Most cleaning products are toxic: Here is what to use instead

If you are new to the world cutting out toxins from your home, this guide will be a great place to start. I will share with you, the low tox options that i use in my home. They have helped my family feel better and even improved my daughters eczema.

You spray your counters, wipe your floors, and scrub your bathroom until it looks clean…

But what if the products you are using are filling your home with toxins?

Many popular cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that can irritate your skin, disrupt your hormones, and affect even the air you breathe.

The good news is, you don’t need them. This is not only amazing for your health, but is also great for your grocery budget.

When my daughter was 3, she developed severe eczema. I immediately took her to our family doctor who prescribed a cream. My doctor told me that this cream was so strong that i could only use a tony amount to treat the eczema, and that it would thin her skin if we used it for longer than 3 days. Let’s just say i didn’t fill that prescription and this led me down a rabbit hole.

I didn’t just change the laundry detergent for her, i swapped out almost every chemical that i used in the home. Now we only truly get sick, once every few years, instead of every few months and the eczema is managed, improved and almost non existent.

Why most cleaning products aren’t as safe as we think

Most store bought cleaners are filled with ingredients like:

• Synthetic fragrances

• Ammonia

• Chlorine

• Phthalates

These can:

• Trigger headaches and allergies

• Irritate skin and lungs

• Linger in your home long after cleaning

If you have children, pets, or sensitive skin it matters even more.

The best natural cleaning swaps

Most of these can be used for many different things, which i love since it saves so much space!

Instead of a harsh all purpose cleaner, use a DIY vinegar spray:

Multi purpose sprays are filled with artificial fragrances and chemicals that we don’t need. You can make this spray and use it for your kitchen counters, your oven, and your sink.

All you need is:

• ½ cup of white vinegar

• ½ cup of water

• 12 drops of any essential oil

Mix all of these in a spray bottle and spray away. This mix will last around 2 weeks before you have to make it again.

Essential oil blends you can add:

• Lavender and tea tree

• Lavender and orange

• Lemon and orange

Vinegar cuts grease, removes odors, and naturally disinfects.

Instead of a microwave cleaner, try this hack:

I used to hate cleaning my microwave. It took me so long to scrub off any left over food that was splashed inside (we got rid of our plastic food cover) and i hated the thought of old food being microwaved over and over again, so i would clean it daily.

Then i came across this hack.

What you need:

• A small glass bowl

• Half a lemon

• One cup of water

• Microfiber cloth

All you do is put the lemon and water in the glass bowl and microwave for 5 minutes. When the time is done, everything inside the microwave will be dripping off, so you can just take a microfiber cloth and wipe it down. Done and easy!

Tip: If you want to get rid of odors, add a splash of vinegar to the water.

Instead of harsh floor cleaners, try this:

When i used to use the floor cleaners from the store, i had constant headaches. I would have to open the windows right after just so i could breathe! This was not fun in the winter. Then i used this natural alternative and i have never looked back.

What you need:

• Castile soap

• Vinegar

• Hot water

Shop my favorite lox tox products on Amazon.

Castile soap is so amazing and so versatile. It is so gentle that you can even use it to clean your body. It is made using oils, like olive oil, making it rich in vitamins and fatty acids.

You can use it for anything, from washing your dishes to washing your hair. In this case we are using it as a floor cleaner.

All you do is fill up your mop bucket with hot water, add a few drops of the castile soap, and then add around ¼ cup of vinegar. Then use your mop as normal.

You can add essential oils if you wish but you can buy mildly scented castile soap.

This mix is best made fresh when you need it.

More low tox swaps you can make:

I just wanted to add some other swaps that i have made in my home.

• I stopped using dryer sheets that are full of harsh chemicals and fragrances, and i now use 100% cotton dryer balls. Not only do these help reduce drying time, they remove lint, hair, and prevent static energy.

• We changed all of our bedding and towels to 100% cotton. Cotton bedsheets help to regulate body temperature and is hypoallergenic, making it great for those of us with sensitive skin.

• I stopped storing food in plastic containers and only use glass. Plastics leak into our food, especially when heated in the microwave.

• We switched to a plant based laundry detergent. No more strong scents and unnecessary added chemicals.

You and you family deserve only the best! ✨