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Ignorance is bliss, I guess, because before I knew how harmful all of my cleaning products were, I used to love running out of Windex so I could pick out the new scent at the store. I truly enjoyed breathing in the articificial clean smell throughout my house when I finished.
Now that I know the dangers, however, like links to cancer and other health problems, I just can't go back, which left me in a tight spot (with a tight budget!) for a little while. I did use several of my own recipes for cleaning products, which worked pretty well, and I do still use some of them, like the homemade kitchen cleaner, but I've also discovered a few other easy, painless alternatives that don't drain my wallet and keep my house clean!
Some of these items, of course, have an upfront cost, but once you have them, you won't find yourself having to purchase additional cleaning products, and they will last a long time. If you're short on cash, consider asking for these items for your birthday or Christmas!
1. Use a steam mop. A friend of mine has a really nice one, with different attachments for different types of floors, corners, etc. but I have a basic Dirt Devil steam mop with a triangular head, which I got a couple of years ago. When you use a steam mop, you're killing harmful germs with the hot steam and you don't need to add any cleaning products. You just pour water in the back. I use it on my wood floors as well as my kitchen and bathrooms. I do occasionally have to hand wipe some corners and hard to reach places, but not too often. The mop does a great job!
2. Discover Norwex. I had never even heard of this company until my mom bought me three of their cloths for Christmas last year. They're wonderful! I have a cloth that I use to wash mirrors and windows, another antibacterial cloth that I use to clean bathrooms, and a dusting mitt. They have a huge variety of other products as well, that I look forward to trying.
3. Use the rinse cycle. Awhile ago, I found a low toxin dishwasher detergent that I loved and that cost about the same as the regular stuff I was already using. However, the manufacturer stopped making it, and the other brands were super expensive, so I tried making my own. In order to make my own concoction work, however, I had to thoroughly rinse my dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, then add vinegar. When my mom came to visit, she wisely pointed out that if I was going to go to all that trouble, I could simply wash my dishes with a dishwand, which holds the soap in the handle, place them in the dishwasher, then run the "rinse only" cycle, just to steam them and get off any remaining germs. This was brilliant! My dishwasher now only runs for 5-10 minutes, and I'm not spending any money on detergent! I have had to buy a little more dish soap, but the cost is minimal. I use Ultra Dishmate, which I buy at Kroger for about $3.00. (And, it smells good!) They have a few natural scents, like pear, grapefruit, and almond.
4. Dust with lemon oil. Lemon oil will nourish your wood, keep it from drying out, and give it a beautiful shine. You don't need to use very much of it, either. I literally have had the same bottle of lemon oil, purchased at Wal Mart, for as long as I can remember, and I think I only paid a couple of bucks for it. I think it is older than my kids, which means I've had it at least ten years. I just shake a few drops onto a dusting cloth (which I almost never wash), then dust away. The oil stays on the cloth, which means I don't have to add very much at a time at all. I alternate between lemon oil and the Norwex dusting mitt when dusting. Usually, when the kids dust, I let them dry dust with the Norwex cloth, and when it's my turn, I nourish the wood with some lemon oil.
Not sure why it's important to avoid harmful toxins in cleaning products, or not sure which ingredients to avoid? Check out Avoiding Toxins in Hygiene Products for more information.
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