Spring Cleaning…Naturally!
When I got married, I quickly learned that my husband was one of those “clean” people. He cleaned things that I wouldn’t even think of cleaning – walls, fans, ceilings, etc. As someone who grew up resisting when my mom asked me to put things away before the cleaning lady came (spoiled, I know), I had a lot to learn (and still do) in this area.
When we changed our diet to "eat real food", we also realized that we wanted reduce our exposure to environmental toxins. This opened up a whole new world of eliminating chemicals from our lives, including those in cleaning products.
What is the Problem?
There have been 85,000 new chemicals introduced in mainstream products since World War II. Most of these are contained in conventional cleaning products, but are not approved by the EPA.
In fact the average household has at least 62 toxic chemicals found in their bathroom or under their kitchen sink that they probably don’t even realize. These chemicals include phtalates (in fragranced products), triclosan (in liquid dishwashing detergent), 2-Butoxyethanol (in multi-purpose cleaners) and even chlorine (in laundry whiteners and toilet bowl cleaners). These chemicals affect the air we breathe, water we drink, and are in the top five causes of child poisoning cases. It is not hard to see the reason that we want to remove these chemicals and products from our homes.
How do we do remove chemicals and still make our sinks shine and our toilets sparkle?
My two favorite ingredients to create my own homemade all purpose cleaner that works wonders are baking soda and vinegar.
All Purpose Cleaner Recipe
Mix:
- ½ cups of vinegar
- ¼ cup baking soda
- into a ½ gallon of water.
Put it in a spray bottle, and use to clean showers, bathrooms, and windows.
Not only can I clean the shower without feeling like I’m going to pass out, but I can also trust that my family is not being harmed by toxic chemicals.
Other Resources for Green Cleaners
If making your own cleaning products isn’t your thing, check out the Environmental Working Group’s guide to the top green cleaning products. Here you can find anything from non-toxic laundry supplies and dish soap to beauty supplies and cosmetics.
What are your favorite natural cleaning remedies or products? Let us know on our facebook page!