Most of us do not clean our homes to impress visitors or to make our friends envy our shiny floors. Those of us under fifty rarely care if our laundry on the line is white enough to be seen from the road or if the neighbours admire our sparkling windows.
We Still Want Clean Homes
The motivations today are often different from that of our parents, but the end desire is still the same.
Our grandmothers and mothers wanted – and we still want – a healthy, safe environment in which to raise our children and enjoy our lives.
And we want a home clean enough that our friends and visitors feel comfortable and safe, too!
The typical home, and certainly the ones most of us grew up in, is filled with strong cleaning products. Bathroom cleaners, kitchen cleaners, products that remove stubborn grease, and ones that keep our clothes static-free. insect killers, and laundry detergents.
What’s in Modern Cleaners?
But have you ever considered what is actually contained in these products? Or more importantly, why products meant to keep our home environment safe and clean had warning labels telling us what to do if we accidentally swallowed, were splashed with, or even touched the products?
All that inhaling, wheezing, sniffing, sneezing ingesting and suffering from asthma, colds, flu, aching joints, etc. could in all likelihood be caused by chemically toxic cleaning products.
Actually, what is contained in those products is almost certainly impacting your health and life, and that of your children, too.
Using toxic cleaning products is similar to smoking
Scientists from the University of Bergen, Norway have been studying, for over 20 years, the impact of cleaning products on the health of humans.
They reported back that when we use chemical-containing cleaning products in our homes, we might just as well be smoking 20 cigarettes a day – IN the house.
A study done by the European Community Respiratory Health wanted to look at the impact on people’s lungs from using cleaning products. They selected candidates from over 22 locations in the world.
Those who participated were questioned on how often they used cleaning products – then the functioning of their lungs was tested and measured.
The study proved that women who did cleaning at home or cleaners whose professional job was cleaning showed a more rapid decline in their health against women who did no cleaning.
The researchers suggested that in a matter of 10-20 years, it was equivalent for those women to be smoking a pack of cigarettes a day over that time. Further findings also reveal the link between cleaning products, asthma, and respiratory problems.
The typical average household houses around 60 chemicals which are toxic and really have no business being around our children.
The manufacturers argue that the toxins are in such small amounts that they are not harmful, but most of us are realizing that long term exposure to even a small amount of toxins can cause serious damage.
A few exposures to these chemicals may not cause any lasting harm. The trouble is that they build up in in your body, causing harm over time, and which can trigger off other diseases.
The pollution in our air and water that you want to escape from is already in you. None of us can avoid being exposed to nasty toxic chemicals, but we can start to reduce them in our home.
Before showing you wonderful natural solutions to these chemical products, you need to know which ones are the worst offenders.
Phthalates
You can find this chemical in many of the lovely aroma products like soaps, air fresheners, and scented toilet papers.
Because of certain proprietary rules, some companies don’t even need to disclose the fact that their products contain phthalates.
Look at the label though and see if you notice “fragrance” appearing on the bottle – that’s probably got phthalates in it.
It’s definitely something you want to avoid. If you’re buying soap, make sure it does not contain the very toxic phthalates.
Perchloroethylene (“PERC”)
You will find Perchloroethylene in spot removers, carpet cleaners, dry cleaning and upholstery products.
Did you know that Perchloroethylene is a toxin which works on your nervous system?
If you live in a building where a dry-cleaner operates, you are exposed to this chemical which can cause coordination loss, dizziness, etc.
Triclosan
Triclosan is found in soaps which say ‘antibacterial’ on them. Your dishwashing liquids contain this as well.
Triclosan is actually a very aggressive agent to fight bacteria. It promotes drug-resistant bacterial growth.
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (“QUATS”)
Those lovely smelling softening liquids that smell of fresh apples or tiny powdered babies contain this dangerous chemical.
You will find these also in products marked “antibacterial.” QUATS is suspected of irritating the skin and causing asthma and respiratory conditions.
2-Butoxyethanol
You will find 2-Butoxyethanol in multi-purpose and window cleaning products.
It forms part of the powerful solvents. Again, laws don’t require that this chemical is listed on the labeling, but yet it contributes towards sore throats, narcosis, severe kidney and liver problems or pulmonary edema.
