WEEK 22: HOUSEHOLD CLEANING
SKIP packaged chemicals. SWITCH to homemade cleaning products.
(just mix bicarbonate of soda + vinegar)
1. PROBLEM (src)
Household Cleaning Products Can Be as Bad as Smoking a Pack a Day. (Refer to this link).
If older women exposed to household cleaning products and chemicals can experience problems, take a look at this scenario.
- Put a baby (100 times more susceptible to chemicals as it’s still growing) in a toxic-liquid washed bathtub, the leftovers of which are mixing with the toxic-soap solution and some toxic pvc toys to play with.
- Repeat this every single day.
These chemicals will take 1 to 2 generations to show visible problems. As most of these products were invented in the last 20 years, your kids/grandkids will suffer from the effect of these chemicals in unprecedented ways. Anxiety, depression, hormonal imbalance, infertility. All waiting to happen.
Scary right? I know.
We can (and must) start making changes now to slowing undo these effects with time. Remember. It is never too late!
2. SOLUTION (src)
The ingredients you need to get started:
1. Distilled, white vinegar (in glass/or large recyclable plastic bottle)
2. Baking soda
3. Water
4. Optional: Essential oils (lavender/tree tea oils/etc). P.S I don’t use them. But they have anti-bacterial properties and a good smell so maybe someday.
1. All purpose cleaner:
1:1 water: white vinegar in a spray bottle + few drops of an essential oil.
Purpose: tiles, counters, appliances, mirrors, windows and bathrooms.
Extra: Fill jars with citrus peels and cover with white vinegar for a 2 to 4 weeks. Your all purpose cleaner is ready!
2. Dishes
Scrub with Baking soda
Tough stains/ grime: Bring water to a boil in a pan and put baking soda in it. Place your utensils in it or it could be the utensil itself that needs scrubbing. Boil for 5 minutes and let it stay overnight.
3. Bathroom Cleaning
Scrub with baking soda (+ vinegar, hot water or leftover alcohol) and leave it overnight. Wash and spray the bathroom with vinegar + essential oils the next day.
4. Floor cleaner
Add 225ml white vinegar to a bucket of hot water + plus essential oils.
5. Washing Clothes
Add 225ml white vinegar to a bucket of hot water + plus essential oils.
Add 5–6 soapnuts in a tiny sack with your clothes in the washing machine.
(I’m not zero-waste here. I give my clothes to a laundry shop cause me lazy)
6. Ultimate Cleaning kit
I invested in this for the dishes and I personally just use 2 old t-shirts for the floor and bathroom. (Might consider buying something scrubby type. see pic)
Extra tips:
1. Don’t wait to use up your dishwashing liquid. Mix a little with a whole bottle of water and using baking soda for scrubbing. Works like a charm.
2. Use hot water if possible. (makes it easier to remove stains)
3. Reuse old towels, napkins or cutup sheets as simple clothes before buying.
4. Reuse spray bottles from your existing products and refill with your new home made all purpose cleaner. Avoid buying empty spray bottles.
You can also checkout this intense guide. I didn’t read it but it’s zero-waste.
3. CONCLUSION
I’m lazy. So everything I said here is effortless (almost).
In the long run, you won’t ever have to think about buying cleaning products because you only need 2 ingredients and not a 100 toxic products.
I plan to be sipping wine on a couch or sleeping like this dog when I’m 45 years old and not spend an evening at a store deciding if I should buy a toxic lavender or lemon scented dish cleaner :)
Bye ❤
