Must Have Non-Toxic Cleaning Items

Many people have started to shift towards “green” and “non toxic” lifestyles, myself included. One thing I really focused on when making the switch in my own household were cleaning products. Cleaning products are used on just about every surface of your home. Having a toddler who is into any and everything I wanted to be sure that something she came into contact with family was safe.

Before switching I had a two things in mind. 1) The cleaning products were environmentally/health friendly and 2) I wanted to make sure there was actual data to back using certain cleaning products over others. Often times people just use buzzwords to fear monger or sell a product. So I wanted a true reason to switch before I did so.

Most of what I found was that long term use of ingredients found in certain household cleaners did have some sort of risk associated with them. A 2022 study by Indoor Air found that persistent use of certain cleaning products can lead to an increase of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC ) exposure. VOCs are chemicals emitted into the air as room temperature gases. VOC in certain levels can lead to both short and long term effects on our health. Short term effects being eyes and nose irritation, headaches, and loss of coordination. Some of the more serious long term effect, which occur with higher and more prolonged exposure, include liver and kidney damage. Some VOCs have even been linked to cancer. For me, finding out this information meant the risk was there and I was ready to switch my products.

So I started to go on the hunt for non toxic cleaning products. Combing through ingredient list, looking at price points, and reading reviews and testimonials. Here are a handful of the items I switched too and use in my home weekly/daily.

01. Branch Basics

I know that white vinegar is natural and cost effective but I knew myself nor my husband would be able to tolerate the smell. So I went on the hunt for a store bought cleaner that truly was non toxic. Many “green” cleaning supplies are a gimmick and contain just as many hazardous chemicals and VOCs as the normal products. So after a little bit of research I landed on Branch Basics. It is a plant and mineral based cleaner that is fragrance free. I have seen some negative reviews on their laundry products specifically, but I have nothing but good things to say about their cleaning products. I feel like it does a good job cleaning surfaces and I don’t feel like I have to use a ton of products for it to do so. I love that the spray bottles can be reused and one concentrate can be used for both the all purpose and bathroom cleaner.

02 Essential Oils and Diffuser

I was a candle junkie. I loved them! But I stopped using candles once I had my daughter to lower her risk of exposure to the harmful byproducts. Then as she got older and I felt okay with lighting one after she went to bed to partake in self care and wind down. To my surprise I got a headache immediately. Candles are a major culprit for VOCs, hence the headache. It was lit for all of 10 minutes before I had to blow it out. Where so many of my cleaning products are now fragrance free, I missed having that fresh smell that comes with cleaning, but it was obvious my body would no longer be able to tolerate candles. So I landed on essential oils. I love essential oils. I am not a “essential oils cure cancer” person but I am a “essentials oils do have multiple uses, some of which are medical in nature” person. Some water and a few drop in the diffuser will have your room smelling fresh . They are both cost effective and environmentally conscious. I don’t have a specific brand of oils or a diffuser that I recommend. The essential oils are basically all the same. The only thing I suggest in regards to the diffuser is that it is one that is easy to clean, you don’t want any mold growth!

03 Buff City Laundry Detergent

My daughter eczema gave us a run for our money for quite some time. A switch in detergent meant a major breakout for her if her skin didn’t agree with it. Even out of the newborn stage we had to be careful, making sure we were washing her stuff with her specific detergent. Having different laundry detergents and having making sure not to wash anything that would potentially come in contact with her skin was tedious. My mother in law was who actually introduced us to Buff City. She dropped off a batch and I was impressed after the first use. But I still was afraid to wash any of my daughters stuff in it in fear of a breakout, scented detergents are usually the main culprit. I decided to do one load of her clothes and keep a close eye on how her skin reacted, and we were eczema outbreak free. Their detergents are plant based free from and sulfates, parabens, and phthalates. Buff City’s non scented are little more on the “non toxic” side compared to their scented detergents. But I am a huge fan of their scent “Narcissist”! If you do happen to try out this brand use my referral code Z3SB8 when signing up. you will receive 10 dollars off of any $35.00 in store purchase.

04 Steam Mop

I had been back and forth on this one for over a year, and I’m not sure why I waited so long. Mops are honestly kind of gross when you think about it. How clean are your floors getting with a dirty bucket of water and a stiff mop head, they have actually been found in several studies to harbor a ton of bacteria. Even with cleaning out the bucket and replacing the mop heads I still felt like my floors weren’t as clean as they could be. The Swiffer Wetjet is nice but I feel like the pads didn’t really ever clean my floors thoroughly. Restocking the pads also started to add up (when you’re entire home is wood floors or tiles you do a lot of mopping). I opted for the Shark Professional Steam Pocket Mop. It was on sale (just under 100 dollars) , had awesome reviews and is super user friendly. The cleaning pads can be removed and washed/dried so no more frequently buying new pads or mop heads. It is important to use distilled water, but that doesn’t cost you more than 2 dollars for a gallon which could be used for a ton of mop sessions. The cord of this particular steam mop is decent length so I don’t have to go hoping around to different plugs to get the job done. I know it is a little costly, but if you buy one thing on this list I would highly recommend this be it!

05 Reusable Paper Towels

Moms know, especially toddler moms, the amount of paper towels you can go through in a day is insane. I feel like I hear “we are out of paper towels” every other week. You are paying 30 dollars for something you literally throw away. I know that some people may think that reusable paper towels are a gimmick but they do save you a TON of money in the long run.