Ammonia
Ammonia is found in cleaning agents for places like your sinks, in the bathroom and fixtures. It gets used for cleaning jewelry and glass.
Ammonia cleans windows and glass making it sparkle, but underneath that sparkle is strong ingredient which causes irritation to those who suffer from asthma and lung problems.
Chlorine
Chlorine is used for cleaning swimming pools and toilet bowls, etc.
It makes the laundry nice and white, it removes mildew and it’s even added to the city water systems to keep the water clear from bacteria.
That means when you bath or shower or when you take a drink from the tap, unless you are on well water, there is probably chlorine in the water. Chlorine can even cause problems to your thyroid.
Sodium Hydroxide
Sodium Hydroxide is found in drains and oven cleaners.
Another name for this chemical is lye and it is very corrosive. If you get some of this on your hands or worse, your eyes, you can be seriously burned.
Lysol
Lysol is like a deodorizing spray – it does a good job of cleaning and deodorizing the air.
This sticky spray is sprayed into the air and it doesn’t actually diminish odors but it masks them.
You inhale them and because they are sticky they coat the hairs in your nose, so all you can smell is Lysol. The sticky participles also get inhaled into your lungs, which will produce mucous to try and rid itself of the Lysol.
All the excess mucous causes coughing and wheezing, and if you have an asthmatic reaction, you could find yourself in some emergency room at your nearest hospital.
Don’t use it! People buy it for in their bathrooms, and yet is it classified by the FDA as a pesticide!
What does green, natural and biodegradable mean?
Seeing pleasant-sounding words like ‘green’, ‘natural’ and ‘biodegradable’ doesn’t mean the product is non-toxic.
Several years back, in 2010, a company by the name of TerraChoice Group, submitted a report, titled ‘The Sins of Greenwashing’ – reporting that more than ninety-five percent of products were found faulty of being greenwashed.
Unfortunately, there are many companies who realize that it’s much cheaper for them to claim that their products are health-protective, environmentally friendly and safe to use than to actually live by their claims.
This is called greenwashing – when a company deliberately misleads customers about the real impact of its products and practices.
Fortunately, you can detox your home with natural DIY cleaners that are safe, cheap and which do a splendid job.
A general sink cleanser
Mix up 1/2 cup baking soda with 6 drops lavender, lemon, rosemary, orange or lime essential oil. Rinse sink out, using hot water, then add the above mixture to sink.
Pour 1/4 cup vinegar over, allowing mixture to fizz. When the fizz has settled, scrub the sink with a cloth or a sponge, rinsing once again, using hot water.
Oven cleaner
Place a heat proof dish in the oven, filled up with water, turning oven heat on so that the water steams, softening up any hardened grease.
When the oven cools down, make a mixture out of equal portions of salt, vinegar, and baking soda and scrub well.
Get rid of bathroom mildew
Remember that a well-ventilated room is one of the best ways of preventing mold and mildew.
But if and when it does occur, get a plastic spray bottle, enough for 2 cups water to which a ¼ teaspoon lavender essential and tea tree essential oil has been added. Shake bottle and then spray on the mildew and mold spots. These essential oils are quite good at eliminating the mold and mildew.
Natural shampoo for carpets
Take 3 cups water, adding 3/4 cup liquid soap. Next, add ten drops Peppermint essential oil.
As it gets rubbed into the carpet, the foam will appear; rub this well into the dirty parts of the carpet with damp cloth or sponge, allowing drying naturally. Then you can vacuum.
Other methods of keeping your home clean naturally
Ditch the chemical laundry soap. I know it SAYS it’s “mountain fresh” but that smell is pure chemicals. If you are careful about the brand, you can get safe, organic laundry soap that will not harm your skin or the environment.
You could also get soap nuts – they’re the dried fruit of the Soapberry tree. Toss them in the laundry with your clothes and re-use several times.
A microfiber cloth safely replaces furniture spray and polish. If you need a bit of gloss, use olive oil or pure lemon oil.
A high-quality air purifier goes a long way because the filters are excellent at removing tiny pollutants like dust, pollen, and tobacco smoke.
