Spring is here! A time for new beginnings and clearing out the old and stagnant energies of the winter respite. For many, springtime also means it’s time to give your home and garage a fresh new feel with a good ol’ spring cleaning.
What better way to do this than with all-natural cleaning products that you can make yourself. Natural cleaning is healthy cleaning for you, your family, and the earth.
A lot of commercial cleaning products get rid of germs by using harsh, potentially toxic chemicals that aren’t ideal for you, your family, your pets, or the planet. But you can make your own germ-busting natural cleaning products at home that are just as effective as store-bought versions (without the harsh chemicals). Here are five good reasons why you should go green this spring and make your own cleaning products at home! I frequently get asked where to purchase essential oils and related products, so I have included affiliate links to the products I use. For full disclaimers, please the bottom of this post.
1. Remove toxins from your home.
I am very sensitive to commercial and store-bought cleaning supplies and unfortunately am all too familiar with the immediate negative reactions harsh synthetic chemicals found in many cleaning products can cause like skin irritation, headaches, and watery eyes. Other negative reactions these harsh chemicals can cause are a bit more subtle such as lowering your immune health over time and affecting the overall wellness of you, your family members, and your pets.
According to The American Lung Association,
Many cleaning supplies or household products can irritate the eyes or throat, or cause headaches and other health problems, including cancer. Some products release dangerous chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
VOCs and other chemicals released when using cleaning supplies contribute to chronic respiratory problems, allergic reactions and headaches.
Here is a list of some of the products they’ve identified that can cause health issues:
- Aerosol spray products, including health, beauty and cleaning products;
- Air fresheners;
- Chlorine bleach;
- Detergent and dishwashing liquid;
- Dry cleaning chemicals;
- Rug and upholstery cleaners;
- Furniture and floor polish; and
- Oven cleaners
Making your natural cleaning products is a great way to help remove toxins from your home and use products you can trust! You need not sacrifice strength for safety: household ingredients like lemons, vinegar, baking soda, and castile soap are several ways to wash away dirt, deodorize, and kill germs. And many essential oils have incredibly purifying components that make them excellent for natural cleaning.
2. Stay Healthy
Homemade cleaning products made with natural ingredients including essential oils help support and protect the overall health and wellness of your body, mind, and spirit.
Why expose yourself and your family and pets to these potentially harmful substances when you can surround yourself with all-natural cleaning products made with essential oils—which support your health and wellness.
Oils like lemon (Citrus limon), tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) are popular for cleaning recipes.
Along with getting rid of dirt and germs, natural cleaning blends can boost your immune health, calm stress, help you relax, perk up your energy, and even support healthy breathing.
They’re also safer for children and pets and the environment too.
3. Save Money
Who doesn’t want to save money especially now with the cost of gas, food, and living expenses on the rise? You can create a whole collection of all-natural cleaning supplies from a few simple common ingredients and a variety of essential oils.
4. They naturally smell good
Our brains respond to smells very quickly. Smells warn us if something is bad such as spoiled food, but it also responds to good smells such as the scent of baking apple pies. As children, we build up a memory bank of aromas, some of which have good connotations, and some bad and we continue to develop and build on this bank as time goes by. (Wormwood & Wormwood, 10). Essential oils not only naturally smell good, but they also have positive effects on our psyche as they cleanse, disinfect, and deodorize our home and other physical spaces.
“Essential oils should not be underestimated. These sweet-smelling molecules float through the air like angels but they also deter bacteria, viruses and fungi, and they make us feel good emotionally. Can we afford to be without them?” ~ Susan and Valerie Ann Worwood.
Worwood, Susan. Essential Aromatherapy: A Pocket Guide to Essential Oils and Aromatherapy.
5. It’s sustainable and better for our planet
As discussed earlier in the blog, VOCs have harmful effects. Not only do they have harmful effects on our bodies they are also harmful to Mother Earth and our environment. VOCs reduce indoor air quality and increase outdoor pollution, while some ingredients affect water quality and aquatic species. When you clean, the products you use end up going down the drain and evaporating into the air. Some ingredients are corrosive, o-zone depleting, and can harm wildlife.
It is best to use biodegradable, non-toxic cleaning products whenever possible. Again, all-natural ingredients such as Castile soap that is also biodegradable giving you safe, effective alternatives to common cleaning products.
The choices we make every day impact our family’s health and the health of our planet.
Now that you have a better understanding of the dangers of toxic cleaning products and the benefits of natural cleaning products, you can choose whether or not to take part in that system or create a cleaner, healthier world all around. The choice is yours. I hope you chose to create a healthier environment.
If you use essential oils, what are your favorite essential oils to clean with?
Looking for DIY natural cleaning recipes? Click on the button below. There you will learn about the essential DIY natural ingredients along with a few of my favorite DIY natural cleaning recipes. Enjoy!
References:
“Cleaning Supplies and Household Chemicals.” American Lung Association, 13 July 2020, https://www.lung.org/clean-air/at-home/indoor-air-pollutants/cleaning-supplies-household-chem.
Worwood, Susan. Essential Aromatherapy: A Pocket Guide to Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, New World Library, Novato, CA, 2003, p. 10.
Worwood, Valerie Ann. The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy. New World Library, 1991.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only. Isabella Rose, Bella Rose Healing Hands, and its maintainer take no responsibility for how you use the information provided within its pages. Bella Rose Healing Hands does not offer medical advice and nothing contained on its pages is intended to constitute professional advice for medical diagnosis or treatment. Information on Bella Rose Healing Hands must not be relied upon for medical, legal, or financial decisions. If you contact Bella Rose Healing Hands, the response is also not intended to be taken as medical or professional advice and cannot be relied upon for medical, legal, or financial decisions.
Affiliate Disclaimer:
Affiliate Disclaimer:
Please note that some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission on qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
I only recommend products and services that I personally use and believe will add value to my clints and readers. Thank you for your support!
