Environmental experts predict that the average household uses over 62 toxic chemicals to clean their home…

And the ingredients used to make cleaning products have raised concerns over the years with links to gut issues, hormone imbalances, cancer, and other health impacts. Making the switch to natural cleaning products will improve the air quality in your home, reduce your exposure toxic ingredients, and create a healthier home environment for you and your family. 

Using natural cleaning products isn’t difficult, but making the switch can incredibly confusing. There’s so much noise out there and all this noise can lead to a lot of confusion, deceptive marketing, not-so-great DIY recipes, and myths. We’re going to clear things up today and debunk 6 natural cleaning myths that keep people from making the switch to natural cleaning. Clearing up these myths will help you confidently begin making the switch to natural cleaning products and methods.

6 Natural Cleaning Myths, Debunked

Myth 1: Cleaning products are safe and go through rigorous testing.

Debunked: The U.S. Government doesn’t test cleaning products and doesn’t mandate that companies test them either. As a consumer, you’re asked to simply trust that products are safe and companies have your best interest at heart, but should you? Some of the chemicals used to make cleaning products raise serious concern (like phthalates and phenols), but this doesn’t keep companies from using these ingredients. You must be your own advocate and be aware of what to look for and what to avoid. Awareness is 90% of the game!

You want safe cleaning products that are effective and made with ingredients that won’t potentially cause harm to your health (i.e. disrupt hormones, contribute to allergies and migraines, etc.). You must be an ingredient list detective, looking past marketing hype and trendy buzzwords that are used to lure consumers.

Myth 2: The safest and best cleaners are plant-based, non-toxic, organic, and green.

Debunked: Did you know that the cleaning industry is a 221 billion dollar industry? Cleaning companies know that you want safer, healthier, more natural products, so what do they do? Marketers use buzz words like plant-based, green, non-toxic, natural, and organic to market products and lure you in. Companies know that these words sell! But these trendy labels are unregulated. A company can throw out these terms as a way to earn your trust and business. Cleaning companies also use language like “no phthalates” to show you how much they care about your health and why you should trust their product. While this can be helpful, you shouldn’t use this info alone to make an informed decision about whether a cleaning product is natural and non-toxic.

Myth 3: Natural cleaning products and cleaning hacks don’t really work! 

Debunked: There are many DIY recipes on Pinterest and non-toxic cleaning products sold by companies that don’t work and turn people away from natural cleaning. This is a shame, because natural cleaning products, hacks, and methods can be incredibly effective! Michelle, a reader friend who has been making Live Simply cleaner recipes, recently shared, “I can’t believe how effective these homemade cleaners are! They work better than the cleaners I was purchasing.” You don’t have to compromise your standard of clean just to use safer cleaning products. You only need a few essential ingredients and products to clean your entire home. A great place to start is by making a homemade all-purpose cleaner. 

One key to making natural cleaning products is to know which products can and cannot be combined and which ingredients are best to use in your home. The same goes for commercial cleaners, too. You can’t use a floor cleaner on your kitchen counters and expect it to perform. Think of natural cleaning the same way! Yes, many non-toxic ingredients are multi-purpose (can be used to make multiple cleaning solutions), but it’s important to be informed about how and where to use the ingredients and products. This can require a lot of research and experimentation, or you can use tested cleaning recipes or buy from trusted cleaning brands that consistently perform (one of my favorites is Branch Basics, code livesimply takes 10% off) 

Myth 4: Combining baking soda and vinegar is a great way to make a homemade cleaner. 

Debunked: This combo is common in recipes online and even some cleaning books. When combined, vinegar (an acid) and baking soda (a base) fizz (the reaction) and cancel each other out, which is an awesome science experiment for the kiddos. This fizz is caused by a chemical reaction, resulting in basically salty water which neutralizes the cleaning power of both ingredients. Now, salt is used in some of my favorite cleaning recipes, so I’m not saying salt is bad. If you want salt water come visit my family in Florida, just don’t mix vinegar and baking soda with the hope of making an awesome cleaner. Note: People swear by this combination when it comes to a clogged drain and will pour it down a sink to remove the clog. This success can be associated with the reaction of the two ingredients.

This is the perfect example of why people view natural cleaning mixtures as ineffective. Baking soda and vinegar are fantastic cleaning ingredients and should be part of your natural cleaning caddy, but they don’t make a great cleaning experience when combined. Two more natural cleaning ingredient combos to avoid.

Myth 5: I can’t afford non-toxic cleaning products. 

Debunked: Yes, natural and non-toxic cleaning products can cost more than conventional cleaning products. Many times, these products are made by small businesses and use ingredients that cost more to produce. I’ve found the best solution is to learn how to make easy and essential cleaning products with simple (and cheap) ingredients like white vinegar, castile soap, and baking soda. With these ingredients you can make: all-purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner, stain remover, streak-free glass cleaner, oven cleaner, dish soap, and hard floor cleaner. These cleaners take less than 2 minutes to combine in a glass spray bottle, soap dispenser, or mop bucket, and each product costs just pennies to make!

Some natural cleaning products don’t require any mixing. For example, baking soda is a fantastic natural cleaner that costs just one dollar per box and can be used as a scrub cleaner to clean tubs and sinks or shake in toilet bowls for an inexpensive toilet bowl cleaner.

I recommend buying natural cleaning products for things that require more time and patience to DIY or products that you don’t use very often. For me, I choose to buy dishwasher detergent and laundry detergent.

Myth 6: A clean home should smell clean.

Debunked: This is the biggest struggle for people when making the switch to natural cleaning: the lack of scent. We have been told, through marketing messages from companies who want to sell us their products, that a clean home or fresh laundry smells a certain way. The truth is, clean isn’t a scent.

Fragrance is added to cleaning products to trigger a good feeling and convince you that your home is clean, based on a scent alone, which creates a lifelong (addicted) customer. It’s smart marketing! But there’s a dirty secret about that fragrance…

Fragrances are made with multiple lab-generated chemicals that are blended together to create a particular scent. (Chemicals aren’t bad–another natural cleaning myth, but we need to make sure that the chemicals used are safe which is why all ingredients should be disclosed. This is not usually the case with fragrance.) Lots of different chemicals may be hiding under this vague ingredient name. Since this word is a “trade secret” companies are not required to disclose the exact chemicals or formulations used to make a particular fragrance.

You can add a lovely scent to natural cleaning products by using essential oils and buy from companies who fully disclose their fragrance ingredients. But just because a product smells a certain way doesn’t mean it’s an effective cleaning product.

Bonus Myth 7: Chemicals are bad. You should use chemical-free cleaning products. 

Debunked: Okay I mentioned 6 natural cleaning myths, but I have to mention this myth before you go. This is a very common myth that I see all over Pinterest and Instagram. Chemicals are NOT  bad. Everything has a chemical composition: water, baking soda, vinegar. Everything!

The goal isn’t to go chemical-free with your cleaning routine, as that would be impossible. The goal is to use chemicals that are proven to be safe and to stay away from chemicals that have a negative impact on our health and environment. There are plenty of chemicals that are currently used in commercial products that are of known concern: disrupt hormones, have been linked to cancer, have a negative impact on gut microbiome, and trigger asthma and allergies. The goal isn’t to go chemical free; rather, it’s to use proven-to-be safe ingredients and products that clean your home and promote health.

