Making your own non-toxic cleaning products
Easy to use, light on the pocket and kind to the environment.
The first time that I ever questioned what is in cleaning products or in any household item at all, was when I watched a documentary about Teflon, Dupont and the compound PFOA. This was in 1995/1996, and I remember being totally shocked that something so dangerous and toxic could be in our homes. I also heard about the compound called Dioxin, which is an environmental pollutant and toxin and is linked to cancer. I started to look into it a bit more, and especially into compounds that don’t break down in water and stay in the environment forever.
It is quite a worm-hole once you get into it. Someone once said that it is easiest to hide something which is plain sight, and this is very true here. When you buy a toilet cleaner or a household cleaner, you just trust that the ingredients are non-toxic as they are supposed to clean the home and everyone uses them, so they must be ok. Have you ever noticed that all cleaning bottles come with hazard warnings on them? They may smell like lemon or lavender but they are as far from nature as can be.
Through advertising and clever marketing, we are led to believe that dirt in our homes is the enemy, and germs need to be killed or we may be overwhelmed by them and get sick. Bacteria and viruses lurk on the kitchen surfaces and in the toilet bowl. These are the enemy, and the fresh smelling cleaning products are the saviour.
In the UK, the cleaning product industry is worth around 4.5 billion and is set to grow at a rapid rate due to the covid crisis, and the increase of sanitising that people are doing in their own homes and workplaces. I hadn’t really heard the term deep clean very often before, but now it’s everywhere, and it seems that the only way this can be done is by chemical means. No one trusts natural products, they are seen as inferior. A chemical can maybe rid your home of a virus, but it brings with it a host of other issues and side effects, some of which are far worse than any virus, but again everyone just trusts that the chemicals are best. It isn’t really an informed choice if you don’t know the risks involved, and very few people look these up or even ask the question.
I have also found that if you question the narrative and start to use natural products or make your own, you are labelled a hippy, or people just think you are weird! I find this hilarious, as I don’t think anyone who wants to avoid being poisoned is weird, but anyway this is due to the extremely effective marketing campaigns, and the abundance of the products in every shop and supermarket in the land. I am happy enough to be called a hippy or a weirdo, and I’ve grown to accept that my home will never be sparkling clean, and I do think that there such a thing as too clean, and also good dirt, after all our immune system loves a good microbiome environment to keep busy protecting us. If you are immunosuppressed however this is a different story and care definitely needs to be taken. Even in this case though, non-toxic products can be used.
I’m not advocating for not cleaning by the way, I’m just trying to demonstrate that there is another way to do it. I love a shiny kitchen top and a clean toilet, but now I make my own cleaners or when I can’t, I buy ones made from degradable and environmentally neutral compounds.
I’ve outlined a few of the main extremely dangerous chemicals that lurk in your kitchen and bathroom cupboards. They may make your home look clean but they aren’t safe, and they contain a cocktail of carcinogens, hormone disrupters, neurotoxins and indoor pollutants. On average it is estimated that we have 62 pretty serious toxins in our homes.
Parabens
A lot of parabens have been banned in cosmetics but not in cleaning products. They are hormone disrupters, they are easily absorbed through the skin, and have been found in biopsies of breast cancer tumours. They are used as anti-fungal, preservatives and antimicrobial. They have been linked to reproductive disorders, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and skin irritation.
Triclosan
It is used as an antimicrobial in cleaning products. It is found in toothpaste, deodorant, mouthwash and hand soaps, although slowly countries are banning or restricting the amounts used. It has been linked to thyroid problems, hormone disruption and irritation of the skin and eyes. Also it is highly toxic to aquatic animals, so if it is being rinsed down the sink or shower it will enter our water system and potentially poison them.
Phthalates
These are the most common toxins as they are used to created the fragrances that flavour the cleaners and the sprays that we use to keep the home smelling nice. They won’t be listed in their chemical forms on bottles but you will see the word fragrance instead. They are extremely disruptive to hormones and have been linked to birth defects and cancers too.
Here is the good news…
In a nutshell, you don’t have to use these products. The next time you run out of flash kitchen or bathroom, give the bottle a good clean and then make your own. At the start you need to buy some basic ingredients but if you buy them in bulk, it works out really good value in the end. Here are some of the ones that I use.
Bicarbonate of Soda
This can be used to clean your oven, kill weeds, make your whites whiter in the wash, clean drains and dishwashers and carpets. I even read it can be used to get rid of ear wax. You can use it instead of Finish, Mr Muscle, Round up and Vanish. You can buy this anywhere, but it might be a good idea to buy a bulk amount as it works out much cheaper. Dri-Pak do a 500g box for less than £2!
