We all know that amazing feeling of cleaning your home, lighting a candle, and relaxing afterward. Not only is your home clean, but you feel clean too! But what if we told you, your home isn’t clean? All of us have heard about detoxing our bodies, but have you heard about detoxing your home!? In this blog, we’ll talk about how you can really have a clean home, clean you.
There are several cleaning products we use on a daily basis, but did you know many of them can lead to health issues? That’s right; a study found that over 2,000 cleaning supplies in the U.S led to:
- asthma
- allergies
- migraines
- cancer
- congenital disabilities
Those are just a few health concerns, but there are many more.
So how can you avoid this?
Easy! By throwing out these toxic cleaning products from your home, you can really clean your home. Not to mention, it’ll be beneficial for your family’s health.
Chemicals to Avoid
- Phthalates:This is typically found in air fresheners, dish soap, fragrances, toilet paper, etc. Anything with the word “fragrance” on it.
- Perchloroethylene (PERC):You can find this in spot removers, carpet cleaners, dry cleaning solutions, etc.
- Triclosan:You can find this in liquid dishwashing detergents, antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, etc.
- Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUATS):This is found in fabric softener, both liquid and sheets, and other antibacterial items.
- 2-Butoxyethanol:You can find this in window, kitchen and multipurpose cleaners. You may not find this listed on the ingredient label, since it is not required by law, but the chemical is banned in Europe.
- Chlorine:Usually found in toilet cleaners and mildew removers.
- Diethylene glycol: Typically found in window cleaners
- Butyl Cellosolve (Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether):This is found in all-purpose window cleaners.
- Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APE):You can find this in laundry detergents, disinfectants, stain removers, and citrus cleaners or degreasers.
You might be wondering… So what can I use to clean my home? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
DIY Home Cleaning Solutions
Here are some essential ingredients you’ll need to start:
- white vinegar
- baking soda
- club soda
- lemon juice
- castile soap
- essential oils such as lavender, lemon, tea tree, protective blend oil
You’ll also need some microfiber cloths, old rags, or old t-shirts.
All-Purpose Cleaner
- 50/50 mixture of white vinegar to distilled water.
- You can add a few drops of essential oil such as lavender, lemon, protective blend oil for smell.
This is perfect for cleaning kitchen counters, tile, hardwood, or laminate floors, sinks, showers, windows, and mirrors.
Toilet Cleaner
This one is pretty easy. Are you ready? Just sprinkle baking soda into the toilet, scrub, and flush!
Window/Mirror Cleaner
- 50/50 mixture of white vinegar to distilled water in a spray bottle.
- You can also add some rubbing alcohol or vodka.
- Add a little bit of lemon juice to reduce streak marks.
While cleaning windows and mirrors, you’ll want to use microfiber cloths or newspaper to wipe them down.
Liquid Dish Soap
- ½ cup liquid castile soap
- 1/8 cup water
- 4 drops essential oil of your choice, for the smell
- 1 tsp vinegar
- Mix everything together and store in an old soap bottle
Air Freshener
- Put distilled water in a spray bottle
- Put a little bit of liquid vitamin E (to preserve)
- Add essential oils – Rosemary and lemon to freshen and invigorate the air – Lavender, and Chamomile to calm and relax – Grapefruit, Wild Orange, Lemon to uplift mood
We hope this blog helped inform you about how you can really have a clean home, clean you! Happy detoxing! If you would like to learn more about how naturopathic medicine can help you, contact Dr. Brandy McGill to make an appointment.