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Before we start, I created the Natural Cleaning Challenge to help you easily ditch toxic cleaners and start using natural cleaning products in just 5 days. This challenge is completely free and packed full of helpful information. Over 5 days, via email, I’ll walk you through what to avoid in cleaning products (even the “natural” and “green” ones can have icky ingredients so I’ll give you the tools to see through the marketing gimmicks), how to stock a natural cleaning caddy, and a few essential DIY cleaning recipes.

11 Natural Cleaning Product Swaps Anyone Can Make Today

The 11 swaps on today’s list are designed to serve as a guide for everyone making the switch to natural cleaning products, whether you’re just starting out or have already made some swaps. Why focus on making these natural product swaps? Most of the products on this list are products that many people use the home on a regular basis. Since they’re a “regular” product, this means they’re being sprayed, poured, and burned (like candles) on a daily or weekly basis.

Swap 1: Air Fresheners

Add essential oils to homemade cleaning products, add an essential oil or blend of different essential oils to an essential oil diffuser (this is my favorite), create a simmer pot on the stove-top using rosemary, cinnamon sticks, orange peels and water then simmer the mixture on a low simmer (do not leave unattended). If you’re new to essential oils, check out this podcast episode on essential oils 101.

Swap 2: Scented Candles

Make beeswax or soy candles (use this slow-cooker method, make candles on the stove-top, or make super easy taper candles) or buy 100% beeswax or soy candles that are unscented or use essential oils for a scent.

Swap 3: Fragranced Laundry Detergents

Use fragrance-free laundry soap, choose a brand that uses essential oils for scent and fully discloses ingredients (my favorite non-toxic laundry soap brands), or make your own laundry soap (try this liquid laundry soap recipe or this powder soap recipe).

Swap 4: Bleach

Use a homemade bleach alternative for whitening garments, for surfaces use an all purpose cleaner spray (I love this vinegar all purpose cleaner or this no-vinegar all purpose cleaner), and for the toilet use this homemade toilet bowl cleaner.

Swap 5: Store-Bought All Purpose Cleaner

Make your own all purpose cleaner with either castile soap or vinegar. It’s one of the easiest DIY swaps you can make to clean a variety of surfaces.

For an all purpose vinegar cleaner, combine 1 cup distilled water, 1 cup white vinegar or homemade orange vinegar, 15-20 drops essential oil of choice (if desired). Add all the ingredients to a glass spray bottle. For an all purpose cleaner without vinegar, add 2 cups distilled water to a glass spray bottle, followed by 2 tablespoons liquid castile soap or 1 teaspoon Sal Suds and 15-20 drops essential oil of choice (if desired). If you prefer the store-bought route, check out this post for my top non-toxic all purpose cleaner suggestions.

Swap 6: Windex

Use a spray made with rubbing alcohol, vinegar, and distilled water to clean windows, mirrors, and even stainless surfaces. Make a glass and mirror cleaner by combining 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol and 1/3 cup white vinegar in a 16-ounce spray bottle, then top off the bottle with distilled water. If you’d prefer to not use rubbing alcohol, skip it and use 1/2 cup of vinegar instead. Spray on a glass surface and wipe with a microfiber cloth.

Swap 7: Easy Off Oven Cleaner

Use a combo of castile soap and baking soda. Mix the ingredients together until they form a paste, then use a sponge to apply the mixture to the interior surface of the oven. Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes or a few hours, then use a wet cloth to rinse the surface and follow up by spraying the surface with vinegar and wiping clean until all residue has been removed.

Swap 8: Pledge or PineSol Floor Cleaner

Fill a bucket with water and castile soap or vinegar to wash hard floors. Here’s my favorite hard floor cleaner with vinegar and my favorite hard floor cleaner with castile soap.

Swap 9: Dawn Dish Soap

Make a Sal Suds dish soap or castile soap dish soap or use a non-toxic brand (such as Seventh Generation–> here’s a list of my favorite non-toxic dish soap and dishwasher options).

Swap 10: Cascade Dishwasher Detergent

Use a non-toxic brand (such as Ecover or Better Life–> here’s a list of my favorite non-toxic options) or make your own (I share a recipe in DIY Natural Cleaning).

Swap 11: Dryer Sheets

Use fragrance-free dryer sheets (Seventh Generation is a good option) or wool dryer balls (make dryer balls or buy dryer balls). If you have an issue with static, which is common with polyester clothing, add a safety pin to a wool dryer ball to reduce this static.

I know a lot of people also use fabric softener. Choose a fabric softener that’s fragrance free or go the homemade route by making laundry softener salts or use vinegar.

7 Cleaning Ingredients to Avoid

In the US, cleaning companies are not required to disclose all of their ingredients (only active ingredients or “ingredients of known concern”). And the US Government doesn’t test cleaning products and doesn’t mandate that companies test them either. This all leads to a lot of confusion about cleaning products. I’ve compiled a list of 7 main cleaning ingredients to avoid to help you make informed choices about cleaning products. Check out that post here: 7 Cleaning Product Ingredients to Avoid.

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First, let’s recap a few of the important points we talked about in the cleaning swaps chat…

• The US Government doesn’t test cleaning products and doesn’t mandate that companies test them either.
• Cleaning companies are only required to list active ingredients or ingredients of “known concern.”
• When you take a deep dive into researching cleaning products and the ingredients used to make many of these products, it’s concerning to read about the impact they have on the body (i.e. disrupting hormones, triggering respiratory issues, etc.)
• Chemicals are NOT bad. The goal is not to be chemical free (that’s impossible as everything has a chemical composition). The concern is that some of the chemicals used to make body and cleaning products today are known to have a negative effects on the body (disrupt hormones, cause respiratory issues, etc.).

3 Steps to a Healthier Home Environment

While it would be great to see change in the regulation and accountability of cleaning products, and we can certainly advocate for such changes, that change isn’t here just yet. So let’s focus on the steps we can take right now that directly impact our home environment and family.

• STEP ONE: Choose one product at a time to swap. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the products you want to swap, focus on JUST ONE a month or as products run out. You may even find that you don’t need as many cleaning products, so focus on your cleaning needs and find products that are multi-purpose. You’ll probably find that as you go non-toxic, you also simplify your cleaning routine. Join my free 5-Day Natural Cleaning Challenge to get started with 3 essential cleaning swaps.
• STEP TWO: Learn how to make your own cleaners. You don’t have to make everything. (I don’t!) Instead, learn the basics of how to make an all-purpose cleaner, a glass cleaner, and a homemade scrub. These 3 products will meet a wide range of cleaning needs. Even if you don’t make these cleaners regularly, there’s POWER in knowing HOW to make your own products. DIY Natural Cleaning covers how to make the basics and so much more.
• STEP THREE: Build a list of trust-worthy companies. There aren’t a ton of options on the market when it comes to trustworthy cleaning companies. Kind of sad, right? But this is slowly changing. There are more options today than there were when I started this journey. Knowing which companies are transparent and using proven-to-be-safe ingredients is helpful when navigating the tricky world of cleaning products. Below, I’ll share my favorite cleaning brands.

Best Non-Toxic Cleaning Brands and Products

Below, you’ll find my favorite non-toxic cleaning products and brands. Some of these brands may be found in stores (I only have experience with US stores) and all may be found online (via Amazon or the brand’s website).

