How to Get Rid of Your Toxic Chemicals and Clean Your Home Naturally

Did you realize that most household cleaning products are full of harmful chemicals? Not only are they bad for our environment but they can be toxic to our health as well. There are ways to clean just as efficiently while using natural and safe substances.

At least half of all illnesses are due to poor air quality. Irritants floating around are breathed in and can result in sickness. One common condition affected by household chemicals is asthma. It is also thought to develop because of these harsh toxins, among other reasons. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) in one decade there has been a 29% increase in asthma among men and an 82% increase in women. The higher rate for women is believed to be due to longer exposure times to household chemicals.

Many of the chemicals found in common cleansing products have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer, and psychological abnormalities. Skin and eye irritations are also frequent side effects of strong household cleaners. Another scary fact is that between 5-10 million household poisonings are reported each year and many of these are fatal and involve children. Besides being toxic to our bodies, cleaning products create hazardous waste and threaten our environment.

So how can you clean your home without bleach and other commercial cleaning products? What works well you either already have in your cupboards or you can cheaply purchase.

The number one cleaner is vinegar. Vinegar is a multi-purpose natural cleaning product. It deodorizes and disinfects without any toxins. Don't worry about your home smelling like a salad, any odor disappears as the vinegar dries. To use simply mix equal parts of water and vinegar in a brand new plastic spray bottle and get to cleaning. You can clean most anything in your home including stovetops, appliances, floors, counters, bathtubs, sinks, toilets and so on. Vinegar is also a natural fabric softener and can be added to the rinse cycle when washing laundry. Vinegar is super cheap and a jug of it can last a long time.

Another useful product is baking soda. Replace your powdered harsh cleaners such as Ajax and comet with baking soda and breathe easy knowing your family is safer because of it. Baking soda has been used to keep fridges smelling good but it can also deodorize many other areas of your home. It absorbs odors from many things and will keep you from using dangerous spray air fresheners.

Lemon juice is another natural cleaning agent and can be used to dissolve soap scum, water deposits and other hard to clean messes. Lemon juice will also polish brass and copper and when mixed with olive oil makes a safe and effective hardwood floor cleaner and polisher. Add lemon juice to vinegar and baking soda and you have a natural paste that will clean almost anything. Another idea is to cut a lemon in half, sprinkle some baking soda on the inside and use it to scrub surfaces and dirty dishes. You will be amazed at how well it works. To keep your kitchen disposal smelling fresh toss lemon peels down the drain and turn it on.

Cleaning your home naturally is beneficial to your health and environment. You can replace numerous bottles of harsh chemical cleaning agents with 3 cheap and easy to use items: vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice and see wonderful results.