I happened upon a journal about 9 years ago, after just having my son, about the dangers of common household cleaning products. I considered myself a ‘conscious, green-type’ person, already recycling, taking my own bags to the store, eating organically grown produce, etc. I had not considered the impact of what I was using on our dishes, on our clothing, and in our house on our health and the environment.
What I found was that almost all of the cleaning products that I was using were toxic to us and our environments. Right now, I am reading a book given to me by a friend of mine called ‘Green Goes With Everything‘ by Sloan Barnett. Here are some examples of chemicals found in common products:
All Purpose Cleaners: contain solvents and surfactants suspected of causing or aggravating asthma symptoms
Chlorine bleach: can cause severe irritation to the eyes and skin, and its vapor can cause damage to the respiratory tract and aggravate asthma and other respiratory conditions
Disinfectants: May contain formaldehyde, phenols and can be hazardous to internal organs and the Central Nervous System
Scouring cleansers: can irritate mucous membranes and cause liver and kidney damage
Tub, tile, and Sink cleansers: can cause reproductive, endocrine, and immune system disorders
So these are just a few that I picked out. My intention is not to scare but to bring about awareness. I am becoming more clear about the assault our bodies are under everyday and the impact that has on our health. Our society continues to have more health problems when, in actuality, many of our health issues can be lessened or prevented by merely changing some simple things in our lives.
This is what I am doing for cleaning products:
‘Mrs. Meyer’s’ brand cleaning products can be found in all of the health food stores (or online). I love these products because they smell amazing and work beautifully for all of my cleaning.
‘Shaklee’ carries many supplies that I find to be very effective and simple.
Both of these options may seem pricier in the beginning, but the reality is that, in the long run, because they are so concentrated, you’ll actually be saving yourself money.
Here are a couple of recipes to make your own:
Citrus Floor Cleaner:
1 gallon hot water
2 tbsp liquid castille soap (Dr. Bronner’s)
15 drops sweet orange essential oil
1/4 c. lemon juice
Combine in large bucket
Window Cleaner:
3 cups water
1/4 c. white vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
I love making my own cleaning products. They are cheap, I always have the ingredients, are extremely effective, and good for me and my family.
My Challenge to You:
Throw out your cleaning supplies (if you’ve already done this, GREAT!) and just buy one of the above-mentioned recipes or all-purpose cleaners. Use this for a month. You really shouldn’t be smelling your cleaning supplies when you use them in your house (unless you are using vinegar or essential oils). Really feel what it’s like to deep breathe and feel good about it!