Green Your Routine : Cleaning Products
Spring is here! Sunshine. Warm breezes wafting through open windows. Spring cleaning. Anyone else obsessed with spring and all of the freshness it brings? Out with the old and in with the new. If you're jumping on the spring cleaning bandwagon, or seeking to live a healthier lifestyle in general, here are some tips on how you can begin to green your cleaning routine.
Thousands of common household cleaners contain chemicals that can be detrimental to the health. Toxic ingredients found in these products can lead to increased risk of cancers, fertility issues, breathing problems, and birth defects, to name a few.
We can reduce exposure by replacing harmful products with safer alternatives. These alternatives work just as well as their dangerous counterparts, yet are free of toxins and conducive to a much healthier lifestyle for our families.
Here is a list of the most hazardous cleaning products, compiled by the EWG :
Spic and Span Multipurpose Cleaner
Scrubbing Bubbles
Mop n Glo Floor Cleaner
Damp Raid Mildew Stain Remover
Drano
Oven Cleaner
Glade Fresheners
Comet
Febreze Fresheners
Mr. Clean
Easy Off
409
Lysol
Fantastic
Another tool to help determine whether a product is safe to use is the think dirty app. This app works by scanning the barcode of a product, and assessing the potential risks based on the ingredients the product contains. This makes shopping for clean products much easier.
Here are my favorite natural cleaning products. I feel comfortable using these products in my home, as they are completely pure and risk-free. Occasionally i will also use store-bought products by brands I trust.
Vinegar
Olive oil
Lemon Essential Oil
Thieves cleaner
Vinegar works great as a disinfectant and grease cutter. It can also be used to clean windows. Mix a solution of 2:1 vinegar to water in a spray bottle for easy cleaning.
Vinegar can also be used in combination with olive oil to clean stainless steel appliances. Drizzle one tablespoon each on either side of rag. Clean first with olive oil and polish with vinegar to remove smudges. Another great use for vinegar and olive oil is a natural dusting spray. Combine 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and 10 drops lemon essential oil in a spray bottle. This mixture can also be used to clean wood floors.
Lemon essential oil works great not only for wood cleaner but also for removing stains, crayon marks, and adhesive.
Thieves cleaner is the mother of all cleaners. I buy this in concentrated form and mix my own spray bottles in different ratios. Thieves cleaner contains clove, cinnamon, rosemary, and eucalyptus essential oils, all powerful germ fighters. I use thieves to clean : counters, bathrooms, toilets, showers, toys, windows, garbage cans, tile floors ... literally everything. Thieves cleaner smells great and does the job!
For more detailed information on specific ingredients, health risks, etc... check out this website :
Do you have any natural home remedies for cleaning? Share them below!
Happy cleaning!!