Hi all,

As someone who uses (for at least 20 years) and sells organic and natural household products, I often get the same question about Melaleuca.

I've seen some ingredient lists in the past (can't remember if they listed everything in the product) and they seemed filled with a bunch of synthetic chemicals. It is troubling that the ingredients and the MSDS sheets are not available on their site. What was more annoying to me though was that (last I checked) Melaleuca sells both products marketed as "natural" as well as the conventional ones. For example, there was a "natural" deodorant, and one that contained aluminum and other ingredients I didn't approve of (I recall propylene glycol, but that could have changed since then.

My understanding from some of the distributors is that Melaleuca is trying to be like a big box store, selling all things for all people. I'd rather give my hard earned dollars towards a company that uses pure plant based(ideally certified organic food grade, ingredients) and is committed to making the best products they can, that really work, for an affordable price.

It's possible that some of Melaleuca's products are better than supermarket brands, but I'm not sure. I'm also not a big fan of multi-level marketing companies(I've checked out a number of them) as I feel that there is too much pressure to sell, and not as much emphasis on the the quality/benefits of the product.

My two cents...

Last year, I was curious about Melaleuca. I called the company because ingredients were not listed on their website but they only gave vague information. I bought some shampoo & conditioner but the label listed ingredients similar to drug-store varieties. I still have 3 of their products, so I will list what is on their label for you.

Tub & Tile soap scum & water spot remover, for use on tub & shower surfaces, sink surfaces & faucets, other tile surfaces, glazed porcelain, glass, fiberglass, stainless steel, chrome, synthetic marble, formica, plastic, vinyl. Dissolves soap scum & hard water stains with a natural mineral remover. Contains no abrasives or bleach. Cautions: Do not mix with bleach. Do not use on natural marble, stone, colored grout, or antique, brass, or acrylic fixtures. For old, worn surfaces, test a small area before use. Proprietary formula contains: citric acid, solvents, surficants, solubilizer, fragrance, Melaleuca oil, and preservative.

Rustic Touch moisturizing furniture care for furniture, cabinets & woodwork, vinyl & leather. The label says it contains no hazardous solvents, but there is no ingredient list. There are no cautions listed.

Sol-U-Mel 3 in 1 cleaner, stain remover, odor eliminator, cleaning booster. Contains: SD alcohol 40, Melaleuca oil, Tincture of Green Soap USP. Caution: Eye Irritant, Flammable. Keep out of reach of children. First aid treatment: avoid contact with eyes. In case of eye contact, flush thoroughly with water. Call physician or Poison Control Center if irritation persists. Keep away from heat or flame.

Melaleuca products may be a little more natural than supermarket brands, but for people who are looking for strictly natural products, I think we have some better choices out there.

Hi, it was so refreshing and validating to hear the comments on MELALEUCA. I also just purchased pdts. I never buy anything without reading ingredients, which as you all know did not exist, but trusted the info I had received at the "party". When I opened the box my pdts. came in the "smell" was so strong, my nose was burning, eyes watering etc... "fragrance" was the ingredient in the laundry detergent. I was worse than "tide" smell that my neighbor uses! I have cancel my subscription to the company. Just another lesson to go with my gut. It's that always looking for a better product somewhere that might perform a little better syndrome. :-). I have been using Seventh Generation, white vinegar, baking soda lemon juice etc. to clean and I will continue to do that, and of course any new and encouraging advice from "Debra". Thanks for the info and I hope this helps.
Donna BOSTON, MA October 24, 2006

Just curious?? Does Seventh Generation list exact ingredients???

Just noticed your comments on the ingredients of the products from Melaleuca.

There are ingredients listed on the website for example this link (Which may on may not work so I have included directions!) http://www.melaleuca.com/wc/index.cfm?m=3&p=475 will take you to a product information page that lists the ingredients of one of the products in the "Eco Sense" range.

(To get to this page go to www.melaleuca.com, click on the UK link and go to business center. Half way down the page is a link to product information).

My take on the situation is that the products are good, they may not be 100% natural or oganic or 100% free of chemicals, but they do the job and they are miles better than what is typically bought by people in the supermarket.

