Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living 
asked by librarian on November 6, 2006 10:22 AM
These days, more and more people are saying no to "better living through chemistry" and yes to a lifestyle that is less toxic and more environmentally friendly. This trend toward a more natural lifestyle has become something of a crusade for Annie Berthold-Bond, author of Better Basics for the Home. After developing hypersensitivity to even very low concentrations of chemicals, Berthold-Bond was forced to rid her life of as many toxins as possible. "It wasn't until I had to be away from chemicals that I began to realize how many we lived with. The extent of the contamination is startling--from hair spray and floor wax to dandelion killers and plastic shower curtains and other products that line our hardware stores and supermarket shelves."
This book represents the culmination of her search for a more sustainable lifestyle. Taking her cue from an earlier time, Berthold-Bond, former editor in chief of Green Alternatives for Health and Environment, offers more than 800 simple and practical alternatives to common household toxins, covering everything from skin care to gardening. And the good news is that adopting her suggestions and formulas isn't hard at all. "Mixing up face creams or wood stain isn't much different than cleaning the windows with vinegar, soap, and water instead of using Brand Name X, or making a cake with flour, eggs and milk instead of buying a mix," see asserts. "With a few simple staples we can clean our houses, wash our hair, rid the dog's bed of fleas, and do many other things as well." If you have your doubts, here is her formula for metal polish:
3 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon flour, and enough white distilled vinegar to make a paste. Scoop the paste onto a clean sponge, and polish the metal clean. Rinse with hot water and buff dry.
Sure, these days it's literally impossible to lead a life that is completely toxin-free. But you can significantly reduce your exposure, and picking up a copy Better Basics for the Home is a great way to get started.
Reviews
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This is one of the first books that I read on the subject of green cleaning and how very toxic some of the household products we have all grown up using really are. The book contains a vast array of home-made recipes for everything you can think of and not just for house-cleaning but also for personal care as well. Annie also infuses the book with her humor and wit as well as her recommendations for commercial green products for those who would rather not make the investment of time and money in making the recipes. Some recipes are very simple and others are more involved. This book is an excellent reference and resource for anyone looking to expand their green clean library.
reviewed by mags on November 22, 2006 4:35 PM
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I purchased this book because of the positive reviews at this site, and have not been disappointed.
If you want to remove most of the "dangerous" chemicals from your home this is an excellent resource for how to prepare your own cleaning products at home. The book does cover some of the dangerous chemicals that are normally in the products that most of us buy everyday. However if you want a more thorough discussion of potential toxins in and around the home check out either "The Healthy Living Space" or "Toxic Overload". Both of these cover the topic of potential toxins in the home in more depth.
This book does a nice job of covering the basic products that you can use to clean and disinfect your home. The author gives many recipes in this book for a variety of products.
The book is organized as follows:
1. The Basics
2. Housekeeping
3. Skin Care
4. Whole Body Care
5. Gardening, Pets, and Pest Control
6. House Care and Hobbies.
I was surprised, but pleased, to see that the author included formulas for lip balms, cuticle cream and mouthwash.
If you are really interested in keeping a green home I would suggest a steam cleaner in addition to this book. I have written a review of the SAECO Piccolo, also on this site, if you are interested. Which ever brand you select, a steam cleaner is an excellent product to have if you are interested in green cleaning.
Overall, I highly recommend this book for those that just beginning to embark on a green home program.
If you want to remove most of the "dangerous" chemicals from your home this is an excellent resource for how to prepare your own cleaning products at home. The book does cover some of the dangerous chemicals that are normally in the products that most of us buy everyday. However if you want a more thorough discussion of potential toxins in and around the home check out either "The Healthy Living Space" or "Toxic Overload". Both of these cover the topic of potential toxins in the home in more depth.
This book does a nice job of covering the basic products that you can use to clean and disinfect your home. The author gives many recipes in this book for a variety of products.
The book is organized as follows:
1. The Basics
2. Housekeeping
3. Skin Care
4. Whole Body Care
5. Gardening, Pets, and Pest Control
6. House Care and Hobbies.
I was surprised, but pleased, to see that the author included formulas for lip balms, cuticle cream and mouthwash.
If you are really interested in keeping a green home I would suggest a steam cleaner in addition to this book. I have written a review of the SAECO Piccolo, also on this site, if you are interested. Which ever brand you select, a steam cleaner is an excellent product to have if you are interested in green cleaning.
Overall, I highly recommend this book for those that just beginning to embark on a green home program.
reviewed by fazer on November 26, 2006 2:07 PM
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Annie Berthold-Bond has done a lot to help clean up America. I used to use tons of chemicals to clean my home, but no more. Her scrubby cleanser was the first recipe I used and I no longer worry about sticking my hands in a bleach based scrubby cleanser to do the job. I love her Castille soap recipe and we now use it as a face and body bar and it also makes a great shampoo bar. No more plastic shampoo bottles and sodium lauryl sulfate to worry about any more. I actually clean my home more because I know that I am not being poisoned in the process. Thanks Annie!
reviewed by iconfess on November 28, 2006 10:19 AM
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I found this book very informative, I had just finished reading Kevin Trudeau's Natural Cures... This book just verifies what I have heard and read the past few months about toxic chemicals, and explains why I have had allergic reactions my entire life. This is a must read for anyone interested in living a cleaner, healthier, less-toxic filled life, lots of good home made recipes for cleaning products, beauty products, etc. Well worth the money and easy reading.
reviewed by radar on November 29, 2006 7:24 PM
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This is an excellent book for anyone interested in a healthy, environmentally-friendly, budget-conscious lifestyle. It is amazing how much information this book contains. There are good basic recipes for just about any concoction you could imagine keeping around your house, from soap and toothpaste to window cleaner and wallpaper paste to actual paint. The book is very informative and well-written as well, a relief in this age of junk publishing.
I use this as a core reference book, and when I feel like doing more research on a specific subject I fan out from there (there is a bibliography in the back). I have learned a lot from this book, and it has inspired me to work towards a 100% natural lifestyle.
This book is money well-spent. Great for wedding presents too!
I use this as a core reference book, and when I feel like doing more research on a specific subject I fan out from there (there is a bibliography in the back). I have learned a lot from this book, and it has inspired me to work towards a 100% natural lifestyle.
This book is money well-spent. Great for wedding presents too!
reviewed by versed on November 29, 2006 7:25 PM