How to Create a Non-Toxic Cleaning Routine for Your Family

Keeping your home clean is amongst the most important ways of having a healthy and comfortable surrounding for your family. Most commercial cleaning products include harsh chemicals that are hazardous to your health and the environment. And yet, creating an effective, non-toxic cleaning routine is a lot easier than you might think. You can make your home sparkle in cleanliness while keeping the family healthy just with simple and natural ingredients, plus some green habits. Here are some tips from Seattle Green Cleaning Fairy to get you started.

1. Switch to green cleaning products

One of the easiest ways to detox your cleaning routine is by exchanging conventional products for non-toxic, environmentally friendly alternatives. Choose brands based on natural ingredients and free from such harsh chemicals as ammonia, chlorine bleach, and artificial fragrances.

• Branch Basics and Dr. Bronner's would work well for the purpose. Both have multi-surface cleaners, which should be good enough for most of the rooms in the house.
• Seventh Generation and Method are two other brands that have full lines of nontoxic products, ranging from dish soaps to laundry detergents.
• Some of these include Safer Choice, Green Seal, or EcoLogo, and all have rigorous standards for protecting human health and the environment.

2. Make Your Own Natural Cleaning Solutions

One other way you can be sure your cleaning routine is toxin-free is by making your own cleaners from simple, natural ingredients. Not only is it better for you and the environment, but it can save money in the long run. Here are some super-simple recipes to get you started:

• All-purpose cleaner: 1:1 water to white vinegar, in a spray bottle. Can be used on just about any surface: countertops, tables, floors, etc.
• Scouring powder: Sprinkle it over sinks, tubs, or countertops, rub with a damp sponge or cloth, and rinse with water.
• Glass and mirror cleaner: 1 part white vinegar and 4 parts water in a spray bottle. Wipe the surface to be cleaned with a piece of cloth or newspaper, leaving it free of streaks.
• Natural Hand Soap: Fill a foaming soap dispenser 1/4 full with castile soap. Add water 1/4 of the way up. Add essential oils to make it smell good.

3. Avoid artificial frag

Fragrances are a main source of VOCs in many cleaning products, air fresheners, and scented candles, and thus they reduce indoor air quality, which can be related to some health symptoms, like headaches, respiratory irritation, and allergic reactions. These natural options will keep your home smelling fresh:

• Open the windows regularly for fresh air to come in and flush out the stale odors.
• Put a pot of water on the stove to simmer with citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, or other aromatic spices.
• Use an essential oil diffuser to spread nature's fragrances within your home.
• Place bowls of baking soda or coffee grounds in stinky areas like the insides of refrigerators or closets to absorb bad smells.

4. Simplify your cleaning tools

This streamlines your cleaning tools, makes your routine more efficient, minimizes waste, and reduces the need for tons of different cleaning products. Consider a few eco-friendly tools:

• Microfiber cloths are reusable. They catch dirt and dust very efficiently and are versatile on every surface. In this way, they contribute to the use of fewer paper towels by their reuse.
• Steam Mop: A steam mop is used to clean and sanitize floors with hot water without using harsh chemicals. It can be easily used in place of the regular mop and bucket.
• Bamboo Scrub Brushes: Durable, completely natural scrub brushes tackle the toughest messes in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Reusable spray bottles: Replace the purchase of new cleaning products in plastic bottles with a set of reusable glass or stainless steel spray bottles filled with your own DIY cleaning solutions.

5. Establish a weekly cleaning schedule

Set a cleaning schedule that is realistic enough to avoid overload yet will maintain the house in a state of neat order and cleanliness. Outline all of your cleanings as daily, weekly, or monthly tasks, and then assign each task to a day of the week. Here is an example:

• Every day: Wipe down counters and tables, sweep or vacuum floors, clean the kitchen sink and stovetop.
• Weekly: Clean bathrooms, mop floors, dust furniture, change bedding, do laundry.
• Monthly: Deep clean appliances, wash windows, organize closets and drawers, vacuum upholstery.

Focus on one area a day and do a few chores a day so you can keep the messes at bay and keep your family in a healthy environment, without spending hours on cleaning.

Changing to non-toxic cleaning supplies is such an easy step but can mean the world in making your home much healthier and safer for those you love. Choose some earth-friendly products, make your own natural cleaners, avoid artificial scents, keep the tools simple, and clean often for a great-smelling, sparkling-clean home with minimal exposure to those bad-acting chemicals. That will be working in the interest of your health and welfare and for the more sustainable future of our planet.

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