House Cleaning Without Chemicals
“Whichever camp you’re in, cleaning your home without toxic chemicals is necessary. This is one way you can control your exposure to harmful chemicals. Many chemicals in general cleaning products have been identified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which have been linked to breast cancer and other illnesses. Natural cleaning products are becoming more popular and can be made at home with store cupboard ingredients, such as bicarbonate soda, white vinegar, lemons, table salt, and citric acid.
Why Non-Toxic Cleaning?
I think most people know by now that there are plenty of pretty nasty ingredients lurking on the store shelves – especially in the household supplies aisle. Toxic ingredients can have tongue-twister names and are linked with issues like asthma, allergies, skin reactions, eye damage, lung damage, and many more. The best part is that natural cleaners are generally less expensive and way safer. Bonus points: they won’t burn your lungs either!
How To Clean Your House Without Chemicals
Use Cotton Cleaning Rags
To start, replace your cleaning cloths with 100% organic cotton cloths. Disposable products like paper towels and wipes are, of course, bad for the environment. However, you do want to be careful what fabrics you use. I recommend 100% natural cotton, preferably organic. You may see people online recommending microfiber cloth because it allows you to use less cleaning solution. However, the tiny plastic microfibers could potentially cause respiratory problems, inflammation, asthma, bronchitis, and auto-immune disease (source).
Lemon slices
Lemons are a natural disinfectant. Fresh lemon slices can be added to a homemade cleaning solution of 1 part vinegar and 1 part water to create a fresh scent and help you get a better clean. They can also be used to remove odor in the garbage disposal and stuck-on food in the microwave. When cleaning the garbage disposal, cut up a few slices of lemon and place them inside to help kill any odor-causing bacteria that may be coming from it. Let them sit for a while before turning it on and letting them run through. When cleaning the microwave, take a microwave-safe bowl and fill it up with water. Add a few lemon slices and microwave on high for 3 to five minutes before easily wiping away any stuck-on food using a microfiber cloth.
Don’t use laundry detergents, air fresheners, or any products that have “fragrance” listed on the label
These products often contain undisclosed chemicals in the “fragrance” that can contain endocrine disruptors, such as phthalates and other ingredients that can trigger allergies. Look for natural sources of fragrances, such as essential oils.
Avoid common chemicals linked to health harm
Some of the chemicals to avoid are quaternary ammonium compounds (or quats) and triclosan (an antimicrobial), which are linked to triggering allergies and can disrupt thyroid function even at low levels. Avoid the use of toilet cleaners, oven cleaners, or other products that contain hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, sodium or potassium hydroxide, or ethanolamines. These chemicals can cause skin burns, blindness, and lung irritation.
Don’t be afraid of a shortcut
Not everything has to be made from scratch: ‘I’m a big fan of Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap, which is great for anything from cleaning dishes to washing hands,’ says Emmy. ‘Most refill stores will stock refill cleaning liquids and are great at making sure the products are free from harmful chemicals and ingredients many like to avoid, such as SLS and parabens.
OTHER HELPFUL NATURAL CLEANING TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR HEALTH
