Chemical-Free Cleaning

**This post is especially for you, Mary!**


You might be thinking, "Wait a minute...cleaning doesn't have anything to do with food!"  But don't tune out just yet.  Cleaning products are something we can ingest--just by using them--and the likelihood that our little ones ingest the chemicals is even greater.  With marketed cleaning products, it's best to wear gloves so that the chemicals don't seep into your skin, and a mask so that you don't inhale the toxins through the air.  (Seriously, read the labels on your cleaning products...the warnings are there!)  Then you have the warning not to mix certain products because they can create lethal fumes.  For a lot of us, these are the products we've been using all our lives, often times without taking the necessary safety precautions.  That's how it was for me!  And then I had Joshua...

A little one in the house makes me much more aware of the presence of chemicals in our home.  I don't really want him breathing in toxic air.  I don't want the toxic residue of cleaning products to end up on his hands as he crawls around the floor, plays with his toys, or puts his mouth on everything in sight.  Yet, I want my home to be clean.

Just as I've taken baby steps to cut out toxic ingredients in our food, I'm in the process of removing chemicals from our cleaning products.  No, I haven't changed every product in my home, but I'm working on making significant changes for our overall health.  The best part is that these changes are CHEAP and EASY and they work!  You can do this!  This post over at Mommypotamus is what inspired me to begin making changes.

Here's what I've got for serious or everyday cleaning in my home:

Windows, mirrors, stainless steel--
Spray bottle ($0.97 at Walmart) filled halfway with distilled vinegar ($0.88 at Walmart) and filled the rest of the way with water.  For less than two dollars, you've got a great cleaner that makes porcelain or stainless steel SHINE!  It's streak-free and even has some disinfecting power.

Toilets, bathtub/shower, sinks--
If I really want a good clean, I add some baking soda.  For example, I spray the vinegar solution on the tub and then sprinkle baking soda around it.  Then I just grab a scrub brush and get to it!

Multi-purpose kitchen cleaner--
I had some Dr. Bronner's soap (can be found at Target) on hand and decided to make an all-purpose cleaner with that.  I need something in the kitchen that will disinfect after working with raw meat.  Dr. Bronner's is not anti-bacterial, but Tea Tree Oil is!  So I got another spray bottle from Walmart and poured in two tablespoons of Dr. Bronner's (it's about $10 for a bottle, but you use very little of it so it'll last a long time).  Seriously, that's all.  Then fill up the rest of the bottle with water.  Then put in about 20 drops of tea tree oil (about $8 at Sprouts, but again, it'll last forever!) and you're good!

I've also heard of cleaning with Vodka (thanks Keeper of the Home!)...but I've yet to try it.

There are lots of things that you can do to remove toxic cleaning products, yet have a sparkling clean home!  I mostly chose these things because I had much of it on hand already.  When I run out, I might try something else.  My husband doesn't like the smell of vinegar after I've cleaned (though, in my opinion, it's way better than the smell of bleach!), so I use the Dr. Bronner's most. Explore the links I've referred you to and see what makes sense to you.  If you have trouble finding one of the ingredients you are looking for, let me know and I'll help you.  Or if you have any ideas that I didn't mention here, feel free to enlighten us!