Allergy Friendly Cleaners

Who really wants to spray toxic chemicals in their homes and have their children breath it in?  I'm sure if you asked the question, most people would say they had no desire to pollute their environment or cause allergy problems in others.  Yet when you go to any local market there are isles upon isles of toxic chemicals to clean everything from toilets to the dishes you eat off of.  If there wasn't a demand for them they certainly wouldn't be filling up the grocery isles.

Not only are these chemicals horrible for the environment they wreck havoc on our bodies.  Many of them are carcinogenic, yet we regularly use them and breath them in.  If you have children or family members with asthma and allergies you know that these chemicals only seem to increase their breathing difficulties.  

So what should you use? I always have friends and relatives ask, "well what do you use then ?"~ as if you need an arsenal of cleaning supplies for each area of your home.  My answer is simple.  I use vinegar!  I have a spray bottle of vinegar that I mix with water and lavender essential oil.  I use it to clean every area of my home.  Vinegar and baking soda to scrub the tub or soap scum in the sinks.  Vinegar along with 7th Generation Free and  Clear detergent for really soiled clothes in the wash.  Vinegar is my answer. If I run out of 7th Generation dish washing tabs I throw in vinegar, baking soda and lavender. If the carpet stinks I spray it with....you guessed it...vinegar.  If I had been in  My Big Fat Greek Wedding, I would have sprayed vinegar on everything, not the toxic blue stuff.

Now if there has been a really bad sickness in the house and I need to deep clean I have a different spray bottle with vodka, water and a little bit of lavender.  It's alcohol,  it kills everything, all germs and bacteria and it works really well. However, just so you know vinegar still kills the germs and bacteria all by it's self.  The lavender essential oil isn't just for the pretty scent, but it's also good and combating those nasty germs. Vinegar is perfect and you don't want to use alcohol all the time, or most of the time, because some of those bacteria are good and we want them around.

Having kids and a hubby that have had asthma and allergy symptoms,  I've seen that cleaning this way is very helpful.  The spray actually helps them breath better, which is another of lavender and vinegar's medicinal properties.

I encourage you ditch the chemicals and buy vinegar!  You'll save a lot of money on cleaning supplies and you'll boost the health of your allergy ridden family.  To find out more uses of vinegar check this out.