Emily Rodrigues is a Friend of Financial by Design and she wrote this post for us. She has experienced dermatitis from harsh chemicals and now tries to live a toxic free life. She enjoys researching chemical free products to keep the world a healthier place to be.

She’s also given us some recipes for homemade cleaning supplies that are natural and they work!

It just feels like it’s a great time for cleaning!

If you have questions or want to follow her on social here is her information.

@emilypaigerodrigues on Instagram

Hey Everyone,

To say the last few weeks has been a whirlwind would be a massive understatement. I think it’s safe to say this is unchartered territory for the entire world! And amidst the chaos, we are all being advised to stay home.

So, now that we are all at home and last week we saw the first day of spring, I guess it’s time to do some Spring Cleaning! I know a lot of grocery stores have been sold out of chemical cleaners that we have historically used to get that “deep clean” going in our homes. But I’m here to tell you that YOU DON’T NEED IT! Actually, you are better off NOT having it at this point! Many chemical cleaners contain harmful ingredients that can have a range of health effects from decreasing your immune system function, decreased respiratory function, endocrine and reproductive disruption, as well as skin irritants and allergies. So let’s talk about some chemicals to stay away from:

Fragrance: According to the Environmental Working Group, the average fragrant contains about 14 secret chemicals that aren’t listed on the label, many of which are linked to hormone disruption and allergic reactions, as well as about 80 percent of them not being tested for human safety in personal care products

Ammonium Hydroxide (AH): This is a common chemical found in drain cleaners, toilet cleaners, oven cleaners, glass and metal cleaners, and general surface cleaners. AH is a known allergen, asthmagen, and can cause respiratory and skin irritation. Some “well known” household products that contain AH are- Lysol Disinfecting Spray and Windex

Diethylene glycol monomethyl ether: This is found in a few heavy-duty cleaners and degreasers. The European Union suspects this chemical of damaging fertility or the developing fetus (ECHA 2011) and has essentially banned it in cleaners (EU 2008). These solvents are readily absorbed through the skin or via inhalation and can reach toxic levels in the body

There are literally hundreds of other chemicals I could go on about all day, but I want to get back to our SPRING CLEANING, and talk about what we can use to clean our houses safely using products that are #nontoxic! If you do want more information on the dangers of some products and the effects they can have on your family’s health, you can find it at: https://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners/content/cleaners_and_health/

So here are some natural, inexpensive, and #nontoxic cleaners you can make at home:

Multipurpose Cleaner:

· 1 part water

1 part white vinegar

· Essential Oils of your choice- you can use as many drops as you want, making it as weak or strong smelling as you would like (if you don’t have essential oils on hand, you can use lemon rind as well)

Mix everything together in a spray bottle and get cleaning (if you use lemon rind, you may not begin to smell a strong lemon scent for a few days as it saturates in the vinegar/ water solution)

I use this concoction to clean virtually every surface of my house, including my floors! I think a jug of vinegar costs $3 and lemons are $.50, so by making the switch to non-toxic you are not only helping your family to be healthier, you’re saving $$ along the way!

Glass Cleaner:

· 2 cups water

· 1/2 cup white vinegar

· 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol (70% concentration)

· 1 to 2 drops of essential oil

You can skip the essential oil; it’s only used to add a fresh scent. Again, mix everything in a spray bottle and label it

Kitchen Degreaser & Stainless Steel Cleaner:

4 Tablespoons Baking Soda

· 4 Cups of warm water

Mix together to create a paste and apply with a damp cloth. Rinse off and dry with a dry cloth.

You can clean out old bottles of your traditional chemical cleaners and refill them with your natural and #nontoxic ones, saving another plastic bottle from entering the landfill. I hope this helps everyone in jump starting their spring-cleaning and making some positive, healthy changes for your family and your home.

Non-Toxic Spring Cleaning