• Branch Basics: My favorite cleaning company, run by 3 women with a passion for helping families #tossthetoxins. With one cleaning concentrate, you can clean every surface in your home and launder your garments. Use code livesimply for 10% off a starter kit. (Listen to my interview with one of the founders of Branch Basics here.)
• Seventh Generation: An easy brand for most people to find and everything is very affordable (compared to some pricier options). I stick with their unscented products.
• Better Life: This brand is easier to find online (via Amazon) than in the store. I love the dishwasher soap and laundry soap.
• Molly Suds: A local company to me, but they sell nationwide across the US. A great option for powder laundry soap and dryer balls (a replacement for dryer sheets).
• Ecover: My favorite brand of dishwasher soap. Also makes dish soap.
• BioKleen: Makes great dishwasher soap, stain and odor remover, and laundry soap.
• Plant Therapy Essential Oils: Everyone has an opinion about which essential oil brand is best. I am not a rep or loyal to any one company. I use oils from a few different companies, including the big ones you’ve heard about. The brand I turn to the most due to quality and price is Plant Therapy. Mountain Rose Herbs is close second. I like to diffuse an essential oil in our home every so often instead of spraying any kind of air freshener or scent in our house. My favorites include: Germ Fighter and Eucalyptus. I use this diffuser in white.
• Dr. Bronner’s: I use castile soap and/or Sal Suds (both made by Dr. Bronner’s) for many of my cleaning needs. Many of the recipes in my cleaning book rely on this ingredient. I love to use it to clean the oven, make a scrub cleaner, as an all-purpose cleaner, and as dish soap. These products are highly concentrated so a little bit goes a long way. Yes, this product is used to make many products, but it’s also a great stand-alone soap.
• PUR Home: This small business is the next best thing to DIYing your products, because the ingredients used are super basic (similar to the ingredients and formulations used in the cleaning book recipes). PUR Home sells everything from laundry soap to dish soap to scrub cleaners to a cleaning concentrate (similar to Branch Basics in that you can use this one concentrate to clean multiple surfaces).
• Common Good: I’m a sucker for good packaging and brand design and Common Goods nails it in both areas. I love the refillable aspect of this brand, with the refillable laundry and dish soap and they even sell Wool Dryer Balls (which I will teach you how to make in this post). Everything they sell ranks as an A with the Environmental Working Group, meaning the brand is “squeaky clean” as far as ingredients (see what I did there).
• Puracy: Puracy makes a ton of different products, ranging from general cleaning needs to glass spray bottles and even deodorant (I can’t vouch for their skincare products, just the cleaning products).
• Ecos: This brand is easy to find in health food stores, Whole Foods, and on Amazon. All the products, ranging from dish soap to laundry soap to furniture polish and toilet bowl cleaner to stain remover spray, get an A rating with the Environmental Working Group.
• BonAmi: A famous scouring powder that’s cheap and easy to find in most stores. I don’t recommend the spray cleaner from this brand, but the scouring powder is a great option and receives an A rating from the Environmental Working Group due to the stellar ingredients.

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What is a Cleaning Caddy?

A cleaning caddy is a physical organizer, or a designated place in your home, where you store everything you need for cleaning. The beauty of keeping everything in one spot is that you can easily find what you need when you need it. Some people like to keep everything (except a broom or vacuum) under the sink (that’s my preference), others like to keep cleaning caddy essentials in the laundry area. Here are a few of my favorite cleaning caddy organizers:

• bamboo caddy
• plastic white caddy
• white metal caddy
• utility cart
• 2 tier sliding basket

What to Put in a Cleaning Caddy

Everyone’s cleaning needs are slightly different. You may choose to put a few extra cleaners or cleaning tools in your cleaning caddy. The following items are what I consider to be the top 11 cleaning caddy essentials that will get most (or all, in my case) of your home clean the non-toxic way.

1. All Purpose Cleaner
2. Castile Soap or Sal Suds
3. Vinegar
4. Baking Soda
5. Glass/Mirror Cleaner
6. Essential Oils
7. Microfiber Cloths
8. Microfiber Duster
9. Dustpan Set
10. Scrub Brush and Toilet Brush 
11. Microfiber Mop and Bucket

How to Use Your Cleaning Caddy Essentials

1. All Purpose Cleaner

Even if you don’t want to make your own cleaning products, I recommend going the DIY route with this cleaner. There are two options, either a vinegar all purpose cleaner (not suitable for stone or granite surfaces) or castile soap/Sal Suds all purpose cleaner (safe for most surfaces). Use an all purpose cleaner to clean: kitchen countertops, dusty surfaces, sinks and tubs, light switches, dirty toys, stainless steel surfaces, bathroom counters, and spot clean floors.

• For an all purpose vinegar cleaner, combine 1 cup distilled water, 1 cup white vinegar or homemade orange vinegar, 15-20 drops essential oil of choice (if desired). Add all the ingredients to a glass spray bottle.
• For an all purpose cleaner without vinegar, add 2 cups distilled water to a glass spray bottle, followed by 2 tablespoons liquid castile soap or 1 teaspoon Sal Suds and 15-20 drops essential oil of choice (if desired).
• If you prefer the store-bought route, check out this post for my top non-toxic all purpose cleaner suggestions.

2. Castile Soap or Sal Suds

Liquid castile soap is a plant based concentrated soap used to make multiple cleaning products. Sal Suds is the heavy duty big brother to castile soap and is fantastic at cutting grease and tackling super dirty surfaces.

• Clean hard floors by filling a 3 gallon bucket with warm water, followed by a few squirts of castile soap or Sal Suds and (optional) a few drops of an essential oil. Use a mop or scrub brush/rag to clean the floor with this solution.
• Use castile soap or Sal Suds to make an all-purpose cleaner for cleaning surfaces in your home.
• Use castile soap or Sal Suds to make a scrub cleaner to remove stubborn dirt and stains in tubs and sinks.
• Use castile soap to make a stain remover for laundry stains.

3.Vinegar

Vinegar is an excellent natural cleaner and the perfect addition to a natural cleaning caddy. Most household vinegars (used in the kitchen) contain 4-6% acetic acid, which is what makes vinegar such a great cleaning ingredient. White vinegar is considered to be the most acidic vinegar out there and the strongest option for making a household cleaner. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, make a homemade orange cleaning vinegar with vinegar and orange peels.

• To make a hard floor cleaner, in a bucket, combine 2.5-3 gallons of warm water with 1 cup of vinegar (white vinegar or homemade orange vinegar) and (optional) a few drops of an essential oil. Use a mop or scrub brush/rag to clean the floor with this solution.
• Make an all-purpose cleaner to clean multiple surfaces in your home (not suitable for stone or granite surfaces).
• Make a disinfectant spray.
• Add vinegar to the laundry to naturally soften clothes and towels.

4. Baking Soda

Baking soda is the most underrated cleaning ingredient in the natural cleaning world. It’s incredible and so effective! Baking soda will freshen, deodorize, and remove stubborn dirt and grease from surfaces. I keep a mason jar filled with baking soda in my cleaning caddy.

• Sprinkle baking soda in the toilet bowl, then scrub after a few minutes with a toilet brush.
• Sprinkle baking soda on carpets and rugs and vacuum after a few minutes to freshen a room.
• Sprinkle baking soda in a sink or tub, then scrub the surface with a wet cloth or scrub brush (add a squirt of Sal Suds or Castile soap for extra cleaning power).
• For a homemade magic eraser, apply baking soda to a wet cloth and gently rub the surface, repeating until the crayon or unwanted mark dissapears.

5. Glass/Mirror Cleaner

If you make a vinegar all purpose cleaner, you can use it to clean and polish glass surfaces. If you’re using an all purpose cleaner made with castile soap or Sal Suds, you’ll need to use something else.

