The dangers of household cleaners.
Chemicals found in common household cleaning products have been linked to many health risks. Chlorine, for example, is found in many cleaners and is very harsh to your lungs and respiratory system.
The average American household contains between three and 25 gallons of toxic materials, mostly in the form of household cleaners filled with petrochemical solvents designed to dissolve dirt.” – Gaiam
Currently, there is no law that requires cleaning product manufacturers to do safety tests or include a label on their products that shows what’s in them.
Luckily, there are many companies now that make eco-friendly cleaning products such as: Mrs Meyers, SimpleGreen, Method, Seventh Generation, Gaiam and more. Even larger companies are coming around. Greenworks is actually Clorox’s green line.
Here are some items that are easy to find at any grocery store and are safe for the environment and for you!
Borax: All-natural substance made out of boron, sodium, oxygen and water. It works especially well for cleaning laundry
Lemon Juice: Removes grease stains and is a natural whitener
Cornstarch: Works great at cleaning carpets and rugs
Baby Powder: Same uses as cornstarch
Baking Soda: Great for using in home made cleaning solutions, as a simple paste or sprinkled onto a surface
Salt: Great for scrubbing
White Vinegar: All-purpose cleaner. It works especially well with removing grease, mildew and other stains. It can also be used for washing windows or shining metal surfaces.
Some ways you can SAFELY clean your home:
Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle it with baking soda. This makes for an abrasive cleaner great for scrubbing dishes, surfaces and stains.
To clean your toilet bowl, mix together 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 cup vinegar and let it sit for 5 min before scrubbing with a brush.
For furniture polish, mix 1 cup olive oil with 1/2 cup lemon juice.
Instead of Drain-O, pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain then add 1/2 cup white vinegar and let it sit for 15 min. Follow up by pouring 1 gallon of hot water down the drain.
Laundry. Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of Borax.
Credits:
I use all of the above plus toothpaste and hydrogen peroxide. I mix up small batches of everything and keep in spray bottles and jars well labeled. In addition, I open my windows wide once a week even in the Winter…what a difference. I live in a tiny home now, approximately 250 sf so I also love that my cleaning products take up very little space and are multi-use. In addition, it is so inexpensive!! Great blog and ideas Nikki!
Thank you Wendy! Thanks for your tips, too!
It’s great to find someone so on the ball