Why should You Make Your Own Natural Cleaners?
Have you looked at the warning labels on your cleaners? Go right now and grab just one cleaner. I bet it has on there a poison symbol or a caution. Do you really want to use something that you have to put on the top shelf because you don’t want your precious little ones to get into it by accident? True story, growing up I had a neighbor who mistook Drano for a powdered drink. Long story short he ended up in the ER.
Many of us keep our cleaners under the kitchen sink. Those poisons are within reach of our precious children and pets. These cleaners are filled with some of the most powerful toxins on the consumer market. You can make your own cleaners, tried and true, natural and not worry about whether your need to call poison control if your toddler accidently sprays their face with it. If walking down the cleaning aisle at the super-center gives you a headache you might try making your own cleaners. I have been using and making natural cleaners for more than 15 years. In fact you can ask my mother and mother in law. That is all I use to clean.
Why do I make my own cleaners?
- It is thrifty
- It is safe enough to ingest
- it is non-toxic – I can use the same cleaners for my house and body
- It is quick
- It is easy
So I decided that the only environment I could control was my own at home.
When I looked at the cleaners on the market the first ingredient in all of them was WATER. Yes that is right. You are paying for mostly water, oh and packaging and advertising too.
How to make your own Natural Cleaner at Home
Get a handy dandy spray bottle – $1 at most dollar stores
mix together
- 1 part water
- 1 part distilled white vinegar
- add approximately 10 drops of an essential oil like – tea tree oil,
lavender
or lemon
(you can use
a combination of these oils if you wish). I have no preference for brand, I usually buy the one on sale. And remember, the price may seem high at first, but you are only using a small amount.
Shake to mix and use
For more Great Healthy Living Ideas check out. Healthy 2Day Wednesdays
7 comments:
Does the essence help you not notice the vinegar smell as much? I hate the smell of vinegar!
New follower - www.faithfamilyfrugality.com
Allisabeth, great question. The essences do help with the smell. But they also have some antiseptic cleaning properties of their own. I am working on a post about that right now. So be sure to check back. As for the vinegar smell. It is like any other cleaner you use. They all have a smell, but most of them are toxic, chemically manufactured smells. It may take time but you will get used to the clean smell of Distilled white vinegar. Try a small bottle at first. I buy it by the Gallon because that is the strongest cleaner I use, therefore I use a lot of it.
Great post, I spend a fortune on natural cleaners. I will make this a project for the first week during summer break along with veggie boot camp.
Fabulous cleaner!! I think vinegar smell doesn't come if we add some drops of lemon drops in it.
great post - we use this recipe with peppermint oil. Unfortunately hubby hates the smell of vinegar too BUT after a few weeks that smell seems to go from the bottle and you're just left with the peppermint smell - so people who don't like it could perhaps make up a bottle then leave it for a few weeks before using?
So true Mrs. Green, the vinegar smell does dissipate over time. We have become so accustomed to the smell that I don't think we notice it anymore. Now if I was to be in a home that used "conventional" cleaners it would smell bad to me. In fact when my mother comes and insists on using a chemical cleaner she will let me know so I can go outside and she is sure to use it with plenty of ventilation.
Lisa, great post! I love how you included the why & what to do about it! That information is so crucial to help people understand why they should make a "healthy/natural" change. Thanks for linking up with Healthy 2day Wednesdays and adding a link back (I hope some of your readers will participate) See you tonight! :)
Post a Comment
Thanks for stopping by. I love my visitors, and I love your comments too!