Household chemicals

[Odsox]

I know that Green Aura will tell me to make my own, but this is an area that I've never been particularly 'Ishy

A few years ago I started to get scabs on my scalp, just like many young men of my age
It gradually got worse to the stage where I frequently drew blood just by combing my hair. The shampoo that I used and had used pretty much since they first marketed it, was Head & Shoulders and looking at the "ingredients" one day saw that it contains 23 chemicals, most with unpronounceable names, but including Hydrochloric Acid.
The next time we went shopping I bought a bottle of Baby Shampoo and after using it for a couple of months I now have a nice smooth scalp (like the proverbial baby's bum)

I also suffer a bit with sinuses, self inflicted by destroying them by smoking for 40 years even though I gave up 15 years ago.
Every morning I woke up with moderately painful blocked sinuses which cleared soon after I got up. Then on one of our trips away I realised that I had clear sinuses when sleeping in a Premier Inn, which pointed to the probability that I am allergic to washing powder/liquid/conditioner and switching to a hypoallergenic one has all but cured that one too.
Probably soap nuts would be even better, but ...

Now all I need to do is find out what's causing my back ache.

[Flo]

I expect that if you gave up gardening and sitting in a comfy chair in front of the computer you'd cure the back ache Mr Odsox! Seriously back ache is often using the wrong tools and sitting in the wrong position.

I'm not into making my own household chemicals either so Green Aura can lecture us both on this one. However I do use Faith in Nature shampoo and conditioner which can be counted expensive but which leaves me without itches and dandruff and which is vegetable ingredient derived. That goes for their hair conditioner and shower gel which have stopped my itches. I'm trying some Suma own brand shampoo and conditioners which come in 5 litre sizes for decanting which seem also to do the trick. Must be the lack of chemicals.

Am using Ecover non bio for laundry but may road test something else on the next purchase and go for a vegetable based one (these come under the hypoallergenic option). Methinks the fabric conditioner is the problem here. Green Aura may well agree that either drying more outside or using vinegar is a good option. Could be cheaper

Have you looked at washing up liquid, carpet cleaners, window cleaning (vinegar man), various polishes used round the house?

[Green Aura]

No lectures from me. I haven't made any soap etc for years - we are still using up some I made for my shop!

I stopped making my own washing powder when I could no longer buy soap flakes from the supermarkets round here and it got ridiculously expensive getting it online (the dratted Highland surcharge). So I'm currently using a sensitive skin non-bio supermarket own brand (not the one beginning with T - theirs smells horrid IMHO ) while I decide on a better option. But I only use vinegar for rinsing both clothes and my hair. It works so much better than any conditioner I've tried - fabric ones smell awful (you may have noticed I'm rather sensitive to lab-made smells) and hair ones make my hair greasy, no matter how little I use.

As I'm allergic to housework I don't use carpet fresheners - opening the window seems to deal with that or polishes, although I do have a jar of beeswax with essential oils for odd, special bits and pieces. A quick once over with one of those micro-cloths seems to do the trick on most things and my table is scrubbable.

I wonder, Tony, if the problem was that you were using too much of these things, or that they were too noxious. Are you killing of all the natural bacteria on your body, which leaves the way open for all sorts of other nasties that can cause skin disorders, sinus problems and all sorts of other complaints (although maybe not backache)? The more gentle things you've changed to will be less damaging.

You could also try preserving some of your harvest by lacto-fermenting which will help replenish everything - as well as being bloomin' lovely. Maybe I could interest you in some kefir grains? Think tangy yoghurt, which is incredibly easy to make and nigh on indestructible. We have either kefir or one of the fermented veg - kimchi, sauerkraut etc with each meal.

[Odsox]

Are you killing of all the natural bacteria on your body

Err no, I grew up in the era when you had a bath every Saturday night whether you needed one or not, and that's what I still do.
If I do a lot of sweaty work during summer I might have a shower when I finish, but I'm pretty sure I didn't even do that this year.

Maybe I could interest you in some kefir grains?

Maybe you could. I do have yoghurt every morning on my muesli, mainly the whey tipped off of the Lidl Greek yoghurt, which I have on stewed fruit for pud instead of custard.

[Green Aura]

I'll sort it forthwith - before you change your mind.

[Odsox]

Seriously back ache is often using the wrong tools and sitting in the wrong position.

.... or falling off a ladder a couple of years ago.
Actually it's not that bad, I just have to stop and sit down when it tells me to.
It's a bit like when I was younger, I used to stop regularly for a "fag break" especially as I rolled my own. I missed that when I packed up smoking, but now I have an excuse to have "back break", which just involves a sit down and a ponder.

[Weedo]

not buying into this one