Cleaners in Your Home You NEED to Replace!
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We need to have a talk- Do you know there are toxins lurking in your everyday household cleaning items? In this post, I’m going to give you homemade & non-toxic cleaning swaps you can make right now for a healthier home. And best of all, they’re cheap & easy to make!
I was once you, searching the internet for non-toxic cleaning options after stumbling upon a blog post (just like mine) explaining how our household cleaners contain cancer causing & hormone disrupting (aka phthalates) ingredients. With my littles in mind, I needed to make a change ASAP. I recommend checking out the EWG’s database where you can research almost every cleaning product on the market. From there, you can make the best and most informed decision for your family.
I’ll cut to the chase and get to the recipes but I do highly, highly encourage you to do your research on the benefits of using homemade non-toxic products vs. conventional products. Below, you’ll find recipes to my favorite cleaners. I won’t be sharing any “natural” cleaner swaps you can find at the grocery store- rather just recipes that are cheap & easy to make (with the exception of essential oils) and can be done TODAY, if needed 😉
Homemade Laundry Detergent
· 2 bars of castile soap (any will work- I personally like Kirk’s)
· 4 cups Borax
· 4 cups Washing Soda
Slice your bars of soap against the grain with a large knife. Then, place those pieces in a food processor & grind until they’re as fine as you can get. Then add the Borax and Washing Soda. Turn back on the food processor and allow all 3 ingredients to mix and for the soap to grind even finer.
THAT. IS. IT!
Use 1 tbsp for small load, 2 tbsp for larger. I store my newly made laundry soap in a gallon size glass container- really any container will work.
Bleach Alternative
· 12 cups water
· ¼ cup lemon juice
· 1 cup hydrogen peroxide
Mix together and store in a glass container with lid. Or for a pre-treating solution, pour in a spray bottle. *Peroxide will likely remove color, so only use on whites!* Use 2 cups along with regular washing detergent. It would help to use a soak cycle, if possible.
Dryer Sheet/Fabric Softener Alternative
Homemade Fabric Softener
· 2 cups white vinegar
· 10 drops lemon essential oil
Place in a glass mason jar or any glass container with lid. Shake well and add ¼ cup per load of laundry.
Homemade All-Purpose Spray
· 1 cup white vinegar
· 1 cup distilled water (or filtered)
· 15-30 drops essential oil of choice
TOP 10 most powerful antiviral oils
1. Immunity Boost (Revive Essential Oils)
2. Cinnamon
3. Lemon
4. Basil
5. Oregano
6. Peppermint
7. Clove
8. Eucalyptus
9. Tea Tree
10. Rosemary
Put all ingredients in a glass spray bottle & shake. Done!
*To protect essential oils, use a colored glass spray bottle such as amber or cobalt. Colored Glass protects the essential oils from UV rays, which break down the essential oils and reduces their potency.*
Homemade Disinfectant Spray (Lysol Alternative)
· 1 cup filtered water
· ½ rubbing alcohol (70% or higher)
· ½ cup white vinegar
· 15-30 drops antiviral essential oil
Pour all ingredients in glass bottle, shake & spray away!
*To protect essential oils, use a colored glass spray bottle such as amber or cobalt. Colored Glass protects the essential oils from UV rays, which break down the essential oils and reduces their potency.*
Homemade Floor Cleaner (for wood, tile & laminate!)
· 2 gallons of HOT tap water
· 1 cup white vinegar
· 1 tbsp Sal Suds
· 40 drops essential oils (for the most incredible smell: 20 drops lemongrass, 15 drops lemon & 10 drops sweet orange)
First, add in Sal Suds (which is NOT castile soap, and CAN be combined w/vinegar) to an empty bucket. Next, add in your essential oils and vinegar. Fill bucket with 2 gallons hot tap water, and use your mop head to stir it all together. Use a spin mop to squeeze out extra liquid (particularly for laminate floors) and start mopping!
I can’t wait for you to start making these healthier switches and saving some pennies while at it. Happy cleaning, momma’s!
“Homemaking is surely in reality the most important work in the world.”
-C.S. Lewis