I wonder sometimes just how many chemicals the average person is exposed to on a daily basis. Not to bum you out, but it is kind of overwhelming when you think of everything from just the smell of walking down a city street, to your “new car smell” to your freshly painted office to your nice clean bathroom….all those smells that you just imagined were most likely chemicals. What you CAN do to reduce your exposure to irritating and toxic chemicals is to switch to making some of your own cleaning products.

It’s very easy to make your own products at home with just a few things you probably already have around the house. Homemade products work just as good minus the “fresh clean scent” (which you can add yourself, by putting a few drops of essential oil into the solution). Personally I love to use lemon essential oil in my cleaning products, but you could try using peppermint, tea tree, rosemary or thyme. It’s so worth it knowing that your family is safe from the toxic chemicals that are in some of the conventional cleaning products.

Here’s how to do it:

Window cleaner:

1 bucket of water
2-3 tablespoons dishwashing detergent

Wipe solution on with wet sponge, and wipe off with newspaper for streak-free windows/mirrors.

Scour and Scrub: (Think Soft Scrub)

This mixture is great for cleaning the bathtub because it scrubs off any soap scum and doesn’t leave any grit.

½ cup pure baking soda
2-3 tablespoons liquid detergent
Add a few drops of essential oil of tea tree, rosemary, or lemon.

Make a paste and scrub gently with a sponge.

Scouring powder (Think COMET)

Pure, plain old baking soda! Just sprinkle and scrub!

Furniture polish:

½ teaspoon olive or jojoba oil
¼ cup white vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon juice
2-3 drops lemon essential oil (optional)

Mix ingredients in a jar. Dab the soulution onto a cotton cloth (like an old t-shirt) and wipe on wood surface.

Deodorizer

White vinegar is great for kitchen counters or cutting boards. I use it also to spray and wipe off the bathroom sink from toothpaste scum. Just keep it in a spray bottle in a convenient place. I use it several times per day!! It’s also great for killing mold.