If you’ve been thinking about making the switch to natural living, but you’re not sure where to start, swapping out all your all-purpose cleaner is the easiest way.
You’ll instantly improve your health and lower stress levels just by getting rid of the toxic chemicals and replacing them with family-safe products.
Why switch to natural cleaners?
As more and more stories started to surface about how this baby product caused cancer and reading articles like this one explaining how multiple cleaning agents were linked to asthma, I couldn’t turn my back anymore. I actively started researching ways to make our home safer.
First things first, go slow
It has been a slow process to get rid of toxic products, but I know that every slight improvement is helping us in the long term. Changing one small thing is going to help make your family healthier.
Don’t focus on perfection; concentrate on one thing at a time. It all adds up!
Knowing that I can leave my cleaners on the counter without worrying about my kids getting harmful chemicals in their eyes or in their bellies if swallowed has cut down on my anxiety tremendously. It’s one less thing to babysit while I’m doing a million other things during the day.
Plus, my kids enjoy helping me clean, and I don’t worry about it getting on their skin one bit!
Safer All-Purpose Household Cleaners
Out of everything I tried, these are the simplest alternatives to every cleaner you have in your house.
We’re all about easy here, so there’s no mixing multiple ingredients.
White Vinegar
Vinegar water is such an excellent swap for most household cleaners.
- It’s easy to find
- It’s safe enough to use in salad dressings, so I feel comfortable using it around my kids.
- It’s easy to use: Grab a spray bottle, fill it with half water and half vinegar, and you’re ready to go.
- It’s inexpensive!
*If you’re concerned about messing up fabrics or floors, test a small spot to see how it works.
The vinegar doesn’t smell the best, but when it dries, it is odorless.
Also, you can add lemon and orange slices or some essential oils to make it smell better.
*It’s best to use a glass bottle when using essential oils. Oils are potent and can break down the plastic over time.
Thieves All Purpose Cleaner
I love Thieves because it’s as effective as any harsh cleaner and smells like Fall!
I started using Thieves at the beginning of the pandemic. My hands were cracking, and my throat was sore from bleaching everything in sight.
I was afraid nothing would be as effective as the harsh products I was used to, but I was appalled by all the chemicals, so I took a chance.
I’m glad I switched because:
- It lasts for a long time: One capful is mixed with about 15 oz of water in a bottle. You can make about X amount of bottles of cleaner.
- It smells great, so you don’t have to worry about that horrible chemical smell or taste in your throat from cleaning.
- I don’t need gloves because the oils are actually good for my skin!
- It’s easy to order- you can go online and have it auto-shipped as often as needed.
- It works just as well as bleach.
I use this cleaner on everything in my home, but again, test it out if you’re unsure about a particular fabric or flooring.
*Thieves cleaner is made with a mix of essential oils, so a glass bottle is best to avoid a plastic bottle breaking down over time and getting into the mixture.
Castille Soap
I use this for everything, not just cleaning!
- I love having a big bottle in my closet when I run out of hand soap, shampoo, or anything else. I’ve even used it to wash my dishes when I ran out of dish soap.
- It is very potent, so you only need about one tablespoon of soap per cup of water in a spray bottle for cleaning.
- You can mix it up as you desire: add a variety of essential oils depending on your cleaning needs. Lemon is great for cutting grease, lavender for a soothing aroma, and peppermint to wake things up.
- You can get it right on Amazon, and sometimes you can find it at Marshall’s at a GREAT price!
Please keep in mind
Switching to a natural and low-tox lifestyle can feel overwhelming…
BUT…
I want you to know that it takes most people years to make the switch.
Any slight change you make is going to have a positive impact on your family. Even if you can’t see it right away, your efforts will never go to waste.
