Melaleuca - A Safer Alternative for Your Home: Eco-Friendly, Non-Poisonous Household Cleaners and Other Healthy Alternatives

When I found out that I had a little baby on the way, I started thinking about all of the things that could happen and began to take steps to make my house a safer place for my little one to discover the world. My husband had used Melaleuca products in the past, and really liked them, so we did some more research, and began using up all of the old poisonous household cleaners, and replacing them with safer herbal alternatives.

Many people know that household cleaners that you find in your grocery store are highly toxic and can harm your children if they ever get a hold of them. People don't realize the damage that they can cause just from prolonged exposure as a result of daily use. Bleach can produce a harmful chlorine gas if it comes in contact with other cleaners. Dr. Gary Ginsburg, Ph. D, a toxicologist explains that ammonia and bleach are the most hazardous consumer products due to their widespread use. However, parents are encouraged to disinfect surfaces and toys that their babies come into contact with in a bleach solution. Doing the research on the cleaners in your home will help you to decide which ones you feel the need to replace. We chose to replace all of them with non-toxic alternatives, and looked to Melaleuca for help.

Melaleuca products typically contain melaleuca, or tea tree oil, which is a natural antiseptic. It can be used on the body, or in daily cleaning to disinfect. Products can only be purchased from the Melaleuca website, cutting down on the cost to consumers by cutting out the process of distributing and selling through storefronts. Many of their products are concentrated, so a single bottle can be diluted into three or four spray bottles for household use.

My favorite product by far is the Tough and Tender Multi-Purpose Surface Cleaner. This stuff is far more effective than any other cleaner I've ever used. I used to love 409 for cleaning my kitchen, but the Tough and Tender is far better. I just spray it on any mess on my kitchen counters, and it wipes right off. I use it to clean that impossible to get off, cooked on mess from the silver trays on my stove top by spraying it on and letting it sit for a few minutes. I also spray it on the kitchen floor and mop up. This product has cut all of the scrubbing and back ache out of cleaning the kitchen. Tough and Tender also makes a great ant killer! We completely eliminated an ant infestation in our house in just a few minutes, and with no poison.

Another great one is the Sol U Mel. This product can be added to many of the other cleaners to give them a boost. My husband cut his foot and bled pretty badly on the carpet. We sprayed the spot with a bit of Sol U Mel and patted it with a towel, and it was completely gone. I was shocked! I add a cap full of Sol U Mel to a few caps of Mela Magic and hot water in my steam cleaner for no fuss carpet cleaning. We also dilute the Sol U Mel in a spray bottle and use it like some folks use air fresheners, to spray our upholstery and the inside of our car. It not only deodorizes, but disinfects at the same time.

Other products that I really like are their bath bars, tooth paste, and shampoo. I feel a lot better about raising my baby in a house that is not only clean, but safe. I never worry when she puts a toy in her mouth, or licks the floor, and we have been healthier since the changeover.