Last week we chatted about your shopping list to start swapping out 1 product at a time, room by room in your house. If ya missed it click HERE
Why do we want to do this, you ask? Good question!
Unfortunately, todays household products contain many chemicals that are well researched to be bad for us! Known cancer causing agents and hormone disrupters are found quite commonly in the majority of products on the market. Trade secret laws give companies the option of not fully disclosing all ingredients. Did you know that literally hundreds of chemicals can be added to a product and listed on the label with ONE word....FRAGRANCE...
Lucky for us, using a few household pantry items most of us have on hand anyways, and natures life essence of plants aka essential oils, we can make our own cleaning products that work just as well. I would even argue better, and usually (after a bulk buy of basic ingredients) cheaper in the long run. We can also reuse the recipe containers over and over again, which is better for the environment.
Let's start with the basics...the number one caustic, dangerous, yucky chemical I used to use, was BLEACH....lucky for us, there's a fast and easy recipe, that's much less caustic and much safer, with all the germ fighting capabilities.
A close second is our hand soap, especially in todays times where we seem to be washing our hands all the time. This hand soap recipe is great for dry or sensitive skin, and I like to add essential oils known to support skin.
The main ingredients you're going to need today are...
For the bleach alternative:
Hydrogen Peroxide
Lemon Essential Oil (any essential oil you have and like will do-tho!)
For the hand soap
Castile soap
Olive Oil (optional- but I like to add for extra moisturizing)
Lavender Essential Oil (any essential oil you have and like will do-tho!)
Lets take a closer look at those ingredients...
Hydrogen Peroxide: It is widely acknowledged as a safer substitute for bleach and kills bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The oxidation from the extra oxygen molecule kills germs and bleaches color from porous surfaces (like fabrics).
The extra oxygen does break down over time so keep the recipes you make in dark colored spray bottles to avoid exposing to light. It used to be touted as a great wound cleanser but research has shown that it actually can keep wounds from healing so it is best used for cleaning.
Castile Soap: an eco friendly plant based soap traditionally made from olives and named after the Castile region of Spain where it originated from. Today, it can be made from coconut, castor, or hemp oils as well. Since it's naturally hydrating and mild, it works well for sensitive and dry skin, and is safe for kids and pets.
I like Dr. Bronner's as it's readily available in most health food stores and cost effective. I also buy the unscented so that I can choose the aroma and properties of the essential oil that I want.
Lemon essential oil: Extracted from the peel of lemons and known for its cleansing properties. It's widely used in home cleaning solutions. Its fresh, uplifting aroma is also an effective odor neutralizer. It also works well to remove sticky residues.
Lavender essential oil: Whats not to love- with a soothing aroma and soothing to the skin, Lavender provides many skin care benefits. It contains cleansing and antioxidant properties.
Bleach Alternative
16 oz. dark colored spray bottle
1 cup Hydrogen Peroxide
1 cup distilled water (tap can be used as well)
20 drops Lemon essential oil
Hand Soap
8 oz foaming pump dispenser (or a spray bottle can be used)
2 TBS Liquid Castile Soap
1 TBS Olive Oil (you can use any liquid carrier oil you have on hand hand such as grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, or fractionated coconut oil)
Distilled water (tap can be used as well)
20 drops essential oil ( My fave are Lavender essential oil-good for the skin, or Thieves™ essential oil blend from Young Living™)
Give the recipes a try...you'll find it a nice surprise that it actually smells good to clean your home and your hands will be squeaky clean and moisturized!
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