Many of you comment about not wanting to use toxic cleaning products in your home. And for obvious reasons; they smell, are dangerous to have around the house, and the DIY alternatives are safer and in most cases, just as effective.
Here are 5 of the very worst offenders for toxic cleaners and how to make homemade versions for a more enjoyable cleaning experience!
Drain Cleaner
Commercial drain cleaners are among the most dangerous of all cleaning products. Most contain corrosive ingredients such as sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) that can permanently burn eyes and skin. Many can be fatal if ingested.
Here’s a DIY Drain Cleaner:
1 Cup Salt
1 Cup Baking Soda
1/4 Cup cream of tartar
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Then using 1/4 cup of the mixture at a time, pour it down the drain, followed by 2 cups of boiling water. Wait at least one minute before repeating.
The boiling water changes the chemical composition of the ingredients and makes it strong enough to eat through grease and grime. This method may take few tries, but it often does the trick!
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
The corrosive ingredients in toilet bowl cleaners are severe eye, skin and respiratory irritants. Some toilet bowl cleaners contain sulfates, which may trigger asthma attacks in those with asthma and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) which can irritate lungs and burn eyes and skin.
Here’s a DIY Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup dish soap
1/4 hydrogen peroxide
15 drops tea tree oil
Mix all the ingredients together in a squeeze bottle. Then apply to the toilet. Let it sit for a few minutes then clean with a brush. This can also be used in the tub and shower.
Oven Cleaner
One of the primary ingredients in oven cleaner is Sodium Hydroxide, more commonly known as Lye. If you remember that scene from Fight Club, then you know what this stuff can do to human skin. Hint – nothing good!
Here’s a DIY Oven Cleaner:
1 cup baking soda
4 tablespoons dish soap
1/2 cup vinegar
15 drops (sweet) orange essential oil – GREAT DEGREASER
Make a heavy paste, leave for several hours or overnight, then wipe up with clean water.
Degreaser
Much like oven cleaner, degreasers contain a variety of potentially harmful chemicals which when inhaled can have serious side effects.
Here’s a DIY Degreaser:
1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup dish soap
20 drops sweet orange EO
Mix up the ingredients in a bowl then apply to the greasy area. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes then wipe away with a clean cloth and water.
Bleach
Bleach is a highly toxic and dangerous chemical. Bleach causes respiratory problems and the fumes should never be inhaled. Bleach can also burn the skin.
Here’s a DIY Bleach:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup 3% hydrogen peroxide
3/4 cup washing soda
water
Mix all ingredients together. If treating clothing, soak stained garments overnight. Launder as usual. Or use where you would normally use bleach.
FIND MORE DIY RECIPES IN MY BOOK!
http://amzn.to/2ovSRZw
What is your favorite DIY recipe? Tell us in the comments below.
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Hi! How long will the toilet cleaner last once you have mixed it?
sodium hydroxide is in many skin care products and acts as a ph adjuster. Something to think about and look for if you’d like to avoid using this ingredient
Do to health reasons I can’t use bleach. When I wash anything that I feel needs disinfecting, I use peroxide in my my bleach compartment and vinegar in the softener compartment and hot water. My doctor told to do this to disenfect my clothes and my counters. Melissa’s would work as a stain remover and disinfectant.
Do you have a diy for Fabuloso? the cleaning service I use often uses it and I want to replace
We would recommend replacing with our DIY All Purpose Cleaner and adding in some Lavendar EO, if that is the scent you prefer.
Hi Melissa and Chad. I was wondering if I could replace the dish washing liquid with something more eco friendly? I hear standard dish washing liquids have petroleum-derived surfactants in them and I am looking to avoid these. Thanks, Ellie.
I really enjoy your videos and your website. Thanks for the permission to toss a lot of stuff. My favorite DIY cleaner is baking soda and lemon juice. Makes my stainless steel sink shine like it’s new (it’s 35 yrs old), works great on taking off burned on stuff on pots as well as stovetop spills. Also use it to clean bathroom sinks and bath tubs. Lemon juice is a disinfectant as well. Sprinkle on baking soda (I use a sugar shaker from dollar store) and then squirt on concentrated lemon juice (You can dilute the lemon juice if you want), let it foam and sit for about 10 minutes then wipe it off.
Melissa I love your videos I have try all your natural cleaning product and I love it. My house smells good and my laundry is clean keep up the good work continue making more videos.
Thank you ????
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Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
Just pointing out a typo but your toilet bowl cleaner recipe leaves out the measurement of hydrogen peroxide (1/4 of what?). Thanks
1/4 cup.
I LOVE these recipes and have started using them in my home regularly! Regarding previous negative comments about the bleach alternative solution, maybe their problem is that the ingredients you listed don’t literally create your own bleach but of course they don’t, the point is that bleach is very strong, can be toxic and cause allergic reactions. I am personally very, very sensitive to the smell plus it gives me a horrible rash if it touches my skin, so I can’t tolerate using it in my home. I love having my own disinfectant that is similar to bleach in its effectiveness without toxic side effects. Thanks for all your videos, they are awesome! I love it when your cats appear, they are adorable. 🙂
I love it ! Thank you for sharing !
Sorry your bleach recipe is stupid.
How do you clean dirty underwear, for example, w/o bleach? One little cup of peroxide isn’t going to kill germs no matter what.
Why are you making us live with germs while the rest of the world laughs at us. Get real
Haven’t used bleach on clothes for years. Use white vinegar in the bleach and softener dispensers on my washing machine. Vinegar is a disinfectant and deodorizer.
Would you please express yourself in a respectful manner. Your entire message is disrespectful.
OK until you got to your bleach. Why are you mixing lemon juice and washing soda? It’s not as if the action of hyrogen peroxide is so pH-dependent that you’d have to buffer it, especially so strongly as with that much lemon juice and soda. I’m guessing you confused bleaching with fizz-dependent recipes like drain cleaner.