Since having kids, I’ve been a lot more aware of what’s in the foods we eat, as well as the products we use around the home and on our bodies. Obviously, we want everything around us, including ourselves, to be as clean as possible, but I really worry about the ingredients used in toiletries, cleaning products and other stuff that we’re exposed to on a daily basis. Recently, I’ve been trying to replace some of these things with more natural products, and I thought I’d share with you a few of them:
Aftersun/Moisturiser
Having as many different skin conditions as I do (psoriasis, dermatitis AND eczema) means that I have to be really careful about what I put on my skin and although the girls (thankfully) don’t have the same issues, they do both have sensitive skin. Many moisturisers are too heavily scented and full of preservatives for me, so I tend to opt for natural products containing Aloe Vera, like AloeClear. It’s soothing and moisturising and never irritates my skin like other products do.
Facial Cleanser
This one might sound bonkers, but I recently started using a facial oil to cleanse my face and realised that it’s basically just sunflower oil, scented with a few things! Once I’ve run out, I fully intend to start using grapeseed oil to cleanse my face as it’s great for your skin and a really neutral oil, with minimal odour. Adding a few drops of geranium oil will make it smell amazing, too!
Disinfectant
There are a number of all-natural disinfectants out there, but to be totally honest, you can’t beat white vinegar and bicarb for cleaning things around the home. They tend to do a better job of cleaning, don’t leave streaks over everything and I don’t have to worry about what the kids are breathing in.
Carpet Deodoriser
Because we have a dog, I’m always super conscious about the smell of our carpet, but all of the highly-scented carpet powders seem to make us feel chesty when we use them. Opting for bicarbonate of soda works just as well, if not better, at soaking up odours and it’s a fraction of the cost, as well as being totally natural. You can also add a few drops of essential oil if you want to make it smell nice, and it also makes your vacuum smell good when you use it, too!
Oven Cleaner
I’m not gonna lie, chemical oven cleaner SCARES ME. I used it once and splashed some on my arm and got an actual chemical burn – I am FAR too clumsy for hazardous materials! These days, I make a paste from bicarbonate of soda and apple cider vinegar and smear it all over the surfaces that need cleaning, leave it for a couple of hours and then wipe off with a scourer and warm water. Great cleaning power and no chance of losing layers of skin!
Do you use any natural alternatives? I’d love to hear them.
Good to hear that Jayne. I use natural DIY cleaners, fresheners, and disinfectants that I make using natural ingredients such as essential oils, vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide etc.
I’m a DIY lover and make my own cleaning products at home, earlier I used those caustic cleaning products, but after realizing their hazardous health effect I dumped them and move ahead with natural substitutes.
I also encourage my friends, relatives, and neighbors of the same.
A of people over the years have been injured accidentally mixing cleaners together while cleaning the house (I’m looking at you ammonia and bleach). Good post, I’m always looking for natural remedies to do a variety of tasks.