Tag Archives: Detox your house

Alternative cleaning products for the home | More natural methods that are equally effective

I am always looking for better alternatives than the harsh chemicals that companies tell you that you need to clean your home with. The truth is that we don’t. We also don’t need to pollute our house, our drains that will eventually flush out to sea affecting all marine life. It is really hard to ensure that we are always cleaning with the best products especially when you have young children, and I am aware that we cannot eliminate it always but we can, as parents try. Also, if you have staff at home it is worth educating them because they feel uneasy cleaning the house with ‘homemade stuff’ because we have all been conditioned that chemicals bought in a shop must be better.

#Cleaning using water and vinegar for all purposes – 9 units to water and 1 unit of vinegar.

#Window cleaner – ¼ cup of vinegar, ½ teaspoon of natural liquid soap and 2 cups of water. Shake and spray.

#Sink cleaner – First, pour a pot of boiling water down your drain. ½ cup of baking soda. Leave it to rest for a few minutes, then pour 1 cup of vinegar followed by 1 cup of hot water, and leave it for 5 – 10 minutes. Flush one more time with a pot of boiling hot water.

#Dog wash and shampoo – I had been using harsh dog shampoos for my dog at the start, that left him with itchy skin until someone involved in the dog business told me that Johnsons & Johnsons baby shampoo was a great alternative. I don’t use this product for my children as I prefer organic products but for my dog it was perfect. The months of expensive vet fees disappeared by just changing his shampoo.

#Natural air fresheners – sprinkle from baking soda into a smelly thrash can to absorb bad odours or use a ground coffee and place it near areas of bad smells.

After the house has been cleaned or whilst it is being cleaned it is good to leave all windows and doors opened to vent the house and let the winds take away any lingering chemicals in the air.

Click here to find out about some unwelcomed hidden chemicals in your home products.

How to detox your home | Here are 5 chemicals I have started to eliminate from my house | A good start to the New Year

There are so many unknown chemicals today that we use in our home and many names I can’t even pronounce or decipher if they are good or bad.  I do feel that as consumers we are not being protected as much as we think. I feel strongly that with children in the home I need to spend time researching the best for them. I have always tried to ensure that I read labels of most products that come into the home – this is tough but I assure once you start this project you will be shocked at how many chemicals are in the home. I will also show you some cleaning alternatives that we use at home.

Here are some chemicals that I look out for. There are many more chemicals on the hit list but it can be confusing but here are some major ones that I started to focus on first.

#Formaldehyde – found in shampoos, keratin hair straighteners, hairgels, and eyelash glues and some body washes, cleaning products that kill 100% of bacteria.

So what is it? This is a chemical preservative to stop the growth of bacteria, and this oddly straightens the hair making it silky smooth.

Why is it bad? Formaldehyde can cause cancers after repeated exposure to the chemical, and can be known to trigger allergic reactions, rashes, nosebleeds, asthma and other medical issues.  Also by eliminating all bacteria you create some strands that become more resilient – hospitals are now as a result facing issues of the superbugs.

#Sodium lauryl or sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) – found in children’s bath products and also in adult bath products.

So what is it? This is a silly ingredient added just to make your kids’ bath or shampoos more foamy.

Why is it bad? When these chemicals are manufactured, the release a toxic bi-product called 1.4-dioxane. This chemical easily penetrates through the skin, and can cause cancer and birth defects. It may also be toxic to other organs like the kidneys, neurological system and respiratory system.

#Mercury – can be found in some children’s face paints and mascara

So what is it? It is a preservative to stop the growth of bacteria

Why is it bad? It is a well-known neurotoxin that can cause reactions on the skin and it is easily absorbed by the body and it gets accumulated in the body. The FDA in the US allows it eye make-up in very small amounts if no better alternatives can be found – which is a loophole. So make sure your brand of makeup manufactured in the US doesn’t fall into this category.

#Lead – found in lipsticks and some children’s face paints

So what is it? Lead and other heavy metals like cadmium and nickel are contaminants (which naturall occur in some pigments). The FDA tested 400 lipsticks in 2010 and detectable levels were found in all them.

Why is it bad? It is another well-known neurotoxin which can effect learning delays, autism and other neurological problems for babies. If you are pregnant, be cautious of the lead content. There is no safe level of lead exposure.

To find some alternative cleaning solutions click here.

 To find out more information, Google can be a good source but also, Jessica Alba’s The Honest Life, and Healthy Child and Healthy World by Christopher Gavin are great reads for parents.