Chemical-free cleaning -
To freshen up your garbage disposal, use chopped-up lemons once a week, with the faucet and machine turned off. Thus, Consumer Reports suggests throwing six ice cubes into your garbage disposal along with a few thin slices of lemon, a tablespoon of baking soda, a teaspoon of bleach, and another six ice cubes.
Then, run your garbage disposal with the faucet off until the grinding stops and flush it with cold water for 30 seconds. Also, to maintain your garbage disposal, run cold water for several seconds before, during, and after use.
Next, to clean your smelly microwave, add some lemon juice to a glass bowl with hot water and let it run in the microwave oven for a couple of minutes.
After the oven gets steamy, just wipe it down. You can also use lemon juice on white cotton clothes like shirts and socks to remove some stains, such as sweat.
And sprinkle baking soda over lemon peels to put them in your fridge to absorb the odor. Reportedly , the lower concentration is better for disinfecting because it has more water, which helps it to dissolve more slowly, penetrate cells, and kill bacteria.
If making your own cleaner is a hassle, like it is for me, I have plenty of natural products for you to try below. My favorite brand is Branch Basics that I use almost exclusively. Branch Basic sells a fantastic non-toxic all-purpose cleaning concentrate and my favorite labeled glass containers.
Their unique all-in-one solution mixed with water replaces any cleaner in your home, including a multi-surface cleaner, bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner, laundry soap, toilet cleaners, and hand soap.
They also carry a gel hand soap that I use and love! It has a solid preservation method and is free of GMOs and fragrances.
In this case, all of the natural ingredients are safe. I recommend going with the Glass Starter Kit , of course, but there is a plastic version as well.
By the way, the sprayers on the bottles make the cleaning process so much more pleasant. Branch Basics also carries a 2-ingredient Oxygen Boost Powder that makes your cleaning more powerful. Best used if you need a replacement for stronger cleaning products like bleach or ammonia.
This multi-surface cleaner can be used on wood, hardwood floors, tile, porcelain, painted surfaces, laminate, and even electronics. It has a mild fresh lemon scent that comes from lime and lemongrass essential oils. Mama Suds is a non-toxic cleaner for most of your surfaces.
The bottle is plastic and customers can easily purchase refills to reduce plastic waste. I just hope they move to glass bottles soon.
This all-purpose soap-based cleaner comes as a concentrated solution that you pour into a container of your choice, like the glass or stainless-steel bottles I mentioned earlier. The glass containers come filled with their simple mixture of water, natural grain alcohol, and castile soap.
This is one of my favorite general cleaning products from Humble Suds, but I also love their Cleaning Paste all-surface scrub. More information on Humble Suds products can be found HERE. Meliora eliminated the use of plastic in the packaging of all their soap-based cleaning products.
Plus, there is no plastic in their packaging aside from the sprayer lid—even the refill scoop is stainless steel. Cleaners remove dirt and germs and disinfectants kill them. However, sometimes disinfectants are a necessary addition to an all-natural household, like if you have autoimmune disease or severe illness in your family.
That being said, I do not recommend using this product daily. Use only when you need to sterilize your environment to reduce some risk. The ingredients in Force of Nature Disinfectant are hypochlorous acid and sodium hydroxide. However, the Force of Nature website recommends those with specific bleach allergies avoid using their product.
There are many reasons to remove chemicals from your home. You can find more non-toxic products and learn more about the harmful effects of many commonly used ingredients on my blog. Together, we can make a safer and greener world one step at a time.
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Thank you, Irina, for sharing these valuable tips on cleaning our homes without relying on harmful chemicals. A must-read article. Hi Maria! Thank you for reaching out to I Read Labels For You! Products are free from: Sulfates, formaldehyde, parabens, phosphates, bleach, chlorine.
Shop Branch Basics here. Rather than sell you cleaning products that are half water, Branch Basics gives you the multi-purpose concentrated cleaner and the empty, reusable, and refillable bottles to "make" your own safe and natural cleaners at home.
Depending on the type of surface you intend to clean, you add a different amount of water and concentrate, so you waste less money and resources buying one-use plastic bottles. Products are free from: Methylisothiazolinone, VOCs, parabens, synthetic fragrances, synthetic preservatives.
Shop Mrs. The brand behind these brightly colored cleaners is known for its refreshing fragrances like Rose, Peony, Lilac, and Mint. Meyers is committed to using plant-based ingredients like aloe vera and essential oils like geranium and ylang-ylang.
Meyers also makes hand soap , laundry detergent , air fresheners , and even hand and body lotions and scrubs, which we reviewed here. Products are free from: Formaldehyde, synthetic surfactants, ammonia, parabens, phosphates, chlorine.