Are these products for everyone? Not necissarily, as there will always be those who want something better.

Frith Lane

(I am not a customer of Melaleuca, nor do I work for them).

Yes I am a consumer of melaleuca products. I do want to go green but I have found that sometimes going 100% natural is not always best or does not always get the job done, like I have found many of my friends say that with cleaning with vinegar, although it does a good job the smell of it is very harsh and many of their family members do not like it. I have also heard those who clean with baking soda that although it can help with cleaning it does not get the job done.

I have found Melaleuca products to be helpful, although I tend to stick with the natural products and I do love their cleaners, I find them to be helpful in cleaning better than formula 409 and I love the window cleaner as it has no ammonia nor has it any harsh chemical smell.

I was getting my hair done the other day by a very talented colorist who use to work with Aveda, they use all natural ingredients in all of their products. well, let me just say this, I asked him on his take on aveda products. he said they were very good but, sometimes all natural does not get the desired effect and sometimes you do need a little bit more, albeit a chemical to really get the desired effect. (He was talking about with coloring or highlights in the hair).

My ultimate take on being green is to do what I can, as much as I can, to limit the amount of chemicals in my home, I know that I can never get away from chemicals, we all know this! But whatever I can do to limit the amount that are in my home, on my children and the like, then I will do.

I agree that no one can produce a product that is 100% pure unless they are by themselves or a very small company - What I have heard is those small companies that have made some great products tend to get bought out and then those products in order to really mass produce them end up getting some sort of chemicals or preservatives in them.

It is tough to find something that works for everyone, but we have choices and that is what makes finding products great. Thanks for this website I really like it a lot!

Debra, I found your site after looking through a book called Organic Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck.

She recommended a search of products currently used in my/your home followed by the letters MSDS. That is how I found your site and I am so glad I did.

I currently have been using Melaleuca products--because I thought they were natural and more green than others-- but am writing a letter this week to cancel. I have been a member since December of 2006 but only used the shampoos, toothpaste, non-aluminum deodorant, laundry detergent and softener and Nicole Miller makeup until May of 2007.

Now that I am settled in my new home (I relocated), I have been using more of the cleaning products. Since May I also had recurring episodes of asthma (having not been bothered by that for over a year, I was quite dismayed) and I just recovered from 4 weeks of chronic bronchitis. Coincidental? Maybe. But I am not taking anymore chances. I wonder what I will now do with over $200 worth of products?

My husband is also very sensitive to fragrances and odors so this is not a happy household--the only cleaning products that do not have an odor is the (by option) laundry detergent.

So, Debra, where do I look for cleaning agents that are green, in addition to using soda carbonate, borax, white distilled vinegar and soap made from plants?

I just wanted to make folks aware that Seventh Generation does actually use a couple of petroleum based ingredients.

Here's what they say about their Free and Clear Auto Dish detergent:

"Wondering Why We Are Not Calling This Product "Natural" Anymore?
When we introduced our phosphate-free and chlorine-free Automatic Dishwashing Powder we knew there were two ingredients that were not naturally derived . One was a petroleum-based surfactant and the other a petroleum-based, non-toxic polymer. We felt then, and now, that the environmental advantages of a phosphate-free and chlorine-free autodish product outweighed the disadvantage of including a petroleum-derived ingredient.

In 2004 we changed the surfactant and the polymer to what we believed were Natural (plant-derived) alternatives. After packaging was printed, we learned that the non-toxic polymer, in fact, was not replaced by a Natural ingredient. We also learned that the non-toxic polymer is not readily biodegradable. Therefore, we had to remove these claims from our package. We also changed the "No petroleum-derived ingredients" claim to "No petroleum derived cleaners" to acknowledge that the new surfactant is plant-derived although the non-toxic polymer is not.

We have been working hard on replacing the non-toxic polymer and restoring our Natural and Biodegradable claims. We need to ensure that the excellent product performance is maintained and have gone through several formulations trying to maintain performance while using more natural and biodegradable ingredients. Once we are able to do this, we will again add these claims back on our packaging. We apologize for the confusion."