Citric Acid
This is a great anti bacterial agent and can be used also for getting rid of mould, mildew and for disinfecting. Citric acid is a perfect way to replace Dettol, Dettox, and Flash. Some of the refill shops sell this, so just bring a container and stock up.
White vinegar
Vinegar has a multitude of uses, and it is best to use simple white vinegar which is really cheap, as cider or apple cider or wine vinegars might stain. Use a really strong concentrate to kill weeds in your garden, make a window cleaner, surface cleaner, fabric softener, toilet cleaner, car wash and loads more. It is so versatile and it can be bought in large 5 litre bottles that last for ages for around £5/£6. I find the Asian supermarket on the Ravenhill Road Belfast a great source for this, and even Makro if you have an account.
Alcohol (70%)
Also known as rubbing alcohol, it can be used on the body as well as for cleaning. It’s a great antiseptic so if you cut yourself, reach for it. Other uses include glass cleaning, granite cleaning, defrosting windscreens (I hate those chemical defrosters), freshening the air and disinfecting surfaces too. So throw out that nasty defroster, those aerosols, chemical laden granite surface cleaners and fill your empty spray bottles with this versatile stuff. It costs around £10 for 1 Ltr.
Essential Oils
Not only do they smell amazing, really good quality oils can have antiseptic, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. The catch is, you need to get the proper oils. A good oil with have the Latin name on the bottle, say 100% pure, and be from a reputable company (Naissance, Neals Yard, Tisserand and DoTerra are always reliable). Lavender will prevent mould and mildew growing and you can add it to your laundry detergent, plus it can be added to alcohol to use as a room spray. Lemon is anti-viral and cuts through grease, so I add it to my kitchen cleaners and it works really well. Tea Tree is of course famous for it’s anti everything properties (viral, bacterial, fungal, mildew) and it has a nice anti-septic smell as well, so your place really smells like it has been cleaned. I use this in toilet cleaners along with some peppermint for a nice pine like smell. Thyme also has anti-bacterial properties, so you can use it in both the kitchen and bathroom. Another one that I use is Oregano, again for it’s anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, although it is best used on it’s own as it doesn’t mix well with other oils. Because you aren’t putting them on the skin, you can be generous with the oils, putting in 10-20 drops in each mix. Out of all the oils I mentioned, Oregano and Thyme tend to be more expensive, so you could just use Lavender, Lemon and Tea Tree and you’ll have great non-toxic cleaners.
Lemon Juice
I love popping the rind of lemons into my natural cleaners (unwaxed of course) and it is great for removing odours from the fridge, getting rid of limescale, removing streaks from windows, wipe down chopping boards and clean microwaves.
Sodium Percarbonate
Sodium Percarbonate is a natural alternative to bleach. I put it in with my wash to remove stains, and as it is completely water soluble, there is no environmental impact with it’s use. It can be used to de-stain coffee mugs, pre soak heavily soiled clothes, sterilising, general cleaning and also it’s great for tile and grout cleaning. I buy it from the refill shop but you can also buy it online. I’ve seen it sold in environmentally friendly sacks too, to cut down on plastics.
Here is an easy recipe to start you off at home.
General multi-surface cleaner
¼ cup of white vinegar
1 tbsp Bicarbonate of soda
1 litre of warm water
Juice of ½ a Lemon
A sprig of Rosemary (optional)
Rind of the Lemon
10-20 drops of Lemon Essential oil (optional)
Add the vinegar and soda in first to a litre bottle, to give it time to mix and fizz a bit, then pour in the lemon juice, and the Rosemary sprig if using, next the water and finally the essential oil. Leave it to sit in the bottle for a few days, a week if you can, to let the aroma develop, then pour into spray bottles as needed. It lasts for ages!
Natural Hand Sanitiser
Just think of all those nasty chemicals in the shop bought ones. You can just use 70% alcohol in a spray bottle, but this simple 3 ingredient recipe is kinder to your hands.
Aloe Vera Gel (get one with a high percentage of Aloe, Holland and Barratt do one that is 99%)
70% Alcohol
2-3 drops of Lemon Essential oil
I use a squeeze of gel, too much and it may not come out of the bottle, top the rest of the bottle up with alcohol and then add the Lemon oil. This is best in push top dispenser as it is too thick for a spray bottle.
Lastly, if you don’t want to make your own but still would like to lower the amount of toxins you have at home, there are some good brands that you can use. I recommend Fill , Ocean Saver and Bio. The refill shops stock these products too.
Just one more thing to consider: Most if not all companies who make commercial cleaning products test on animals. If you make your own, you are choosing to not support these practices and these companies.