Shop Ecos cleaning products here: Amazon , Home Depot. For more than 50 years, parent company Earth Friendly Products has been making affordable and environmentally safe cleaning solutions like this Shower Cleaner and this Drain Maintainer.
Products are free from: Synthetic surfactants, parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde. Shop Truce cleaning products here: Thrive Market. After developing contact dermatitis from using chemical cleaners, the cofounder began making her own recipes and teamed up with a friend who has a PhD in ecology and understood the links between the environment, chemicals, and chronic illnesses to start Truce.
Truce's All-Purpose Cleaner contains just five simple ingredients: water, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, organic castile soap, and essential oils.
Products are free from: Formaldehyde, bleach, ammonia, parabens, phthalates, sulfates. For cleaning products free of warning labels and harmful chemicals, shop this Shark Tank-approved company. Its cofounder sprayed the cleaner in his mouth during his pitch in front of the sharks.
They're free from dyes, alcohol, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, and petroleum-based cleaning agents. Shop Method cleaning products here: Amazon , Target. Method is another B Corp that you've probably seen in stores and is one of the fastest-growing private companies in the US. It makes all types of natural cleaners, including ones for hard floors , granite , and hardwood.
Method is Cradle to Cradle-certified , meaning it meets high standards for ingredient safety and environmental health, as well as packaging safety.
Products are free from: Ammonia, formaldehyde, bleach, phosphates, phthalates. Shop Caldrea cleaning products here: Amazon , Grove Co. Caldrea makes home and cleaning products that match the sophistication of your home.
Its Countertop Surface Cleaner , featuring a Rosewater Driftwood scent reminiscent of the beach, uses a special vegetable protein extract to help remove odors. Thanks to its luxurious fragrances, your house won't only be sparkling clean, but it'll also smell amazing. Products are free from: Parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, ammonia, chlorine bleach, phosphates.
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By Chemical-free cleaning Chemica-lfree. This page contains some Coffee bean extract links. Please review my disclosure Chemical-fred. Recovery assistance programs to make Chemicak-free switch to natural cleaning products for your home? Look no further than this list of the best non-toxic cleaning products and what to look for and what to avoid in your cleaning products. Now let me be clear: there is not such thing as a spotless home.Chemical-free cleaning -
Ingredients: 3 Safety: EWG B rating Sustainability: Refill sizing. It gets a B rating from the EWG. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape.
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Account Profile. Sign Out. Best in Class Skip article list. Photo: Marcus McDonald. In this article. Best overall Best multipurpose spray Best dish soap Best dishwasher pods Best baby-bottle cleaner Best floor cleaner Best toilet cleaner Best degreaser.
Best natural cleaning product overall. Best concentrated natural cleaner. Buy at Hive Brands. Buy at Amazon. Best natural multipurpose spray. Humble Suds All Purpose Cleaner Ounce Glass Bottle.
Best natural dish soap. Ecover Zero Dish Soap. Ingredients: 8 Safety: EWG A rating Sustainability: Concentrated formula Davis makes a lot of her own household cleaners.
Best natural dishwasher pods. Best natural baby-bottle cleaner. Best natural floor cleaner. Buy at Target. Best natural toilet cleaner. Ecover Toilet-Bowl Cleaner.
Ingredients: 7 Safety: EWG B rating Sustainability: Recyclable plant plastic bottle For tidying toilet bowls, Preston recommends this pine-scented cleaner. Best natural toilet cleaning tablets.
Best natural odor and stain remover. Ingredients: 8 Safety: EWG B rating Sustainability: Refill sizing Melissa Maker, whose YouTube channel Clean My Space has more than 1.
Best natural degreaser. Best vinegar-based natural cleaner. A plastic-free, vegan dish soap bar that cuts through grease. Buy at Burke Decor. Buy at Common Good. Our experts. Tags: the strategist cleaning accessories home improvement home best in class More.
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Buy at Skinstore. Baleaf Freeleaf Yoga Leggings. Hannah Loop Earring. The key is to get the correct dilution and method dialed in. For example, most tile and vinyl flooring can be cleaned using All-Purpose spray and a microfiber mop. However, vinyl plank flooring and hardwood typically respond better to a higher water dilution to Concentrate.
Get specific instructions for your flooring in: Branch Basics Ultimate Guide to Non-Toxic Floor Cleaning. Other natural options for non-toxic floor cleaning:.
For more details on non-toxic DIY floor cleaning, see:. Many people overlook dish soap when switching to non-toxic products. However, conventional chemical-based dish soap contains various harmful chemicals which can be absorbed into the skin daily.
