The Naturally Healthy Bathroom

It makes sense to pay careful attention to rooms where potential plumbing problems and pathogens abound. How do I clean without harsh chemicals? How do I keep the environment free of mold and mildew? Here are a few suggestions for keeping your bathroom clean, fresh-smelling, and healthy.

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Mold Prevention

Check the baseboards. Are they soft to the touch? If so, you may have a mold problem.

Check the distance between the tub and the drywall. Drywall is always a potential host for mold because of the combination of darkness, moisture, and cellulose, which offers food for mold growth. If the drywall comes close to the side of the tub, consider installing splash guards to prevent drips and splashes. (AFM Safecoat offers a non-toxic caulking compound that's useful for applying the splash guards.)

If you think you have a mold problem, consider testing your bathroom. See the Where Do I Begin? entry to learn more.

See these Mold Prevention Tips for additional suggestions on preventing bathroom mold.

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Shower Curtains

Choose shower curtains and curtain liners carefully. Vinyl shower curtains emit hazardous chemicals such as DEHP, a phthalate that is a suspected carcinogen and has been linked to hormonal disruption in humans. See this study by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice for more information.

EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) curtains offer an excellent alternative to vinyl. EVA is chlorine- and phthalate-free. Washable fabric curtains are chemical-free and can be laundered weekly to prevent mold growth. Glass doors are another excellent option.

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Cleansers

Any non-toxic cleaners you use in other parts of the home can also be used in the bathroom. White vinegar (diluted or full strength) is the best all-around cleaner and can be used to clean tubs, toilets, floors, and even mirrors.

For added protection against mold and mildew, add several drops of tea tree oil and grapefruit seed extract (GSE) to the white vinegar.

For those who find the smell of tea tree oil or white vinegar offensive, consider adding cinnamon essential oil or pine essential oil to the diluted vinegar. Lime also helps soften the odor.

An odorless option is 25 drops of GSE blended with 1 c. water. Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and use as you would white vinegar. No rinsing required.

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Scrubbers

Powdered sugar shaker jars make great containers for scrubbers.

Baking soda makes a simple scrubber. Place in jar and sprinkle onto surface.

For a heavy-duty scouring powder, combine 1/2 c. baking soda with 1/2 c. washing soda. This mixture will require extra rinsing.

For a fragrant scouring powder, combine 1 c. baking soda with 1/4 c. crushed and dried rose petals. Add 2 drops rosemary essential oil.

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Toilet Bowls

If needed, wear plastic gloves and remove toilet bowl stains with a pumice stone.
Cleaning the toilet bowl involves two steps, which can be done in either order:

• Pour 1 c. borax into the toilet. Let sit overnight. Clean with toilet brush in the morning.
• Pour 1/2 c. white vinegar into bowl. Add 1/2 c. baking soda. As the vinegar neutralizes the soda, a fizz is created, which aids in the cleaning process.

After the bowl is cleaned, add three drops tea tree oil (or essential oil of choice) and allow to sit in the water until the next use.

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Disinfectant

1. Hydrogen peroxide. For added protection, follow the white vinegar cleanser/toilet bowl cleaner with 3% hydrogen peroxide. A study done at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University concluded that this combination kills almost all Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli O157:H7 bacteria. See this article for more information.
2. Vinegar of the Four Thieves. This recipe has been passed down since the time of the Black Plague, when robbers rubbed a mixture of herbs and vinegar on their bodies to protect themselves from certain death. The antibacterial herbs vary from recipe to recipe. This is adapted from the book Better Basics for the Home:
   
   
   Place a handful each of dried lavender, rosemary, sage, wormwood, rue, and mint in a 1/2 gallon glass jar. Pack them in tightly. Pour raw organic apple cider vinegar over the herbs, covering them to within 4 inches of the top. Cover jar tightly and set in a cool, dark place for 3-6 weeks. Shake jar daily or several times a week.
   
   After the allotted time, strain. Pour strained vinegar into spray bottles. Dilute if desired.
   
   This can also be spritzed into the air of a sickroom. Be sure to avoid eyes and mouth.

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Antibacterial Hand Soap

Conventional antibacterial soaps contain triclosan, a synthetic antimicrobial agent used in a wide variety of household and personal care products. (See this article to learn more about the hazards of triclosan.)

A simple alternative begins with a hand soap pump bottle. This can be reused or purchased new. Fill with a mixture of 1 c. filtered water and 3 tbsp. liquid Castile soap. If refilling a foaming soap dispenser, use less Castile soap. To extend the shelf life, add 3 drops grapefruit seed extract. You can also add several drops of lemon or lavender essential oil.

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Drain Cleaners

Plungers or plumber's snakes are often needed for clogged drains. For minor backups, pour 1 c. washing soda into water around drain. Water should go down. If not, try adding 1 c. white vinegar. Use washing soda weekly to keep drains flowing freely.

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Feel free to transition into these products slowly, taking it one step at a time. Once you try them, you may never buy expensive hand soaps, cleansers, or scrubbers again!

