Cleaning Products
Top Cleaning Products to Avoid
1. WINDOW OR GLASS CLEANER– These products typically contain ammonia. Ammonia can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory system. It will react with chlorinated products to produce a fatal chloramine gas.
2. CONVENTIONAL AIR FRESHENERS – Air fresheners coat your nasal passages with an oil film called methoxychlor, which will kill the nerves in your nose over time, and interfere with your ability to smell.
3. CONVENTIONAL ANTI-BACTERIAL CLEANERS – Along with the production of new antibiotic-resistant “super-bugs,” the Centers for Disease Control says that anti-bacterial cleaners can also interfere with immune system development in children and they also contain triclosan which can be absorbed by the skin and cause liver damage.
4. BLEACH – Bleach is an extremely strong corrosive that can burn the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. NEVER mix bleach with ammonia products, as fatal fumes will be produced.
5. CONVENTIONAL LAUNDRY DETERGENT – Laundry detergents contain phosphorus, enzymes, ammonia, naphthalene, phenol, sodium nitilotriacetate, to name a few. These can cause rashes, itchiness, dryness and sinus problems. These chemicals are easily absorbed through your skin from your clothes and bed sheets.
6. CONVENTIONAL DRAIN CLEANER – Drain cleaner typically contains sodium hydroxide or sulfuric acid, which can cause blindness if splashed in the eyes.
7. CONVENTIONAL OVEN CLEANER – Most oven cleaners contain extremely corrosive bases of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.
8. BLEACH BASED CLEANING POWDERS – Many of these cleaning powders such as ‘Comet’ or ‘Ajax’ contain formaldehyde (a known human carcinogen recognized by the World Health Organization) benzene, chloroform among many others. Side effects can include: cancer, asthma and reproductive disorders.
9. FURNITURE POLISH – Furniture polish such as ‘Pledge’ contains nitrobenzene, which is extremely toxic and easily absorbed through the skin.
10. TOILET BOWL CLEANERS – Contains hydrochloric acid, which is corrosive to the skin and eyes.
11. DISHWASHER DETERGENT – Contain a highly concentrated form of dried chlorine, every time you wash your dishes there is some residue left, and when you use these dishes to eat with you actually consume these chemicals.
Natural alternatives to Toxic cleaning products
Top 3 All-Natural Cleaning Supplies: Baking Soda, Lemon and Vinegar.
Baking soda is a great way to freshen up fabrics and remove odors. You can place a box in your fridge and freezer to keep it smelling neutral. It is also great to sprinkle on fabrics like carpets, couches and mattresses and then vacuum up to keep these things smelling fresh! Put some in your laundry for an extra whitening boost. I always sprinkle it in the cat litter after I scoop out the clumps.
Lemon juice and lemon peel not only are great smelling natural cleaning products, but they actually get the job done and cut through grease with ease.
White Vinegar mixed with water is an excellent disinfectant cleaner, and also works great for cleaning windows.
Below I have included a basic recipe for an all-natural, all-purpose cleaner. Hope you enjoy!
NATURAL ORANGE ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER
STEP 1: Save enough orange peels to fill up a 1-liter mason jar. (If this is going to take you more than a day or 2 I would suggest storing them in either the fridge or freezer)
STEP 2: After you have done that, pour in 500 ml (2 Cups) white vinegar.
STEP 3: Seal the jar, and let it sit on your countertop or in a cupboard for 2 weeks.
STEP 4: After 2 weeks strain out the orange peels and keep the liquid in the jar.
STEP 5: Mix water with orange vinegar solution (4 parts water 1 part orange vinegar solution in a spray bottle)
Voila! All-natural, homemade all-purpose cleaner!
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OTHER NON TOXIC PRODUCTS TO BUY- Pink Solution, Thieves oil ( from DoTerra) and Shaklee brand.