5 Household Products to Ditch, Like Yesterday
So we recently went on a road trip for a couple of weeks and it was super fun! When we got home Miss 7 showed me the backs of her hands and said they were sore. When I looked they were extremely dry and even cracked in places!! They looked so uncomfortable.
I couldn’t work out why that would happen and then realised we’d been at so many different places and she’s used lots of different things on her skin. She is very partial to using soap pumps and whenever we use a public bathroom uses a LOT of soap. The only thing I could think of was that! Every time she’d washed her hands while we were away she’d used store bought hand soap.
At our house we have ditched all the toxic products we can think of and replaced them with homemade or natural options. I knew it was the best thing for us but I hadn’t seen such an obvious example of the difference it made before. None of the kids have what I would call ‘sensitive’ skin, but it definitely seems now that they obviously aren’t accustomed to chemical products at all. I’m so happy we made this change! I don’t want any of that on their skin!
It can be overwhelming though right? It’s hard to know where to start, so I just wanted to share a few simple switches you can make. Every product you replace with a toxin-free option makes a difference.
Hand wash
Once we got home and were back to using all our usual things, Miss 7’s hands cleared up quickly and they haven’t been dry again. To me, that says enough! I don’t want any of that harshness on her skin. Here’s how we make our own hand wash…
- 4 tablespoons unscented liquid castile soap
- 2 tablespoon Fractionated Coconut Oil
- 10 drops of Essential Oils
- Water
Add all ingredients to a soap dispenser and shake well! I like using Lavender and Tea Tree in mine.
Hand Sanitizer
In general, I think hand sanitizers are overused. My kids play outside and get dirty all the time and I’m cool with that! They’re strengthening their microbiome. I’m not worried about them getting dirty. At the same time, do you know how long a sickness takes to go around a big family? That is fun for no one and I’m going to try and avoid catching things from others if I can. So, I have a homemade little spray bottle of hand sanitizer in my bag in case we need it when we’re out.
- 15 drops of On Guard Essential Oil Blend (the protective blend)
- 1/2tsp Vitamin E oil (or other carrier oil)
- 1 tsp Aloe Vera gel (optional)
- 60mls Witch Hazel or water (I like using witch hazel or sometimes do 50/50)
Add all ingredients to a small spray bottle and spritz on hands when needed! I use it at the shops or if I’ve been around someone who is unwell. I’m also the crazy lady spraying the trolley at the supermarket, ha! Don’t use it on young children though, or if they put their hands in their mouths!
Toilet Spray
Ditch the toilet spray altogether with this little hack! Take your roll of toilet paper and drop a couple of drops of essential oil right into the middle, on the cardboard roll from the inside. Every time you roll it you’ll smell the oil! No more breathing in toxic sprays.
Candles
Candles are so pretty but unfortunately most are made from paraffin, which is not something you want to be breathing in. When burned they give off benzene and toluene which are both toxic and known carcinogens. Not to mention whatever ‘fragrance’ has been used, likely made up of a combination of toxic chemicals that don’t even have to be disclosed on the label. Yikes! I personally love 100% pure beeswax candles but they can be pricey!
A much better option is a diffuser and essential oils. Diffusers give out an ultra-fine mist into the air, releasing the aromatic and therapeutic benefits of essential oils quickly and safely. They don’t get hot so are safe to leave on and won’t burn little hands. Most have a light too, and a timer so they automatically turn themselves off. The thing I like best though is that you can change up the scent so easily, matching it to your mood and needs. I use it when we’re sick, to help us sleep, for an energy boost, to support the mood in the house, and for so many more things! I love my diffusers a lot.
Perfume
“The average fragrance product tested contained 14 secret chemicals not listed on the label. Among them are chemicals associated with hormone disruption and allergic reactions, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety in personal care products.”-EWG and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, May 2010
Our favourite perfumes might smell nice, but the reality is they’re full of harmful toxins that can have serious long term consequences. I find it scary that we can’t avoid fragrance as it’s in SO many things. But, I do my best to eliminate it from our home and cut down our exposure at least. At the same time, I like to smell nice! My solution is making my own pure-fume. I use pure essential oils from a brand I trust, that contain no nasties. No synthetics, fillers, or anything other than the pure plant extract.
What I LOVE about making my own is that I have an incredible number of options and I can tailor it to my mood that day. Am I feeling anxious? Tired? Stressed? Playful? Energetic? Sleepy? Whatever the answer is there’s an oil to suit my mood or support it. All I do is put a little fractionated coconut oil in my palm, add a drop each of a couple of oils, and rub it on. Easy peasy and if I do say so myself I smell amazing, ha! Therapeutic and emotional benefits, plus delicious smells, it’s a win-win.
Making some of these switches and ditching the toxin filled products was such a relief to me. I don’t want to be worrying about what my children are putting on their skin, or breathing in every day in our own home. Adding essential oils to our lives has also been so empowering and meant that instead of just getting rid of things, we’ve been able to replace them with way better options. I absolutely love them and recommend them to everyone.
If you’re wanting to know more about what oils can do for you, or how to get started then please just ask! I’d love to help you. You can also read my other posts about them and how we use them every day HERE! You’ll find more info about how we use them daily, and all my toxin free cleaning recipes.
If you’d like to jump right in and make positive changes and get your hands on these amazing oils just click HERE and we’ll get you sorted!
I hope that was helpful! How are you reducing toxins in your home? My next mission is to get some more indoor plants!
Comments
Hi! =) I am just starting out, detoxifying my home, learning about alternatives and educating my 11 year old alongside, so your post is super timely! Yay! =)
I have a query tho’, with the increased popularity of coconut oil, from the coconut palm, do you think there could be the danger of further deforestation for growing coconut palms in the same way devastating way that it has happened with the Palm Tree?
Many thanks for all your help! Mo =)
Good suggestions! P.S. I LOVE your blog overall! A huge breath of fresh air in an atmosphere of parenting selfishly, hypocritically and tyrannically! I wish more people like you were writing in mainstream parenting magazines, websites and blogs! Are there any magazines and websites that do share your views for me to read?
https://aladyofreason.wordpress.com/2018/08/06/when-did-sub-par-parenting-become-the-norm/
Uh, why is it that you only include images of little girls in your website…? I am yet to find a thumbnail of a boy…