Start your journey to a toxin free home – Part 1

Assess

Once you have all the items gathered up and in one place, you can now start to assess. Conventional cleaning products contaminate the air and surfaces with a mix of carcinogens, hormone disrupters, neurotoxic solvents, mood altering chemicals and reproductive toxins. Ahk! Read all the labels and determine if an item, is in fact, toxin free. Look for the big 3 – parabens, triclosan and phthalates. Don’t believe the front of the bottles, you must turn them around and read the ingredients. If the ingredients are not listed, it is an immediate “no”. Start sorting and making groups of items – keep, purge, maybe and duplicates.

Pro-tip: The goal is to have one bin or bucket that has all the essential items needed to clean and stored in a garage or mudroom. This bin can easily be moved to rooms when they need cleaning. There really is no need to have multiples living in all rooms.

Purge

This may be hard for some of you out there. After all, we are taught not to waste and that we “paid good money” for those products. Resist all temptations. Now is the time and it will be worth it. You and your family are worth living in a toxin-free home. A home where you can breathe deeply and be sure that your air and surfaces aren’t filled with chemicals and toxic scents. Remember, all toxic items must be disposed of properly. Most communities have local recycle events where you can drop these items off and ensure that they are safely disposed of and recycled. For all sponges, toilet brushes and the like – be ruthless. These types of items are feeding grounds for bacteria – they should be replaced often and stored in your “cleaning bin” to be brought out only when cleaning. Using cloth or rags is a great option – once used, you can wash in hot water and reused indefinitely.

Purchase

I use Branch Basics and Force of Nature as my go-to household products. Both are fabulous and easy to make and use. You can be assured they are both pure, affective in cleaning and reduce your overall costs of cleaning agents.

Branch basics is based on a concentrate. There is one bottle of concentrate that can be added (in different amounts) to make all the different products needed to purify your home. The “starter kit” includes bottles that have easy-to-read fill lines that show you exactly how much water to mix with the amazing concentrate. All you do is fill the bottle with water to the line, add the concentrate to the next line on the bottle and voila – bathroom cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner and laundry detergent. All using the same concentrate that has no fragrance and no toxins – just pure awesomeness to clean your home. I absolutely love their oxygen boost powder – which is a stand-alone product – for a stain lifting, laundry boost. I am notorious for getting my sneakers filthy in the garden, I just throw them in the washer with a scoop of Oxygen Boost and my sneaks are pearly white or the brightest pink. Use my code: Elena for 15% off any starter kit.

Force of Nature is a completely unique product and is turning the cleaning paradigm on its head. This totally revolutionary machine (electorlyzer) converts salt, water and vinegar into a cleaning and disinfecting powerhouse. This EPA registered device gives you peace of mind when looking for virus killing power without the ick. Bonus – this cleansing powerhouse liquid is safe on sealed stone, glass, stainless steel, wood, laminate, porcelain, composite, grout, tile, plastic and rubber – not sure I have any other materials in my house that need cleaning – do you? Force of Nature was kind enough to offer 30% off to all of you in my amazing community. Use this link to sign up.

Another “purchase” opportunity it to choose glass and try to avoid plastic when possible. Who wants a plastic hand soap dispenser at ever sink? Not me! Buy some gorgeous glass dispensers that go with your décor and ditch the plastic bottles with obnoxious labels. Refill as needed and, if you like, change your scent by added a few drops of essential oils. One of my favorite brands is Young Living because of their commitment to quality and purity. For a cleansing benefits try – Lemon, lime, orange and, of course, lavender is always a fan favorite! Feel free to become a member and save on each purchase!

Maintain

Be fierce about this one. If you receive a hostess gift of scented soaps, kindly say thank you and then add it to the donate bin. If you see a sale on window cleaner, walk on by. Get a gift-with-purchase of some smelly detergent – ditch it. The temptations are real and if you don’t stay mindful, toxins can creep back in before you know it.

Pro-tip: Set a reminder in your phone for every couple of months to take ten minutes and check the house for “creepers”.

Wherever you are in your toxin free lifestyle journey, this can be just a reminder to experts or a first step to ensure your home is your sanctuary. I will be working on Part 2, which dives deeper into ensuring high quality air, elimination of mold, mitigating EMF’s and my favorite toxin free furniture and mattresses. Stay tuned!

In good health,

Lena