• Make a glass and mirror cleaner by combining 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol and 1/3 cup white vinegar in a 16-ounce spray bottle, then top off the bottle with distilled water. If you’d prefer to not use rubbing alcohol, skip it and use 1/2 cup of vinegar instead. Spray on a glass surface and wipe with a microfiber cloth.

6. Essential Oils

If you’d like to add a scent to an all purpose cleaner, floor cleaner, or just want to just freshen your home without toxic fragrances, adding an essential oil or a combo of essential oils to a homemade cleaner or a diffuser is a nice option. Essential oils are concentrated oils derived from plants. Above, I’ve included a chart of some of my favorite essential oils to use for cleaning. You don’t need a huge stockpile of essential oils, choose a few scents (or just one) that you love and keep those oils handy for diffusing or cleaning. I personally like lemon, grapefruit, or a germ fighter blend. Want to learn more about essential oils? Check out my recent podcast episode with an aromatherapist.

7. Microfiber Cloths

A microfiber cleaning cloth is a blend of polyester or polyester and nylon. In my opinion, microfiber cloths do a better job at picking up dirt and debris than cotton cloths. And microfiber doesn’t leave behind streak marks on glass and stainless steel. According to an article by UC Davis, regarding a hospital that switched over to microfiber mops, “microfiber mops did a better job of penetrating surface pores and removing dust particles than conventional string mops and cloth. For example, after a surface was cleaned with conventional tools, a bacteria culture showed a 30% reduction, while microfiber materials reduced bacteria by 99%.”

8. Microfiber Duster

I’ve used the same microfiber duster with a removable, washable dusting pad for over 5 years now…it’s amazing! Just like with the microfiber cloths, I find this duster does a better job than feather dusters as it actually traps the dust versus sending dust particles flying throughout our home. After dusting a surface, I give the surface a spray with an all-purpose cleaner and wipe the surface clean.

9. Scrub Brush and Toilet Brush

Keep a long handle scrub brush or short handle scrub brush in your cleaning caddy to use when scrubbing tubs and sinks. And, of course, a toilet brush. A sprinkle of baking soda and a toilet brush are all I use to keep my toilets clean and fresh. If you want something extra for the toilet, spray all purpose cleaner or 100% vinegar in the toilet bowl after scrubbing away the baking soda, then scrub again.

10. Dust Pan Set

We have a Roomba in our home (because #animals) but I still find myself reaching for my broom and dust pan daily. I have a small dust pan set and a large broom. If you have carpet, of course, you’ll want a good vacuum as well. I have a Dyson and am satisfied with it. Shark brand is also highly rated.

11. Microfiber Mop and Bucket

For cleaning floors, I use the castile soap floor cleaner (mentioned above under castile soap) or vinegar (mentioned above under vinegar) and a mop bucket and microfiber mop. Just like with the duster and cloths, I find that microfiber does the best job at cleaning and picking up dirt. If you’re cleaning hardwood floors, it’s important to use a minimal amount of water (no soaking the floors). Always perform a spot test before cleaning an entire floor with a new cleaning product, even if it’s more natural.

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The solution may seem simple: just grab the “natural” or “green” cleaners at the store. Problem solved, right?! Well, those terms have NO regulation either. So just because a label may claim a bunch of trendy green marketing words, doesn’t mean those words accurately represent what you’re getting or the full story of the other ingredients used to make the cleaner.

I’m not trying to scare anyone by sharing this. The last thing we all need in 2021 is more fear. Instead, I believe that knowledge is power and so, today, I want to share some knowledge with you about cleaning product ingredients. From this knowledge, you can do your own research and make informed choices based on your research, and then decide what’s best for you and your family.

With this knowledge, you can make informed choices about what and how to clean your home.

7 Cleaning Product Ingredients to Avoid

Here’s a list of a few cleaning product ingredients that personally concern me. Again, I encourage you do your own research on this as well. For me, I take the stance that a small amount of these ingredients may not be all that harmful (as companies claim), but when you consider how many products we use in a day (or week or month), we aren’t using a trace amount of these ingredients in our homes. This can lead to burdening our systems with these ingredients and the cumulative effect of using so many potentially-toxic chemicals can wreak havoc on our health.

1. Fragrance

Made with multiple lab-generated chemicals that are blended together to create a particular scent. (Chemicals aren’t bad, but we need to make sure that the chemicals used are safe which is why all ingredients should be disclosed–which is not usually the case with fragrance.) Lots of different ingredients may be hiding under this vague ingredient name (including phthalates which we’ll talk about later). Since this word is a “trade secret” companies are not required to disclose the exact chemicals or formulations used to make a particular fragrance. When looking at a cleaning product, look for an ingredient list and the word “fragrance” (if there is an ingredient list). If you see fragrance on the list, without any disclosure (i.e. a blend of essential oils), it’s time to move on. Check out this post to see just how far companies will go to not disclose their fragrance ingredients.

2. 2-Butoxyethanol

This ingredient belongs to a category of solvents known as glycol ethers (also in this category: ethylene glycol mono-butyl ether, EGBE). Commonly found in window cleaner, spot cleaners, and all-purpose cleaners and degreasers. Ethylene glycol may have dangerous consequences, like kidney failure, if ingested. Considering this, I don’t want to breathe in or come into contact with this product on a regular basis.

3. Ammonia

If you’ve ever used ammonia, I’m sure the smell has been forever burned into your senses. Ammonia is used to clean glass, sinks, and polish fixtures. It can be extremely irritating for those with asthma and lung issues.

4. Ethanolamines (AKA: Monoethanolamine (MEA), Diethanolamine (DEA), and/or Triethanolamine (TEA)

Used in all-purpose cleaners, furniture polish, detergent, and foaming products. May cause skin and eye irritation, along with liver and kidney damage at high doses.

5. Chlorine Bleach

Used as a bleaching ingredient, mildew remover, toilet bowl cleaner, and more. Bleach can be extremely irritating for both the lungs and eyes.

6. Phenols

Used in cleaning products to help cover odors. Used in all-purpose cleaners, detergents, and disinfectants. Contact with phenols can cause blisters, burns, and even severe skin damage in high concentrations.

7.  Phthalates

For many years, I believed that the only way to tell if something was clean was to observe a “fresh, clean” scent. I fell hard for this marketing lie! Because of this, for many years, air freshener was regularly used in our home. According to the National Research Defense Council, “The federal government does not currently test air fresheners for safety or require manufacturers to meet any specific safety standards.”

The Defense Council tested 14 brands of air fresheners and found that 12 of the products contained phthalates, a man-made chemical that can be used in plastics and fragranced cleaning and cosmetic products. Some forms are believed to disrupt hormones (listen to this podcast episode about hormones and detoxing), cause reproductive health issues, be carcinogenic, and may be linked to asthma. Air fresheners aren’t the only product that may contain the P word. The following are just a few of the home products that may also contain phthalates: air freshener, laundry detergent, fabric softener, shampoo, hair spray, dish soap, deodorant, nail polish, plastic toys, car-care products, various cleaning products.

It would be great if we could just flip over a cleaning product and look for the P word, but it’s not that easy. Many cleaning companies don’t share a full list of ingredients on a package or use very vague terms to describe this ingredient (i.e. phthalates may be one of many ingredients used to make the vague “fragrance” found on an ingredient list).

7 Product Swaps You Can Make Right Now

At this point, you may be wondering, “Kristin, thanks for the list, but how do I apply this to my life?” The good news is that you don’t need to memorize the list above or live in fear. The list above is simply for reference. Instead, this is the part I suggest focusing on, as this is where the change happens…

First, pull out the cleaning products you currently use and take a look at the ingredients on your go-to cleaners (the ones you use frequently). If there isn’t a list on the package, search online for the product and try to find a list of ingredients. Look for any of the 7 ingredients mentioned above. You can also use the EWG site, a watchdog group, to look up individual ingredients or search for a product and find out how it rates.

