Homemade cleaning products are particularly suitable for child-friendly and non-toxic environments. They are easy to make, inexpensive, environmentally friendly and typically safe for households with kids and pets.
Therefore, if you want to protect your children from harmful cleaning products, making your own homemade cleaning products can offer a practical and cost-effective solution. This article guides you through what you need to know about non-toxic cleaning products and how to make one that is safe for your baby.
Basic Guidelines When Choosing Non-toxic Cleaning Products
Below are some of the things you need to pay attention to when selecting non-toxic cleaning products:
- Identify allergies and health concerns in your family: When selecting a new cleaning product to use at home, you should consider your family members' unique requirements. Is your kid allergic to common soap flavours or additives, such as parabens and sulphates? Is there someone in your family who is immunocompromised and needs to use strong disinfectants? You need to consider these factors when deciding on which cleaning solutions to choose and the ingredients to avoid.
- Know what to steer clear of: Due to people’s increasing awareness of product safety and its impact on their health and environment, certain cleaning solutions that the previous generations used to depend on are not considered safe anymore, particularly for babies and kids. For instance, although chlorine bleaching has generally been the first choice as the best cleaning product back in the days, it is now considered noxious for both adults and babies. Luckily, there are chlorine-free bleach alternatives and easy homemade solutions.
- Odour-free: Some experts recommend selecting the fragrance-free option as much as possible since the ingredients used for fragrances may result in headaches, respiratory irritation, watery eyes and sneezing in people with chemical sensitivities, asthma or allergies.
Baby-friendly and Cost-effective Diy Non-toxic Cleaning Solutions
The following are basic household cleaning products that you can use and make various cleaning purposes.
Castile Soap
Castile soap is made only with plant-based oil, so it is non-toxic and biodegradable. For families with babies and pets, this soap is an excellent cleaning staple. Be sure not to mix it with any vinegar cleaner, as using both simultaneously will leave a white residue that is difficult to remove.
To use castile soap as an all-purpose cleaner, mix it with water and essential oils. Combine two cups of water, a few drops of liquid organic soap, and fifteen drops of tea tree and lavender essential oil, respectively, in a spray bottle. Tea tree oil has antibacterial effects, making it a great ingredient for sanitisation.
Nature’s Glory Blessed Soap collection already contains essential oils. In such cases, you no longer need to add essential oils.
Vinegar and Water
Vinegar’s will leach into the grease and sanitise any types of surface. Use a 1:1 ratio combination to clean your stove, tabletops, countertops and most other surfaces. Keep in mind that you should avoid mixing hydrogen peroxide or chlorine bleach with vinegar as this mixture will produce corrosive acids or toxic gases, both of which are extremely dangerous.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a long-standing non-toxic cleaner, well suited for removing tough surface stains. It is particularly effective as a cleaning agent for your showers, toilets and even microwave ovens. To use baking soda as a cleaner, spray water and vinegar mixture (in a 1:1 ratio) on the affected surface, then remove any dirt, soap scum or build-up with a sponge dipped in baking soda and vinegar.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a type of natural bleach that is more beneficial to the environment than chlorine bleach. If you want a deeper clean for stain and mould removal or disinfect surfaces, then hydrogen peroxide is a good option.
Salt
Rather than using an oven-cleaner that is toxic, use salt instead. To ensure effective cleaning, clean the oven as soon as spills happen. Add some table salt over the spill when it is still hot. Once the oven has cooled, wipe off the spills.
Conclusion
Due to increased consumer awareness and demand, there is an increase in the number of non-toxic cleaning products in the market to provide safe alternatives for your baby and the whole family.