
Natural Living: The Cleaning Edition
In a world where sustainability and health-conscious choices are at the forefront of consumer concerns, the demand for natural cleaning products has surged. From eco-conscious individuals striving to reduce their environmental footprint to families seeking safer alternatives for their homes, the appeal of natural cleaning solutions resonates across a diverse spectrum.
Join me on a journey where we'll explore the benefits, ingredients, and effectiveness of these environmentally-friendly alternatives. We aim to empower you to make informed choices for a cleaner, greener home.
First, let's start with some statistics.
- 2 million unintentional poisonings happen annually
- 25% of those annual poisonings are household cleaners and cosmetics/personal care products
- The Lancet Neurology study, published in 2009, implicated BPA, a common plastic additive, and phthalate was found in many cosmetics. BPA is an endocrine (hormone) disruptor and storngly suspected to affect neurodevelopment in children
- In a study called Body Burden, researchers looked at the presence of toxic chemicals in umbilical cord blood of newborn babies in U.S. hospitals. They found that in 10 newborns, they identified 287 toxins; 180 of those toxics are known to cause cancer; 217 are poisonous to the brain/nervous system; and 208 linked to birth defects
- 30 - 80% of the price of store bought cleaning products is in the packaging alone
- Laundry detergent is 60-80% water
- The EWG evaluated Febreze in 2009 to determine it's safety as a school cleaning supply and results showed the product released 89 air contaminants, including 1 carcinogen. But, the manufacturer discloses only 3 of those ingredients
Your Home Cleaning Inventory
We've curated a list of essential products that we recommend having in your home cleaning cabinet. Additionally, we'll provide practical suggestions on how you can incorporate these products into your cleaning routine to achieve sparkling results while promoting environmental sustainability.
- White Vinegar - Removes smoke smell from furniture, gets rid of water rings on wooden tables, unclogs drains, spot clean carpets
- Salt - Can be used as an abrasive, purifies/softens laundry and dish water
- Sodium Bicarbonate "Baking Soda" - Mild abrasive, whitener, deodorizer
- Essential Oils - Makes things smell good! Disinfectant, antimicrobial
- Olive Oil - Makes a great polisher when blended with EOs or vinegar
- Hydrogen Peroxide - Sanitizer for its oxidizing properties, whitens, removes protein stains from fabric
DIY Air Freshener
What you'll need:
- Glass spray bottle
- Funnel
- 10 drops of your favorite essential oil
- 1 TBSP baking soda
- 1.5 - 2 cups distilled water
What you'll do:
- Pour baking soda into spray bottle
- Add essential oils, shake up to mix
- Remove lid, fill with distilled water, shake to combine
Check out our blog for more DIY ideas and natural ways of living.
Resources
https://www.poison.org/poison-statistics-national-data-from-2016
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/newborn-babies-chemicals-exposure-bpa/