A life less chemical

For Tina Doshi, a Dubai primary school teacher, upholding her self-proclaimed title, "Queen of Clean" has been difficult since moving from London to the UAE. "I searched high and low on the shelves for eco-friendly cleaning products with fewer chemicals, but found that here in the UAE there are hardly any options," she says. After her own trawls through the cleaning-product aisles of the supermarkets proved unsuccessful, she turned to shop assistants for help. But to no avail.
"No one knew what I was talking about, and the ones that did, couldn't understand why I wanted to use these products and not the cheaper ones that are full of chemicals but in high demand." As countless blogs and forums on the subject attest, Doshi's concern is shared by many all over the world. We live in a chemical fog of cleaners, paints and pesticides that are not only bad for the environment but are also potentially damaging to our health. And it's not just a matter of eco-warriors being alarmist: according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air.
"The increase of chemical usage at home over the last couple of decades means that users inhale gas fumes released by the chemical agents. This causes chest irritation and the development of illnesses such as asthma, and could also increase the risk of developing cancer," says Dr Mervat Elmeniway, a UK-based GP who worked in the Gulf for many years. This is nothing new: the issue was raised 20 years ago when a scientific paper presented at the Indoor Air Conference held in 1990 in Toronto, Canada stated that "because of household cleaners, housewives have a 55 per cent higher risk of contracting cancer".
Chemicals used in cleaning products are known to cause other problems, including contact dermatitis, skin and eye burns, chemical pneumonitis and pulmonary edema. Adding to the poisonous fog are paints, some still formulated with lead and most with high levels of volatile organic compounds, garden products (particularly fertilisers, weed killers and pesticides), air fresheners, insect repellents, laundry products, non-stick cooking surfaces and many plastics, including cling film and some of those used for storage containers.
Part of the problem, says Dr Elmeniway, is an almost obsessive fear of dirt and germs, which has been fuelled by a barrage of advertising. Not only are we buying dozens of completely unnecessary products, but we are also compounding the problem by harming our immune systems. "Keeping your children in a completely germ-free home and not letting them be exposed to any germs would be a good thing if they could stay in these conditions forever. However, this never happens, so there's a need to expose children to different environments to help their immune systems respond and develop from an early age."
Awareness of the need to change is gradually increasing among UAE residents. For Yasmine Abbas, an architect, using low-chemical products became second nature during the two years she lived in Denmark before moving to the UAE a year ago. "You almost forget about the issue there - it is so embedded in the culture. And there are strict controls on the type of products allowed. Here, I have seen products on sale that have the words 'dangerous for the environment' written on the label. I don't understand why they are still allowed to be in circulation."
One simple way to avoid environmentally and personally hazardous chemicals is to turn back the clock and follow your grandmother's method: a squirt of lemon juice to shine and polish, and a good old-fashioned soap-and-water scrub for everything else. Doshi has also turned to vinegar for many of her household cleaning tasks. It does the work of dozens of chemical-based cleansers - from removing glue and bath rings to smoothing nail varnish and discouraging fruit flies - and is priced just right.
"What would the British do without vinegar on their chips," she jokes. Similarly, Rachel Simhon, author of The Housewife's Handbook and this section's Housewife Superstar columnist, recently celebrated the myriad uses of salt, lemon juice and bicarbonate of soda for everything from stain removal projects to polish jobs. If you'd rather reach for a store-bought solution, however, supermarkets in the UAE are now adding to their stock of low-chemical cleaning agents. Brands to look out for include Ecover, Go Green, Green Works and Earth Choice.
"It has happened only in the last six months or so," says Elham Monavari, an Australian who has lived in Abu Dhabi for four years and recently cofounded Eco-Chicks, an organisation formed to build public awareness through campaigns and events. "I really had to search for such things before - and eventually found an organic shop in Dubai, where I would go on special shopping expeditions to stock up on low-impact products."
Despite having long endeavoured to use natural cleaning products, Monavari says that her pregnancy was a real catalyst for change. "I met a woman in antenatal class who told me about a brand of microfibre cloths called Enjo, which are sold privately [in a similar way to Tupperware or Avon cosmetics]. They are amazing and you don't need to use any other product with them, so my home is now almost entirely chemical-free."
Making the changes was not entirely straightforward, says Monavari. "My housemaid couldn't understand why I wouldn't buy her usual favourite products. She was almost upset in the beginning. Those of us fortunate to have help at home need to educate our maids and nannies - and it takes time." The education process is not helped by confusing and inconsistent product labelling, but there are some simple rules of thumb - and traps for the unwary. Plant and mineral-based formulations are the best bet, but beware: terms such as "natural" or "environmentally friendly" may not mean what you think. There are no regulations about when a manufacturer can use such words, so read the list of ingredients. One guideline might be this: if you can't pronounce the word, you probably don't want the product in your house.
Consider the organic options before reaching for chemical-heavy products. For instance, if you want an air freshener, consider, instead, lighting a candle (scented ones are great but the same rules apply; if they are cheap, the perfume is probably a synthesised chemical), burning oud, buying a bunch of scented flowers, such as lilies - and opening the windows. In the kitchen, minimising chemical use goes beyond just cleaning products. Aim to use non-reactive utensils - wooden spoons, stainless steel, glass bowls and bottles - rather than plastics and non-stick surfaces. Store food in glass containers, rather than plastic, or wrap it in wax paper, which is much better than cling film.
New to the UAE and available from The One and Crate & Barrel, the Greenpan brand of non-stick pots and pans use a non-toxic compound that has undergone numerous tests by independent consumer organisations and has been found to be safe. As mentioned, paint may be a significant contributor to poor indoor air quality. Along with high concentrations of VOCs in some formulations that remain active long after the paint has dried - for months, even years - they may also contain heavy metals (including chromium, arsenic and lead) which have been linked with mental, reproductive and nervous system disorders when inhaled or in contact with skin.
Fortunately, brands such as Berger, Dulux, and Al Gurg Paints have now introduced paint ranges to the UAE that have no added lead and low VOC content: But, again, it is crucial to read the labels. If you're concerned about the paints in your home, Ace Hardware has a simple and inexpensive gadget that you can place on any painted surface to detect its lead content. Moving out into the garden, remember that pesticides contain "toxins that have only one purpose, which is to kill living things", in the words of James Paul, an organic gardening advocate in the UK. We are perhaps fortunate that the hot climate keeps many bugs at bay, reducing the need for chemicals. However, conditions mean that fertiliser is essential, according to Ralf Stahl from Zeoplant in Dubai. "We are living in a dilemma; the soils here are poor and need nutrients, and it is hard to avoid using chemicals. But there is nothing better than putting nature on nature."
He suggests making our own compost (for food scraps, Monavari uses a system called Bokashu - a compact sealed unit that can be placed on the kitchen countertop and is sealed, to keep smells at bay) or to use organic fertiliser (bagged manure and liquid seaweed are both readily available from the plant souq and garden centres) or the mineral-based Zeoplant. In changing the way you run your home, Simhon advises a commonsense approach: "Don't go crazy, don't dismiss [cleaning products]; they are a blessing to the modern woman, but use minimal amounts."