Creating a non toxic home is very enjoyable if you’re anything like me, you also may enjoy cleaning your home a little too much as well.. (is that really a bad thing?). Although, I will be realistic and use bleach sometimes to really freshen up our whites. Our home is not totally non-toxic, but, I am becoming more conscious about how I keep things clean.
I will be showing you what I use in our home, non toxic cleaning habits we try to implement and stick to. It’s not always perfect, but progress is better than perfection starting out.
So, continue reading to learn how to start creating your non toxic home!
What is non toxic living?
Well, it means living in a home/environment free of chemicals and harmful pesticides. These things can come from your cleaning products, your plastic food storage (BPA), GMO in foods, and fragrances that are unsafe for your health.
The more you switch to non toxic and healthier options in your home, the less you and your family is at risk for asthma, certain cancers and other illnesses. So, start small and work your way up to more of a natural and non toxic lifestyle.
Why go non toxic (or less toxic) in your cleaning products?
Going non-toxic/less toxic in your home is all around a good thing. Most products tend to be eco-friendly, better for your health and the planet. Also, most non-toxic cleaning products are safe for pets and children as well.
You will also avoid breathing in harsh chemicals that will negatively impact your health, reducing the chances of respiratory infections and skin conditions such as eczema.
You never really know with some products what you’re getting out of it. For instance, a lot of products you can’t read the ingredient list and know what’s in it. I like to be able to look at our products and at least be able to know the contents. There is an app called Yuka that you can scan products and it can tell you if things are good or bad.
#1 – taking our shoes off in our home
Our shoes stay right by the door when we come into our home, we never wear our shoes inside. Shoes that are worn all over, should never be worn in your home.
Did you know about 1/3 of gunk and germs building up on your floors comes from your shoes? A professor at the University of Arizona recently did a study and he showed that there are over 421,000 types of bacteria on the outside of our shoes. Additionally, among the bacteria they found E. Coli.
Some people may not find shoes in the house that bad, and that’s okay.. However, you have to do what works in your home. So, in our home, we leave our shoes at the door and stay awhile, not only is it less toxic, it’s more comfortable.
So, if you want to create more of a non toxic home, this is a great place to start. I highly encourage you to grab a cute shoe rack, cabinet, or whatever you need to store your shoes in a place to remind you to take them off. Also, your health will thank you.
#2 – steam mopping your home
With steam mopping, I cannot say enough good things. Below, I’ve listed some benefits to steam mopping to show you just how wonderful they really are.
- #1: They don’t use any chemicals. Just steam and water.
- #2: It’s the most sanitary way to mop your floors. They kill 99.99% of bacteria and dust mites on the floor.
- #3: It removes the toughest of mold growth on flooring.
- #4: They’re amazing on all sealed hard floors.
- #5: They’re better for the environment.
- #6: They’re faster to mop with and the clean up is easy. You just wash the pads and go.
- #7: They are amazing for people with allergies.
- #8: Safe for pets!
These are just to name a few! However, the only downsides are they’re a tad expensive and they require water refills. But, it’s nothing compared to the endless amount of refills you will need for your Swiffer.
#3 – non toxic cleaning with white vinegar
Cleaning with vinegar is a wonderful way to add a non toxic cleaning product into your home. It’s acidic nature makes it powerful enough to dissolve dirt, grease and grime. It’s also powerful enough to kill bacteria. So, that’s why I use it in our home.
For instance, I mix water and white vinegar in a spray bottle and use it on everything. Also, I’ll fill up the bathtub a quarter of the way full with hot water, pour in the vinegar, and let it sit for awhile doing the hard work for me. The amount of ways you can use cleaning vinegar in your home is endless.
I use vinegar in our laundry to help soften and clean it, it does an amazing job. Additionally, our clothes never smell like vinegar either. It’s a win-win, non toxic, cleaning option.
ways you can use white vinegar to clean your home:
- multipurpose spray
- laundry softener
- clean your coffee pot
- disinfect bathroom
- clean your kitchen sink
- wrap a bag of vinegar around your showerhead to clean it
So, there is so many ways you can incorporate this wonderful, non toxic, natural liquid into your home. There’s no reason not to!
#4 – essential oils
Essential oils have become one of my favorite add on to our non-toxic home whether it’s diffusing them or adding them into my cleaning products. They’re so versatile and easy to use, if you don’t know where to start, my favorite one to start with is Young Living Thieves oil.
Below, you’ll find just a few, amazing benefits to using essential oils, and hopefully you will incorporate them into your routine.
- Mood boosters! They have the ability to improve your mood significantly
- Sleep improving. When I use lavender oil, it puts me right to sleep
- They kill funguses, viruses and bacteria.
- Headache relief
- Nausea reducing
- Stress and anxiety reducing
- They reduce pain and inflammation
- Fever reducing
- A few essential oils naturally have antibacterial and antimicrobial compounds
- More healthy and non-toxic for your air than commercial candles.
So, there are so many benefits to using these oils, you just have to know which ones to use for what. If you’re interested in building your collection, consider becoming a Young Living member and get yourself a nice discount on essential oils
Pet safe essential oils safe to diffuse for dogs:
- Lavender
- Ginger
- Frankencense
- Myrrh
- Chamomile
Pet safe essential oils safe to diffuse for cats:
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Cedarwood
- Frankincense
- Copaiba
- Oregano
- Helichrysum
- Chamomile
- Thyme
Different oils can also be toxic for cats and dogs, so it’s always best to consult this list and your veterinarian when choosing essential oils for your fur baby to make sure that you choose the most effective and safest options.
#5- air purifier
Last but not least, air purifiers! I believe everyone needs an air purifier in their home no matter who or where you are. They have so many beneficial properties to them, you’ll see you need one for yourself.
My husband has super bad allergies and one of these going beside the bed helps him tremendously. We also have cats and it helps with his allergies to our babies as well.
Why have an air purifier?
They refresh the air that is stale, reducing the risks of health issues caused by pollutants that are indoors. Also, they are the BEST way to clean your air (other than plants) of dust and pollen particles that trigger breathing issues. Air purifiers help clean the environment of mold spores, they remove pet dander, ragweed and more.
Additionally, air purifiers with HEPA filters lead to long term health benefits such as better quality of sleep and life expectancy, removing 99.97 percent of particulate matter circling the air in your home. People with asthma may find air purifiers to reduce asthma triggers and attacks.
Start small, progress>perfection
Don’t get too stressed out over trying to go completely non-toxic at once! I don’t think I will ever be 100% non toxic in our home, sometime bleach needs to be used to get the job done. But, the more conscious about it you are in your home, the better your progress. One step at a time! Let me know in the comments what you use in your less toxic home.
SHOP THIS POST:
Leave a Reply