Detox your Home: Simple DIY Cleaning Supplies

Have you been wondering if the products you use to clean your home have toxic ingredients in them that could affect your family’s health? I found myself asking that very question about two years ago. You may think that because you are buying ones labeled as “organic” or “green” that they are safe as I did. I was surprised to learn that most of the cleaning supplies on the market even the greenwashed ones are not safe. Unfortunately, cleaning products unlike foods and personal care products are not required by federal law to show a list of ingredients meaning we don’t even know exactly what dangers are lurking in them. You may not know yet but these chemicals could be affecting your lungs, immune system, emotions and much more.

I recently learned about a term called “Toxic Load.” Every day our bodies are exposed to toxins in the environment from polluted air, processed foods/pesticides, synthetic medications, cleaning products, plastics and personal care products. Therefore, most of the chemicals we are exposed to are not properly tested in terms of how they can affect our health. One of the best way you can reduce your toxic load is to swap out your toxic products for non toxic ones! This is exactly what I did when I first started using oils.

What’s in Your Cleaning Supplies?

Cleaning supplies often are the biggest offender in our home of this. Therefore, that is the category you will want to swap out first. Need some proof? Check out these stats:

*The basic ingredients of window/glass cleaners are ammonia and isopropanol which irritate the eyes, skin, nose, and throat and if swallowed, may cause drowsiness, unconsciousness or DEATH.

*The chemical 1,4 dioxane is a suspected human carcinogen and is a common contaminant in widely used detergent chemicals.

*Sodium Borate (boric acid) is found in many cleaning products and can disrupt the functioning of the hormone system.

*53% of cleaning products assesed by EWG have ingrdients in them known to harm the lungs

Now that I’ve hopefully convinced you to toss your cleaning supplies let’s talk about how you can easily replace them with a bunch of safe, effective and affordable DIY’s using therapeutic grade essential oil. I make all my own cleaning supplies!

DIY All Purpose Cleaner:

¼ cup white vinegar

1 ¾ cups water

15 drops of Lemon oil

5 drops of Onguard oil

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to 16 ounce spray bottle. 
2. Shake thoroughly then Spritz on surfaces and wipe clean. 

DIY Soft Scrub Bathroom Cleaner

• 1 cup baking soda
• 3 tablespoons of onguard concentrate
• 1 tablespoon water
• 5 drops doTERRA lemon essential oil
• 5 drops doTERRA eucalyptus essential oil

1. In bowl, combine baking soda and concentrate
2. Add water and then stir.
3. Add vinegar and essential oil. The consistency should be a soft paste.
4. Store in airtight container.

To use, just apply and let it sit for 5–10 minutes and then scrub. 

DIY Wood Polish:

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup vinegar

10 drops of arborvitae or wild orange oil

1. Add olive oil and vinegar to glass spray bottle.
2. Add 10 drops of essential oil.
3. Next, Shake well before each use.
4. Apply to microfiber cloth and wipe wood surfaces clean. Repeat every two to three months or as often as needed. 

In short it’s so easy and affordable to reduce your toxic load! Next up in these series we will have why your candles are bad news and you’ll want to replace them with a diffuser. Do you want to get started making your own supplies? I can help! Grab our detox your life starter kit here.

Want more toxin free living tips? Grab my free e-book here!