the eco-friendly stomach flu

So the dreaded stomach flu made its way to my house on Thursday night. My 2 year old, a blonde, brash, surfer looking kid, was racing through the kitchen yelling at his brother when he slammed on the brakes and looked at my husband Joel with these sort delirious yet desperate eyes.

Seconds later he opened his mouth and out came breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (And yes, you are about to get a more detailed commentary than you likely bargained for here). It splattered everywhere. From his mouth down to the wood floors and then up again to coat a nearby cabinet, the feet of all the kitchen chairs, and my daughter’s high chair. Not to mention all his clothing and all our socks. I felt like selling the house and starting over.

I grabbed the pile of cloth dish rags, a beach towel, the biodegradable spray and rushed to the scene. As we leapt into action I looked longingly at the now forbidden roll of paper towels and the Lysol sequestered to the back of the kitchen cabinets. My earth-friendly seagrass/orange/lavender/piney planet scented spray seemed no match for half-digested fruit snacks, peanut butter sandwich, and milk. And as I later dumped the towels and soiled clothing into the laundry machine I had little faith that the high efficiency earth-friendly laundry soap was all that efficient. Especially since I now wash it all with cold water.

So I closed my eyes, turned the dial to hot, and ran out of the room.

Downstairs, no amount of scrubbing could convince me that the germs were gone, no one wants stomach flu germs, especially those of us At-Home-ish Mom types (we can’t call in sick). But I stuck my eco-ground and scrubbed it all down twice (and then once again the next morning). It worked. No one else is sick, the floor is clean, and no paper towels or toxic soaps had to be used. I will confess to a squirt of Lysol when it was all over but as I sprayed it ever so lightly I thought “this is probably overkill.”

So what’s the green lesson? I’m not as hearty as I thought. For as much faith and promise that I put into earth-friendly products, it took a pile of vomit to make me realize that I still somehow think that chemicals are the cure. They are not, but wow their marketing sure is strong. All is clean and piney in our home now. All are healthy, and my earth-friendly cleaners did their part. The lysol was perhaps a neurotic addition but I have to say again, likely unnecessary. Trust the stuff. It is good for you and good for the planet. 

And in case you were wondering, we used Seventh Generation’s Wild Orange and Cedar Spice Natural Kitchen Cleaner.