Second, make some simple cleaning product swaps. Here are 7 product swaps that will make a big difference.

• Use essential oils instead of air fresheners. I like to add essential oils to homemade cleaning products and also run a diffuser in our home (add a few drops of an essential oil).
• Use beeswax candles. You can even make your own (I love these taper candles or slow-cooker jar candles) or buy 100% beeswax candles online.
• Avoid laundry detergents with added fragrance. Here are my favorite options.
• Choose glass over plastic, as plastic can contain phthalates. One place to start is with your food storage containers and lunchbox gear.
• Ditch the bleach. Make a bleach alternative for soaking clothes and towels, use a vinegar all-purpose cleaner to clean surfaces, use vinegar to remove mold, try this scrub cleaner for sinks and tubs, and this toilet bowl cleaner.
• Avoid ammonia based cleaners. An easy place to start is to make your own glass cleaner or use an all-purpose vinegar cleaner on glass surfaces.
• Make your own all-purpose cleaner. This product can be used to clean so many surfaces in your home. Try this vinegar cleaner or this castile soap cleaner or use a non-toxic store-bought option.

How to Make the Switch to Non-Toxic Cleaning Products Podcast

I can’t think of a better person to chat with about non-toxic cleaning and navigating the cleaning aisle than the co-founder of Branch Basics, Allison. What I love about Branch Basics is their commitment to education that goes beyond selling a cleaning product. That’s why I asked Allison to join me for this podcast chat.

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The post 7 Cleaning Product Ingredients to Avoid appeared first on Live Simply.

When it comes to making the switch to safer, more natural cleaning products, you don’t have to swap out all your cleaning products at once. I recommend checking out the EWG’s database where you can research the individual products in your cleaning caddy. From there, you can make an informed decision about what to swap and what to keep. Below, are three of the easiest and best swaps you can make right now.

Are Cleaning Products Safe?

In the US, cleaning and body products do not go through rigorous testing or approval. Cleaning companies are not required to disclose their ingredients (beauty products are required).

When you take a deep dive into researching these products and ingredients, it can be concerning to read about the impact they have on the body. For example, “fragrance” is considered a trade secret that is commonly found on the ingredient list (if disclosed) of products. This ingredient (which can be made with hundreds of different chemicals, including phthalates which disrupt hormones) is top secret and incredibly concerning in terms of toxic ingredients. This is just one example of the concerning ingredients that can be used to make a product.

Maybe a small amount of these ingredients aren’t harmful (as companies claim), but when you consider how many products we use in a day (or week or month), we aren’t using a trace amount of these chemicals in our homes and on our bodies. We’re burdening our systems with these ingredients and the cumulative effect of using so many potentially-toxic chemicals.

Of course, there are also ingredients that aren’t as concerning and don’t negatively impact our health and body. Chemicals aren’t bad (after all everything has a chemical composition). We just want to make sure that we’re not using the chemicals that have been shown to negatively impact our environment (our home environment) and health.

What to Look for When Buying Cleaning Products

When it comes to cleaning products, it can be difficult to know what goes into a given product. You’ll find a lot of natural and green marketing words used to describe cleaning (and body products) today. These terms have no regulation. Yep, you read that right: Nada! Zilch! None! Full transparency of ingredients is all we have to help us navigate products and make informed choices.

Many companies reveal ingredients on their website, so looking up a particular cleaner online can be helpful in knowing exactly what’s going into that product.

There are two ways to find the safest, healthiest cleaners…

• Source from a transparent company: A company should be completely transparent about their sourcing and ingredients, particularly a company that claims (on a website or packaging) to be “natural” or “non-toxic.” There should be nothing to hide. A company should be proud to disclose their ingredients and be willing to tell you what’s inside and why, not just what’s missing. Be cautious about brands that just want to tell you what’s missing from their products and don’t reveal the actual ingredients used to make a product. You can find lists of cleaning ingredients to avoid, so you can educate yourself on specific ingredients. Also, looking up products on the EWG’s website can be a great way to get a feel for what’s inside a cleaner and the health impact of those ingredients. My favorite brands include: Biokleen, Ecover, Better Life, Dr. Bronners, Seventh Generation, Branch Basics.

• Make your own cleaners: By making your own products, you’ll know exactly what ingredients are used. Plus, making your own products is usually cheaper than buying store-bought products as many “greener” products can be quite pricey. I don’t make every cleaning product, but there are a few that I continually make at home. These are highlighted in the swaps below.

Swap #1: All Purpose Cleaner 

An all purpose cleaner can be used to clean just about any and every surface in your home. I use this cleaner to spray down my countertops in the evening after the messes of the day, to clean the bathroom, and to wipe up the doggie accident (we have a sweet, elderly dog, it happens). This cleaner is the most-reached for product in the home, so it’s the most essential to swap out. Ditch the cleaners full of artificial fragrances and mystery ingredients and make your own or buy an all-purpose cleaner from a trusted company.

DIY Option 

Store-Bought Option 

Branch Basics: This company has won my heart and cleaning caddy. Not only are the founders of Branch Basics super transparent about their ingredients and have a deep passion for teaching people how to get rid of toxic chemicals in their home, the products they sell really work. I say products, but really there is only one main cleaning product: the concentrate. With this one product, you can make multiple cleaners to use in your home, from all-purpose cleaner to laundry soap to hand soap. Branch Basics sends you all the bottles (which include how much concentrate to water you need to mix together) along with the actual concentrate. Once you have the bottles, you simply need to replace the concentrate as needed. Check out my podcast interview with Branch Basics here.

Seventh Generation: This is an easy-to-find all-purpose cleaner in most stores. I’m not a fan of all Seventh Generation products, but their all-purpose cleaner is a winner.

Swap #2: Glass Cleaner 

This is another cleaner that’s used frequently in the home. Windex or similar generic brands are generally the go-to option in most cleaning caddies. This particular cleaner receives a D grade from the Environmental Working Group (that’s not good). Among the concerns are ingredients that cause respiratory issues and skin irritations.

DIY Option 

• 1/2 cup rubbing/isopropyl alcohol
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• distilled water
• 16-ounce glass spray bottle

Add the alcohol and vinegar to the spray bottle. Add water until the bottle is full (use a funnel, if needed). If you don’t care for a vinegar scent (although it goes away once the surface dries), add a few drops of your favorite cleaning essential oil. This cleaner may be stored at room temperature. If you don’t feel comfortable using rubbing alcohol, use more vinegar instead. Want to learn more about this recipe? Read my homemade glass and mirror cleaner recipe post.

Store-Bought Option 

Branch Basics: Again, Branch Basics pulls through on the store-bought option. As I mentioned, the beauty of Branch Basics is one cleaning concentrate makes multiple cleaners, depending on the ratio used.

Swap #3: Scrub Cleaner 

A scrub cleaner can be used to clean toilets, tubs, and sinks. This multi-purpose cleaner is definitely one that I recommend going the DIY route with since it’s so easy to make.

