Decrease Toxins in your Home with Natural Cleaning Products
on Mar 30, 2024
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Reduce toxins {and save money at the same time} in your home with these natural cleaning products. Your family and your health will thank you. You’ll happily notice all the extra space you have because now you only need to store 4 ingredients. Smile as you clean because you’re cleaning efficiently and naturally through each and every room of the house.
Table of Contents
Decrease Toxins with Non Toxic Cleaners
The world we live in is a dirty place. Even a spotless home can be a haven for nasty toxins – especially if the harsh chemical cleaners you use cause more harm than good. Tight, energy efficient homes are good for energy preservation. However, leached chemicals from cleaning supplies lead to poor indoor air quality.
Toxins in food, toxins in our clothes, toxins in our make-up and soaps: sometimes it’s hard to know where to start living naturally.
One of the first steps I made to clean up my house was to stop buying commercial cleaners which are notorious for leaching toxins. They may smell clean, but they aren’t safe.
To make the switch I started buying nontoxic household cleaners. I started with this all purpose cleaner, a floor cleaner, and nontoxic laundry detergent. They worked well but, truthfully, got to be a bit expensive.
I soon learned that making homemade green cleaning products is a quick and frugal way to decrease toxins in your life. Most eco friendly cleaners are easy to prepare, easy to use, and best of all, they work great!
Non Toxic Household Cleaners
The best part of using natural cleaning ingredients is that you probably already have them in your kitchen. If not, find them easily in any grocery store – but not in the aisle with all purpose cleaners or dishwasher detergent.
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1. White Vinegar
White vinegar is the quintessential, frugal home cleaning ingredient. It’s all natural, effective, and has antibacterial qualities. It’s safe for you, safe for your children, safe for your pets, and safe for the environment.
Vinegar kills germs in your kitchen, your bathroom, your woodwork, your floors, and your laundry.
The easiest way to use vinegar as a non toxic cleaner is dilute it with water and put it in a spray bottle for a glass cleaner. I also use vinegar to wash my fruits & veggies. Vinegar is great for cleaning just about anything in my house, including as floor cleaner.
2. Baking Soda
Another must have in my house is Baking Soda. It’s both frugal and versatile. Baking soda is great for:
- Cleaning the kitchen sink
- Clean my drains
- Deodorize the fridge
- Homemade laundry detergents
- Freshen my trash can
- Baking cookies
3. Borax
Borax is a natural mineral compound great for all sorts of cleaning. Use it to whiten your sink, freshen your toilets, and boost your laundry. My kids also love borax for making slime.
4. Lemon
A natural whitening agent, lemon juice is great for some many things. From cleaning your sink to cleaning your cutting boards – you’ll want fresh lemon juice in your frugal cleaning ingredient arsenal!
How to Make Dish Soap with Natural Cleaning Products
Vinegar, baking soda, essential oils and other biodegradable based ingredients are great for making non toxic cleaners such as dish soap.
Can I DIY Stain Removers?
Absolutely! White vinegar cleans your washing machine but it also removes stains. Use 1 cup of vinegar in the final rinse to soften your clothes, too.
Add 1 cup of lemon juice to the washer to help brighten whites. It can also be used to remove rust stains or perspiration marks.
There is really no reason to use toxic products in your home when natural cleaners will do the trick just as well. Save your money and keep your family healthy. Using non toxic household cleaners is a win-win.
Thank you for posting this, now I know what to do with all those peels.
You’re welcome!
Awesome, I have been using a vinegar/water solution to clean (as an all purpose cleaner) for a while now, but gosh the smell leaves something to be desired (my husband always thinks it’s easter egg dying time). Can’t wait to try it! Just one question though – what kind of squirt bottles do you use? I’ve found that the vinegar solution eats through the cheap Target brand type, but haven’t found a source for more industrial types.
I’m not sure I’ve had that problem. I have had a problems with squirters not working after a while. Is that what you mean? I’ve found some more industrial bottles in garden sections. Maybe they would work for you? After a while, I just have to replace my bottles though.
What great ideas for going green cleaning! My husband brought home a huge bag of Cara Cara oranges today, so I’ll be saving the rinds to soak in vinegar. I LOVE that idea! Thanks for this post and the links!
What a great idea! Citrus peels don’t compost very well for us and I always cringe when I throw them away.
You’ll still end up with wasted peels, Jennifer – it just delays the inevitable. But you have to drain the vinegar from the peels before you use it. 🙂
I’ve been meaning to research this, so thank you! I love it when I find new uses for things I already have around the house!
Awesome! Love cleaning with vinegar and other natural cleaners. I have added essential oils but I love this idea, too. Thanks for sharing.
Great post! I would love for you to link up at my Linky Party via: http://ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com/2012/03/show-me-what-you-got-linky-party-6.html
Mrs. Delightful
http://www.ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com
Great tips for non-toxic cleaners! We use natural cleaners because the store-bought cleaners usually contain ingredients that are bad for the septic tank. They kill the good bacteria that breaks down waste.
I’m glad you added a caption…because I looked at the picture first and immediately thought, those are the ugliest peaches I’ve ever seen. I guess the post title hadn’t registered with me yet. haha! I’ve been wanting to go green within the house and this is a good place for me to start. I immediately think of the $$ we’ll save. I’ve had a good time here…laughing at myself and learning! Thanks for sharing at the Rock ‘N Share!
That’s so funny! Ugly peaches…I know I have work to do with my photography, but this cracked me up!
This is really useful information! Thanks so much for sharing at Mom On Timeout!
Great ideas. I soaked my lemon peels in water to use in the final rinse for laundry and sometimes in my hair. I then chucked it in the compost as it breaks down quickly in that state ( i also live in a warm climate). From now on I will be using citrus infused vinegar for the laundry – as soon as the first lot is ready!
Baking soda is a great product to be used as a carpet freshener. You just sprinkle it on the carpet and then leave it for an hour to settle and then vacuum the entire carpet.
I really like it when people get together and share opinions.
Great blog, keep it up!
With the surfacing of different cleaning materials, we are no longer sure which of these are safe for the family. Thus, it becomes common that people go for more natural or toxic-free remedies. Thank you for sharing these ideas. These will definitely benefit all homeowners; consequently, our environment.
You have written a fantastic resource.
Thanks for the advice 😀 Just wanted to mention that I found a surprising number of professional companies actually use natural and/or non-harsh chemicals as part of their service. As a disabled person I find this a great middle ground. I can personally recommend carpet cleaning birmingham but there are plenty on Google if you’re not in the area.