Cleaning + Laundry Guide
Jump ahead to the topics I cover below:
Why This Matters
The irony of cleaning products is that while we are using them to clean our homes, we are ACTUALLY doing the opposite and producing HIGHER levels of indoor pollution instead. Indoor air can be anywhere from 2-5x more toxic than outdoor air even in heavily polluted cities like New York or Los Angeles.
Further – the “fresh lemon” scent that you associated with cleanliness is ACTUALLY hurting you – causing issues like allergies, asthma, hormone disruption, and more.
Additionally, regulation is lacking as there isn’t any legal requirement in the US that companies need to disclose the ingredients they use in their cleaning products.
The average American uses 25 GALLONS of toxic chemical products at home per year
SIMPLIFY Your Cleaning Products
Historically, our ancestors didn’t have 7 different products for cleaning – often it was very simple items like vinegar, baking soda, etc. But now due to marketing we have decided that we need a different cleaner for the toilet, the wood floor, the tile floor, the kitchen sink, etc.
You can do a lot of DIY at home with a few simple items you may already have or you can pick up a few select items without overdoing it. My aim is to help you figure out better swaps for items you may need to ditch.
We spend an average of 13 hours a WEEK just cleaning our homes
Stop Over Sanitizing!
Our immune systems learn daily from exposure to different bacteria, humans, places, etc. Thus if we try and “kill off” any and all bacteria/viruses that come our way, we will end up with no good/beneficial bacteria in our bodies and a weakened/uneducated immune system.
We are trying to protect them and ourselves from “germs” that may actually HELP our bodies over time to become more resistant to sickness and less likely to have massive reactions any time we are exposed.
This is incredibly important when it comes to children. They are born with very “uneducated” immune systems that NEED interaction in order to become stronger and smarter. We aren’t protecting our children by constantly having them sanitize their hands, wear masks and wipe everything down before they use it.
Daily we are faced with antibacterial and antibiotic products, through hand soaps and sanitizers to even things like wall PAINT that claims to “sanitize the air” in your home. Antibiotics are being over-prescribed at doctor’s offices and are even being pumped into our conventional animal products/meats. All of this overuse is causing antibiotic resistance and antibacterials being stored in our tissues.
Anti-Bacterial products can cause symptoms like:
- Disruption in our gut microbiome
- Thyroid hormone disruption
- Obesity
- Decreased sperm quality
- Earlier onset of puberty in girls
- Increased inflammation
- Associated with colon cancer cell growth
- Antibiotic resistance- aka drugs no longer work to get rid of infections
What to Avoid
Fragrances
The word “fragrance” can be used for over 4,000 different chemicals and formulations are considered “trade secrets”- aka companies don’t have to tell us what they’re actually using.
Fragrances disrupt our hormones, thyroid, weight + cause respiratory issues + inflammation.
Choose unscented for all your cleaning products to avoid the hormone impacting effects of phthalates used in fragrance.
Avoid words like:
Fragrance
Parabens
Parabens are a group of chemicals typically used in cosmetics and personal care products. They can disrupt hormones, fertility, children’s development + cause cancers.
Have been detected in almost ALL urine samples in US adults.
Avoid words like:
Methylparaben
Propylparaben
Ethylparaben
Sanitizers
As mentioned above, products made with antimicrobials/antibacterials will also destroy the good bacteria in your gut.
Avoid words like:
Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC)
Benzethonium Chloride (BET)
Chloroxylenol (PCMX)
Microban
Triclosan
Ammonia + Bleach
Produce VOCs in the air and is linked to depletion of glutathione (antioxidant), liver, kidney + respiratory stress.
DON’T USE ON MOLD! This actually causes the mold to replicate once the chlorine evaporates and it eats away at the grout making holes for mold spores to enter.
Avoid words like:
Sodium Hypochlorite
Ammonia
Misc. Chemicals
Found in glass cleaners, allpurpose spray cleaners, oven cleaners, dish soaps, dishwasher pods + degreasing agents.
Not only will they contain the chemicals below but usually also fragrances – a double whammy!
Can cause respiratory, liver + kidney damage, fertility issues and birth defects and more.
Avoid words like:
2-butoxyenthanol
Diethylene glycol monobutyl
ether
Methylisothiasolinone (MEA)
Polyethylene glycols
Sodium Laurel or Laureth Sulfate
Sodium Hydroxyide
Butane
Sulfuric Acid
1,4-Dioxane
Quaternary ammonium
compounds (Quats)
NPE (nonylphenol ethoxylate)
Go Scent-Free!
