tolerate essential oils much so I avoid using them. Although essential oils are professed to be "natural", jacking up a smell five million times its natural scent is anything but natural. I also use non-aluminum baking soda in a bowl to suck up smells, vinegar in a bowl to rid a room of paint fumes, and freshly ground coffee beans for other, more serious offgassing issues.

Wood Polish I don't have a lot of bare wood in my house, but I have used olive oil and coconut oil on furniture and wooden things. I read that's what was used in history.

My personal stash....

I love Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid. It's the only soap-like product I can tolerate. I emailed the company and told them how much I loved it and they mailed me coupons. It is expensive, and will cost you anywhere from $3.99 to $4.15 a bottle. I wait until it's on sale at $2.99, buy a case, and get another 10% off the whole lot. I also use Planet to wash wounds and kill garden pests!

So...how many different products does one really need to clean?  If you eliminate Pinesol, Lysol, Windex, Tidy Bowl, Mr. Clean, Easy Off, Shout, Comet, Dawn, Pledge, Ajax, Downy, Fabreze, Glade, Renuzit, Bounce, and Tide (I can't even do unscented Tide - it stinks!),  how much poisonous exposure would you avoid per day? How much money would you save? Probably enough to splurge for some organic food!