Does changing the claim, "No petroleum-derived ingredients" to "No petroleum derived cleaners" work for you all? I'm not sure I'd catch that difference on the label. I would assume no petroleum ingredients were used, unless the petroleum ingredients were listed on the label, which is not required by law for cleaning products. At least they told us the truth, I give them credit for that.

I've been using Melaleuca products for about 2 years, and in my experience with the company and educating myself on it, they've earned my trust that they won't sell me anything that is toxic. They openly claim that they use the best of science AND nature, so obviously from that we know it's not all natural.

I found it worked better for me than completely natural things (like getting a blueberry smoothie completely out of light brown carpet) and I trust when they say that they won't put anything in their products that has been *proven,* through peer-reviewed studies, to be harmful, and they have taken things out of products before that did end up proven to be harmful.

I've called about ingredients before that I had a question about, which can be done by calling the product info line, which probably can be found on the website (I couldn't pull it up just now). Since the company is big on doing business with honesty and integrity, I'm trusting that what they say is true unless proven otherwise.

I actually first heard of Debra Lynn Dadd through brochures written by her purchsed through RM Barry, who produces literature on the dangers of toxins for Melaleuca.

I think Melaleuca is a great combination of non-toxic ingredients, effectiveness, and value, but of course it's not for everyone! It's up to each of us to do our research and make the best choices we know how for our families.

I have been considering using Melaleuca and thought I should do some homework first. It has taken a lot of homework to find out that I do not feel comfortable using there products as they play on the words to much. Just facts would do.

If Melaleuca is trying to tell the consumer they offer safe, enviromently friendly for baby, mom, dad and pets then why not put the proof in there website for all to read.

Melaleuca should be willing to provide the formula of ingredents to the consumer, especially if they warn you about eye irration on their packaging. Am I rinsing my eye because the 1% tea tree oil and some 99 % petro-base product? Just me playing with numbers for example only!

I know other cleaners do not and that is why Melaleuca should, be the pioneer in educating the consumer with acurate product information. You know, be the one to do it for the future generations.

If they did provide more details then I would consider using there baby products on my precious baby. But until then, I think my plant based, natural ingredents cleaning products and elbow grease will have to be the way to go.

Thanks Debra for all that you do I. It is a valuable service you offer the consumer on greener ways of living. Every little bit helps!

At one time, I looked into joining Melaleuca since I was told they were "safe" products to use in the home. At the same time, I was also researching a company called Neways, another company with supposedly safer alternatives to the mainstream products we are subjected to on daily basis.

After much reading and research, I didn't join Melaleuca based on some discrepancies in their products. Predominantly, ingredients such as fluoride, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate/Ammonium lauryl sulfate, parabens (Methyl, ethyl, propyl etc) to name a few familiar ones. I feel that a company who proclaims itself to be a "Health and Wellness" company should not be using ingredients which are considered "questionable". Fluoride is a highly controversial subject and in my opinion, considering its source, is an outright toxic substance which has no place in our society.


While Neways was considered a better alternative since they didn't use recognizable petro-chemicals, I personally feel that synthetic ingredients shouldn't be used by consumers considering that anything we put on our skin is absorbed through the skin and then into our bloodstream. One other thing to consider is the fact that of the 80,000+ petro-chemicals used in personal care and cleaning products today, very few of them have been properly tested for human safety. Therefore, why are they permitted to enter products and sit on shelves where people presume them to be safe?

My experience when researching Neways introduced me to Dr. Samuel Epstein, an internationally recognized authority on the causes and prevention of cancer. In his book titled, Unreasonable Risk, he lists some 40 chemicals which he lists as "frank carcinogens". Fluoride is amongst the list as quoted on page 33 of his second edition in addition to Diethanolamine (DEA), Formaldehyde, Triethanolamine (TEA) Silica (crystalline), talc, and titanium dioxide to list a few. On page 34 he lists "hidden carcinogens" of which Quaternium 15 and Quaterniums in general are a couple of more familiar chemicals listed.

