How 'clean' is your cleaner?

Most of us just worry about how clean our cleaner will make our bathrooms, benches, dishes etc….however, what we should be wondering about more is how ‘clean’ is the actual cleaner?

When I ask mums especially to think about what they washed their dishes or their chopping boards in today - I can see them have an 'aha' moment - Why?  Because when I explain that is what they will be ingesting later with their food "I never thought of that"  is what most say back to me with a concerned look on their face. 

One thing to point out - the cleaning product manufacturers DO NOT have to list all the ingredients on the backs of your products - so even if you think you know - you may never know the whole story! They just don’t have to disclose!  On top of that 'greenwashing' is very real these days - so be on alert if you see a product for sale in a store that says 'Natural' or 'Green' 'Eco-friendly' 'Non-toxic' etc on the front.  Whilst we would love to believe that is more than marketing, you still need to turn over the product and read the ingredients - still then you'll never know unless you do some searching on the internet for a full disclosure ingredient list. 

👉 A really important reason to find a company that is transparent and lists EVERYTHING!

I have a question for you - Are you a scientist?  Many of us would answer no, however, we are already working with chemicals in our own homes - and mixing them together!

We had a family friend who ended up in hospital with a nose bleed that lasted almost 2 weeks before anything would stop it.  It started because he was cleaning his shower with bleach and a shower cleaner.  The two chemicals mixed together and formed an invisible gas that burned the inside of this nose horrendously.  

How can this happen when both products are for sale in shops?  Because there was very very very fine print on the shower cleaner that said 'Do not use in conjunction with bleach'.  He didn't see it without his reading glasses, and as many people say to me, you just don't read every single line of text when purchasing cleaning products. 

Even mixing seemingly 'natural' products with bleach can be dangerous.  

"Bleach and Vinegar: The key thing to know here is that vinegar is an acid and its potential for toxicity should not be underestimated. It has a low pH, usually under three. When vinegar is mixed with bleach, a toxic chlorine gas is produced. “This gas was used as a chemical weapon in World War I, causing damage to soldiers’ eyes, nose, and lungs with prolonged exposure,” says Lu. This is not a mixture you want in your home. " Business Insider 2020

For more information on the dangers of mixing cleaners CLICK HERE. 

The two examples I gave above are enough to warrant switching to a plant-based cleaner.  Here are another 5!

As well as the reasons I mentioned above - Have you read the label on the back of a cleaner? Often they will say Warning! Flammable! Do not ingest! Keep out of reach of children!  Many chemicals used in household cleaners have not been tested for safety. Household cleaning supplies are one of the top five substance classes accounting for calls to Poisons Information Centres.  Plus, there are thousands of chemicals that are in cleaning products that have never been tested for safety.  So many of your family members, children, babies, and even your furry family are incredibly vulnerable to chemical exposure, one because they are crawling or walking around touching things constantly, and two because they are smaller and cannot get rid of toxins as easily as adults.   It is so important to get rid of these harsh chemicals for a cleaner plant-based option. 

Did you know that indoor air is 5–7 times more polluted than outdoor air? 72% of your bodies toxic load comes from your own home.  On top of that, we spend around 90% of our time indoors.  

Most cleaning products contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - (source: Australian State of Environment -  soe.environment.gov.au), which have been associated with many health problems.  These VOCs are released when you use your products and they then linger in the air long afterwards. When we breathe, we inhale air—as well as whatever is in the air.  Do you have anyone with breathing issues, asthma, frequent colds, flu or allergies in your home?  Definitely a reason to ditch the harsh chemicals for a cleaner plant-based option. 

Harsh chemicals found in cleaners are not only potentially harmful to our bodies, but they also have a major impact on the environment and are huge contributors to environmental pollution. Some conventional cleaning products contain ingredients that are toxic, non-biodegradable, and from non-renewable resources like petroleum, so they harm our Earth’s ecosystems. They then contaminate the water through rivers and lakes, and ultimately affects wildlife, plants, trees, and of course, us! Definitely a reason to ditch the harsh chemicals for a cleaner plant-based option. 

It’s much easier to clean with a few products that take care of all your cleaning needs, rather than having many potentially toxic products under your sink and in your bathrooms.  I remember years ago walking out of the supermarket with at least 5-6 different cleaners - one for the kitchen, one for the bathroom, one for the toilet, one for the floors - the list goes on.  All of those harmful chemicals over and over and over again in my home.  Now I've switched to one plant-based cleaner that DOES IT ALL!  I can tackle multiple cleaning jobs in my home without switching products as I clean! 

It cleans benchtops, windows, mirrors, floors, toilets, showers, and pretty much everything else. Plus, I don’t have to worry about accidentally mixing dangerous chemicals together.  It is super convenient -  I order it online and it's delivered to my door as often as I want it!  I no longer have to read all the ingredients as I know it is completely clean - The best part?  My budget loves it!  One concentrate that I purchase every few months vs constant purchasing of harsh chemicals monthly. So that brings us to my 5th reason - yes cost!

As I mentioned the cost of buying cleaners is expensive, especially if you have to buy multiple different cleaners.  The one I have found - and have been using for 12 YEARS! is very cost-effective, and it comes in a concentrated form. Using the standard ratio (that honestly is perfect for everything I need to do), I can get multiple bottles of all-purpose cleaner! The BEST part is you dilute it into a spray bottle - so everything is spray and wipe!

🌼 You can take just one capful - 10ml/34oz to make up 500ml/16oz - add it to a glass spray bottle and voila a cleaner that is going to last you a very long time!

🌼 Let’s look at this a different way - I said use 10ml per 500ml spray bottle - if there are 427ml/16oz in the cleaner - that means you are going to get at least 42 bottles worth of cleaner!

🌼 Let’s take that maths one step further - this means you are paying around 94cents AUD/49centsUSD a bottle of cleaner!

🙀 Oh, and if you want to go one step further - the big bottle - 1.8l/64oz - makes it even cheaper at 80cAUD/47cUSD a bottle! Great for those who do commercial cleaning!

It is called THIEVES HOUSEHOLD CLEANER - and yes I've been using it for over 12 years now.  I've never found anything better, safer, and kinder to the plant. Ever. 

If you have a friend already sharing Young Living, go ahead and ask them to help you order. 

Otherwise - CLICK HERE and you can order it via my referral code (1127382). What does this mean?  It means that you will also become part of my community where I have all sorts of education and support - and an abundance of recipes for uses for your brand new cleaner - AND I'll also curate you a gorgeous Welcome pack full of goodies as a thank you for joining my Young Living community!

Be safe when cleaning my friends! 

Naomi xo