Non-Toxic Spring Cleaning

The average American has about 13.1 pounds of toxins enter their bodies per year. We swallow toxins, breath them in and absorb toxins through our skin. Many of these toxic chemicals have not been sufficiently tested for human exposure and we really have no clue as to how they all react with each other, while inside of the human body. There are about 2,000 newly approved chemicals that are added to our environment and can find their way into our bodies each year.

The rate of autism, ADD & ADHD, asthma and allergies have skyrocketed in recent years. The human genetic makeup hasn’t significantly changed during that time, but our environment has become increasingly more toxic. We have also become exposed in recent years to GMOs in our food supply, which greatly contribute to the problem.

What we can do is to try to limit our exposure to harmful chemicals. Green cleaning can be a big part of that.

Common household items such as vinegar and baking soda can usually cut through dirt and sanitize just as well as their toxic counterparts. In some instances, you may need to use a bit more elbow-grease, but all things considered, I believe it’s well worth it. Other times, you may be shocked to discover that such simple ingredients will do an even better job!

The featured article by Greatist.com offers no less than 27 non-toxic recipes for do-it-yourself cleaning, proving there’s no shortage of alternatives for tackling household dirt and grime.

Here’s a simple starter list of 12 items, which will allow you to make a wide variety of your own all-natural, non-toxic cleaning products, either individually or in various combinations. For example, vinegar combined with hydrogen peroxide works exceptionally well as a disinfectant and sanitizer:

The Dozen Green Cleaning Components:

1. Baking Soda
2. White Vinegar
3. Lemon Juice
4. Hydrogen Peroxide
5. Olive Oil
6. Liquid Castile Soap
7. Organic Essential Oils
8. Coconut Oil
9. Vodka
10. Mixing bowl/bucket
11. Spray Bottles
12. Microfiber Cloths

This link will give you a number of great non-toxic cleaning recipes, using the 12 items above!