Natural Cleaning Products

Parents who have young children or crawling babies in the house want to make sure everything within reach is safe and non-toxic. Unfortunately, some of the most dangerous items in your home are the products that clean it (oven cleaner is a disaster if it ever gets in the hands of your child). Luckily, you can make terrific, all natural cleaners that work as well as, or even better in some cases, than harsh, fumey, toxic cleaners.

The best natural, easy-to-make-at-home cleaning products use vinegar, baking soda, or lemon juice. All are inexpensive and non-toxic, and very effective. Vinegar (diluted) works as an all-purpose cleaner. Mix a solution of 1 or 2 parts water with 1 part vinegar in a spray bottle, and it will work great to clean, disinfect, or deodorize. The smell while being used may be strong (my husband complains, so I try not to do it when he is home), but it disappears immediately once the vinegar has dried. Undiluted vinegar is very acidic and can eat away at certain materials (such as grout), so it's important to dilute it, and if you aren't sure of a material, test a small area first. Do not use it on marble. Vinegar is great for cleaning windows (as good as window cleaners that contain ammonia), floors, toilets, sinks, countertops, fixtures, appliances, the bathtub, and the stovetop (and also removes rust from metals). It is safe if accidentally ingested or inhaled and does not bleach clothing. Once I realized how wonderful vinegar was, I tossed out all products containing bleach or ammonia or any chemicals.

Lemon juice has some lovely cleaning uses as well. It can be used to clean brass or copper fixtures. It can be mixed with baking soda to form a paste and used to scrub soap scum or water deposits from sinks or the bathtub. It can be cut up into large pieces and put through the garbage disposal to deodorize it. I like to slice a lemon or soak a cotton ball in lemon oil and leave it on a shelf in my refrigerator. Everytime I open the door, I enjoy a fresh, clean, citrus smell, and it's hidden in the back, so no one knows where that great smell is coming from.

Baking soda is very effective for scrubbing. It can be mixed with water or lemon oil to form a scrubbing paste (abrasive effects, but not damaging...it's great!). It's effective as a natural toothpaste and teeth whitener. An opened box of baking soda in the regrigerator acts as a deodorizer. To prevent build up in a drain, half a cup of baking soda can be poured in, followed by half a cup of white vinegar. After it has been allowed to work a bit, follow it up with boiling water (a much safer alternative to Draino if you do it weekly to prevent clogs). Those chemical products that clear out drains scare me, I don't even want them in the house.

Sometimes I want to enjoy the smells of citrus while I clean, so I use a product called Citrus Magic, a 100% all natural citrus spray (but the citrus oils in it leave streaks, so it's not as good as the vinegar solution for windows or mirrors). I've also used Castile Soap in the past, which is available in various different scents, but I have found it to be a bit too watery and it does not provide the suds I like when washing dishes. I am very fond of Ultra Dishmate (their pear scent) and Seventh Generation for dish washing liquids, both of which makes a great lather. All these products are entirely natural and safe.

Other companies also make safe products for cleaning, if you are not inclined to make them yourself. Just read the labels to make sure they say non-toxic. Some products have some natural ingredients but are still toxic if accidentally ingested or handled by your child.

It is very easy to go all natural, and all-natural products are usually not more expensive than their chemical filled, toxic counterparts. They smell great, there are no worries about accidental ingestion or inhalation, and they are good for the environment. As you run out of household and personal use items, consider replacing them with all or mostly natural products so that over time, your home will be greener as well. If you have products that are very unsafe now, consider tossing them and not waiting until you run out to replace them. That is what I did, especially now that little man is crawling.