Kick those Chemicals to the Curb!
What are you using to clean your home? I have some ideas for you!
Let’s take a minute to talk about all the hard work you are doing for your health, eating nutrient dense foods, eliminating junk in your diet, drinking water…all those incredible foundations of health we have been talking about.
Have you ever thought about the toxic toilet bowl cleaner you are using? Or what type of laundry detergent you are using to wash your clothing?
You may be curious why I am asking you this question, well…all of those chemicals impact your health too! It is important to learn what is happening and how you can work to transition out of using those chemicals and finding the safe and effective options for you and your family.
Why change? What is the point when you are getting great results?
These toxic chemicals are polluting the air, playing havoc on our immune systems which makes us more susceptible to infections, chronic disease, and more. When we have these chemicals in our homes, we are continually exposed which means our bodies never have time to recover from these every day exposures, and this can lead to symptoms like constant headaches, sinus issues, poor sleeping habits, skin irritations, brain fog, increased breathing issues, and mood swings. These are things we do not even notice until we start removing these toxins out of our homes.
You actually might not even notice there are issues with your health, you feel seemingly totally healthy, which is fantastic! I invite you to try just a few changes in your home, and notice for yourself the simple shifts that could start to happen.
Let’s start slow! We are going to talk Cleaning products, this can be your first place to start. So, let’s take a look under our kitchen sink, bathroom sink and cupboards and see what cleaning products you are using! Then, I am going to give you some recommendations on some clean alternatives!
First off, let me introduce you to some super helpful apps! I have a few that I use regularly to check the safety of a product, any product from toilet bowl cleaner to my lipstick! These are just a few, but they can get you started on educating yourself before you buy!
Think Dirty App - Think Dirty® app is the easiest way to learn ingredients in your beauty, personal care and household products. Just scan the product barcode and Think Dirty will give you easy-to-understand info on the product, its ingredients, and shop cleaner options!
EWG - This app is my personal favorite, and will give you the scoop on all things household, personal care, and more!
Yuka - This app will help you with foods and personal care products, giving you the lowdown on ingredients and chemicals in your products.
OK, let’s do this! Let’s take a dive into Cleaning Products and see how we can do some clean swaps!
There are currently more than 85,000 chemicals in the U.S. that make up the products we use daily... and few have been tested for safety.
WAIT…What! Yeah, that is a lot of chemicals and did you know that cleaning products are not regulated so they are not required to have an ingredient list! Now, let me be clear, the EPA does require warning labels such as “warning”, “danger”, “caution”, “dispose of hazardous waste”...I am not sure about you but NONE of those words feel very good to me! RED FLAG!
These chemicals are toxic and known to cause ill side effects like cancers, endocrine disruption, obesity, developmental problems, respiratory disease, skin conditions, burns, vomiting, nervous system disorders, and much more. Some can even be fatal if ingested, inhaled or absorbed into the skin.
The cleaning products we will discuss today!
BLEACH!
This is a good one! Did you know that bleach is HIGHLY toxic if inhaled, ingested, or comes in contact with your skin? This product may be stellar at brightening your whites, but the toxic load is intense!
Studies have shown that inhaling the fumes from bleach while cleaning or doing our laundry immediately irritates the mucous membranes of our nose, throat and mouth. With our repeated use of bleach we can be breaking down our esophagus, lungs and respiratory system.
A recent study published in the British Medical Journal showed that even passive exposure to bleach in the home can cause an increased risk of respiratory illness and other illnesses in children.
Bleach can become a deadly gas when mixed with ammonia, vinegar, drain cleaners, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, dirty water high in organic matter, and other household cleaning products.
Well, basically…this stuff is bad news!!
So what shall we swap it out with?
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE: Hydrogen peroxide can also be used on most stubborn surface stains, cutting boards, etc. in place of bleach. It’s also effective at removing blood from clothing, sheets, and reusable menstrual pads, but it can bleach out colors so use with caution.
BRANCH BASICS OXYGEN BOOST! This is an incredible option for getting rid of stains, brightening your clothing, cleaning tough grout and your toilet bowl too!
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER: This is such a great way to clean, and you can purchase the concentrate to make all whole load of cleaning solutions like window cleaner, bathroom cleaner and more!
FRAGRANCED PRODUCTS!
Do you know those plug in fragrance thingies? I have memories of going into my Nana’s house and finding the Glade plug ins! OMG, they smelled so bad! But, they are loved in our culture! Or, how about potpourri….scented candles…the list goes on!
These are probably one of the most toxic and one of the top allergens around! Let us remember that this is NOT regulated so when we see “fragrance” listed on a product, this could mean there is LOAD of toxins used to make it. These chemicals can be so potent they can permeate your walls! If they can do that…they can permeate your skin….YOUR LARGEST ORGAN! These chemical are endocrine disrupting leading to hormone issues, neurotoxic to the brain causing mood swings and even migraines.
What shall we swap it out with?
FRAGRANCE FREE PRODUCTS: This is when your app is going to become really helpful, you can do a quick search when shopping. Read those labels and purchase items that are labelled “Fragrance Free”
THERAPEUTIC GRADE ESSENTIAL OILS: Simply switching your plug ins with a diffuser with water and some drops of essential oils is a great way to keep your home smelling amazing without the toxic load!
LAUNDRY PRODUCTS:
Lasty, we are going to talk about laundry! So, we have a whole load of products from detergent, stain removers, dryer sheets, and fabric softeners. All of these products can contain chemicals and hormone disrupting fragrances.
According to the EWG, chemicals found on dryer sheets and fabric softeners are some of the most toxic chemicals around! If you want to geek out about the ingredients, here are just a few! Benzyl acetate, limonene, chloroform, dichlorobenzene, benzyl alcohol, camphor, biodegradable cationic softeners, alpha terpineol, pentane and linalool.
What shall we swap it out with?
BRANCH BASICS LAUNDRY DETERGANT- one of my personal favs! Works incredibly well and can be used for gentle and and hand washing as well
WOOL DRYER BALLS- Such an incredible alternative to dryer sheets and fabric softeners. Simply put one or two in the dryer and they last a very long time. And, a tip…add two or three drops of lavender essential oil to the dryer ball and your laundry will smell like heaven!
OXYGEN BOOST: An incredible alternative to stain removers! It is also a multi tasker! I use this all over my house to remove stains!
This is just a start, and you do not have to do it all at once! Take it slow and incorporate one swap at a time! I will make one recommendation for you all…I am a fan of Branch Basics! This is not an ad or affiliate situation…simply sharing the love. This product line is easy to use and the kits make it SUPER EASY to swap out all your cleaning products without breaking the bank! So, check it out!
If you are wanting to learn more, connect with me! Let’s meet and talk through ways for your to access all the tools for your health and healing!