We at Maze Apothecary are committed to the overall well-being of the entire person. Body, emotions, and soul. This is why each oil blend is consciously crafted and packaged. Each blend is created to nourish and heal your body, emotions, and soul. We want you to know that it is possible to have a whole and healthy lifestyle and that your health can be obtained through nature and its natural remedies. In this blog, I want to make it known that your health doesn’t just stop with what you eat and the products you put on your body, but it also extends to the cleaning products you use daily.
Many popular and well-known cleaning products, from dish and laundry detergents to disinfectants and all-purpose cleaners are full of harmful chemicals that are hazardous to your health. Many can cause asthma, cancer, and skin irritations and are a danger to the environment. They can even cause hormonal imbalances. Luckily, there are several alternatives to these harsher products. Products that are labeled plant-based, natural, or organic. However, most people will opt not to buy these simply because they can be quite expensive. Understandably so, especially in the current economy. Today I want to extend some encouragement to those of you who have a desire to replace harsh chemicals with natural and safer products, but simply cannot afford the switch. Here are some options of natural cleaning products that are effective and inexpensive and ways to use them. You probably already have some around your home. These are my go-to natural cleaners and disinfectants: Baking soda, White vinegar, Sal-Suds, and Essential oils.
Baking Soda: Sodium Bicarbonate
This is probably one of my favorite go-to non-toxic natural cleaners. Not only is it inexpensive, but it also has several uses and benefits (including health benefits). You can use it for baking, cleaning, and even your body. (i.e. soaks & exfoliants)
White Vinegar: Acetic Acid
This is also a non-toxic natural cleaner, and inexpensive as well. This can be used for cooking, cleaning, and skin treatments. It also contains antifungal and antibacterial properties.
Sal Suds: Biodegradable Cleaner
This is a concentrated all-purpose cleaner! It is made with plant-based surfactants, natural fir needle and spruce essential oils. You can clean anything with this! Dishes, laundry, floors, tubs, sinks, and countertops! I absolutely love this product!
Essential Oils: Concentrated extracts harvested from plants, herbs, and trees that are distilled or cold-pressed.
The power of plants in a bottle! Essential oils have so many health benefits, that it would be too much to list here. This natural product can be used as a household cleaner and as a safe natural fragrance. They can be used to treat infections and some you can even cook with. However, not all essential oils are made equal. Do your research and make sure you buy from a good source.
Ways to use these as cleaners
Now that I have shared with you some of the products that I use for keeping my home clean and toxic-free, I want to also give some examples of how you can use them.
Laundry - I make homemade laundry detergent that requires only 3 ingredients. Sal Suds, kosher salt, and water. To date, I have only made 3 batches. When I was initially trying this out, I was pleased with how easy it was to make and how long it lasted my small family of two. However, I did notice a lingering odor on our towels so I included sprinkling baking soda on top of the laundry before washing them, and it took care of the odor and added a bit of softness to the clothes as well. I now add a few tablespoons of it directly to the detergent mixture. I’m pleased with it overall and I feel much better knowing it’s healthier and safe for myself, my family, & the environment. Baking soda also has antibacterial properties, so that is another benefit of adding it to your laundry.
2. Bathroom Cleaner - I use all four of the listed products to clean my entire bathroom. For example, to clean my tub and shower, I spray vinegar all over and then sprinkle baking soda on top of that. I then add the recommended amount of sal suds (Castille soap will do just fine as well if you do not have sal suds), then I scrub, scrub, scrub! I use the same ingredients to clean the inside of the toilet as well. I usually spray a mixture of water and sal suds on the outside of the toilet to clean it. Once I wipe that mixture off I spray vinegar and add a few drops of tea tree or lemon essential oils. Both lemon and tea tree essential oils have antibacterial and antifungal effects. Not to mention they smell delightful! Your mirrors can be cleaned with just white vinegar and a clean cloth. The sinks, countertops, & floors can be cleaned with all of the same ingredients. (Although I did not mention this in the products listed above, rubbing alcohol is also great for disinfecting as well. I like to use this in the bathroom.)
3. Carpet cleaner and odor neutralizer - Keeping your carpets fresh in between the shampoos and deep cleans has never been easier! All you need is some baking soda and a few drops of your favorite essential oil (I like using peppermint or orange). Mix them and sprinkle them on your carpet and let it sit for at least ten minutes then vacuum it up. It will leave your carpet and space smelling oh-so divine.
There you have it folks! Four natural, non-toxic, inexpensive products with various uses. Most of these are beneficial for the health of your physical body as well. I hope this has encouraged you all to begin making some switches in your household products. Especially if this is something you have a desire to do. You do not need all the advertised harmful, toxic cleaning products. Start with these four products and see how you like them. Hopefully, this blog will motivate you to look even further into other ways to keep your household toxin-free and even tweak some of the recipes I shared with you here.
Here’s to your continued health and well-being in 2024!