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Hand sanitizer is everywhere. (Maybe even on your hands right now.) Playgrounds, school lists, grocery stores, TSA lines, waiting rooms, gyms… even, oddly, next to the sink in many public bathrooms. The goal? “Clean.” Friendly Bacteria Outnumber the Bad Guys The dirty secret: The good bacteria far outnumbers the bad amongst the daily grime. Every swipe of antibacterial gel or …

For years, we’ve been sold that “clean” meant to sanitize, disinfect, antibacterial everything. But the dirty secret is that the good bacteria far outnumbers the bad amongst the daily grime. We were constantly getting rid of gazillions of friendly bacteria for fear of germs. Soon things began to get a little funky. So funky the FDA made Triclosan and other …

Phthalates is one of those terms that keeps coming up in discussions of natural and safe products. But you’re not alone if you’ve seen it and wondered: what is it? Is it really a thing? Or just marketing? Phthalates are the chemicals used to make fragrances last longer in cleaning and personal care products. That crazy strong “pine” or “lavender” …

The average American wasted 219 pounds of food in 2010, according to the EPA. That’s more than the weight of the average American man (we checked). Beyond saving money, less food waste is a little way to save IT PREVENTS GLOBAL WARMING Discarded produces methane gas, the second most common greenhouse gas. Keep landfills lighter and less gassy. IT SAVES …

Cold and flu season often leads people to grab an old-school bottle: bleach. Here is why cleaning with bleach is not a great idea: FUMES Anyone who’s cleaned with bleach knows – it stinks! Even at low concentrations, people with asthma and other respiratory sensitivities or conditions may experience heightened symptoms after exposure. Irritation such as burning eyes, irritation in …

The Connection Between Cleaning and Self-Care Does a clean kitchen mean all is right in your world? Can scrubbing your bathroom de-stress better than a massage? Has sweeping felt like moving meditation? The laissez-faire cleaners amongst us might say you’re lucky. Science would say you’re on to something. The Psychological Benefits of a Clean Space Living spaces are energetic extensions …

Green. Clean. Natural. Sustainable.  There are so many ways products say “better for you” now that it’s hard to know if any of it really means anything. Rather than add to the confusion, here’s our take on food grade and then some. What is “food grade”? Food grade ingredients meet the FDA standard to be safe for people to eat …

Winter means Christmas movie marathons (Elf and Love Actually, anyone?), making the most of unexpected snow days, and windows that stay closed 24/7 to keep the house cozy as possible. But while it may save on heating bills and prevent seasonal shivers, keeping your home sealed tight isn’t actually great for your health. When smoke, flu viruses, dust, mold spores, …

Fact #1: you spend about a third of your life in bed. Fact #2: Crummy mattresses can sap your energy and make you a sore, sluggish zombie the next day. It’s just good sense to get the best quality mattress you can afford—and quality isn’t just about how a mattress feels. Most conventional mattresses are made with materials that emit …

Here at Aunt Fannie’s, our Google News alerts are set to help us stay up to date with everything related to a healthy home environment. From cleaning tips and air quality updates to new research about the microbiome, we’re doing the research to pass along the best tidbits of helpful and exciting info and big ideas right to you. Here’s …

While some people are drawn to the picture-perfect colors of fall (yellow leaves, orange pumpkins, and gold miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups) we’re all about the aromas. From spicy chai lattes and the first fires in the fireplace to pecan pies and that can’t-quite-describe-it smell of crisp October nights, the scents of autumn make us wish it were twice as …

Nothing puts a damper on trick-or-treating like stepping around a mushy pumpkin and being swarmed by a hoard of fruit flies while you’re at it. Keep your jack o’ lantern on point through the spooky season with these tips: Pick the right pumpkin. Just like thumping watermelons yields the best summer barbecue slices, paying attention to your gourds pays off …

Saturday, September 22nd is the official first day of fall, but we’re sorry to report that mosquitoes and other biting bugs don’t keep track of the Gregorian calendar and will still be getting up to their pesky ways for a few more weeks. While consistently shivery temperatures—under 50 degrees or so—do cause most of the 150+ species of cold-blooded biting …

When was the last time you cleaned your dishwasher? And be honest—did you even know that you had to? It’s all too easy to forget that the things that clean our things need to be cleaned, too! We figure daily soap or detergent sessions should be enough to keep things sparkling, but all that heavy-duty washing can cause buildup of …

As perpetual learners and constant questioners, the Aunt Fannie’s team is always looking for ways to up our game—and we believe there’s no better teacher than science and nature itself. That’s why we’re always scouring the web, magazines, podcasts, and tips from friends to discover fascinating new facts about insects, wild research about the microbiome, new, safer ways to care …

2018 is shaping up to be a pretty major year for mosquito-borne illnesses. Daytime “ankle biter” mosquitoes that can transmit the viruses that cause Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever are pestering Southern California, West Nile Virus (which can cause meningitis and brain inflammation) has been plaguing Michigan and New Jersey and dozens of other states, and Zika virus disease …

Let’s face it—a Sunday afternoon spent scouring shower tile and scrubbing a toilet isn’t exactly how most of us would prefer to spend our free time. We get it, and there have certainly been times in our lives when it was easier to simply close the door on the grime and gunk of the bathroom and pretend it wasn’t getting …

A breath of fresh air, a cool breeze, the smells of pine, jasmine, roses, and wisteria… all excellent reasons to tear open the shutters and let a bit of the outside move through your home. Many of us instinctively appreciate the way things just feel better when there’s a cleansing draft moving through the house—especially in warmer weather—but thanks to …