Nothing gets me inspired about cleaning the house more than winter's arrival, when we face many dark, cold days ahead.
I am never more productive, or more driven to deep-clean my home, than I am at this time of year. Because I'll be spending so much time indoors, I want to make sure that I'm using products that are safe for my family to be around while the house is shuttered tight against the frigid weather.
Truth is, many of the cleaning products available just aren't aligned with the values of non-toxic, organic living. While they may provide a bright sparkle, they do so at the staggering cost of toxic ingredients, environmental damage, chemical residues, and strong perfumes. Moreover, even some “natural” products on the market may contain toxic chemicals. According to the Environmental Working Group, cleaning products are not required by federal law to carry a list of ingredients.
“This means that manufacturers have no reason to avoid risky chemicals that happen to clean well — even if they can trigger asthma attacks or skin rashes or are linked to cancer,” the group explained. (Learn more about the effect of chemicals and multiple chemical sensitivity.)
Some of the more dangerous ingredients found in household cleaning products include sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate, which are known skin and mucus membrane irritants, and suspected carcinogens; phosphates, which are very common additives in dishwasher detergents, known to cause environmental damage and aquatic contamination; and phthalates, chemicals commonly found in cosmetics and many cleaning products, known to cause hormone disruption, reproductive harm, and cancer.
Even that bottle of bleach found under most kitchen sinks isn't as benign as you would think. Chlorine bleach is a powerful disinfectant, which is why it is widely used. It is also a pretty nasty chemical; toxic enough that I don’t want it in my home. Chlorine was used as a chemical weapon during World War I, causing permanent lung damage and blindness, so do you really want to smear that all over your kitchen counter?
Luckily, these are not your only options. I am happy to report that there are many wonderful, non-toxic ways to get your home sparkling clean, smelling great, and germ-free!
In that spirit, I have encountered a few home cleaning predicaments that could be solved with baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice (JS025), hydrogen peroxide, vodka, or liquid castile soap (HB1011) or (HB536). If you stock these basics in your cleaning cabinet, along with a super-fine microfiber cloth such as the E-Cloth, you will find that you can effectively tackle most cleaning situations that life throws your way. Although, to be honest, I do stock a few quality, non-toxic commercial cleaners in my cabinet, along with these basics. Sometimes, I just want the convenience of a quick fix spray in the middle of a busy day! Here are some options for those quick and clean solutions: Maid Naturally, Biokleen, LifeTree, GreenShield
Here are a few of my favorite fixes for tough cleaning problems:
- Make a paste of equal parts hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Smear it onto cookware with baked-on food, and let it sit. The next day, you will be able to wipe away the mess and your cookware will be good as new, no scrubbing required!
- Mix one part white vinegar with four parts vodka, and store in a spray bottle. Use this mixture with a microfiber E-Cloth to clean windows and mirrors for a perfect streak-fee result. If you would rather purchase a glass cleaner, Biokleen’s vinegar and citrus-based formula (NF078) is a good option.
- Combine equal parts baking soda and white vinegar and pour down your drains and toilets for a fizzy odor eliminator, clog buster, and toilet bowl cleaner.
- Try pure, undiluted lemon juice to remove odors and stains from wooden cutting boards, butcher-block counters, floors, grout, microwaves, and bathtubs. If you want a little extra cleaning boost for bacteria-ridden surfaces in the kitchen, follow your lemon juice treatment with a spritz of the all-purpose lemon cleaner from GreenShield Organic (NF759). With zero chemicals, and a wonderful scent reminiscent of lemon candy, you'll want to keep a bottle of this in your cleaning arsenal. Sometimes, I use it around the kitchen and bathroom just because the smell it leaves behind is so delicious!
There are also great, non-toxic options to get your laundry and dishes clean. Once upon a time, laundry and dishes were washed with a pot of boiling water and a bar of soap, the same soap you'd bathe with. It wasn't until the invention of the automatic washing machine and dishwasher that a cacophony of chemical detergents were introduced onto the scene. Of course, there are good alternatives to those chemical concoctions.
Consider soap nuts, for example (NF711). These amazing little berries come from the Sapindus Mukorossi tree and have been used in the Himalayas for millennia. According to Mountain Rose Herbs, “Soap nuts contain saponin, a natural detergent. The soap nut shell absorbs water and releases saponins, which circulate as a natural surfactant in the wash water, freeing dirt, grime, and oils.” How cool is that? Cooler still, these little guys can be used for laundry and dishes!
I hope you've enjoyed learning about some of these great, non-toxic options, and maybe you've decided to give a few of them a try yourself. Now I think it's time to go tackle my own dusty corners. Happy cleaning!