Here are a few simple ways to not only save money but also to make your house a less toxic environment for you and your family! This is a collention of tried and true recipes, I love them all! Plus they really don't take that much work.
But first, lets talk about why you would choose these rather than the conventional cleaners (besides the fact that they're cheaper!)
Your skin is your largest organ, and everything that touches it gets absorbed into your skin and subsequently your blood stream. So it matters what you wash your clothes in and what you use to wash your dishes with (a lot is absorbed through your hands!).
Many common laundry detergents contain phosphates, ammonia, naphthalene, phenol, optical brighteners, artificial fragrances, EDTA etc. These chemicals can cause rashes, itches, allergies, sinus problems and have long term toxic effects on the environment.
Fabric softeners may be some of the worst offenders when it comes to chemicals, and they are especially bad because they are designed to leave a "fresh smelling"residue on your clothes, which is really just a mess of chemical components and artificial scents. They soak into your body through your skin and with every breath you inhale them. Here are a few examples and how they specifically affect you:
-Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer
- Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant
- Ethanol: central nervous system
disorders
- Limonene: The synthetic version is a known carcinogen
- A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal
edema, and central nervous system damage
- Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list
- Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders
- Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic
- Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders
- Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled
So... Is it really worth using these just get a nose full of artificial smells?
Dish soap is more of the same story... Toxic chemicals, absorbed through your hands, into your blood stream they go! And they affect your entire body, not to mention the environment!
And lets not forget that children are far more susceptible to these harmful chemicals.
So here are some happy, easy, and cheap as dirt alternatives! Good for you, your family, and the environment!
Dish Soap
what you'll need:
-1/3 bar Castile soap (I buy mine off of vitacost.com, I wait for it to go on sale and then use a 10% off code and each bar cost me about 75 cents, Kirks Castile brand)
-4 cups warm water
- 10 drops tea tree oil (antibacterial)/10 drops orange or lemon (cuts grease) essential oil
- (optional) 1/2 teaspoon glycerin
Ok, really quick, lets talk about why you would add glycerin. It's purely for the bubbles. Yep, that's it! Because we all love bubbles! But really. That's why. I add it so that when I, washing dishes I know where the soap is and because having bubbles is a reassuring fact that the soap is working. It's all psychological, there is absolutely need for the bubbles but we have been trained that they mean cleanliness. It's goofy! But ill be the first to admit they I need them. If you don't, good for you! They really aren't nessesary. But come on, who doesn't love them?!? Hence this entire paragraph dedicated to them.
Ok so here's how you do it... Grate the Castile soap in a saucepan and then add the water. Put it on the lowest heat setting until all the soap dissolves. Take off the heat, add your essential oils and glycerin and your done!
A word of caution, do not use this in your dishwasher. Just don't.
Laundry Detergent (from wellnessmama.com)
what you'll need:
- 1 bar Castile soap
- 2 quarts/ 4.5 gallons hot tap water
- 1 cup washing soda
- 1 cup borax
Grate the Castile soap and mix into 2 quarts hot water until melted. Pour 4.5 gallons of water into a 5 gallon bucket (home depot) and add the Castile soap mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients and let sit overnight. Use 1/2 cup to a cup per load. This cost me less than 5 cents per load! Conventional detergent costs around 15 cents per load!
Fabric Softener
- 1 cup white distiller vinegar
- 5 to 10 drops essential oil (your favorite scent, optional)
One note about essential oils, always read up on your essential oil of choice, make sure it's safe for your whole family! Also, citrus essential oils make your skin more susceptible to sunburn.
Mix and add a tablespoon or two to your softener slot or in the rinse cycle. You can also put a few drops off essential oil on a rag or tennis ball and add it to the dryer. Easy peasy.
Enjoy, leave some feedback! More to come!
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