Ditch the Toxic Household Products: Part 2 - CLEANING

Welcome to Part 2 of my blog series on ditching toxic household products. In Part 1 I gave you some recipes for making your own laundry products. In Part two we are going to focus on household cleaning products.

Cleaning is supposed to be all about maintaining a healthy home by removing allergens & bacteria and preventing pests. Plus having a clean home just makes us feel good!

But if the products you are using to clean with are full of toxic chemicals you are defeating the purpose altogether! You may have noticed hazard symbols on some of your cleaning products. These symbols warn of acute health hazards that can occur from a single exposure.But there are no requirements for warnings about long term health effects. Researchers in the U.S.identified 133 unique volatile organic compounds emitted from a small sample of consumer products, including six cleaning products.

Unfortunately even the products labelled "green" and "eco-friendly" cannot be assumed to be safe to use. There is little regulation of cleaning products and virtually no labelling requirements. The only way to avoid all these nasty chemicals is by using simple and effective natural products to keep your home clean! Another bonus is the cost savings you will see by making your own cleaning products.

Here are my favourite DIY cleaning products:

All purpose cleaner:

• 1/2 cup of white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of baking soda
• Several drops of an anti-bacterial essential oil (such as tea tree oil)
• Several drops of grease cutting essential oil (such as lemon or orange)
• Spray bottle

Pour ½ cup white vinegar into a spray bottle (preferably glass) and add 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Put in a few drops of your chosen essential oils and then fill the bottle to the top with water. Give it a good shake before using. Test for color-fastness if you are using it on fabrics. This solution stores well.

Glass Cleaner: 

• 2 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 10 drops of essential oil - I use lemon (optional)
• Spray bottle

Combine ingredients in a spray bottle (preferably glass) and use as needed to clean window. Spray on windows and wipe clean with a microfibre cloth. This solution stores well, shake before each use.

Toilet cleaner:

Pour one cup of baking soda into the toilet and let it soak for at least an hour. Then pour in one cup of white vinegar, leave for 5 mins and flush. Unless the toilet is really dirty, this will clean it without scrubbing!
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Dishwasher Tablets:
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• 1 & 1/2 cups washing soda
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 8 drops of therapeutic grade essential oil

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Mix in the vinegar, lemon juice and essential oil (I like lemon). You can also add in the zest of one lemon into the mixture. Once mixed the mixture should stick together like wet sand. Spoon into a silicone ice cube tray or a mini muffin tray. Let dry for about 24 hours. Once dry pop the cubes out and store in an airtight container. 
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Toilet cleaner:

Pour one cup of baking soda into the toilet and let it soak for at least an hour. Then pour in one cup of white vinegar, leave for 5 mins and flush. Unless the toilet is really dirty, this will clean it without scrubbing!
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Urine stain cleaner:

• 8 ounces hydrogen peroxide 3% (this can be found in a brown bottle in the first aid aisle of most pharmacies or stores)
• 3 tablespoons of baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of liquid castille soap
• Spray bottle

Mix all ingredients into the spray bottle, swish ingredients (do not shake) and use within 20 minutes. You should see the stain lift and disappear within 5-10 minutes. Once the solution dries, if a baking soda film remains, then simply wipe or vacuum it off.  

All purpose scouring scrub:

• 4 tablespoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons washing soda
• 8 drops of orange essential oil
• Glass jar

Mix ingredients well, store in a glass jar. Use on sinks, tubs and tiles.

All purpose floor cleaner:

• 4 litres of hot water
• 1/8 cup of liquid castille soap 
• 1/4 cup of washing soda 
• 8 - 15 drops of essential oils for fragrance and or antibacterial properties (such as lavender & tee tree)

Add all ingredients to your mop bucket. When cleaning wood floors also add in 1/4 cup of olive oil. For heavily soiled area's let solution soak for five mins before mopping. ​
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​Make your own citrus infused vinegar:
Fresh citrus, particularly lemons and lemon juice, are amazing natural cleaners. Lemons contain antibacterial properties which aid in fighting unwanted germs and bacteria in the home. Lemons also work to help brighten dull linens. Citrus provides an amazing fresh scent to home-made cleaners. Place any combination of lemon, orange and lime peels info a mason jar and cover with vinegar. Store for several weeks, then strain the peels out. Use this citrus vinegar in any of the above recipes for an wonderful citrus smell and additional antibacterial properties.

​Properties of essential natural cleaning products:

​Vinegar: An outstanding multi-purpose cleaner, vinegar is acidic and naturally antibacterial. It’s effective at removing mineral deposits, grease, mold, soap scum and rust. Use for cleaning glass, mirrors, and veggies.

Baking Soda: Has excellent scouring properties making it ideal for scrubbing surfaces such as stove-tops. It naturally removes odors of all kinds, as well as many stains. It cuts through grease because it reacts with fatty acids to form mild detergents. 

Castile Soap: Castile soap is made out of a vegetable base such as olive oil, and it does not contain any animal fats.

Washing Soda: Is similar to baking soda with a sudsy twist. It’s found naturally in sodium rich plants and some seaweed, but is commonly made from salt and limestone. Washing soda is preferred for really tough stains like grease or oil stains. It can also be used as an effective heavy-duty cleaner for painted walls, hard floors and kitchen surfaces. 

Lemon Juice: Is naturally acidic and works a lot like vinegar, and adds a great citrus smell when mixed with vinegar-based home cleaning recipes. It can be used to remove odors and lift stains and is a great de-greasing agent for dish-washing purposes. 

Salt: Is a disinfectant and a natural, gentle abrasive. It is useful for clearing drains and cleaning stained kitchen utensils, cutting boards and fabrics. It cuts through grease when added to baking soda. It removes burns and stains from china ware.

Happy Cleaning!!!
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