Of those carcinogens which may cause cancer, many of them according to Epstein, also can cause genetic damage. This is precisely why it is so important, particularly for women, to be aware of the various chemicals in use. It can save much grief if they happen to be pregnant as well. My wife and I have a child who was born with genetic damage which we attribute to her exposure to pesticides and cleaning solutions while pregnant. A few of the "genotoxic carcinogens" Epstein mentions on page 35 are as follows:

"Aflatoxin, Arsenic, 1,4-Dioxane, Ethylene Oxide, Formaldehyde, Lead, Nitrosodiethanolamine....
...Formaldehyde-Releasers: Non-carcinogenic ingredients which break down in the product or on skin to release the 'frank' carcinogen formaldehyde. Even less well recognized 'hidden' carcinogenic ingredients are those in fragrances, scents and perfumes, also present in many household products, for which there are no requirements for any ingredient listing."

I would recommend Epstein as a valuable resource for those who wish to expand their research and arm themselves with the knowledge required to protect one's self and family.

Enter another company called Sunrider into the fray and high priced products. They claimed to be superior to certified organic, although they had no 3rd party organization evaluating their products. I still have the laundry detergent bottle. We ended up dumping it out due to the fragrance contained in the formula. Here is the ingredients list:

Sunrider Sunbright Laundry Superclean -
Water, triethanolamine dodecyl benzene sulfonate, sodium methyl 2- sulfonate, ethanol denatured 95%, cocamide dea, citric acid, nonylphenol ethoxylate, propylene glycol butyl ether, fragrance, sodium citrate, octoxynol-9, benzoin extract, lemon grass extract, lemon grass oil, tea tree oil, disodium distyrylbiphenyl derivative, protease enzyme.

Whew! As anyone can easily observe, the herbal extracts are closer to the bottom of the formula. It looks like chemicals rule this product as well.

I am happy to report however, that I did manage to find a company which is dedicated to 100% natural products devoid of any petro-chemicals and use only certified organic ingredients in their personal care line. It has been two years since I began purchasing from them and am happy with their products. Laundry detergent isn't amongst their current product line so we were purchasing Nature Clean until recently when Costco came out with another alternative liquid laundry detergent called "ECOS". Again, it fails to list the ingredients so I need to phone their customer service line and inquire about the contents. Sometimes, I have run into a few companies which require you to name the specific ingredients/chemicals you wish to avoid and they simply answer with yes or no. Talk about not wishing to divulge any information willingly LOL.

We learned the hard way in some respect. We at one time blindly believed that every product in a health food store was "safe" just because it was in the health food store. Now that I am cognizant of various chemicals, I read many labels in the health food store and am abhorred by what I see in some of the products. In many aspects, it appears as if the companies in question tend to think if they throw a few herbal extracts in with the alkylamine group chemicals, SLS, Propylene glycol and three types of Parabens, they can justify charging the populace $12 per bottle of shampoo. Sure we can think they are only doing it to sell en masse, however, I think they should stick to keeping as green as possible.

What people need is companies dedicated to 100% natural, petro-chemical free products. If we can purchase hair wax or special hair car products from a salon for $30 per bottle containing outright propane as one of their ingredients, we can support the
companies who truly endeavor to supply people with a safe alternative to the mainstream kiss of death.

I hope this helps.

As a Melaleuca customer for 20 years, I am here to tell you this is the best company to do buisness with. The first line of their business is Integrity. I have never had an ill effect of using any of Melaleucas products. My home is just cleaner and safer. The company doent even have to put child safe caps on the cleaning products because they will not harm if ingested. Worse case senario you get a stomach ache. The important thing to note is, Nobody should ever ingest any cleaning product however if by chance it is ingested you will not die or even need to be transportted to the hospital. I also am rewarded every month by getting a commission check in the mail and a percent of my purchase back in an "advantage account" to use towards free products. No company does that. My hands are always softer after doing the dishes and my teeth still feel clean the next morning. Please reconsider Melaleuca, they really are an amazing establishment, with our families best intrest at heart. You should review the stats of the company, you will understand they would'nt be where they are today if they were misleading everyone. mamasaraj@hotmail.com

ECOS lists every single ingredient right on the back of their label....look again! Its a great product and has fantastic cleaning ability. My daugher has bad allergies and its the only product we can use! We buy it at Costco and its a real bargain there

FYI: I tried Tub and Tile cleaner from Melaleuca and it peeled the skin off from the palms of my hands so I stopped using it. I prefer using something milder that is more gentle on my skin, if you know what I mean.

