Crunchy Super Mom Show Ep #022 - Green Clean Your Home With These Simple Tips

If you are the type person who wants to get things really clean but hates the idea of dangerous chemicals polluting your home, you definitely must listen to this episode! We are not ones to leave anything dirty, but we also don’t want to accept cleaners that are going to be harmful to our health or the health of our children.

Before we get started, we are going to go through our “Ask a Super Mom” question.

To have your question answered, you can contact us directly [email protected] or through our community group and use the #askCSM.

Our first questions is: What does your personal transition look like when going from “I have to finish dishes right now” to “Yes, show me your awesome ______!” Especially when you have a million children and they use 20 words per sentence.

To find out how we answer, listen to the full episode. 

Green Clean Your Home

Product #1 Chlorine based bleach or other sanitizers are the perfect places to start your green cleaning because it is so toxic, and also because there is a simple, safe substitute--hydrogen peroxide.  Hydrogen peroxide can be easily put into a dark colored spray bottle and used straight or mixed with some water.  It is useful for stain removal (spot test all fabrics as it can still discolor), and as an antibacterial/sanitizing agent. 

Product #2 Baking soda is a perfectly safe option to use instead of any abrasive or “soft scrub” type cleaners.  It is amazing at getting soap scum off of a shower or tub, and will also shine your kitchen sink!  It is also the perfect way to clean those baked on spots off your oven or stove top.  If you need some extra scrubbing power, consider using a scrub brush or sponges.

Product #3 Distilled white vinegar is another natural antibacterial spray.  Use vinegar mixed with water in a spray bottle anywhere you need some disinfecting.  That same spray bottle can also be used to safely clean your windows and mirrors!

Product #4 Real soap, either in liquid or bar form, can be substituted for any type of petrochemical-based or fragranced cleanser.  Real soap is made with oils and butters and has been used safely for thousands and thousands of years! 

Product #5 Natural wool dryer balls in place of dryer sheets, and petrochemical/fragranced detergents and fabric softeners not only contribute to indoor pollution but also outdoor pollution both in our waterways and also our air! Any type of fragrance, which can be in everything from air fresheners to detergents and dryer sheets, can contain dangerous chemicals like phthalates and emit many VOCs. Replacing the toxic dryer sheets is a simple switch with all natural wool dryer balls.

Product #6 Steam Mop. You can absolutely clean and sanitize the floors without using chemicals. I wanted an easy way to clean the bathrooms and floors without using dangerous chemicals so I have been using a steamer. I realize that some say you should not use a steamer on wood floors, but honestly, I have not found that to be true except for laminate flooring. Instead, I have found that it keeps my wood floors so much cleaner than the toxic chemicals I used before that caused a ton of gunky build up on my floors. 

Get all of our cleaning recommendations &  examples of what we use here.

Product #7 Microfiber cloths. Dusting can be completed using either damp rags or microfiber products to clean instead of dangerous chemicals.  Dust holds onto all of the toxins inside a home so it is important to clean it out!  Microfiber traps the dust, dirt, and grime and holds on to it with an electrostatic charge.  It is also a budget-friendly alternative to using paper products because they are machine washable and can be reused hundreds of times. 

Product #8 Vacuum. By vacuuming regularly and removing our outside shoes before coming indoors, I was able to cut down on more dust and toxins in our home.  The EPA conducted a study which showed a significant reduction of lead dust and other contaminants indoors when a doormat was added at the entrance and outdoor shoes were not worn inside.

Tip #9 Air ventilation. During times when the weather is ideal, we open our windows and doors to air out our home.  We have to be very careful though since we live in an area with high humidity and mold problems. When the humidity levels are too high, moisture inside the home increases and this actually contributes to poor air quality.  Utilizing bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans while showering or cooking was something that I sadly just did not think of!  This was a virtually free/simple change that allowed me to reduce the moisture in our bathrooms and vent my kitchen.

Tip #10 Clean vents and windows. Ensure that they are cleaned regularly and also that they do vent to the outdoors instead of just recycling the air into your home.

Other shows on this topic: 

8 Tips to Get Kids to Declutter

NY Cleaning Podcast