7 Homemade Non Toxic Cleaning Recipes
The Truth About “Clean” – Why Your Cleaning Products Are Dirtier Than Your House
Oh honey, let me spill the tea on the cleaning aisle – it’s basically a chemical sh*t show disguised as helpful products, and we need to talk about it.
The Vinegar Myth Everyone’s Buying Into
Look, I get it. Pinterest told you vinegar is the holy grail of natural cleaning, and sure, it’s better than dousing your house in toxic chemicals. But can we be real for a second? Your house smells like you’re running a pickle factory, and heaven forbid you use it on your nice marble countertops because it’ll eat right through that seal faster than your teenager demolishes a bag of chips.
Vinegar works, but at what cost to your nose? There’s got to be a better way to clean without turning your home into a salad bar.
What’s Really Lurking in Your Cleaning Cabinet
First off, those regular cleaners? They’re loaded with stuff you can’t even pronounce. We’re talking ammonia, bleach, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances that are basically hormone disruptors in a pretty bottle. Your kids are crawling around on floors you just “cleaned” with neurotoxins. Make it make sense.
And don’t even get me started on the fake “green” cleaners – this is where I get really fired up. These companies slap a leaf on their label, throw around words like “natural” and “eco-friendly,” and call it a day. But here’s the kicker – there’s literally no regulation on those terms. They can put “natural” on a bottle full of synthetic chemicals and nobody’s stopping them.
I’ve seen “green” cleaners with ingredients like 2-butoxyethanol (sounds natural, right?) and sodium lauryl sulfate that still irritate your skin and lungs. They’re just better at marketing than the obvious bad guys. It’s like putting lipstick on a pig and calling it organic.
What These Chemicals Are Actually Doing to Your Family
Here’s what really gets me fired up – these toxic cleaners aren’t just making your house “clean,” they’re actively harming your family. We’re talking about:
For your kids: Their little bodies are still developing, so they absorb these chemicals way faster than we do. We’re seeing increases in asthma, allergies, and behavioral issues that researchers are linking to household chemical exposure. Your toddler who puts everything in their mouth? They’re getting a daily dose of endocrine disruptors that can mess with their hormones and development.
For your pets: Dogs and cats are literally walking around on surfaces you just sprayed with chemicals, then licking their paws. They’re getting concentrated doses of toxins that can cause everything from skin irritation to liver damage. Ever notice your pet acting weird after you clean? That’s not a coincidence.
For you: Constant exposure to these chemicals can trigger headaches, respiratory issues, and skin problems. Long-term? We’re talking potential links to cancer, reproductive issues, and neurological problems. You’re trying to create a healthy home while slowly poisoning everyone in it.
The worst part? These companies KNOW we want safer products for our families, so they prey on that mom guilt. They make us think we’re doing better when we’re really just paying more for slightly-less-terrible chemicals with better branding.
There’s Actually a Better Way
Enter Thieves cleaner – and no, I’m not selling it to you at a wine night party, I promise. This stuff is like vinegar’s cool older sister who went to college and came back with her life together. It’s got all those essential oils (clove, lemon, cinnamon – basically Christmas in a bottle), it actually smells amazing, and it works on pretty much everything without turning your house into a pickle factory.
And here’s the kicker – that little 12oz bottle? One capful makes an entire large spray bottle. So you’re not constantly running to the store or mixing up new batches every week. It’s concentrated magic, basically.
7 DIY Cleaning Recipes That Actually Work (And Smell Amazing)
If you’re ready to ditch the toxic stuff but still want that satisfying clean, here are seven recipes using Thieves cleaner that’ll have your house sparkling:
Orange Cleaner
Add a few drops of orange essential oil to your diluted Thieves cleaner for an extra citrus boost. Mix 1 capful of Thieves cleaner with water in a spray bottle, then add 3-4 drops of orange essential oil for a fantastic-smelling homemade cleaning solution.
Floor Cleaner
Mix 1 capful of Thieves cleaner and a tablespoon of homemade dish soap into 2 gallons of hot water. Mop your floors with this mix to keep them clean and shining without any harsh residue.
Easy Glass Cleaner
Mix 1 capful of Thieves cleaner with 1 tablespoon vinegar and 15 drops Lemon essential oil into a spray bottle and fill with water for streak-free, healthy homemade glass cleaner that leaves everything sparkling.
Tub & Tile Cleaner
Mix 2/3 cup baking soda + 1 capful of Thieves cleaner and ½ cup Castile soap plus ½ cup water to make a powerful tub and tile cleaner that cuts through soap scum like a dream.
Drain Cleaner
Don’t pour harsh chemicals into your sink. Instead, pour in about ½ cup of baking soda, then follow with 1 capful of Thieves cleaner mixed with 1 cup of warm water. Let it sit for about half an hour, then pour very hot water (we’re talking boiling here) to blow out the clog.
Carpet Cleaner
1 capful of Thieves cleaner mixed with ½ cup of water can be sprayed onto carpet stains. Let it sit for a few minutes and then scrub it out with a brush. The pleasant scent means no need for extra rinsing.
Shower Spray
2 cups water, 1 capful of Thieves cleaner, and about 5-6 drops of Purification or Lavender essential oils for an extra aromatherapy boost while you clean.
For more tips check out my video…
The Easy Button for Busy Moms
Look, I love a good DIY project, but sometimes you just need the easy button. If mixing up cleaning recipes sounds about as appealing as folding fitted sheets, check out the Thieves Make a Shift Happy Home Cleaning Kit. It’s basically everything you need to ditch the toxic stuff without having to become a chemistry major or Pinterest perfectionist.
Because at the end of the day, we just want our homes clean and our families safe – and we shouldn’t have to choose between the two.
Your house can smell like a spa instead of a salad, and your kids can play on floors that are actually clean instead of just chemically masked. Trust me, once you make the switch, you’ll wonder why you ever put up with the pickle factory smell in the first place.
What is your favorite non toxic cleaning recipe?
Tell us about it in the comments!
Pin it here!
I use vinegar for fleas. (I live in Africa)
Vinegar, water, and a nice smelly essential oil. Spray it on my dogs, sometimes twice a day. Works like a charm. Also,a bowl of vinegar left out around the house, chases away mosquitoes, ants and flies.
The flea remedy is so good, that on large game farms, they trick the game into areas where they have set up overhead sprays, against fleas and ticks.
I put citrus peels in a gallon jug of white vinegar to use as a rinse in my laundry. Cleans the soap residue out of the clothes adds light scent and with the dryer balls I don’t have static. I don’t use dryer sheets.
I use vinegar for pretty much every household cleaning job. It has so many more uses as well. It’s the wonder liquid!
I mix vinegar with olive oil and use it to clean my wood cupboards. It cleans beautifully, leaves a nice polish, and makes the whole kitchen smell like salad dressing!