I just got into melaleuca and I am strongly considering getting out. I agreed I would eventually do the business part of melaleuca while I hate the whole idea of having a "mary kay" type party I was willing to give it a shot to try to sell some products I believe in. Well anyway I told the girl I needed to try some of the products first before I start advertising.

This is the first month that I am really receiving any cleaning products. they don't list much of the ingredients on the products but some of the stuff i have read is a little difficult to pronounce which is usually a bad sign
I have the renew lotion and these are some of the ingredients

glycerin usp- didnt find anything too bad on it
disterldimonium chloride, I think its linked to being toxic isopropyl palmiatate, not positive, but I also think its linked to being toxic or causing allergies
dimethicone thickening agent
methylparaben- i don't think this is very good
propylparaben- this is in the same family
fragrance- is that perfume?

There were no real ingredients listed on the laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, color brightner, wrinkle relaxer or pre stain treatment.

I have some seventh generation dishwashing liquid they don't really list any ingredients either. I dont think they listed any on their laundry detergent.

I think everything has melaleuca oil in it which sounds pretty good from what I have read and most of the products are labeled with the word enzymes. Some website claimed for that to be toxic. what are enzymes? theyre a good thing in food.

If anyone knows anything about the ingredients tell me what you think.

My friend convinced me to try some Melaleuca products, but was very disappointed to find that they had artificial perfumes in them, and that they were so strong that they made me feel ill by simply inhaling near the open bottles. The only truly good product I found was the unscented laundrty detergent, but it's not worth buying their monthly minimums to get it.
Susan

Regarding the Melaleuca products, I recently purchased some at the urging of my chiripractor and his wife who had recently become representatives. After receiving some shampoo, conditioner and body lotion, I checked the ingredients, and some were indeed toxic. Some of the chemicals raised estrogen levels, and as a breast cancer survivor, that was enough for me to return everything and cancel my membership. When I explained my reasons for returning the products, they tried to explain to me "why these ingredients were in the product." I told them that I knew why they were in the product, but they shouldn't be if you are claiming your products to be non toxic. They did not refund my shipping, and it ended up costing me $25 for nothing. I emailed my experience to my chiropractor (who also happens to be a neighbor) and I have not heard from them since. That was about 6 months ago.

I just went to look at a used leather sofa for sale in someone's home. After telling the owner that I was chemically sensitive, I was assured that they used only "green," fragrance-free products. I arrived an hour after the owner had cleaned the bathroom, and she had the doors open to the outside. I wore a mask because I could smell something as soon as I walked in. She said she'd used Tub & Tile by Melaleuca (with Melaleuca?). I had an immediate neurological reaction, and the edge on that is just starting to fade. It's been an hour, and I can still taste the product.

I came home, stripped in the garage, and showered. My clothes are soaking in baking soda. Without knowing what's in it, I can say that based on my immediate, severe, and lasting reaction, this product is not safe for anyone who is chemically sensitive.

After I do the research and make some complaints, I will be providing follow-up information to the person who was using this product.

My husband and I recently signed up with Melaleuca after hearing a convincing pitch about how "green" the products are and how we can save money buying products that are "safe" for our family.

We received the value pack 2 days ago; we are in the process of returning it. The smells that emerged from the kit almost blew us away, and the ingredients on their products...petroleum, alcohol, fragrance, colorants...when did these items become green?

Our unsuspecting teenager daughter decided to try the laundry detergent and remarked, "Hey Mom, it's blue!", but she thought it was cool to pump the liquid out of the bottle. A few minutes later, I noticed a rash on her face. She accidentally touched some of the liquid while trying to insert the pump into the bottle and rubbed her face because the "smell" irritated her nose and made her face itch. She started to rub her eyes furiously; it was an obvious reaction to the chemicals.

All we wanted to do was something good for our family and the environment; instead we feel like we've made a grave mistake....how disappointing! Our kids complained that the cereal tasted like the detergent aisle at the grocery store (they opened up the box before I could confiscate it), the Tile and Tub product burned my nose and made me feel dizzy, there was not one product that I can honestly say that appealed to us....other than the bottle of tea tree oil.

