We all love a clean house, and with a potentially-deadly virus causing a global pandemic, it’s more important than ever to sanitize high-use surfaces in our homes.

While we love that just-cleaned homey feeling, what we don’t love are toxic chemicals that can mess with our body chemistry and our overall health. So how do we properly cleanse our homes and kill bacteria without jeopardizing ourselves?

The answer is toxic-free cleaners. There are cleaning options available that can clean your home without posing a risk to your body’s natural balance. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a few cleaning solution recipes for different surfaces and shared them below.

Kitchen Surface Cleaner

Kitchen counters see a lot of daily use. Preparing food, wandering pets, and all other kinds of activities can leave your counters filthy. Kitchen counters could use a daily cleansing, but we also don’t want to use harsh and toxic chemicals in an area where we also place our food. Try this recipe to keep those kitchen counters sparkling while also protecting yourself and your food from toxins.

Directions:

• 2c. distilled water
• 2 ½ TBL castile soap
• ⅓ c rubbing alcohol
• 25 drops lemon, orange or peppermint essential oil

Add to a glass spray bottle. Shake well before each use

Window Cleaner

The more windows in a home, the better. More windows also mean more cleaning, however. No matter how much we enjoy being able to watch the outside world go by, we won’t enjoy it nearly as much if it’s covered in dirt or grime. We want to keep those windows clear for optimal viewing, but also need to protect children, pets, and ourselves from harsh chemicals. If you have pets or kids who like to press their faces up against the glass and leave nose and handprints, you need a window cleaner that won’t compromise their systems or make them sick – go toxic-free.

Directions:

• 2 c water
• ⅓ c white vinegar
• ⅓ c rubbing alcohol
• 10 drops spearmint essential oil (optional)

Add to a glass spray bottle. Shake well before each use

Toilet Cleaner

Toilets are one of those areas in your home where sanitation is absolutely paramount. While you may be tempted to break out the harsh bleach or ammonia compounds here, you may want to reconsider. Again, if you have pets or children that live or visit your home, they may come into contact with whatever chemicals you use in your bathroom. Try a toxic-free alternative like the one below so you can have a clean toilet as well as peace of mind.

Directions:

• 1 c. distilled water
• ½ c. baking soda
• ½ c. castile soap
• 15 drops lemon essential oil
• 10 drops tea tree essential oil

Whisk together ingredients. Add to a glass jar.

Natural Air Fresheners

A clean-smelling home is a delightful way to create a tranquil ambiance. But whatever air freshener you choose to use, you will also inevitably breathe into your body. Protect your lungs by opting for a non-toxic alternative that will still leave your house smelling wonderfully clean.

Directions:

Cook the following ingredients in a medium saucepan with water. Make sure that the water does not evaporate fully.

• Ginger & Lemon: 1 thumb thick piece of ginger chopped, 1 sliced lemon, 5 leaves of fresh basil
• Pumpkin Pie: 1 sliced orange, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 cloves, 1 dash of nutmeg
• Citrus & Lavender: 1 sliced orange, 1 sliced tangerine, fresh lavender leaves or 5 drops of lavender essential oil

 

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