Are you looking for ways to make your home toxin-free but overwhelmed with where to start? I recommend that people in this position begin with replacing their household cleaners. Some of the most harmful chemicals and toxins we bring into our homes enter through the various cleaners we can easily purchase at grocery stores, hardware/home stores, and many big box retailers. I think it’s safe to say the consensus on these products is, “If I can buy it at the store, someone must have had to prove the product’s safety.” That is where my thinking was only a few years ago, and while I sure wish it was true, the sad truth is that it is not. In Canada and the United States, no laws or regulations require a company to test the safety of a product before it can make its way to store shelves for us to buy. Extensive scientific evidence that a product is causing harm is needed before any governing body will step in and pull a product from the market.
That is a sad reality I’m afraid many of us are unaware of; I certainly wasn’t aware. However, the last thing I want is for you to feel afraid and stressed about the cleaners in your home. There are very simple and inexpensive solutions to removing these everyday toxins. I will start by giving you the basics of making a toxin-free cleaner. We do not need to be spraying our homes with toxic chemicals to get them clean. We can effectively and safely clean our homes with only a few simple ingredients. And below, I can give you the option for a slightly more convenient cleaner you do not have to make yourself. I understand that some people do not want to make their own cleaners, which I can relate to! If that’s you, stick with me; there is an option below the recipe just for you!
To make your own all-purpose cleaner, you’ll need only three ingredients:
- Distilled Water — using a distilled water, or water that has been boiled and cooled, will ensure you are not introducing impurities into your cleaning solution, ensuring it lasts longer
- White Vinegar — its natural acidity makes it a great cleaner for most surfaces (but please avoid wood, marble, granite; and when in doubt, do a spot test). White vinegar is both capable of acting as a natural disinfectant and inhibits the growth of bacteria
- Essential oils — there are so many options with essential oils; there are oils that have antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-infectious and anti-fungal properties, as well as oils that will help break down grease, repel bugs, and just smell good! I’ll break down these individually below, so you can customize your cleaner for your purposes
ESSENTIAL OILS
Some of the most common essential oils that are used in cleaners and why they are good choices:
- Lemon — antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, and a natural degreaser, lemon essential oil is great at breaking down sticky substances
- Eucalyptus Globulus (or Radiata) — antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral; been studied on its antibacterial properties and its power against bacterial resistance
- Peppermint — antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal; also blend really nicely with Lemon essential oil or any other citrus essential oils
- Rosemary — anti-fungal, antibacterial; in the past has been used in French hospitals as a disinfectant in the air
- Cinnamon Bark — powerful antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal; been widely studied on its antibacterial properties and its fighting power against bacterial resistance
- Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternafolia) — powerful antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral
There are tons of additional essential oils that could be used with many benefits! You do not need to use all of these, but rather, use them as a starting point and have fun experimenting with different combinations!
ALL-PURPOSE HOUSEHOLD CLEANER
[ Makes 32 oz of cleaner ]
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups distilled water
- 1-1/2 cups white vinegar
- 25-30 drops of essential oils
DIRECTIONS:
- Combine all ingredients in a glass spray bottle, and give a gentle shake to combine before each use.
- Store away from direct sunlight or heat. Using a dark coloured bottle will also help with the longevity of the cleaner.
OPTIONS BEYOND MAKING YOUR OWN ALL PURPOSE CLEANER:
If you’re not a fan of making your household cleaner, don’t worry, I have another option. I am a huge fan of the Thieves Household Cleaner from Young Living. It is a high-concentrated formula that you mix with water to your desired degreasing power. Generally speaking, I use about 1 oz of the high-concentrated cleaner with 4 cups of filtered water for an all-purpose cleaner. Young Living offers many concentration options for targetting different parts of your home (including upholstery/carpet, windows, bathtubs, etc.) Essential oils are already a part of this formulation, and all the ingredients are safe for everyone in the family, from your youngest members to your pets. I also love the Thieves Kitchen and Bathroom Scrub; this is my go-to product for our bathtub as it will cut through the iron stains and hard water build up we get on our white tub from our well water.
In our home, we use the entire Thieves product line from Young Living, from dish soap to laundry soap to hand soap to household cleaner. I feel very fortunate to have found Young Living’s products because their commitment to creating safe, toxin-free products has taken a massive burden off of me. It can be exhausting to try to find toxin-free brands and products. As I mentioned above, so many brands are marketing to us with great catchwords, like clean, green, natural, etc. However, with no regulation surrounding the use of these words, we have no idea what we are getting without thoroughly examining ingredient lists. When I started using Young Living, I double-checked all their product ingredients and have since learned they value the same pure, safe products I do. Without sounding too over the top, Young Living has offered us a lot of peace of mind regarding the quality and safety of its products. Every household would benefit from using their products.
Conclusion
I hope you’ve found this post helpful! The best way to remove harmful toxins from our homes is by replacing our store-bought cleaners. In future posts, I will continue offering ways to create a toxin-free home. This has become such a huge passion of mine, and I want to advocate for truly clean and safe products for every household. We face such a high toxin burden every day with things that are out of our control. However, we can control what comes into our homes simply by bringing attention to the issue and choosing cleaner product options.