Do you love the feeling of a clean home and want an easy non-toxic cleaning routine? Keep reading to learn about my simple cleaning routine and favorite non-toxic cleaning products.
I have to confess; I don’t do well when things are not clean. It really impacts my whole outlook. When I became a mom, I realized I’d have to split up my routine and tackle different areas throughout the week. Additionally, I needed a lot more mess and stain cleaning solution and wanted multi-tasking products as running around with several different products simply got too much. Most importantly, I wanted non-toxic cleaning products that are safe for my toddler to use as well as she loves to help. About 2 years ago, I found the best non-toxic cleaning products for our home, and I never looked back.
Why Should You Switch to Non-toxic Cleaning Products?
Toxins and harmful chemicals wreak havoc on our health and well-being. Only a small portion (about 30%) of the petrochemicals available for use in your home have been tested for safety. One big problem is that as long as something has not been proven to be unsafe, it is deemed safe in the U.S. Conventional household cleaners are full of ingredients that are known to cause both health and environmental issues. These toxic ingredients are possible carcinogens, skin and respiratory irritants, allergens, and hormone disruptors. Some may cause birth defect, chemical burns, and poisoning.
Ingredients to avoid (from EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning):
- Ammonium
- Fragrance
- Phthalates (associated with fragrance)
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
- Formaldehyde
- 1,4-dioxane
- Chloroform
- Quaternary ammonium compounds (like benzalkonium chloride)
- Sodium borate, also known as borax, and boric acid
How to transition to non-toxic cleaning products
It might be your first instinct to run and toss all of your cleaning products and switch to safer cleaner option. I advise you to take your time and swap for a cleaner alternative once you run out of a certain product. However, if you feel strongly, swap them all at once.
Switching is easier than you might think. My products have become very minimal once I found one concentrate that could do it all: Branch Basics Cleaning Concentrate. This one concentrate mixed with water creates all products to meet your cleaning needs. And it actually works!
What I’m using:
First, I want to highlight which products I use from Branch Basics. I purchased the Premium starter kit which includes the cleaning concentrate, the oxygen boost, and five empty bottles to make all-purpose cleaning spray, bathroom spray, steak-free spray, hand soap, and laundry detergent. Here are the products I love and use regularly:
- All-Purpose Spray
- All-Purpose Bathroom Spray
- Streak Free Window and Mirror Cleaner
- Laundry detergent*
- Hand Soap**
* I don’t use this for all my laundry. Once I tried it with the Oxygen Boost, it really worked well on the tough stains. and it has quickly become my go to for treating stains.
** The hand soap is a great effective foaming soap. It is a little drying for my dry hands but I found it to be the perfect soap to use in our guest bathroom. I love adding DoTerra essential oil blends for a non-toxic scent.
Dishwasher Detergent: Ecover Dishwasher Tablets
Dish Soap: Ecover Dish Soap
Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Ecover Ecological Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Floor Cleaner: Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap with this reusable mop pad that I attach to my old Swiffer.
In conclusion, I do most of my cleaning with Branch Basics. It is the real deal and one of the bets non-toxic cleaning products for your home. I really like their ingredients, the process to make cleansers is very simple, the product is effective, and the cost is pretty affordable considering all the various uses and how long one bottle of concentrate can last. I’m actually saving money in comparison to the time when I bought each individual cleaner. Additionally, replacing the concentrate and re-using the bottle is more sustainable as well. I love a company that makes cleaning effective, and simple for consumers to trust! Check them out, and I’m sure you’ll love them, too!
* this post contains affiliate links