We normally use essential oils, castille soap, vinegar, baking soda, etc. for household cleaning, and purchase some products from Seven Generations for laundry cleaning and some Burt's Bees and Dr. Bronner's for bath and body care.

Just wanted to share a lesson-well-learned about our bill of goods!

Although Melaleuca does not use all "green" products. I do like the fact that living (healthier) is affordable with them. I am a customer, and have been using it a long time, but it is not uncommon to have reactions to Tea Tree Oil. (Which is in most of their products) You might want to make sure the reaction you are having is not associated with the oil. The product labels are online accessible via website just click on what your interested in and pick the tab labeled ingredients/product label.

Ultimately you cant please everyone at all times. You can’t create a product that everyone can use at all times. Examp: I cant eat banana's, I am horribly sensitive to them, but I don’t bash Chiquita for having that reaction. Nor do I expect them to stop selling bananas or expect that every manufacturer will not place bananas in their products.

I do read profusely about what I purchase before I purchase it too. With an ever increasing supply of products, and an ever decreasing supply of money in our economy, Melaleuca does make it so average person becomes capable of living greener. Not all of us can afford to buy $15 dollar bottles of "green" household cleaners. Also with the women at work in order to sustain homes now a days, we don’t always have time to “cook” up home recipes.

They don’t really advertise being green either. They advertise that they have a balance of science and nature. They also advertise that they test every product for "reactions" before releasing it to the public. Besides the conmen side effect of allergic reactions they do five years of research before releasing it to the public. That’s a lot more then even the home made soap maker does. Thinking natural is always safe can get you into trouble too. If I told you to rub ivy all over you, wouldn’t you ask if it was poison ivy first?

You can't always have your cake and eat it too. But Melaleuca is not a bad way to baby step into living healthier. Admittedly they could be better, but that wouldn’t be affordable for everyone, and many companies are worse.

I had skin cancer, due to using bleach: there was no evidence of it in my limph nodes: as it was only found in my mole on my wrist & I used to wash dishes in bleach water.

Ironically, my husband had many allergies & someone refered me to their granddaughter, who was into Melaleuca. I like many people @ the time didn't know what Melaleuca was: nor did I find out until the appointment. I'm not sure why the big secrete(?), why can't they be up front & honest? I got into Melaleuca, as I was told they were all non-toxic products.

Then I had a friend tell me that there were some toxic chemicals in their products & it really surprised me because I was told that there wasn't any & that is why I was sold on their products. I couldn't believe it, nor did I want to @ the time. I ironically got into Melaleuca after my Skin graft operation for cancer in 1999 (what timing).

Due to having cancer, I'm seeking the purest cleaners for my household, in the meantime: I'm still with Melaleuca as a preferred customer. I desire to have cleaning products & personal care products out there, if anyone knows of any I'd appreciate knowing about where I can get those products(?).

I'm just adding my 2 cents in for whatever it is worth. Thanks for whatever advice you can help me with.

Please look into Simple Pure Clean products by Seaside Naturals. They were created by a woman in 2002 that had Lupus and contain ONLY all natural ingredients and essential oils. They do not contain SLS or SLES. Over 250 cleaning companies across the states use Simple Pure Clean for their house cleaning companies not only because they are all natural, biodegradable and smell great, but because they work.

Melaleuca products are not 100% natural and nobody that represents the company should be telling anyone that. Keep in mind that people have negative reactions to natural ingredients as well as synthetic. Just because something is synthetic doesn't make it bad.

Mealaleuca spends alot of time and money testing ingredients and researching them to make sure that they are safe based on the current science. When something later on is determined to be not safe they then work on reformulating the products to remove that ingredient.

One thing that you can depend on Melaleuca that you don't get from other companies is their committment to environmental safety and our health and wellness. Profit is not their number one goal.

They have great products that are much better than store brand products for many reasons. They work and they are priced very competitively. But they are not for everyone just as no product is.

