Many household cleaners contain toxic chemicals. Some of those have been linked to asthma, cancer, and neurotoxicity.
This isn’t healthy for yourself, your children, or your pets. How can you tell which ones are safe and which aren’t? Very few actually tell you on the label if they are unsafe for pets or if they are known to cause cancer and even when they do, the warnings are so small that it is difficult to take notice.
There are plenty of ways to make effective, homemade cleaning products that will cost you a fraction of the price without the hazards. Many of the ingredients you need are probably already in your home.
White vinegar is one of the most useful natural cleaning products you can have. It can be used to clean mold, bacteria, and dirt. You can combine it with other non-toxic cleaning materials, like baking soda, to clean just about everything. White vinegar and baking soda make an ideal all-purpose cleaner. For a disinfecting boost, we like to add lemon, tea tree, or eucalyptus essential oil.
To make it you’ll need:
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 2 tbsp baking soda
- 8 drops lemon, eucalyptus, or tea tree essential oil
- Distilled water
Combine the essential oils and vinegar in a spray bottle with the baking soda and mix well. Add distilled water to fill the bottle the rest of the way. Gently shake to mix all ingredients. The mixture may foam up. When ready to use, give the bottle a little shake to ensure the ingredients haven’t settled, then spray the area you’d like to clean and wipe it with clean dry cloth.
What cleaning recipes do you like to use?