Ironically, it was World War II that caused us to use cleaning chemicals the way we do nowadays. Before that, our cleaning was mostly based on coconut oil. The war made coconut oil difficult to obtain,so cleaning products were made out of petroleum. This eventually led to today's widespread use of chemicals for cleaning. Concern for our health and the environment have led to the development of more environmentally friendly chemicals ..... most of them still based on petroleum. Even most hypo-allergenic baby products contain large amounts of chemicals, for instance preservatives. On of the most common baby products, baby oil, is actually a mineral oil and has no benefits for your baby's skin since the skin cannot absorb it.

Green Island Organic Cleaners is a company based on a well-known concept - that vinegar, soda and other natural products clean just as well as the average chemical cleaner, but without the adverse side-effects with regard to health (many people have allergic reactions to soap, surfactants, colorants, preservatives and other chemicals) and the environment. Green Island started out with the idea that, especially here in the Caribbean, we are so used to our well-known household chemicals that it would be difficult to go back to vinegar and soda like grandma did. So Green Island developed natural alternatives to well-known cleaners.

Green Island produces cleaning materials that are based on all natural ingredients: baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, cream of tartar (a product made from grapes during the process of making wine), ethanol (alcohol), and plant materials, such as extracts, essential oils, waxes, powders and gels. We use vegetable emulsifiers and only natural preservatives. We use natural colorants. If that is not technically possible, a few drops of food coloring are used in our products because it is the safest coloring on the market. This is, at the moment, only with the blue liquid products. Our blue soaps are made with a (natural) mineral oxide. We use water which is steam distilled from the Caribbean Sea and is considered one of the purest, softest waters on the planet.

Essential oils have been used for health benefits as far back as the Roman Empire, and many indigenous peoples use herbs and plant remedies for medicinal purposes. Almost all essential oils are antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. You can read more about the properties of essential oils on our Essential Oils page. Essential oils are not greasy and will evaporate when left in the open air. None of the essential oils that Green Island uses in its products are toxic, irritating or dangerous, but all concentrated oils may irritate sensitive skin. If you show a skin reaction to any of our products avoid skin contact or discontinue use of this specific product. Essential oils, contrary to many chemicals, will not remain in the body but will be removed after a couple of hours by the body itself.

Store all Green Island products in a cool, dark place.

Green Island bodycare products are made with loving care for your benefit and enjoyment. We test all our products extensively on human volunteers, never on animals. The lotions and creams will keep for at least 2-3 years if stored cool and dark. They do not keep well in full sunlight. We do use natural preservatives, depending on the properties of the product, such as grapefruit seed extract, potassium sorbate, rosemary oleoresin, vitamin E, benzoin resin, and in some products, borax and/or alcohol.

Although Green Island cleaners are non-toxic and do not harm the environment, they are meant for external use only. Always keep all cleaners out of reach of children. In case of accidental ingestion contact a physician. If the product gets into the eyes rinse out with lots of water. Clear plastic bottles containing organic cleaners may become opaque after some time. This is a reaction to the essential oils and does not affect the performance of the product. Because Green Island does not use additives, stabilizers, emulsifiers and other chemical additives, product color may change over time. The contents may also settle. This is normal and will not affect the performance of the product. Shake the bottle before use.