Hi guys!
In today’s blog post, I want to share some awesome recipes for detoxifying your home. I’ve found that making my own cleaning products is a really empowering and fun and oftentimes thrifty thing to do. Yay! I love all of those things 🙂
So, I must say…before I had kids, I thought I cared about leading a healthy lifestyle and doing my part to reduce my carbon footprint. And I did! But becoming a mom has fundamentally shifted my perspective on…well, everything! Now I’m like HYPER-AWARE of things I hadn’t thought to think about before.
Like cleaning my house, for example.
It’s no secret that kids are really messy. They put their mouths and sticky little fingers on everything. In the old days (aka before kids), I would just grab whatever random product I had lying around to clean house. But now I carefully read labels. And I’ve become scarily informed about something called endocrine disrupters [1]. These are chemicals that are known to mess with the endocrine system, which is basically responsible for hormonal, reproductive, and other fundamental processes. Let’s just say that we don’t want to be messing around with these glands!
Soooo, chemicals that can do this are really scary: not just because of the havoc they can wreak on our bodies, but the fact that they are ALL OVER our daily lives 😳 They’re in everything from common plastics and cosmetics to drinking water and receipts…and cleaning supplies.
In doing my research, I’ve found that the Environmental Working Group (EWG) [2] is a great source of information. You can enter the name of a cleaning supply and see the “environmental grade” it’s been given. This grade will help you to make sense of how toxic your cleaning supplies are — and provide alternatives if your current ones are failing! They’ve also created a really handy “Dirty Dozen” list. These are the 12 worst endocrine disrupters currently known [3]:
- BPA
- Dioxin
- Atrazine
- Phthalates*
- Perchlorate
- Fire Retardants
- Lead
- Arsenic
- Mercury
- Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs)
- Organophosphate Pesticides
- Glycol Ethers*
I highly recommend checking out this article by the EWG to learn more specifically what these nasty chemicals are and what steps can be taken to avoid them.
In the meantime, being that tinc botanica is all about cultivating a healthier lifestyle through essential oils, let’s talk specifically about #4 Phthalates and #12 Glycol Ethers, from the Dirty Dozen list above. We’re focusing on these two chemicals because of the role essential oils can play in creating safer and healthier alternatives!
#4 PHTHALATES
“[S]tudies have linked phthalates to hormone changes, lower sperm count, less mobile sperm, birth defects in the male reproductive system, obesity, diabetes and thyroid irregularities.” [3]
Found In: Some plastic food containers, children’s toys (some phthalates are banned from kid’s products), plastic wrap made from PVC, PVC products which have the recycling label #3, and personal care products that contain “fragrance.”
How to Avoid: Use stainless steel or glass food storage containers, avoid plastic kid’s toys or check to see if they contain PVC #3 plastic, avoid PVC products, and avoid personal care products that contain the catch-all ingredient “fragrance.”
Please be aware and take note: the word “fragrance” on labels can mean a million things (and most of them are not good!). This is generally a shady way for companies to slip in all kinds of nasty stuff, including phthalates. They can legally hide behind the word by saying that whatever they are calling a “fragrance” involves trade secrets. But, according to the EWG, “3,163 ingredients hide behind the word ‘fragrance’.” [5]
#12 Glycol Ethers
“The European Union says that some of these chemicals ‘may damage fertility or the unborn child.’ Studies of painters have linked exposure to certain glycol ethers to blood abnormalities and lower sperm counts. And children who were exposed to glycol ethers from paint in their bedrooms had substantially more asthma and allergies.” [3]
Found in: Paints, cleaning products, brake fluid, and cosmetics.
How to Avoid: Choose safer cleaners and cosmetics. And choose safer paints and always wear a mask and ventilate the room you are painting.
I very highly recommend checking out the EWG’s “Skin Deep” site for more information.
And now…without further ado, I give you 6 tinc recipes for detoxifying your home:
TINC DIY HOUSECLEANING RECIPES
#1 All-Purpose Surface Spray 🌿
- 4 oz. distilled water
- 4 oz. white vinegar
- 4 drops lemon essential oil
- 3 drops clove essential oil
- 3 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- 2 drops rosemary essential oil
- 8 oz glass spray bottle
Mix ingredients in 8 oz. glass spray bottle (glass is preferred for the safe storage of essential oils, and is also another way to reduce endocrine disrupters in your home!).