Instead, we love using Branch Basics All-Purpose, Bathroom, or Foaming Wash as dish soap alternatives. Either spray dishes directly with All-Purpose, scrub as needed and rinse under warm water. Or choose Bathroom spray for tougher, cooked-on messes.
Foaming Wash Soap can also be squirted directly onto a dish sponge or brush if you prefer to see more foaming action. Oxygen Boost is also an excellent dishwashing aid for burnt-on food and cleaning up stained blenders or coffee pots.
Few people realize the dangers of using chemical-based dishwashing detergents. The reason is they contain alkaline chemicals, which are corrosive in nature, making them highly caustic to skin, tissue, and internal organs. Liquid dish detergents are the worst and can have an alkalinity as high as 13, making them extremely dangerous.
Concerns surrounding toxic dishwashing detergents, especially colorful dish detergent pods, inspired the creation of EWG-verified Branch Basics Dishwasher Tablets. These plastic-free tablets do not contain harmful caustic chemicals, fragrances, VOCs, formaldehyde-releasing agents, phthalates, antimicrobial agents, and other harmful ingredients and leave your dishes squeaky clean.
For more details on the harmful chemicals in dish detergents, see: Why Non-Toxic Dishwashing Is So Important. Switching to non-toxic cleaners can raise many questions.
Here, we answer some of the more frequently asked questions we get about non-toxic cleaning. Great question! The answer is neither, but it does a great job at removing germs. The use of sanitizers with EPA-registered pesticides has been shown to contribute to the growing problem of antibacterial resistance.
This method of germ removal vs. germ killing is typically more effective at getting rid of all germs while not leaving behind any germs to mutate into superbugs. To learn more, check out: Is Branch Basics a Sanitizer or a Disinfectant?
Note: Sometimes sanitizing or disinfecting is appropriate when used in addition to germ removal techniques. See: 8 Best Natural Disinfectants for Everyday Use for more information.
Yes, DIY cleaning products can be as effective or more effective than chemical-based brands. The most important thing is to have the right tool for the job. Vinegar , for example, is a wonderful DIY ingredient because its natural acetic acid breaks up grease, dirt, and grime without damaging surfaces.
It is also a natural fabric softener, weed killer, and descaler. Plus, vinegar has some natural antibacterial properties , making it great for kitchen cleaning and produce washing.
Baking soda is a wonderful gentle abrasive, natural odor absorber, stain remover, grout cleaner, drain cleaner, laundry booster, and has natural bleaching power. The links above provide more information and tips on these ingredients and more for making your own non-toxic cleaners.
With just a few common household ingredients or one cleaning system, like Branch Basics, you can replace every chemical-based cleaning and laundry product in no time flat. Interested in trying Branch Basics as a non-toxic cleaner? Click here to learn more about Branch Basics starter kits which contain everything you need to create your own non-toxic cleaning and laundry arsenal.
For more non-toxic cleaning tips, check out our Wellness Center for articles, Podcasts, Guides, and more. Marilee Nelson is an Environmental Toxins expert who has spent nearly 30 years advocating for the chemically-sensitive and chronically-ill. She is a Board Certified Nutritionist, Certified Bau-Biologist and Bau-Biology Inspector and specializes in Food As Medicine.
She has helped thousands of families and individuals identify, heal and recover from toxic exposures and is on a mission to revolutionize the way American families view their health.
This Chemicwl-free of earth-friendly cleaning products as well as bottles come from some of Chemical-fgee Chemical-free cleaning Canadian brands - Chemicsl-free Bare Home, Earth Chemical-free cleaning, Nature Bee Clean, myni, Nutritional weight management, etc. Planting Hope: Our Foods with fast-acting sugars Partnership with Integrity Reforestation Promises a Greener Future. In a world where environmental concerns are at the forefront of our collective consciousness, the partnership between our brand and Integrity Reforestation couldn't have come at a more crucial time Cleaning Products Looking for natural household cleaners that actually work? Sort by Sort by Featured Best selling Alphabetically, A-Z Alphabetically, Z-A Price, low to high Price, high to low Date, old to new Date, new to old. Chemical-free cleaning earn a commission for products purchased through some links Chemical-ffee this Chemicxl-free. We've Chemical-free cleaning been coeaning hard to reduce Nutritional weight management number of single-use plastics in Chemicsl-free cleaning natural wakefulness techniques, swapping throwaway spray bottles Recovery assistance programs refillable glass options and ditching regular sponges for washable ones instead. But packaging aside, when it comes to your weekly scrub, have you considered the environmental impact of the cleaning chemicals themselves? If not, it might be time to consider switching to more eco-friendly cleaning products. Petrochemicals, detergents and chemical disinfectants can be harmful to children or pets if accidentally ingested or cause irritating reactions if they come into contact with skin.
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