When was the last time you really cleaned?
Happy Spring? Winter? I’m not sure what that groundhog was thinking but I can’t imagine we have more winter ahead here in the DC area!
This has me thinking about spring cleaning. Did you know that the best place to start your spring cleaning may be your cleaning products?
Many conventional household cleaners are made up of highly toxic chemicals that can threaten our health and indoor air quality!
Yes, cleaning can be a chore, but it doesn’t have to be toxic too!
Consider these concerning facts:
- Chlorine bleach can cause coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, or other symptoms
- Ammonia can be irritating to the skin, eyes, throat, and lungs
- Triclosan and Triclocarban (common in hand soap) have been linked to hormone imbalance and an increased risk of breast cancer
- Nano-silver (also common in soaps) can penetrate deep into your body and has been shown to be toxic to the liver and brain!
…And this is just the tip of the iceberg. This is an essential piece to the overall wellness puzzle that should not be discounted. Wether you’ve been sick and are trying to get better or are well and want to focus on preventative health, please consider this as one of those stones that must be turned.
Thankfully, some of the information about toxic chemicals has become accepted as mainstream knowledge which has led to a boom in production of so-called “green” cleaning products that claim to use more environmentally and health-friendly ingredients. Although they can be more expensive, I don’t think twice about upgrading my cleaning supplies to the various ‘green’ cleaning products.
However, I recently discovered that some “green” products contain the same dangerous chemicals as their conventional counterparts. For example, I thought that Mrs. Meyrs All Purpose cleaner was a safe cleaning product until I looked it up on the EWG Healthy Living App and saw that it rates as ‘C’. It contains synthetic fragrances. Yes, synthetic fragrances found in many household cleaners and lots of personal care products are not innocent aroma! They have been known to disrupt hormones, lower sperm count and are linked to breast and liver cancer. And remember that while small exposure may not harm you, it´s the cumulative effect of all the toxic chemicals we are exposed to.
In a quest for a better solutions, I’ve turned to doTERRA essential oils and a few other simple and inexpensive ingredients such as vinegar, baking soda and borox to make my own nontoxic, great smelling, and effective cleaning products. If you want to take the guesswork out of buying cleaning supplies and take charge of what goes on your skin and in your home, start with these three simple steps:
- Gather all the cleaning products you use in your house on a regular basis.
- Download the Healthy Living App from EWG and find out how your products are rated and then immediately swap out the 3 worst offenders for better alternatives.
- Join me for a FREE class on Spring Cleaning Your Home the Nontoxic Way using simple and inexpensive products.
While we’re on the subject of spring cleaning, let’s not forget about detoxifying your body with clean, tasty, and nutritious foods! Wouldn’t it be nice to step out into the sunshine as the best version of yourself this spring? Registration for my Signature 10-Day Spring Detox is now open. And to help you get started, here’s one of my favorite Spring Recipes.
As you know, I’m passionate about leading a clean and healthy lifestyle which includes reducing the toxic burden. That means being mindful and knowledgeable about harmful chemicals in my environment, in my food, in my personal care & beauty care products, and in the cleaning products I use. I know I could be freaking myself out with all the information that’s out there about the toxins we’re exposed to in our daily lives but I don’t want to live in constant fear. Instead, I look at knowledge as a powerful prescription for prevention. I don’t obsess. I simply do my best and don’t worry about the rest 😉
Are you curious about what Essential oils can do for your health and wellbeing? I’ve created a closed Facebook group, Simple Well Being with Essential Oils. Please join me! This is a great place to ask questions and learn more about using these beautiful gifts of the earth.