Midsummer heat and humidity leave us in the North Shore lethargic and beach-bound. Also beach-bound are all the things we send down our drain and into city sewers.

Household chemicals impact water quality, coastal areas, rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, reservoirs and even underground aquifers that feed water supplies.

Among other problems like industrial pollution and pet and bird waste, some everyday habits can make water precarious for human use and contact. Also, the chemicals and other compounds generated from our households challenge our publicly funded treatment works in sending water of a high standard back to our taps.

Think of it this way: Everything that goes down any drain, this applies to our houses, yards and gardens, and washes into the street has enormous potential to sully our beaches and reservoirs.

While state scientists and policy-makers, as well as conservation advocates, work to address institutional water pollution factors, locally we can greatly reduce the impact on our North Shore waters by greening a few of our everyday habits.

Switching to green household cleaning products, addressed last week, is a great first step in minimizing household-derived water pollution. The following Green Quick Fixes will further remove toxic chemicals from your life and boost water quality right away.

Laundry boosters

Use oxygen bleach, washing soda, Castile soap, soap flakes, lemon juice (a natural whitener), and vinegar (instead of fabric softener in the rinse cycle, 4 tbsp per regular load) to wash clothes instead of petroleum-based and toxic commercial detergents and surfactants. You'll be protecting your health by removing endocrine-disrupting and toxic chemicals from your life and you'll be reducing the amount of chemicals entering the environment via our water treatment systems.

For soiled whites and towels, I use oxygen bleach first then in the wash cycle a detergent made from washing soda and Castile soap, and then white vinegar as a fabric softener. Everything is very clean and there is no vinegar smell because it was diluted by water in the rinse cycle.

For light and dark colors, I use washing soda and soap with some oxygen bleach (which is colorfast) in the bleach compartment and white vinegar to soften. They come out perfect.

Adding lemon juice (4 tbsp for a regular load) in the wash cycle helps to whiten.

For delicate clothes, I hand-wash in Castile soap. Try lavender essence Castile soap!

Note: The more you wash in cold water, the more energy, and money, you save! Hot and warm water washes do not sanitize clothes because the water is not boiling.

Tips for other household areas

Caked-on oven grease is a pain to address, but soaking metal burners in washing soda will remove most of the grit!

Try half a lemon on your outdoor grill.

Use salt and hot water to clean cutting boards. Use vinegar to kill germs if you feel the board needs to be sanitized.

Steam clean carpets and upholstery with a mixture of water, vinegar and Castile soap rather than using conventional products and antifoam.

Try a mix of Castile soap and a little water to clean the inside of your car. For the exterior, switch to waterless car care products that are non-toxic, biodegradable and Earth-friendly.

Try saddle soap on leather furniture and clothing. It's inexpensive and works very well.

Behaviors you might not realize are harmful

Pick up pet waste and trash it. Here's why: several studies performed by the state and other organizations have shown that doggie doo and other waste has a direct impact on beach water quality here in Salem Sound Watershed. Minimize it by picking up what you can.

Trash your cigarette butts properly. Cigarettes are the most littered item in the world, and they are not biodegradable (they are made of cellulose acetate, a plastic). They leach more than 60 toxins into water and harm sea life. Put them in an ash can or be sure to put them out and trash them. Please don't toss them onto the ground, into the harbor, or in the sand.

Gather up plastic bags and other trash escapees. Trash and recycling that blows out of your yard or car can easily end up at the beach. Rein it in.

Don't pee outside. P.S.: When it rains, everything that hits the street runs into the storm drain and makes its way to the shore — often it's not treated by the sewage works. This helps to increase the bacteria counts that close your favorite beaches.

nnn

Andrea Fox, a Beverly resident, has been writing about environmental sustainability and eco-topics for eight years. She is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and a watershed protection advocate in Salem Sound Watershed.