By Julie Behling
Every year, more than 7 million accidental poisonings occur - 75% of which involve children under the age of 6. On average, there are 3-25 gallons of toxic chemicals in the homes of Americans, and household cleaners account for the majority of of these chemicals in most cases.
In addition to acute poisoning, chemically-manufactured household cleaners are the number 1 contributor to air pollution indoors, where air quality is 7X more polluted than outdoors even when considering pollution caused by vehicles and factories. Women who work at home have a 54% higher risk of developing cancer than women who work away from the home, one 15-year study determined. The only thing linked to this increased risk was increased exposure to household cleaners.
Whether you work at home, have children at home, help to clean your home, or live in a home that is ever cleaned - you owe it to yourself and your family to use products that won't poison anyone. And what if these products were simpler, less-expensive, and more effective than the toxic products?
Let's take a look at three common household cleaners, and their warnings -
1. One common name-brand Clean Up Spray with Bleach warns to "avoid prolonged or repeated skin contact" and "prolonged breathing of vapor." But this product is designed to be used in areas that can often have poor ventilation, and who wants to break out a gas mask and industrial-strength rubber gloves every time you wipe down your counters or sink?
Natural Alternative -
Thieves Household Cleaner. Get a 32 oz. spray bottle, add 1 oz. of Thieves Household Cleaner and fill the bottle with water. Alternatively, you can make your own Thieves cleaner with 4 oz. of natural liquid soap*, 15-20 drops Thieves essential oil, and water in the 32 oz. bottle. Thieves oil kills bacteria, viruses, mold, mildew, and powerfully removes stains, grime, and grease.
2. Let's look at one common name-brand bathtub cleaner. It has been used in millions of American households for decades, yet it gives off chlorine fumes for up to 2 weeks after use, and leaves a gritty residue behind. This product can cause "coughing or irritation of nose and throat", and contact with the skin may cause "superficial temporary irritation". In individuals with lung issues this product may lead to "reduced lung function". Even worse, one of the ingredients in this product is a known carcinogen in animals.
Natural Alternative -
Use the Thieves cleaner described above, along with baking soda as a scrubbing agent. After wetting the bathtub with water, sprinkle about 1/2 c. baking soda in the tub, spray with the Thieves cleaner, then clean the bathtub with a scrubbing sponge. This not only works better than the toxic cleaner above, but leaves even the dirtiest tub completely sparkling, fresh, and grit-free.
3. Last, but definitely not least, let's look at the warnings on a common brand of toilet bowl cleaner. You can't have any skin contact with this product or even inhale it without it causing some sort of problem. For any contact with your skin, the label says to "IMMEDIATELY flush with plenty of water for at least 15-20 minutes." Of course, if accidentally ingested, you have to call the Poison Control Center and face "mucosal damage". If this product has any accidental contact with the eyes, you have to flush your eyes for 15-20 minutes with water and then call the Poison Control Center. If this product is accidentally mixed with any other cleaning product, "hazardous gases may be released."
Does this sound like a product you want in your home?
We've all been sold that there's no alternative - the only way to have a clean toilet bowl is to work with a poisonous substance that gives off toxic fumes well after you're done using it. This is complete nonsense.
Natural Alternative -
Pour about 1/4 c. of baking soda and 2 drops of Thieves essential oil blend in the toilet, scrub as usual, then wait about a minute before flushing. This solution sanitizes and freshens the toilet bowl while removing most stains.
We have the toilet bowl, bathtub, and surfaces covered. What about everything else?
Here are a few more recipes for 100% non-toxic and effective cleaners for your home -
Natural Glass cleaner - 1/10 oz. Thieves Household Cleaner in 32 oz. of water OR 1/8 oz. of your favorite natural liquid soap (I like Miracle II Soap), 32 oz. water, 7 drops of lemon oil, plus 1 tsp. of white vinegar.
Natural Wood polish - 1 Tbsp of olive oil plus 5-6 drops of lemon oil, wipe the surface clean, then with a clean cloth apply a moderate amount of the oil mixture to the wood surface and rub until it is absorbed.
Carpet Freshener - Purification (my personal favorite for kicking bad odors)or Peppermint oil. For heavy duty deodorizing, sprinkle the oil on straight. For medium to light freshening, mix with baking soda. Sprinkle on carpet and let sit several hours, then vacuum up.
Spot/Stain Remover (carpets, clothing) - Use Thieves or lemon oil straight on the stain after testing the fabric or carpet in an inconspicuous location to make sure it retains its proper color. You may also try the All-purpose Thieves cleaner described above.
Air Freshener - Diffuse your favorite essential oils in our cold-air diffuser to clear the air of germs, stale or noxious odors, microbes, mold & mildew, and even chemicals. Alternatively, make your own natural air and fabric freshener with purified water and Purification in a small spray bottle. For a 4 oz. bottle, use 9 drops of Purification.
Paint remover -- Sprinkle Thieves oil straight on affected area to help remove paint.
Mold/mildew remover - For small areas, use a couple of drops of either Thieves or Purification oil on site. For larger areas, such as driveways or sidewalks, fill a bucket with warm soapy water and add either a tsp. of Thieves Household Cleaner or your homemade Thieves cleaner, apply to area, and clean.
Fruit & vegetable wash - Fill your sink with cool water and add 2 drops of Purification oil along with a small amount (1 Tbsp) of apple cider vinegar. Wash your produce in this solution, then rinse with pure water. Insects, parasites, and most toxic chemical residue will wash right away.
Dishwashing Liquid - 1/3 oz. Thieves Household Cleaner in 32 oz. of water OR 2 oz. Miracle II Soap in 32 oz. water, plus 4 drops of Thieves oil or 5-6 drops of lemon oil.
Laundry Detergent - One cap full of Thieves Household cleaner will clean one load of laundry (I also like to add some Borax or OxyClean). You may also use 3/4-1 oz. of Miracle II Soap plus 3-4 drops of Thieves oil.
Next time you're at the grocery store or Wal-Mart and you're walking down the household cleaner aisle, you'll feel so much better knowing that you're saving money and space while you go green and clean!
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