Barre with Justine

I am the type of person who loves to clean – I love the satisfaction of shiny taps, freshly washed floors, and clean sheets. The only glitch in my clean home dream is the reality that I have 3 children, a full time job (and part-time fitness!), which doesn’t lend itself to an HGTV house. I have needed to find a balance between having a comfortable home for the kids to play and the desire to keep things perfectly clean.

I’m also committed to avoiding chemicals to clean whenever possible (i know, technically water is a chemical but you know what I mean!). When we were going through IVF treatments, the Doctors recommended avoiding bleach. I was already using mostly natural products to clean so it was easy to follow, but it was the first time I’d heard a medical authority make that recommendation.

Increasingly, research is connecting the chemicals in cleaning products with health problems. In 2023, a research study found that common cleaning products emit hundreds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can negatively affect our health. VOCs can cause headaches, nausea, difficulty breathing, and even affect the nervous and reproductive systems. In this study, even “green” cleaners emitted some VOCs, although much less than the traditional cleaners.

What can we do?

We often feel that to clean, we need strong chemicals to disinfectant and that our house needs to smell like a cleaner.

In reality, we can use inexpensive ingredients to create effective cleaning products to use at home! One of my favourite cleaners is a mix of distilled water (leaves less streaks), rubbing alcohol, and a touch of dish soap (I love Seventh Generation). You can also add some quality essential oils for their antimicrobial properties and their lovely scents.

Soap and water does the bulk of the work in terms of cleaning. According to the Centre for Disease Control (American), cleaning surfaces with soapy water is enough to eliminate germs.

Some other simple solutions:

• Vinegar instead of fabric softener
• Wool dryer balls instead of softener sheets
• Microfiber cloths for cleaning
• Coconut oil and a soft cloth to polish wood furniture
• Baking soda for scrubbing sinks and bathtubs
• Vinegar to shine stainless steel

Even with all natural cleaners, it’s helpful to open the windows while you are cleaning. It will freshen the air naturally and keep your house ventilated as you clean.

Recipe Idea:

These ingredients can easily be found and are very inexpensive. I would recommend mixing these up on an as needed basis, since they can lose potency over time. Another side benefit is that you can choose the essential oils based on your mood and the room you are cleaning.

My favourite oil combination right now is geranium and palmarosa – they are beautiful florals that are also antimicrobials that can help fight germs. Geranium is also a very uplifting oil, which is a nice side benefit of cleaning with essential oils!

Do you make your own cleaning products? Or do you have a favourite “green cleaner”?