Hello ladies!  My name is Dana.  I’m married to my best friend and a stay at home mama of four pretty amazing kids (ages 6, 4, and twin 2 year olds!)
Most of us recycle, buy energy efficient light bulbs, and bring reusable bags to the grocery store….and if we don’t, we know that we should.  We also know that organic produce and non processed foods are better for us and the environment.  But what about toxic household cleaners??? Changing the way you clean can keep your family’s home wholesome and healthy.  PLUS you’ll save money, it’s easy, non-toxic and fun (well, as much fun as cleaning can be)!

Here’s some some recipes for some all natural cleaning agents:

All Purpose Cleaner

2 cups of water
1 cup vinegar
about 15 drops of essential oils

Mix together in spray bottle. Voila. It’s that easy….and safe enough to spray on your baby’s high chair with them sitting in it. Did you know vinegar is a natural disinfectant? AND it can be used in your dishwasher in place of rinse aid!

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

1/4 cup of Baking Soda (I have to admit, I never measure anything….I just sprinkle it in!)
1/4 cup of vinegar
Scrub with toilet brush.

Seriously. My boys fight over who gets to clean the toilet. They think it’s cool making it fizz up! And my mind’s at ease because it’s all non-toxic ingredients.

Window Cleaner

Vinegar and newspaper. Yup. That’s it.

Using paper towels leaves little fuzzies on your glass. Turns out your glass cleaner doesn’t have to be blue.

Refrigerator Cleaner

Lemon, cut in half
Baking Soda
and a little elbow grease

Next time you clean out your fridge try this. I promise you’ll never use toxic cleaners in your refrigerator again. Sprinkle baking soda directly on pulp side of lemon. Use lemon as scouring pad. Wipe up the “juice” with a paper towel or cloth. The lemon acts as a disinfectant and the baking soda gets stuck on junk off…like BBQ sauce!

Essential Oils

I tried years ago to clean with vinegar, but couldn’t stand my home to smell like Easter Eggs. Essential oils work wonders. They leave your home smelling so lovely. You can find them at Whole Foods or any other health food store. Here are a few of my favorite essential oils and their properties.

  • Tea Tree Oil -destroys bacteria and prevents growth of fungus.
  • Eucalyptus oil -antiseptic and disinfectant; repels insects.
  • Pine oil -anti-viral and antiseptic.
  • Cedar wood oil -great for dealing with mold and mildew, and acts as an antiseptic.
  • Frankincense oil -an antiseptic with a purifying nature.
  • Lavender oil -antiseptic, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial.
  • Lemon oil, as well as all citrus oils -act to emulsify and disperse grease, while also inhibiting bacteria and fungus
Don’t get overwhelmed!  Start small!
There are a lot of great books out there to help you get started and learn WHY it’s so important to rid your home of these harmful toxins in your home.
AND

 

~ Dana