NATURAL CLEANING PRODUCTS

I am not a huge fan of changing, especially when I have done something literally my while life.  For my entire life I have used Scrubbing Bubbles, Soft Scrub, Lysol or Clorox Bleach Cleaners or Wipes, Windex, Bleach, and Tide or Gain.  About a week ago I shared that my sister and her challenges with her daughter had prompted her to share with me what she was learning about natural and organic cleaning and health care.  Her issues challenged me to dig deeper and take the plunge and change.  I bought some essential oils, organic and natural shampoos, soaps, oral care, and of course the natural cleaners.  My sister has started making some of her own cleaners, but I am not there yet.  I am however, in love with some natural cleaners and had to share what and why.

Last week I went to the grocery store and stood in the cleaning product aisle for five minutes, just staring.  There were three or four natural cleaners that looked good.  So I read the labels, looked at them all, and then decided the only way I knew how to.  Nope, I didn’t do a ton of research online, I leapt in blindly and I opened the bottles and smelled them.  Yep, there are two brands that I purchased from Publix that I am really enjoying cleaning with, if you can enjoy cleaning with five kiddos in the house, which I bought based on their smell!  HA!  The two natural cleaning brands that I am using are from Method Household Products and Seventh Generation.  There are certain products that I have tried from both brands that I really like.

 

 

For ick, yuck, and germ control, I love the Seventh Generation Disinfectant Cleaner with the Lemongrass scent.  I know I could probably get away with an all purpose cleaner, but with the nature of Robert’s job and the aforementioned five kiddos, germ control is important to me.  For the first time in, well ever, my kiddos aren’t gagging when I clean their bathroom or the kitchen.  They are even offering to do the deeper cleaning for me since the fumes aren’t so harsh. 

 

 

Since this cleaner is also a great disinfectant, I purchased the disposable wipes as well.  The wipes are very handy when you have a lot of kiddos around.  They clean quick spills and are great touch up cleaners when you have company coming or fighting boys who need to do some housework!

 

For me personally and where I am at in my life, both of these disinfectant cleaners are a MUST BUY!

 

 

 I also purchased the Seventh Generation Fresh Citrus and Ginger dish detergent and the Blue Eucalyptus and Lavender laundry soap.  I like how both of these items smell and for me a clean smell is very important (which is why I did the smell test in the grocery store). 

 

The laundry detergent cuts even the toughest dirt and smell of work clothes and boys (HA!) which is the primary reason that I chose this detergent.  Plus the lavender smell of the detergent is making it so  soothing to do laundry, even the 100 or so loads a day that we do, that laundry is no longer a chore (HA).  It is also natural enough that I can use it for everyone’s clothes including Jacob, who I had been buying different laundry detergent for. 

 

 

 

 

The dish soap has done a great job cleaning all the nasty grease laden dishes that a country cook can create.  We use bacon, sausage, and ground beef a lot, and this cuts through all the bacon and various other meat grease issues.  Plus it smells wonderful as we are cleaning the kitchen and the table.

 

 

 

For me, all of these Seventh Generation cleaners are a MUST BUY!  The products smell great, clean really well, and have no lingering issues that will harm my kiddos or the environment.

 

With the Method cleaners, the Glass and Surface cleaner is a MUST BUY!  Oh my goodness, I can honestly say that I have never had any product clean glass and a mirror as well as this cleaner has.  And oh my goodness let me tell you about the smell.  I LOVE anything with mint in it.  This mint smell is awesome, it makes me smile to clean windows, and with five kiddos there are plenty of smudges and handprints to clean.  (Truthfully I often spray a little onto a wash cloth just to smell it!  Yep, I love it that much!) 

 

 

 

Since our bathroom is slate tile, I decided to try the Daily Granite cleaner.  Our bathroom can be hard to clean, and truthfully the commercial cleaners have done more harm than good in cleaning our shower. So far this cleaner has done a decent job in cleaning the natural slate and cut through some of the soap scum. I am not labeling it a must buy because I really don’t love the smell, to me it's just okay, but it is a good product for now.

 



 

All in all, I have been impressed with the cleaning that these natural products have done in our home.  As I continue to venture down this path, I might branch out and try some newer items.  For now, I am content with these products and their results.  My husband and kiddos haven’t complained, quite the opposite actually.  Robert mentioned the other night that it was nice to have the bathroom clean without a harsh bleach smell.  For me that is all the endorsement or conformation that I need.

 

 

 

 

** Just to clarify, I am not getting compensated by these companies in any way (honestly, they probably don’t even know who I am!  HA!).  I am just sharing what we are learning, changing, like and don’t like!  THANKS!**