DIY Option 

Here’s how to make your own scrub cleaner…baking soda! Yep, that’s it. Simply sprinkle some baking soda in your toilet, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub with a toilet bowl brush. Want something more? Add a spritz or two of all-purpose cleaner. For sinks and tubs, sprinkle baking soda in the surface area and then scrub with a dish towel or cleaning brush. Watch the dirt and grime slip away from the surface. Need something more? Add a squirt of castile soap or Sal Suds (or your favorite “more natural” dish soap–see my recommendations here) to a rag or brush while scrubbing.

Store-Bought Option 

Once again, the best option for a store-bought scrub cleaner (but really, do you need one? The DIY option is so easy!) is Branch Basics. This time, I recommend the Oxygen Boost. If baking soda alone isn’t working for you, the Oxygen Boost will be the extra power you need.

That’s it! 3 easy cleaning swaps you can make right now for a cleaner, healthier home. Tell me, what are some cleaning swaps you’ve made or plan to make?

The post 3 Cleaning Swaps for a Healthier Home appeared first on Live Simply.

I can’t think of a better person to have on the podcast to talk about non-toxic cleaning and navigating the cleaning aisle than the co-founder of Branch Basics, Allison. What I love about Branch Basics is their commitment to education that goes beyond selling a cleaning product.

Today, on the podcast, Allison shares:

• her story, which all started with a diagnosis of PCOS
• how she reversed her PCOS
• how Branch Basics came to be
• what the early days of building Branch Basics looked like
• the major setback the company faced, which led to pulling their cleaning concentrate from the market
• how to make the switch to non-toxic cleaners
• if there’s regulation in the cleaning industry when it comes to ingredients and marketing labels

Listen On iTunesListen On Stitcher Listen On Spotify

• Get 10% off any Branch Basics Starter Kit with code: livesimply
• Branch Basics (website)
• Follow Branch Basics on Instagram
• STINK, The Documentary (available on Amazon and Netflix)
• Branch Basics Home Cleanse 

Q1: Tell us about yourself.

Q2: PCOS is a big part of your story and something you were able to naturally reverse. Can you share what PCOS? 

Q3: How did you reverse PCOS? 

Building Branch Basics–The Business  

Q4: Tell us about Branch Basics as a company. How did you go from making changes in your life to creating a cleaning product to sell on the market? That’s a huge leap! And what made you want to create a cleaning product?

Q5: What did the early days of building Branch Basics look like?

Q6: One of the reasons I think Branch Basics really stands out in the market is your transparency as a company–something that’s missing in today’s market. Can you share more about the setback you faced as a company with your product and how you overcame that setback. 

Q7: Tell us about your mission as a company today. Your why.  

Making the Switch to Non-Toxic Products

Q8: Let’s talk about cleaning products. How can we know what chemicals and products are safe to use. How do you recommend navigating this as a consumer?

Q9: Is there any regulation in the cleaning industry when it comes to natural, green, non-toxic cleaning or disclosing ingredients? Can you share more about this…

Q10: How can we identify toxic home cleaners being used in our home?

Q11: One of the things you all talk about on your website is doing a home cleanse. Can you share more about how to do this?

Q12: As you mentioned in your story, you didn’t just change your cleaning products. Can you talk to us about the other changes you’ve made to live a more natural lifestyle. And what a healthy home looks like to you?

Cleaning with Branch Basics

Q13: Tell us more about cleaning with Branch Basics. 

Q14: Tell us about the other products you sell.

Q15: Where can people find the Branch Basics products?

The post Podcast 043: How to Make the Switch to Non-Toxic Cleaning Products with Allison from Branch Basics appeared first on Live Simply.

I immediately went to the brand’s website to learn about the product and search for an ingredient list. After finding the list, I noticed a red flag: fragrance. We all know what this word means–it makes the product smell like a field of roses or reminds us of our Memaw.

Fragrance (or parfum) can be made up of over 3,000 different chemicals. Companies don’t have to disclose what goes into their fragrance. The FDA states, “Fragrance and flavor formulas are complex mixtures of many different natural and synthetic chemical ingredients, and they are the kinds of cosmetic components that are most likely to be ‘trade secrets.'”

Chemicals aren’t bad. After all, everything has a chemical composition. But some chemicals are known to be endocrine disruptors (like phthalates, which can be wrapped up in fragrance) or cause other issues (allergy responses, migraines, etc.).

How can we know exactly what’s being used to create a fragrance (from lotions and shampoos to soaps and household cleaners)? The answer: ask!

I found a contact form on the company’s website and drafted a quick email…

Within minutes, the company responded…

As Lisa shares, in a recent podcast episode, “If a company is not going to be transparent with you, they have something to hide.”

This response didn’t answer my question.

I emailed back and within minutes received another response…

I share this with you not to call out this company or share my personal email correspondence. Rather, I share this because it can be so easy to be fooled by marketing: non-toxic, natural, clean, and green. There are many words used to describe body and cleaning products today. These terms have no regulation, so full transparency of ingredients is all we have to help us navigate products and make informed choices.

A company should be completely transparent about their sourcing and ingredients, particularly a company that claims (on a website or packaging) to be “natural” or “non-toxic.” There should be nothing to hide. Instead, such a company should be proud to disclose their ingredients. This includes companies making both body and cleaning products.

When companies are transparent about ingredients, you’re able be to make informed choices about what you’re using in your home and putting on your body.

Podcast Episode: Navigating Non-Toxic Skincare Products and Marketing Labels

In this podcast episode, I’m talk with Lisa from This Organic Girl. Lisa is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to making the switch to non-toxic products, from skincare and makeup to hair care. Today, Lisa shares the one ingredient she always avoids in body products and if there’s a standard for natural and non-toxic products and what various labels on skincare products actually mean. Lisa also shares her favorite places to find non-toxic products, her skincare routine, and why she ditched hair dye and her journey to embrace the gray.

Where and How to Find Non-Toxic Body Products

Let’s talk about where and how to find non-toxic body products, from stores to phone apps that help you navigate products and ingredients.

Beyond Fragrance: Ingredients to Avoid

What about other red flag ingredients? As Lisa shares, in the podcast episode linked above, some products are squeaky clean and others are not. There’s also a middle ground that we have to navigate and figure out what’s best for us. In this post, I share the key ingredients I avoid in products.

How Create a Non-Toxic Skincare Routine on Any Budget

Learn how to create a skincare routine using non-toxic products (homemade or store-bought) on any budget. I share the basics of a nourishing skincare routine and product recommendations, based on what I’ve tried and loved over the years.

Watch a Documentary About Fragrance: STINK 

STINK is a documentary highlighting the secrets of the chemical industry. The documentary follows the fragrance trail, uncovering what exactly goes into this mystery ingredient and why transparency is so important. STINK is available to watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

The post Non-Toxic Products? Buyer Beware (A Story About Fragrance and Transparency) appeared first on Live Simply.

Over the past year, I’ve been looking for ways to simplify our home life even more. One of the ways I’ve simplified is in the cleaning department. I’ve limited the cleaning products used in our home to just a few basic ingredients. At this point, I’m able to clean my entire home with just three simple products: baking soda, vinegar, and Sal Suds. Oh, and a couple of essential oils.

If you’re looking to simplify your cleaning routine, today’s chat is for you. Let’s take a look at the three major cleaning products in my cleaning caddy. These products are versatile enough to clean multiple surfaces in multiple areas of the home.

cleaning solution

Natural Cleaning Made Easy

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The fast-track way to reduce your chemical exposure, use natural cleaners, and create a healthier home environment.

Natural Cleaning

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The post Simplify Cleaning: 3 Natural Ingredients That Will Clean Your Entire Home appeared first on Live Simply.

