Everyone loves a clean house. But have you counted the cost? And I’m not referring to how expensive they are but how cleaning products affect your health. Most household chemicals contain toxic chemicals such as ammonia, formaldehyde, propane, butane, phthalates and many others – all ingredients known to be harmful to our health. It has been said that chemicals on the skin can be absorbed by the body within less than a minute. This is scary since we are exposed to these chemicals on a daily basis.
TOXIC EXPOSURE TO CHILDREN
Reports show that the majority of poison-related emergency hospital admissions involve children who have ingested household chemical products. If you have toddlers at home, you are used to them playing and crawling on the floor. They don’t think twice about putting their dirty hands or their toys in their mouths. By using products that contain toxic chemicals, we’re exposing our children to exactly those things we try to lock away in special cupboards and drawers with safety locks. Their immune systems are not as developed as those of adults, so they would naturally be more sensitive and the effects worse than those in adults.
There’s nothing good about gasping for air with your eyes watering as you inhale bathroom cleaners, furniture sprays etc. Products are often laced with nice-smelling fragrances to mask the harsh smell of chemicals and to make them more attractive to use, but these artificial fragrances are damaging to health.
Use products that are natural and that will not harm either your health or the environment. Do your research and make your own natural products.
TIPS:
- Read labels. If you are struggling to pronounce half of the ingredients, the product is most probably something you should avoid.
- Keep the area well ventilated when cleaning, even if it is very cold.
- When washing floors, bath, dishes, and yes, even your clothes – make sure to give them an extra rinse to get rid of ingredients that may leave a residue.
CREATE YOUR OWN CLEANING AGENT
You can add a few drops of essential oils to natural ingredients such as distilled white vinegar, lime/lemon juice, or spring water to create a quick cleaning product that does not harm you or your family – while it is incredibly effective against dirt and bacteria. Here are some ideas:
DISHWASHING POWDER
Ingredients
1 cup washing soda
(sodium carbonate/soda ash)
or baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
1 cup borax (sodium borate)
1⁄2 cup salt (sodium chloride)
1⁄2 cup citric acid (2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid)
** Optional extra: 1 tsp (5ml) lemon or lime essential oil.
Method
1. If using essential oil, mix together the first 3 ingredients and add the oil to this portion of the mixture, mixing it very well. (Adding a liquid, like essential oil, can make the citric acid fizz a bit and cause clumping of the powder mixture, so it is added afterwards to minimise this risk.)
2. Add the citric acid portion, mix well and store in an airtight container. If not using essential oil, just mix the dry ingredients together and store in an airtight container. Use 1 tbsp per dishwasher load.
Rinse aid: 2 tbsp of vinegar.
‘Our house is clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy.’ ~ Author unknown.
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