Good activated carbon filters absorb volatile organic compounds or VOCs and chemical particles from the air. Look for air purifiers that have both the activated carbon filter as well as the HEPA filter.
Buy plants for your home that are good at cleaning toxins from the air. Good examples are Chrysanthemums, English Ivy, Gerbera Daisies, etc.
Chemical cleaners are made to look and smell good
Manufacturers of chemical products churn out products that have tantalizing fragrances; there are rose smells, vanilla smells, lavender field smells, potpourri and so much more.
But these are definitely not natural aromas – they are chemicals that you breathe in, smelling like Nature itself, but which are actually affecting your health negatively.
It is far better to smell real cinnamon or real vanilla pods that you can simmer on your stove to bring out the lovely aromas, saving your brain cells from getting damaged as well!
Essential oils, too, have fantastic scents and you can add a couple drops of essential oils to your homemade cleaners. Always ensure that the products you buy and use are natural and not chemically-derived scents.
Today, people are realizing the bad effects that chemical cleaners can have on their lives; floors and surfaces that they once cleaned with toxic chemicals and which they prepared food on and allowed their children and pets to play on. These same people are determined to go natural, opting now to clean their surfaces with a mixture of water and vinegar, adding in natural scents of essential oils. In fact, you can just about clean anything with vinegar, water, borax, lemon juice, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and natural soaps like hemp and Castile.
Start stocking your home cabinets with the above products – if you don’t like that sour vinegary smell, then you can always add in drops of essential oils such as lavender.
Essential oils provide aromatherapy benefits too.
Lavender essential oils have a soothing, calming effect on the brain. Or take lemon or orange essential oil – fresh and clean.
It’s wise not to ignore what essential oils can do for your cleaning and health!
Bathrooms
People might think that essential oils will never be suitable for cleaning the bathroom – after all, how do you cut through all those germs and dirt, right?
But no.
Essential oils like eucalyptus, tea tree and oregano are proven essential oils to even work against viruses in the body such as influenza, norovirus and horrible Staphylococcus aureus.
Everyone also knows about the wonders of baking soda and vinegar to scour your bath and absorb grease.
All you need to do further is to add a favorite essential oil mentioned above to enhance the cleaning experience.
Lemon, lime, and orange are noted particularly to be natural degreasing agents, plus they all have antimicrobial properties. It might be hard to get excited to clean a bathroom, but you will get excited when you see what a difference essential oils make.
The bedroom
Bedrooms contain dust and plenty of airborne microbes that can cause linens and more to take on a musty smell.
But you can freshen up the bedroom with things like essential oil mattress sprays such as eucalyptus, tea tree, rosemary, lavender, or Siberian Fir.
All you have to do is add a few drops of any of these essential oils in a spray bottle that has water added and spray liberally onto the mattress.
Kitchen
Look here for an excellent kitchen cleaner using hydrogen peroxide – remember you can add essential oils too.
Black pepper essential oil goes well with this cleaner. Research also shows how effective black pepper essential oil is against many bacteria.
Floors
Whether it is carpets or hardwood floors, essential oils are excellent for effectively cleaning floors.
For tiles and hardwood floors, the lemon essential oils added to your natural cleaner goes a long way in dissolving marks and dirt.
Furniture
High quality and antique wood and furniture requires regular but gentle cleaning.
Natural cleaners with a natural essential oil such as lemon, cedarwood, and sweet orange are excellent for this purpose, leaving behind gentle and soothing aromas.
Kids’ and pets’ toys
You can’t be too cautious when it comes to pets and children. Lavender essential oil does wonders for cleaning and working against nasty bacteria and viruses. Homemade deodorizer sprays with essential oils will come to the rescue too when the kids are older and you are looking for an excellent sanitizer and deodorizer for all the sport equipment.
Today, there are over 80,000 chemicals used in cleaning products that are toxic and detrimental to people’s health. Millions of people are impacted by these on a daily basis.
According to the American Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside your home can actually be 2-5 times more polluted than the air outside because of what we use to clean and decorate our homes. Opening the windows helps but it’s not enough.
It cannot be soon enough to make a clean sweep today, starting with natural products – your body and home will thank you.
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