I’m definitely not turning my back on making products, like dish soap or moisturizer, but at the same time I realize that most of us just aren’t going to make every body and cleaning product. That’s 100% understandable, and practical. And aside from the “not being able to do everything” aspect, I think it’s also important to recognize that not everything is easy to make at home (like most makeup products and shampoo). Trust me, I’ve tried to recreate these products, like shampoo, with simple ingredients and the results have been less than enjoyable. For this reason, I continue to purchase store-bought products, along with making homemade creations.

Friend, over the next few weeks, let’s chat about finding more natural body and cleaning products from a store (whether this is an online store, or a physical store in your area). Think of these chats as short little breaks away from our homemade projects. My hope is that after our chats, you’ll feel more empowered as a consumer to make intentional choices about what you put on your body and use to clean your home–whether this means you make a moisturizer or laundry soap this month, or purchase the product from a store.

In the past, I’ve shared my five question strategy for determining which products I’m going to make versus buy. These questions apply to food, cleaning products, and body-care products. If you haven’t had a chance to read that post, then I recommend popping over here first. Then come back.

Today, let’s chat about a simple method I’ve used to find natural cleaning and body-care products at the store. A method that doesn’t require knowing much about ingredients or how to read ingredient labels (something you’ll probably only find on body-care products since cleaning products aren’t required to disclose this information). A method that only requires a computer, or a phone, and the ability to read. That’s it!

When I first started thinking about making the switch to natural products, I felt overwhelmed. Really overwhelmed. If you’ve ever flipped over a bottle of cleaner or lotion to find a long list of ingredients, or a lack ingredients on a cleaning bottle, I’m sure you can understand. I felt like I needed to retake every science class ever offered by my college, and maybe even some foreign language classes. Honestly, I don’t even know if that would help. The point is, I felt overwhelmed and helpless to make good decisions. Thankfully, I discovered two solutions…

1. Homemade products. So many of the products I used, could be switched out for easy homemade solutions. The all-purpose cleaner I used in my kitchen and bathrooms, could easily be made with vinegar or castile soap (or Sal Suds). The laundry soap I purchased, could be made with a combo of borax, washing soda, and castile soap. My expensive moisturizer, could be replaced with a blend of oil and aloe.
2. The Environmental Working Group or Think Dirty App. For the products that were to difficult to make at home, or when I just didn’t want to make something, I discovered two watchdog websites (well, actually one is an app for the phone) that could help me make informed choices about products, without taking those science or language classes ;). The website and phone app, EWG.org and Think Dirty App, proved to be an invaluable and time-saving resource for me.

The EWG, Environmental Working Group, is a watchdog group. According to their website, “We are a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment.” On their website, the group provides information about healthy living, including product information and ingredient information about many of the products sold in stores and used in homes. This database of information allows the average consumer, who is looking to make more informed choices, the ability to see exactly what ingredients go into making a product and how the ingredients may impact our bodies and environment.

On the website, you can search cleaning and body-care products, or even look up a product (if it’s not found) using the ingredient list. That is, if an ingredient list is available. By the way, if a company refuses to disclose ingredients, think of this action as a red flag.

When I was using Dawn Dish Soap, I typed “Dawn Dish Soap” into their database and within seconds I was able to determine, based on the EWG’s rating scale (ranging from A to F), if the product was a good choice for my home, or if I should find an alternative. The EWG also offers the consumer the ability to find more natural options.

The body-care/cosmetic section of the site, called Skin Deep, offers a consumer the ability to look for specific body-related products, or look up specific ingredients, and view their ratings based on a 0-10 scale.

The Skin Deep Database is also available via a phone app. To use the app, simply download Skin Deep to your smart phone. When you find a skincare product that you’re thinking about using, take a photo (with your phone) of the product’s barcode. The app will then tell you if the product is a “more natural” choice, or something to stay away from. The app will also tell you what ingredients you should be concerned about within the product.

The Think Dirty App is a phone app that provides similar information as the EWG, including number ratings for products and “cleaner” brand suggestions. The Think Dirty App has a much larger database of products than the EWG App.

Both sources have been wonderful time-saving tools for me, as I try to determine which store-bought products are actually worth the investment and which are just trying to lure me in with fancy, unregulated words (like “natural”) and pretty packaging.

Next time, we’ll talk about actual ingredient lists, specifically ingredients to avoid. My hope is that all of this information, from the online resources (EWG and Think Dirty) to expanding our knowledge about ingredient lists and labels, will help you be an informed consumer when you’re grabbing a product off the shelf.

Finally, a member of the Live Simply Family recently shared this video with me. It’s such a well-done video from The Story of Stuff Project, and really explains the need to be intentional, and know how to be intentional, about the products we use.

And one more note, a fellow blogger on Instagram shared about a different app called, Think Dirty, which also allows you to scan products and view their “clean” rating.

The post How to Easily Find Natural Store-Bought Body and Cleaning Products appeared first on Live Simply.

We’ve talked a lot about natural cleaning products here on the blog. Knowing how to make simple, natural products (or which “better” products to purchase from the store) is definitely important, but I also think it’s important to address the topic of how to practically clean. The kind of how-to that goes beyond making a bottle of all-purpose spray or shaking together a jar of toilet bowl cleaner. The kind of how-to that focuses on creating a practical routine so the cleaning actually gets done with the natural cleaning products.

Now, before we move on, it’s important to note one thing: I’m not talking about perfection or creating a magazine-worthy home. When I mention the words cleaning schedule, I simply mean a practical guide that’s intentionally created to help simplify the act of cleaning. That’s it; no perfection here!

With that said, let’s talk about what my cleaning schedule looks like. Then, we’ll discuss my tips for creating your own cleaning schedule. A cleaning schedule that’s intentionally created by you for your home.

My Natural Cleaning Schedule

I break down my cleaning schedule into three main categories: weekly, bi-monthly (twice a month), and rotation.

Weekly

Weekly cleaning tasks include the areas of our home that are high-traffic areas and must be cleaned regularly. These top priority areas include: sweeping the hard floors downstairs, cleaning the kitchen counters and stove-top, cleaning the bathroom counters, laundry (read more about my 10-minute laundry routine), cleaning out the fridge before grocery shopping, and “stuff” management (putting stuff back where it belongs). I don’t have a dedicated day of the week for these tasks; rather, most of these tasks are performed throughout the week or even daily.

Bi-Monthly

Bi-monthly, twice a month, cleaning tasks include high-traffic areas of our home that need a regular cleaning, but don’t need to be cleaned weekly. These areas include: vacuuming throughout our home (upstairs carpet and downstairs rugs), cleaning and disinfect in and around toilets, spraying and cleaning sinks and counters in bathrooms, cleaning mirrors in bathrooms, mopping hard floors throughout our home, wiping down desks/nightstands/dressers, washing bedding, wiping down exterior kitchen appliances. These tasks are generally accomplished on a Saturday morning.

Rotation 

Everything else that needs to be cleaned, but isn’t considered top priority, goes on my rotation list. There are three main areas on my rotation list: kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms, living room/dining room (one large open floor space). The tasks on this rotation schedule include deep cleaning tasks. With this rotation schedule, one area per month goes through a deep cleaning. This is basically like a quarterly cleaning rotation.

You’ll see on my printable list how these areas are broken down by individual cleaning tasks. I personally find that it’s too much to include my rotation tasks during my bi-monthly cleaning schedule, which is usually done on Saturday morning, so I prefer to set aside one specific day a month for tackling the items on the current rotation. I jot down “rotation” on my calendar so I don’t forget which area of the house will be the focus during that particular month.