Look I get it- we all love a good scent, but if hormone balance, thyroid function and your children’s health matter to you, you will avoid these in the products you buy. Yes, there are cleaner alternatives, but many are good at using greenwashing to make you think it’s cleaner than it actually is. To not get duped, simply choose unscented!
What About Essential Oils?
Companies are wising up and are starting to use essential oils to make consumers believe the products are healthier. Don’t get me wrong, some of them are but often they hide behind the “made with essential oils” phrase but still have fragrances and other chemicals in the product.
Further, essential oils are STRONG and still release VOCs when used (have an air purifier that kicks on to red when you diffuse oils? This is why!). Yes, they are better than artificial fragrances, but be careful that you are using pure oils and not getting duped by marketing!
Avoid Greenwashing + Trusting Full Product Lines
Companies are getting smart – don’t just fall for what they claim, please vet them before buying.
Here are some of the top companies I see clients using that are actually full of not great ingredients. Or, they may have some products that are cleaner, but others that aren’t- you can’t just blindly use a full product line.
Best DIY Cleaning Products
Hydrogen Peroxide
Non-toxic all-purpose cleaning product that has been found to be more effective than products like Lysol.
We get it at Costco in a two-pack
White Vinegar
Good all-purpose sanitizer for cleaning up glass/faucets. May need to add hydrogen peroxide to fully sanitize/disinfect.
We get in a two-pack at Costco
Baking Soda
Great for abrasive cleaning in showers, sinks, toilets, stovetops, ovens etc. Also great at absorbing odors.
We get in a big bag at Costco
All-Purpose Cleaning
If you don’t want to DIY, here are some great pre-made options (choose unscented if you can):
Can be used in different dilutions as all-purpose, dish soap, glass cleaner, laundry and more.
$10 off first order with link
Bleach Alternatives
Many use bleach on mold, but it actually makes mold multiply + eats away grout.
Great alternative to bleach for sanitizing.
Great for shower mold, etc.
Dish Soaps
Some of the below have scented items; opt for unscented if you can.
Dishwasher Detergents
Some of the below have scented items; opt for unscented if you can.
Drain Cleaner
Homemade Drain Cleaner
1 cup of salt
1 cup of baking soda
1/4 cup of cream of tartar
Mix together. Then pour 3-4 tablespoons at a time down the drain, followed by 2 cups of boiling water. Wait a minute or two and repeat.
Glass Cleaner
Homemade Glass Cleaner
spray bottle
3 TBSP white vinegar
2TBSP rubbing alcohol
fill rest of bottle with water
Mix all together in spray bottle + use!
Hand Sanitizers
Some of the below have scented items; opt for unscented if you can.
MWHH for 10% off
Hand Soaps
Some of the below have scented items; opt for unscented if you can.
Laundry Detergent
Laundry products are one of the worst offenders when it comes to toxic cleaning products.
One study found that laundry products release 133 unique VOCs, 24 of which are classified as toxic or hazardous…yet only 1 of these was actually listed on the label!
Some of the below have scented items; opt for unscented if you can.
Laundry Brighteners
Sodium Percarbonate is a natural alternative to bleach for whitening.
Laundry Fabric Softeners + Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets + softeners contain fragrances and other chemicals that literally “cling on” to your clothes.
The best thing you can do is ditch these completely.
If you “need” a scent you can add a few drops of essential oils directly to the dryer balls before putting in the dryer:
DIY Scented Wool Dryer Balls
1 drop tea tree
1 drop lavender
1 drop lemon
1 drop peppermint
2 drops eucalyptus
You can make this in bulk and keep it in a dropper bottle for easy and quick use and access.
Laundry Stain Removers
Cleaner Candles
MWHH for 15% off
MWHH for 10% off
Vacuum Cleaners
I would recommend going to a local vacuum store and discussing options with them on which may be best for your budget and household.
Look for EN 1822 certified HEPA vacuum cleaner.
Disclaimer
The information presented on this website is for educational and informational purposes only and solely as a self-help tool for your own use. I am not providing medical, psychological, or nutrition therapy advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your own medical practitioner. Always seek the advice of your own medical practitioner and/or mental health provider about your specific health situation.
Affiliate Disclosure: Links on this site may include affiliate links to Amazon and other affiliate sites on which the owner of this website may make a referral commission.
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