In case you didn't know they just came out with 6X concentrated products. That is huge for the environment. A 96 oz bottle of laundry detergent will wash 192 loads of laundry. That one bottle is equivalent to 12 bottles of Tide 2X. Imagine the reduction in plastic waste, production of plastic bottles, transportation costs and wharehouse costs if everyone had 6X products. Today we are the only company with that technology.

I was just informed of Melaleuca and thankfully told them I'd like to do further research before making any commitment. I grew up on natural and organic products and am extremely sensitive to any chemicals. What I found even when just looking at the Melaleuca website was a lack of ingredients, and prices higher than what I pay in my local health food store. My alarm bells went off, and I decided to stick to products I already know and trust, especially with an infant in my home. I am also very grateful to find that there is other, what I would consider to be, reliable information on this topic. Thank you to all that have posted their thoughts and opinions.

While I agree that we should use ingredients that aren't harmful to us, or the environment, I also think a lot of people get carried away by the word "natural". What exactly do you define as "natural". What makes baking soda more natural than chlorine bleach? Baking soda is a processed product, it doesn't occur naturally. What we need to be looking at isn't if it's natural or not, but what effect it has on us.

Petrochemicals are usually organic compounds (meaning they have carbon on them). Don't get scared by the big words, research the origin and safety of the compound instead. Did you know the main ingredient in vinegar is acetic acid? Do you know what acetic acid is or where it comes from? Acetic acid is toxic, check the MSDS. Most of the acetic acid/alcohol used to produce vinegar is derived from, yes, petrochemicals. So, petrochemical doesn't equal bad.

Another thing, about MSDS, you need to know they are talking about the pure substance. Vinegar is usually about 5% acetic acid. Even though acetic acid is toxic, it's not in such low concentrations. Keep that in mind when you check the MSDS because a lot of compounds that sound really scary are really ok the way we use them.

I hope this information helps on your research, because I think chemicals are misinterpreted often. I do believe in plant remedies, alternative medicine and I don't use chlorine bleach or ammonia, but some things are perfectly ok to use even if the MSDS or the name sounds bad.

I also use baking soda and vinegar a lot. The vinegar smell does not last long if you dilute it....when we had our new wood floors installed, the company who sanded them after our carpenter installed them said just use 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water in a squeeze bottle The floors are sealed with AMF....put a little on a swiffer (we use cotton towels from the car parts place because they are better than the throw aways and of course cheaper) and swiff away...its been 10 years and they still look great. They are upstairs and we do have carpet on the stairs...it collects grit and so do the throw rugs upstairs....actually the most important part of caring for the floors. We have 2 Jack Russells and 4 cats, but the carpet on the stairs seems to keep their feet free of grit and it can be vacummed.

As far as soda is concerned...one just needs to learn how to use it and it works great. It will take off the worst baked on grease....BUT....YOU HAVE TO PUT OUT A LITTLE PILE OF IT AND FAIRLY FREQUENTLY CHANGE TO A CLEAN SPOT ON THE DAMP CLEANING RAG AND DIP INTO A LITTLE MORE SODA. Then of course,you do have to rinse....but even if you don't (like when my grandson leaves some of it on the bathroom sink and formica as he cleans), all I have to do is notice it looks a little less than shiny and wipe with a damp rag and it is shiny again....sink and vanity are 35 years old and still are very shiny....you can't say that about most cleaners.

My husband and I were with Melaleuca for some time (4 years). At first we were genuinely happy with the products, but over time they become less viable in our home. We knew something was up when they started to turn our "whites", grey. Sources from the USA claim that ingredients were being altered without the knowledge of the consumer. We cancelled due to this as well us many unethical situations all across the world by this company. Making your own products for home us is great. Supermarkets and large department stores are also beginning to stock eco-friendly products at far cheaper prices than Melaleuca.

a few things that i have found from my membership with Melaleuca. The products are not all listed on the bottles, but melaleuca does have a product guide that list many of the ingredients with the research information to back up tht these products are non-toxic. Regarding medicine cabinet products, they are a registeded pharmacy and are required to abide by all pharmacutical regulations. There are no MSDS sheets on their website because the products do not need them. Many of the warnings are required to be on the back of the bottle, such as keep out of reach of children" or "call poison control..."

