Makeover Your Clean Routine!!
I don’t know about you, but ever since I joined this industry, I haven’t been able to look at any cleaning products the same as before. I can’t even hold a bottle of Soft-Scrub or Tilex anymore without thinking about the frightening ingredients I am inhaling and exposing my family members to. In fact, if you weren’t aware of this before, many of our everyday cleaning supplies contain compounds called xenoestrogens. According to the website edition of Better Nutrition, “xenoestrogens, one of the more troubling types of endocrine disruptors, mimic estrogens and attach to the body’s estrogen-receptor sites, in both women and men. These xenoestrogens interfere with hormonal signaling and are believed to cause an increased risk of breast, prostate, and reproductive cancers; reduced fertility; early puberty in children; menstrual irregularities; endometriosis; and other disorders.”
In light of this, I’ve recently decided to start eliminating these toxins from my home by creating my own arsenal of cleaning products, but with ingredients that won’t hurt me, my family, or environment.
See below for some EASY and CHEAP recipes for everyday cleaning solutions:
- Supplies
- Baking soda
- Washing soda (*Note: don’t use on aluminum surfaces)
- White distilled vinegar (*Note: don’t use on marble surfaces)
- Good liquid soap like castile soap
- Tea tree oil
- olive or jojoba oil
- vegetable glycerine
- clean spray bottles
- glass jars
- Creamy soft scrub:
- 1/2 c. baking soda
- liquid natural detergent
Mix together and use! To keep, add a teaspoon of vegetable glycerin and pour it into a glass jar.
- All-purpose Spray Cleaner:
- 9 parts water
- 1 part white vinegar
Mix together and use! I also add a few drops of liquid dish soap and a few drops of either tea tree or lavender oil for their anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Plus, they smell much better than vinegar!
- Mold-killer Spray:
- 2 tsp tea tree oil
- 2 cups of water
Spray and let sit. Wipe away if needed.
- Window Cleaner:
- 1/4-1/2 tsp natural liquid detergent
- 3 Tbsp vinegar
- 2 cups of water
Mix together in a spray bottle and use! Also, using black and white newspaper as the cloth will leave you with a streak-free shine.
- Furniture Polish:
- 1/2 tsp oil (olive oil, jojoba, etc)
- 1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
To use, rub it on the wood. Let it dry, and then buff it off. Keep it in a glass jar.
Let me know what your favorite natural homemade cleaning product recipes are in the comment section below!
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Since 1995, I have been buying my cleaning products, plus face and hair care, from a company called Melaleuca. Their initial product was Melaleuca (tea tree) oil, which is in many of their huge product line. All of their products are environmentally safe, nontoxic, never tested on animals and biodegradable. I learned about outgassing then and have never voluntarily gone down the cleaning aisle in a store since.
The last few medical situations in my household have required Melaleuca Oil and ice (for a severe burn). Saved my son from a trip to the emergency room. His recovery was swift and, after the first couple of days, mostly pain-free, there was no scarring and no nerve damage. I have recently discovered the healing properties of hemp oil, which I could talk about all day. I have also been using my Nikken MagBoys, which are magnets you spin over the affected area. Using them on bruises makes the bruises fade in about half the time.
My very long-winded way of saying I’m right there with you and interested in learning about ways to heal naturally.
Thanks for the clean recipes. I knew some about baking soda and tea tree oil is one of my faves for the kitchen floor. Between dogs and bare feet, it really does the trick for a clean smell and feel. Vinegar and water are also a great mix to clean and whiten the grout in your floor tile.
Most of us assume that cleaning products are prefectly safe when in reality many of them are known to be toxic at a minimum and often carcinogenic! There are also many safe cleaning supplies sold at health food stores.