Toxic Talk Alert

On Tuesday, October 25, I'll be joining my husband Chris on Moody Radio's Chris Fabry Live! broadcast for another Toxic Talk Tuesday. Our topic this time will be "The Naturally Healthy Bathroom." We'll also be testing your chemical awareness with a few quiz questions about some of the household products we encounter every day. I hope you'll join us! Tune in live at 2:00 p.m. Central time or visit the Chris Fabry Live! website to listen via stream or podcast.

How To Do an ERMI Mold Test

Dust sampling can be a good way to assess the health of your environment. The ERMI (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index) test is recommended as a place to begin. Several labs offer this analysis, including EMLab P&K, EMSL Analytical, and Mycometrics.

Below is an interview regarding dust sampling with toxicologist Dr. Jack Thrasher, a leader in the field of indoor air quality.

Why is a dust sample preferable to an air sample when testing your home for mold?

Air sampling is unreliable because the results are too variable. Air sampling only identifies mold spores to the genus level. It is important to know the species of mold. Mold spores are present in the dust and the dust can be examined for species of mold using PCR (ERMI) testing. For example, we did a building in Bermuda. Initial air samples indicated low concentrations of mold spores. We then disturbed the indoor air with an aerosol of sterile fluoroethane. The spore counts went up as high as 250,000 spores per cubic meter. Thus the spores entrained in dust were redistributed into the indoor air.

Do you recommend the ERMI test as a place to begin when testing for toxic mold?

I always recommend the ERMI tests. The moldiness index is not too meaningful, particularly for sensitive and high-risk people. The portion of the ERMI test that is important is the identification of mold species. Often dangerous molds, such as Aspergillus versicolor, fumigatus, and flavus along with certain species of Penicillium are present. These species cannot be determined by spore counts because Aspergillus and Penicillium species have almost identical spore structures. Also, Stachybotrys does not readily shed spores, but can be found in dust and bulk samples by PCR analysis.

When vacuuming for an ERMI test, is it best to vacuum in one spot, or take from a variety of places around the home?

I personally recommend doing dust samples from various areas of the house. Excellent samples areas are refrigerator coils and other hidden dust accumulation areas (e.g. under washing machines), giving the history of the home since installation of the appliances. Dust from the top of drop-down kitchen cabinets is another source. One can also use carpet dust, although this may not tell the whole story. In conclusion, collect dust from areas in the house that do not readily get cleaned. Keep all dust samples separate from each other. If the dust samples are mixed, one does not know which areas are most contaminated. However, if there is no concern for the areas involved, one can mix the dust samples. I also recommend taking bulk samples of mold growth and subjecting them to an ERMI test.

Is it best to keep the house closed up for a day or two before taking an ERMI sample?

This is not a necessary requirement. The reason is that certain molds are associated with different substrates. For example, Stachybotrys requires a cellulose source, such as drywall, while others species of mold will be associated with flooring and carpeting.

Do I need to vacuum areas that I don't suspect have been affected by the mold?

If mold is indoors and in wall cavities, all areas of the home are probably affected. Therefore do the dust sampling as discussed above. Some areas may have fewer spores than others; however, the mold spores will drift throughout the house.

What about bacteria?

Both Gram-negative and -positive bacteria are also found indoors. The Gram-negative are producers of endotoxins. The Gram-positive release toxins. The Gram-positive bacteria are Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and various species of Bacillus that can be pathogenic. In addition, the Gram-positive bacteria includes the Actinobacteria, including species of Streptomyces, nontuberculin Mycobacterium, and Nocardia, to name a few. The Actinobacteria are potential pathogens and release toxins into the indoor environment that are more toxic than the mycotoxins produced by molds.

What is involved with taking bulk samples?

Bulk samples are just what the word means. One cuts out a piece of the contaminated materials, e.g. drywall, carpeting, etc. Put it in a Ziploc bag, date and label the bag, and send it to the testing lab. If litigation is involved, then a chain of custody is needed and a witness to the sampling.

How does one test for bacteria in the home?

Bacteria are tested in buildings and homes the same way. One can use bulk samples (see above) or sterile Q-tips. Take samples of suspected contamination. Culture using sheep blood agar (SBA) and TSA (Trypticase soy agar) at both 35 and 50 degrees centigrade. Have the laboratory identify the bacteria to genus and species. Also, ask them to culture for Actinobacteria. The Actinobacteria bacteria are slow growing and require several days to identify.

If I see visible mold but have no ill health effects, should I still test my home in this way?

Yes. How does one know that they do not have ill health effects? The health effects can range from just sneezing through systemic conditions of not feeling well.

What is important to emphasize about testing for toxic mold?

Too much emphasis is being put on molds. The indoor environment is a complex mixture of biocontaminants (mold, bacteria and their by-products).

