So….Wednesdays are cleaning days.  Mostly.  I’ve struck somewhat of a balance with family, work, and home that has me doing laundry every day except Wednesdays.  And that’s why I don’t mind cleaning on Wednesdays – BECAUSE THERE’S NO LAUNDRY.

I was especially looking forward to cleaning today because my amazing mess of a middle child, in the same moment, decided to wipe her boogers AND her poopy diaper on my pillow after throwing her breakfast on the floor and smashing play-dough into the carpet.  At least there was no Sharpie involved today!

Finding non-toxic cleaning solutions can seem daunting and unnecessary – but do you know what’s in your cleaning products?  Do you really know?

Here are some common ingredients in conventional cleaners we should be aware of and stay away from, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG):

• synthetic fragrances such as phthalates (endocrine disruptors) and other allergens
• harsh chemicals like bleach and ammonia
• hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, sodium or potassium hydroxide, or ethanolamines which are toxic to the skin and lungs
• and, many hand soaps contain triclosan as an antimicrobial (known to disrupt thyroid function)

You can read the EWG’s Healthy Home Guide to cleaning products HERE.  And check out how your cleaning products rate on the EWG scale HERE.

WHAT SHOULD WE USE INSTEAD?

There are so many options!  There are many great brands of non-toxic cleaning sprays, handsoaps and such at places like Whole Foods and even Target.  Or you can make your own – check out my Pinterest page!

My awesome little sis got me hooked on steam mopping!  It sanitizes your floors with steam!  You can also add your favorite essential oils to the tank (I like Lime or Purification) to freshen the air.  I purchased one like this.

Freshen the air with essential oils!  Many people already have diffusers in their home.  If you don’t there are a lot of great ones out there.  And so many great essential oils to have on hand.  I’ve been getting to know all about EO’s for almost 5 years – ask me and I’d be glad to tell you about them!  You can use single oils or create diffuser blends to create the atmosphere you want to have in each room.

SPRAY CLEANER, YOU GUYS.  Yes, you can totally DIY it.  But, for me, there is one that cleans better and smells better than all the rest.  Young Living’s Thieves Household Cleaner is by far the best value for a non-toxic spray cleaner that is such a multi-purpose tool.  I clean countertops, bathrooms, freshen furniture, carpets, curtains, pillows, laundry, pet items, my car interior, and so much more.  It comes in a concentrated bottle – so you dilute and make a spray bottle.  One bottle of concentrate will give you about 14 bottles of all purpose spray – making it super cost effective solution.  If you know me personally, I’d be glad to make a bottle for you to try.  It’s that good.  Trust me.

Laundry – see my laundry swap outs HERE.

A last little tip – save on paper towels!  Get a pack of basic washcloths at Target that are a different color than your bathroom/shower ones (I always use grey ones) and build a stack of cleaning rags.  Saves a lot of paper towels – because we already use enough of those wiping sticky hands!

You can always email me with any questions or comments shannonfeol@gmail.com

Shannon