50,000 toxic chemicals aren’t welcome in my home.
Penelope Jagessar Chaffer, film maker of Toxic Baby estimates that 30,000-50,000 toxic chemicals new to our generation could possibly be affecting you today. From pesticides found on our foods and in our water supply to chemicals used in our home cleaning supplies, our bodies are inundated with destructive toxins.
These toxins are known to disrupt hormones and wreak havoc on our endocrine systems. They accumulate in our bodies and pass to our children. With tiny and rapidly developing bodies, the chemicals are especially harmful to the young. Birth defects, infertility and cancer are linked to these chemicals (read more HERE).
Ok, that’s super serious. I’m pumped up because I just re-watched this TED talk.
Reducing toxins in your world doesn’t have to happen overnight. It’s not meant to be stressful. Slowly I am learning to incorporate the “all-natural” into my family’s routine, but do you know what? It hasn’t been difficult. Instead it’s been quite fun!
One simple way of ridding chemicals in the home is to make your own cleaning products. (You could buy really expensive organic products, but who wants to spend tons of money on stuff to clean your counters? Not me. Homemade will cost you pennies!)
Natural Homemade All Purpose Cleaner
adapted from DIY Non-Toxic Cleaning Recipes
Ingredients
1 cup distilled water
1 cup white vinegar
20-30 drops essential oils
I like using lemon essential oil. It acts as a natural degreaser and smells like sunshine.
Other essential oils good for house cleaning include: thyme, tea tree, cinnamon, peppermint, lime, lemon, lemongrass, geranium
Directions
Pour ingredients into a bottle and shake well. Store the bottle in a cool, dry place to protect the essential oils (light and heat oxidize them). Check out my DIY Glass Spray Bottle for a great essential oil-safe storage idea!
Though most homemade formulas use the same basic ingredients, there’s often a trick to getting them to work. Heather Dessinger aka The Mommypotamus has a book that explains some of the common mistakes made in homemade formulas, then delivers tested recipes that leave your home fresh and clean. Get 50 tried-and-true recipes for your entire home in DIY Cleaning Recipes.
Ps. If you are wondering if this really works, here is a study on the efficacy of essential oils on germs. Here is a study on the efficacy of vinegar.
PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.