Whether you’re a clean-freak like me or more of a casual cleaner…one thing that’s super important to remember is that keeping house with unhealthy cleaning products can actually make your home dirty….as in toxic-dirty.
So….let’s stop playing dirty and rewire how we clean!
Let me preface this by saying that I wasn’t always a “clean” product purist. I grew up in a home where bleach and pine-scented liquids were used to scrub down every surface. My mom even used Pine-Sol in the laundry ?!? I equated those harsh smells with a pristine home for ages….well into my first year of motherhood. Then, my son suffered an adverse reaction to a medication his pediatrician gave him, and I threw myself headfirst into the rabbit hole of learning all about WHAT is in the stuff we use on and in our bodies and in our homes.
What I found out was disturbing at best.
I grew up with the mindset that just because it was FDA approved or sold on the shelves of the local superstore that it had to be ok for you. WRONG. I learned that approvals, labels and store shelf real estate could be easily bought….but what was less easily bought were products that were actually effective and harmless.
Thankfully, over the last few years we’ve seen more and more of the environmentally friendly, clean ingredient filled products making their way onto our shop shelves….but the cleaning product revolution hasn’t hit home with a big enough bang yet. I’m looking forward to the day that the chemical stuff gathers cobwebs in some distant warehouse while the good stuff is in ALL of our homes AND schools!
I’m passionate about cleaner cleaning products because prior to learning about the chemicals we expose ourselves to in our every day lives, I really had no idea how harmful they could be. I also realized that most of us go through life just trusting that what we buy is either good for us or at least not completely terrible. Sometimes it takes a rude awakening, like what happened to my kiddo, to open your eyes and ever since then I’ve been really careful about what comes into my home….and feel the need to share what I learned.
You see, everything we touch or breathe-in accumulates in our bodies and if we’re exposing our families and ourselves (and even our pets!) to chemicals and toxins every time we clean our homes then we’re definitely playing dirty. This accumulation may not have immediate consequences, but over time can lead to a slew of health issues…which sometimes we view as mystery conditions, when in reality it’s the stuff we’ve been exposing ourselves to at home for years.
VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) which are aplenty in most commercial cleaning product brands are guilty of causing allergic reactions, chronic breathing issues, headaches, and endocrine distruption. Not something you want or need when wiping off your counters….know what I mean?
A sparkling bathroom or kitchen definitely should not come with a side of carcinogens….and some of the ingredients to avoid when looking for your next batch of housekeeping items are:
-Perchloroethylene (PERC): neurotoxin and carcinogen
-Formaldehyde: neurotoxin
-2-Butoxyethanol: toxic to liver and lungs
-Ammonia: known to cause damage to mucous membranes and cardiovascular system
-Sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide: known to cause tissue damage and lung irritation
-Sulfuric acid: damaging to kidney, liver, and digestive tract
-Triclosan: endocrine disruptor and can create antibiotic resistant bacteria
Instead, look for products made with plant based surfactants that are either unscented or scented with essential oils. Read labels like you would read the labels on your food…because the products you use in your home can be just as important as what you put on your plates. If you don’t know what an ingredient is…find out. We live during a time when researching takes a few clicks of a mouse and the more you know, the healthier you and your home will be!
If you’ve tried natural cleaning products in the past and been underwhelmed because the product size compared to its price hasn’t been great, the clean hasn’t seemed “clean enough”, the Pinterest DIY stuff is just too messy and time consuming, the scent has been too “herbally” or you’re not a fan of the unscented stuff….have no fear! One of my new favorite cleaning product lines is USA made Koala Eco which delivers a highly effective clean while smelling absolutely divine. Their packaging is esthetic and generous….along with a very affordable price point considering how much product you get for your buck. Cleaning house with Koala Eco is a pleasure and I get to stay confident in knowing that everything we touch and breathe-in post-cleaning day is truly safe. Suffice it to say, this is on the top of my favorite home products list…and it definitely belongs on yours!
The new year is right around the corner and if you don’t already have a truly clean way of cleaning house…no better time than now to make a resolution to have a cleaning revolution in your home. Every little thing we do to create a healthier life is worth it….trust me. 🙂
**header photo by Samantha Gades @unsplash
**As an affiliate, I make a small portion of sales made from some links in my blog.