Cleaning Products

The cleaning products I use to clean our home are very simple to make. (I also purchase a couple of products from the store.) I don’t have a schedule for making cleaning products. I simply mix up the cleaning products as needed. You can read more about the cleaning products I’m currently using to clean my home in this post.

(Download my printable cleaning schedule)

How to Create Your Own Natural Cleaning Schedule

My cleaning schedule was developed specifically for my home and my family’s cleaning needs. To help you develop your own cleaning schedule, I’ve included a blank printable to help you think about the cleaning tasks in your home according to the three categories: weekly, bi-monthly, rotation.

1. Declutter

This is the most important tip for keeping a clean home and creating a practical cleaning schedule: DECLUTTER! Last year, I read the book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. The book was a tremendous encouragement and help as I decluttered our home. Tidying up, or decluttering, was the single most important act I’ve ever done to help keep our home clean. Anything that wasn’t practical and didn’t “spark joy” was donated. Less stuff meant less stuff to clean. As Courtney Carver says, “If organizing your stuff worked, you’d be organized by now.” Getting rid of extra stuff meant I was no longer spending my days trying to organize and clean.

2. Prioritize Cleaning Tasks/Areas

First, think about the areas of your home that are high-traffic spots. Does your kitchen need regular cleaning? Think about the specific areas of your kitchen that need the most cleaning TLC. Mentally go through each area of your home, and jot down the top priority tasks on your weekly schedule. I believe it’s important to keep these tasks simple and practical so you don’t burnout.

Next, think about each area of your home and the tasks that are top priority, but don’t need to cleaned weekly. For me, these tasks include bathroom toilets, mirrors, and mopping the hard floors. Write down these tasks on your bi-monthly schedule.

Finally, think about the areas of your home that need to cleaned, but only need a quarterly wipe down/cleaning. These tasks may include baseboards, dusting fans, etc. Think about the areas of your home that may be lumped together for one big cleaning, too. Write down all the areas and tasks on your rotation schedule.

 3. Schedule Time and Be Practical

Now that you have an intentional cleaning schedule, jot down on your calendar when you plan to accomplish each category, particularly the bi-monthly and rotation schedules. I personally don’t schedule the weekly tasks, but if you need a reminder, go ahead and jot down these tasks on your calendar, too. Maybe you plan to tackle the bi-monthly schedule on Saturdays, and the rotation schedule during one of these Saturdays. Be practical about your schedule and your time.

4. Encourage Family Participation

I prefer to clean without kids or Dustin, but if you’d like to encourage family participation, figure out which tasks you can assign to each family member. You could even jot down initials next to the tasks on your cleaning schedule. As my kids get older, I may start to do this.

Do you use a cleaning schedule, or do you plan to develop one? I’d love to hear what’s working for you.

The post How to Create a Natural Cleaning Schedule + Printable Checklist appeared first on Live Simply.

While homemade cleaning products are family-friendly and safe to use in a home, there are a few precautions that need to be taken when combining ingredients and using a homemade cleaner. Just because ingredients are natural doesn’t mean they can or should be used on every surface in your home, or can be mixed with other homemade cleaners or ingredients. Let’s take a look at a few of the precautions I recommend taking when making homemade cleaners:

1. Water Safety: Distilled (sold in stores) or boiled and cooled water is best to use for long-term products. This process removes contaminants. Tap water should be boiled for 15 minutes. Clean tap water is okay for short-term use products.

2. Use Your Senses: If you ever notice a slime or an unusual odor in a bottle filled with homemade cleaner (or any product, whether homemade or store-bought) toss the cleaner and make a new batch.

3. Label Products: Always label a product that you plan to store for later with the product name and date. A simple label can be made with tape or writing with a permanent marker on glass spray bottles and containers.

4. Use Clean Tools: Always use clean spray bottles, containers, and/or mixing tools when making homemade cleaners. Bacteria is usually introduced into homemade products when the handling materials haven’t been properly cleaned.

5. Always Spot Test: With any cleaner that’s applied to a special surface, always spot test. This applies to both store-bought cleaners and homemade solutions. For cleaners that are used on special surfaces, like floors, wood, or counter-tops, I recommend first spot testing in a small, inconspicuous area.

6. Avoid Mixing Certain Natural Ingredients: Even though the ingredients used to make homemade cleaning products are safe, there are a few ingredients that shouldn’t be mixed together due to chemical reactions. Since there are many recipes all over Pinterest and the internet, many of which contain ingredients that don’t “play” well together, it’s important to understand the basic chemistry (without boring chemistry language, sorry science lovers) of why some ingredients shouldn’t be combined when making homemade products.

Natural Cleaning Ingredients to Avoid Combining

Let’s take a detailed look at four natural ingredients with combination issues. Each ingredient can be safely combined with other ingredients; there are just three notorious combos, using four different products (baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, and castile soap) which should be avoided due to chemical reactions.

You may notice that in each ingredient combination (below) one major ingredient plays the role of the trouble-maker: vinegar! Vinegar is like the family member or friend who doesn’t get along with everyone, and always creates drama with specific people. We don’t know anyone like that, right?! Just an example, my friend.

Vinegar gets along with many natural ingredients, but when it comes to hydrogen peroxide, castile soap, and baking soda, she just doesn’t want to play nice. And when we ask her to play nice, she always makes a scene and creates drama (AKA: a chemical reaction). What a drama queen!

Combination 1: Vinegar + Baking Soda

This combo is common in recipes on the web and even some cleaning books. When combined, vinegar (an acid) and baking soda (a base) fizz (the reaction) and cancel each other out, which is an awesome science experiment for the kiddos. This fizz is caused by a chemical reaction, resulting in basically salty water which neutralizes the cleaning power of both ingredients. Now, salt is used in some of my favorite cleaning recipes, so I’m not saying salt is bad. If you want salt water come visit my family in Florida, just don’t mix vinegar and baking soda with the hope of making an awesome cleaner.

Baking soda and vinegar can help unclog a drain, but my guess is that their effectiveness is more about the chemical reaction that occurs when the ingredients are poured down the drain.

Alternative:

Baking soda and vinegar are wonderful cleaning or disinfecting ingredients, so they may be used back to back when cleaning, just don’t combine them into one cleaner.

Combination 2: Vinegar + Castile Soap

This is another very popular recipe combination. Just like vinegar and baking soda, vinegar and castile soap aren’t hazardous when combined, but the result will be an oily and expensive waste of ingredients.

When combined, vinegar (an acid) and castile soap (a base) cancel each other and create unsaponified soap. This reaction reduces the soap back to its original oils. If you try mixing the two ingredients you’ll immediately notice the castile soap curdles and feels very oily.

Alternative:

Sal Suds, unlike castile soap, can be combined with vinegar since it’s a detergent with a different chemical composition than castile soap.

Combination 3: Vinegar + Hydrogen Peroxide

Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are both good disinfectants, so why not combine the two for a double POW? Well, the answer is simple: peracetic acid. Peracetic acid is highly corrosive, although its toxicity is low, and can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, and may even cause asthma (source). Sounds a lot like bleach, which is the reason why some recipes online combine the ingredients.

Alternative:

Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar can be used back to back to disinfect surfaces (like a cutting board), but shouldn’t be combined into one solution. Personally, I just use a hydrogen peroxide or straight vinegar spray when I need to disinfect a surface. To make a bleaching solution, I use washing soda and hydrogen peroxide (see my recipe).

With these safety precautions in mind, go ye forth and make homemade cleaners!

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