5 Common Household Items You Can Use as Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
The
many detergents, disinfectants, polishes, and glass cleaners that are
so heavily marketed on daytime television are actually loaded with
potent chemicals.
When we clean our homes
with these products, we then inhale these toxins, which seep into our
skin and can be poisonous if ingested. That's why I started to look for
alternative cleaning products a few years ago.
I'd been very careful about what I put into my body, so it made sense to clear my environment of other toxins, too.
Now that I've made the switch to non-toxic cleaning products, I spend less money and use fewer products than before.
Here are 5 non-toxic household products that I now use for the majority of my cleaning:
1. Baking soda
Baking
soda is a deodorizer and scouring agent. It's great for scrubbing your
cooktop, oven and sink. Sprinkle on your carpets before vacuuming to
deodorize them.
2. White vinegar
White
vinegar is a disinfectant and deodorizer. I mix it with water (about 1
part vinegar to 3 parts water) in a spray bottle and clean everything
from the bathroom and toilet to the wood floors. The smell will only
stay for a short time but you can always add a few drops of essential
oil to make it more pleasing.
3. Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen
peroxide, which can work together or interchangeably with vinegar, is
another great basic household cleaner (minus the strong smell). Use it
instead of bleach to whiten your whites. And, when that brown film
starts building up in the bottom of the bathtub, fill the bottom up with
water, add a good third of a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and let it
sit. After a few hours, take a cloth to the rest of the tub and tile and
it will sparkle! You can find more ideas here.
4. Lemon juice
After
you squeeze it into your tea or on a salad, run half a lemon over your
counters and sink. Chop it up in the garbage disposal for a quick
freshening. You can also use it on your hands to eliminate the smell of
onions or garlic. It's anti-bacterial, too!
5. Microfiber cloth.
I
personally use Norwex® microfiber products, which only require water to
clean almost any surface. They tend to be more expensive but will last
for a long time.