For more information on Dr. Thrasher's work, visit his website.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

I wrote the following article last week answering the questions, “How do I cope with the losses associated with a toxic mold exposure? How do I move past the emotional devastation of losing my home, possessions, health, and often friends and family?” I wrote the article for the Global Indoor Health Network, an organization dedicated to raising awareness of the health effects of mold and other indoor contaminants. Here is the article as it appeared in their October 7, 2011 newsletter.

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It’s been three years since we walked away from our home and life as we knew it. We left twenty-six years of baby boxes, heirlooms, treasured books, and precious memories behind and walked into an unknown future.

As with any catastrophe it’s hard to grasp the magnitude of such a loss until it’s broken into heart-sized pieces. We grasp the magnitude of an earthquake by looking into the eyes of an orphan aching for his mother. I feel the loss most keenly when I picture Ryan’s beloved Barney lunchbox or our firstborn’s baby book complete with locks of hair. Why is it that losing “everything” is easier to bear than the thought of Shannon’s indelible etching of “Merry Christmas” in the wood mounting of our bathroom door?

We’ve been in crisis for three years so I’ve had little time to dwell on specifics, but the gaping heartache rarely leaves. I would give anything to know what I know now and go back to the comfort of friends and “normalcy.”

I wonder how we would survive a different tragedy. There’s something unique about losing a home to toxic mold because of the loneliness that stems from the lack of understanding. If your house burns in a fire, you lose everything but insurance generally covers the cost of rebuilding. With most companies, mold is written out of the policy. The financial repercussions pale in comparison to the life-long health implications. Would a tsunami be easier?

I’ve found comfort in the biblical account of Job who lost everything, including his children. My children survived...but my dreams for them died. There have been no boils covering my body—I’ve just had debilitating memory loss. We didn’t lose fields and livestock; we lost 3/4 of an acre. Still, I relate to Job. His friends, after all, blamed him for his disaster. They accused and questioned, just like mine.

Perhaps my greatest comfort has been the epic character of Frodo in Lord of the Rings. Frodo is given a task. Little does he know the magnitude of what has been asked of him. His first step is to leave the comfort of the Shire. The further he gets, the more difficult life becomes:

“In that lonely place Frodo for the first time fully realized his homelessness and danger. He wished bitterly that his fortune had left him in the quiet and beloved Shire.”

Many days I wish I were back in my Shire. Perhaps one day I’ll stop looking back. For now I echo these thoughts of Frodo:

“How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart you begin to understand...there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep, that have taken hold.”

Despite his misgivings, Frodo moves forward. He has no choice. And neither do I. This is what it means to cope: to take the next step, however small or unknown.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.

“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

Introducing momsAWARE

I spoke with a mom last week who called from a hotel, one day after her family had vacated their toxic home. Since moving into the home in 2005, her health has declined. In her words: “I made a steady slide into poor health, including interstitial cystitis, fibromyalgia, tremors, metallic taste, electronic shock pain in body, swollen joints, tingling in scalp, severe and chronic costochondritis, autoimmune problems, thyroid problems.” She tried everything to regain her health, including nutritional strategies such as juicing and avoidance of all sugar and processed foods.

Nothing helped. Her children became ill. Her husband became ill. Her dog died. Six months ago her parents moved in and they too became ill.

“I never once suspected mold,” she says.

Extensive research led her to the discovery that toxic mold can cause these various symptoms. Last week when she discovered six jackets covered in yellow, green, purple, and black furry mold, she and her family vacated their home.

“I’m worried about finances. I’m worried about whether we will recover. I’m worried about the legal implications of walking away from our home. How on earth we are going to pay for all that is coming our way, I just do not know.”

This mother’s story is all too common. It's our family's story, and so many others. This week marks three years since we found ourselves in a hotel, asking these same questions. Over the course of these last three years, I have spoken with dozens of families who have experienced this devastation.

For this reason I have a passion to raise awareness not only about toxic mold, but also about the hazards of pesticides, chemicals, EMFs, personal care products, and more. It is my dream to provide financial assistance to families just like this one.

So it is with great excitement that I introduce momsAWARE, an organization dedicated to seeing this dream become a reality. We are currently completing the incorporation process and will then apply for 501(c)(3) non-profit status with the IRS, which will allow us to accept tax-deductible donations as a qualified charitable organization.

We have an active website which includes articles, podcasts, videos, recipes, and helpful links. We’d love to have you join our Forum and visit us on Facebook for our daily educational tips and links to helpful resources.

Our website can be viewed here: momsAWARE.org

I am also very excited to let you know about our very own All-Natural Lip Balm! My daughter Megan and I have developed this recipe, which includes nourishing Jojoba Oil, luxurious Apricot Kernel Oil, sweet Lemon Oil, and the rare Melissa Oil. This lip balm has done wonders for our family! We plan to add seasonal versions with ingredients such as white fir for winter, lavender for spring, citrus for summer, and cinnamon for fall. I invite you to try our momsAWARE All-Natural Lip Balm by visiting our Online Store.

The world is slowly awakening to the connection between toxicity and health. Join us as we seek to encourage and empower, one searching family at a time.