None of the productys have child-safe caps, because they dont need them. You could injest any of it and it might give you a tummy ache, but i am confident poison control will not be that worried.

My husband just order a starter package from Melaleuca containing a sample of all their cleaning products. My problem is, I run a residential kitchen and need MSDS for ALL my products in house. The ladies @ Melaleuca were nice, but had no information at all. My question is to Jon. Do you have a copy of these ingredients list? If so I would love a copy, maybe I can work with the local health department to approve a variance for the products. If you do't have any of these lists, hopefully you can send me to a website that does. Thanks in advance, I appreciate the help.
Michele
mycookiecentral@gmail.com

I just wanted to let the people know who have melaeuca products and they sold it or used it you should have known they will take the product back and refund you your money less the shipping.

Hi Debra,

Thankyou for your blog.

Melaleuca's Renew Intensive Dry Skin Therapy contains according to the product information on the tube the following ingredients:

Water, glycerine, petrolatum, distearyldimonium chloride, isopropyl palmitate, cetyl alcohol, dimethicone, allantion, methylparaben, fragrance, propylparaben, meleleuca altemifolia oil.

I suffer from chronic perennial rhinitis (hayfever) which causes my eyes to itch & a lot of rubbing. This creates an eczema like rash around my eyes. To combat this ugly rash like sympton I was using a crappy prescribed cream called aquacare which caused the skin around my eyes to sting.

I rang a friend of mine who sells Melaleuca products & asked if he had anything for eczema. He recommended Renew, so I bought a tube & applied Renew to the dry eczema like rash around my eyes, within a few days it had completely vanished, so Renew along with my peppermint tea have worked wonders.

My wife has recently as 4 days ago, birthed a baby girl. We want to make sure that the Renew ingredients aren't harmful to her, hence my google search has thus far lead me here.

Your feedback regarding the Renew ingredients is much appreciated.

For MSDS information on Melaleuca Products contact the Melaleuca Product line at 800-742-8094.

Hi Debra - At the urging of a friend who used the words "Organic:" and "100% natural" I joined Melaleuca last week. I was looking for skin care as I already LOVE my 7th generation & Ecover laundry products and make my own cleaning products from vinegar, Borax, dish soap and water. Imagine my disappointment when I pulled out the Koala Pals kids line products and saw the ingredients:

Body Wash Ingredients: Aqua (water/Eau), Sodium trideceth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, PEG-150 Distearate, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Polyquaternium-10, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, d-a-Tocopheryl Acetate (Natural Vitamin E), Avena Sativa (Oat) Extract, Butylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita (Chamomile) Leaf Extract, Camellia Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Amylcinnamyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methypropional, Hexl Cinnamal, Linallol

Children's bath products tainted with probable carcinogens

It is a shame, but it's true... below is an article that outlines how manufacturers are not required to disclose all of the harsh ingredients in their products.

Moms, please err on the side of caution when shopping for your home products.

I've been shopping with a company that has proven to be safe, non-toxic and very economical for my family. I would be happy to share that with you, please email me directly.

Thank you for all the amazing information here!

I too, like many of you, have looked into the Melaleuca products as we were searching (18 years ago) for green products for our family.

Needless to say, we were very disappointed at what we found through the melaleuca company. What bothers me more than the petrochemicals in their products is their lack of integrity. There is a huge discrepancy between what they promote about their products and the truth about them.

We have found a place to buy pure therapeutic-grade melaleuca oil as well as personal care & cleaning products that DO NOT contain petrochemicals. And unlike some natural products I have tried, they even work well... extremely well!

BTW, are any of you familiar with Hulda Clark's research on cancer ("Cure for all Cancers")? When she worked with people using the melaleuca company's products, they would test positive for benzene. She would send them home & tell them to not use any melaleuca products and a couple weeks later, the benzene wasn't present. However, those who then went back on their melaleuca products tested positive again the next time. She felt there was a definite link.

Thanks again for providing this blog & all the information shared by everyone!

Karla

We used Melalueca products in our child care centre, trying to use a more natural product. Many our staff had a reaction to it when cleaning the tables before and after snack. We experiencec coughing and feeling sick from the odour.

Elizabeth