People have been panic-buying household cleaners and disinfectants for several weeks now without giving a second thought as to whether these products are really safe. Most of these cleaners contain many different chemicals that can be hazardous to your health and the environment. Long-term use of many cleaning solutions and disinfectants has been linked to respiratory problems like asthma and wheezing, migraines, fertility issues in men and women, hormonal imbalances, and nervous system damage. Fortunately, you don’t have to use these products because there are many things you can use to clean your house naturally.
Natural Alternatives
There are several things you can use to clean your home that are much safer than the chemical solutions people have been stocking up on. Hydrogen peroxide, white distilled vinegar, and rubbing alcohol are good alternatives you can use, but remember not to mix products without a safe recipe to follow as you could create harmful substances by mixing the wrong things together.
Hydrogen peroxide can be used to disinfect non-porous surfaces, simply spray it onto the surface and let it sit for around ten minutes, then wipe clean. Rubbing alcohol can also be used as a disinfectant as long as it is at least 60% or higher in concentration, which is why it is included in hand sanitizers. Spray the rubbing alcohol onto a surface (avoid inhaling the droplets) and leave for five minutes to ensure the area is thoroughly disinfected. Rubbing alcohol kills most bacteria and viruses within ten to twenty seconds, but some more resilient bacteria like tuberculosis can take as long as five minutes. Vinegar can also be used to disinfect, though it isn’t very useful against viruses and should be used as a last resort.
Recipe for Bleach Alternative
Consider using this recipe for a bleach alternative for white clothing.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup Basic Liquid Formula (see below)
- 1/4 Cup Borax
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice or Vinegar
- 6 Drops Lemon Essential Oil
Basic Liquid Formula
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 Cups Liquid Castile Soap
- 1 Tablespoon Glycerin
- 3/4 Cup Water
- 10-15 Drops Lemon Essential Oil (or other essential oil of your choice)
This recipe makes enough for one load of laundry. Keep the lemon juice seperate from the rest of the solution until you are ready to use it. Combine all ingredients into a plastic container and shake a couple times before adding it to the washing machine.
You can listen to our Cleaning Yourself to Illness? podcast episode on our website here. You can also listen to it on our YouTube channel here.