Many crew are concerned about the environment and the impact that their job has on it. Hundreds of harmful chemicals are washed into the sea every minute. Teak decks are washed down with acids to scrub off the old surface layer. Detergents are used to wash down the boat, chemicals used to protect her windows from, God forbid, the odd drop of water.

Below decks the washing machine is started at 6.30 am, every guest and crew member has a shower, washing yet more chemicals out into the sea. Although all this is normal practice there are various chemicals, detergents and cleaning agents that are environmentally friendly and which can help lessen the impact on our marine ecology.

I have personally worked with a stewardess who would run the dishwasher with just six glasses in it and who would also throw away half full bottles of shampoos and detergents simply because she was stocking up and the new bottles needed space.

Please do your bit to help the environment. Every contribution helps. One of the best things about working on a yacht is that, although you face certain product restrictions, you are usually blessed by having the budget to buy some of the more expensive but environmentally safer products.

Environmentally Friendly Products, Resources, Information and Advice
Green Seal is an independent, non-profit organisation that sets environmental standards for consumer goods. Products that meet their criteria are awarded a ‘Green Seal of Approval.’ You may search the database of Green Seal-certified, environmentally responsible products at www.greenseal.org or call (202) 588 8400.
Be wary of unqualified general claims of environmental benefit, e.g., ‘ozone friendly.’ A better, more meaningful label would read, ‘This product is 95 percent less damaging to the ozone layer than past formulations that contained chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).’
Be a conscientious consumer. Read product labels. Labels convey information about the degree of hazard associated with a particular product. For example:

• DANGER equates to extremely flammable, corrosive or toxic
• WARNING indicates that the material is moderately hazardous
• CAUTION signals a less hazardous product.

Do not select products that contain no warnings or which merely CAUTION consumers.
The following products may also be used for a wide range of cleaning jobs but, be aware that although we use them in day to day living they still pose a danger to the fragile ecology and are toxic to marine life. Use all cleaning products sparingly and minimize the amount discharged into the water. Never dispose of any cleaning products down the thru-hull drain; dispose of them on shore.

General Cleaner – Baking soda and vinegar. Or lemon juice combined with borax paste
Floor Cleaner – One cup vinegar in 2 gallons of water
Window Cleaner – One cup vinegar + 1 qt. warm water. Rinse and squeegee
Aluminum Cleaner – 2 tbsp. cream of tartar + 1 qt. of hot water
Brass Cleaner – Worcestershire sauce. Or paste made of equal amounts of salt, vinegar, and water
Chrome Cleaner/Polish – Apple cider vinegar to clean; baby oil to polish
Stainless Steel Cleaner – Baking soda or mineral oil for polishing, vinegar to remove spots
Fibreglass Stain Remover – Baking soda paste
Mildew Remover – Baking soda paste with equal amounts of lemon juice and salt, or white vinegar and salt
Drain Opener – Flush with boiling water + one-quarter cup baking soda + one-quarter cup vinegar
Hand Cleaner – Baby oil or margarine
Head & Shower – Baking soda; brush thoroughly
Rug/Upholstery Cleaner – Dry corn starch sprinkled on; vacuum
Adapted from Buller, Pat. 1995. Clean Marina Clean Boating Clean Water Partnership. Seattle, WA: Puget Soundkeeper Alliance.
If you ever find during the course of your job that you need information on how to clean something, e-mail me at merlin2066@yahoo.com and I will do everything I can to find the information that you are looking for. To date I have helped people looking for a cure for cigarette burn in marble – borax and vinegar; a red wine stain in marble – also borax and vinegar; a scorch mark on white silk – rub with a silver coin; and seriously dirty brass – left in coke overnight.

The Irony Of It All
Current research undertaken here in the UK has found that the grubbier a home is, within reason, the healthier it is. Science has found that houses that are spotlessly clean release thousands and thousands of harmful chemicals into the air. Chemicals from bleaches, detergents, cleaning agents etc linger in the immediate atmosphere blending with the various toxins released by the paints, varnishes and man-made substances. The blending of these various chemicals can produce an alarming toxic cocktail that can induce asthma attacks and a whole host of other allergic reactions. The newer and cleaner a house, the worse it could be for your health!