The Dirty on Natural Cleaning

A couple of years ago when we started our journey into a healthier lifestyle, one of the first areas I tackled was our cleaning products. I was never comfortable with bleach and other harsh chemical cleaners, and hated that I felt like I couldn't even clean or use them around my kids. One look at the ingredients and warnings on the back was enough to tell me that it wasn't a great option for us to be touching or inhaling. Once I watched the documentary Chemerical, I was ready to ditch the harsh cleaning products in favor of something more natural. Here is a rundown of my cleaning arsenal.

BAKING SODA:  I love this stuff. It's an excellent scouring agent, and I use it primarily in the kitchen and the bathroom. It's great in sinks, tubs, showers and toilets. It absorbs odor like no other and can be used for everything from whitening laundry to cleaning up spills on carpets and mattresses.

WHITE VINEGAR: This is my All-Purpose cleaner. It cleans just about anything. I use a 50/50 vinegar and water solution in a spray bottle to clean counter tops, windows, and just about all surfaces. It is extremely cheap and a great alternative to conventional All Purpose Cleaners.

TEA TREE OIL: This can be found online or at your local natural health store.Tea Tree Oil is a powerful, naturally derived antibacterial and antiseptic. I add 3-4 drops (it's a highly concentrated solution and is very powerful so start small.) to the toilet bowl with a little bit of baking soda and a few sprays of the vinegar solution. You can also make an antiseptic spray for killing bacteria and viruses with a mixture of 16 oz of water, 30-50 drops of tea tree oil and 3 tbsp of castile soap.

CASTILE SOAP: This works as a surfactant and is excellent at lifting away dirt and cutting grease. It is made from 100% pure olive oil, water and lye. Manufactures sometimes add essential oils for scent. A couple of years ago I was working with food dye for a birthday cake and ended up with bright pink hands. I tried washing with various types of soaps and scrub brushes with no luck. Enter Castile soap and it was gone in one washing. This is my powerhouse cleaner for tough stains and a little bit goes a long way. For mopping floors, I fill a bucket with water, a splash of white vinegar and about a teaspoon of Castile soap for squeaky clean, shiny hardwoods, tile and vinyl. You could also add a few drops of Tea Tree Oil for the antibacterial qualities.

MRS. MYERS COUNTER TOP SPRAY: This is my little commercial indulgence. :) It makes my granite counter tops shine like no other and the scents are so yummy - Basil, Lavender, Lemongrass, Honeysuckle, Pine, need I go on?

I would encourage you to take a look at your cleaning supplies and really study the ingredients. You may be surprised to find how many toxic, carcinogenic additives are in each bottle. I can clean my entire house with the first four ingredients above. It is much cheaper and safer than what you can find in the store and only takes a few extra minutes to mix up your own spray bottles.