You can use this great-smelling cleaner on many surfaces, such as:
- Windows
- Carpet Stains
- Microwave
- Mirrors
- Toilet
- Sink
- Shower
- Floors
This spray works great! Plus, you get the added peace of mind of knowing you are detoxifying your home every time you use it 💗
#2 Borax-Free Laundry Soap 🌿
- 2 cups of hot water
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/3 cup salt (nothing fancy – iodized works great!)
- 1 cup Castile soap
- 10 drops lavender essential oil (or any other oil with cleaning powers that you wish!)
- a jug for storage (an old milk or water jug works great!)
To Make and Use:
- Combine hot water, baking soda, and salt in jug
- Make sure lid is secure and shake well
- Add 1 cup Castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner’s) and shake again
- Add 10 drops of essential oil (again, I use lavender but you can use any other cleaning oil you’d like)
Your (chemical free!!) laundry soap is ready! Use 1/4 cup per load. It’s suds-free and works fine in HE machines.
Please note: the ingredients will separate, but because this recipe is chemical-free, there’s no bonding agent and therefore no need for them to dissolve together. Just remember to shake well before using!
#3 All-Natural Sink Scrub 🌿
- 2 cups baking soda
- 10 drops lemon essential oil
- 10 drops clove essential oil
- 2-3 Tbsp castile soap
- Mason jar
- Scrubber
To Make and Use:
- Put baking soda in jar
- Mix in essential oils
- Wet sink
- Liberally sprinkle your mix on sink
- Add a few squirts of castile soap
- Scrub and rinse
Doing this regularly will a) keep your sink spotless, b) be a super cost-effective way to clean, and c) make you feel great to clean without harmful chemicals while also smelling great!
#4 All-Natural Dusting Spray 🌿
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1/2 cup sweet almond oil
- 30 drops citrus essential oils
- Filtered Water
- 16 oz. spray bottle
How to make and use:
- Add one cup filtered water to 16 oz. spray bottle
- Add 1/2 cup vinegar (even if you don’t like the smell of vinegar, please don’t skip this step — it’s a fabulous natural cleaner and even helps keep future dust from sticking to the surface, so your house will be dust-free for longer)
- Add 1/2 cup of sweet almond oil
- Add 30 drops of essential oils (I love grapefruit, lemon, or sweet orange)
- Mix gently before each use
- Use on all your wood surfaces
Note: citrus oils are a wonderful choice for dusting because of their bactericidal, antiseptic, and antimicrobial properties. They also SMELL GREAT and make fabulous mood-lifters!
#5 All-Natural Dish Soap 🌿
- 1 cup castile soap
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp carrier oil of your choice (I like grapeseed or olive)
- 1 1/2 cups filtered water
- 12-15 drops citrus essential oil (I like orange or grapefruit)
- 5-7 drops peppermint essential oil
- medium bowl
- whisk
- glass jar with pump
How to make and use:
- Combine water and castile soap in medium bowl
- Add baking soda, carrier oil, and essential oils
- Using a whisk, VERY GENTLY add baking soda until combined well
- Pour into glass jar and add pump lid
- Use like you would any other dish soap! Except minus all the unnecessary and gross toxic chemicals. Plus they smell great and provide therapeutic benefits
#6 All-Natural Liquid Hand Soap 🌿
- 1 cup Castile soap
- 8-10 drops geranium essential oil
- 8-10 drops tea tree (melaleuca) oil
- filtered water
- 10 oz. pump bottle (I reuse an old hand soap bottle)
Mix all ingredients in your pump bottle and top off with filtered water.
Note: I use geranium oil because it nourishes skin (and smells gorgeous!) I use tea tree oil because of its antiviral and antibacterial properties.
YOU GUYS. There are so many ways to reduce chemicals in your homes. I know the task of detoxing can seem super daunting, but you can do it! Just choose your battles, and focus on one thing at a time. I hope you enjoy these recipes! I’ll be adding more soon enough…I’m always brainstorming and experimenting over here 🤔 In the meantime, happy detoxifying!
Much Love,
Amanda
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