Eco-Friendly Cleaning Made Easy
Micaela Preston is a natural living educator + activist. She’s also the founder of Mindful Momma, a blog that offers natural, non-toxic products, healthy recipes, DIY ideas + well-researched facts about the hazards associated with many household staples.
Micaela regularly speaks at conferences, lobbies for safer chemical laws + consults with brands + businesses. Her book, Practically Green: Your Guide to EcoFriendly Decision Making was published in 2009.
Just starting out on your green cleaning journey?
Here are Micaela’s Dos + Don’ts:
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– DON’T immediately throw everything out + start over. Doing so is stressful + unaffordable.
– DO start with the three most dangerous cleaning products + swap them out for safer options (see below).
– DO replace products as they run out with something greener + safer.
– DO ask yourself, “Can I make this myself?” or “Can I purchase a greener product?”
“It’s a common misconception that the government very carefully regulates everything that’s out there. They really aren’t.”
Toxic Product #1: Oven Cleaner
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THE PROBLEM: Oven cleaners often include lye, a chemical that can blind, burn skin + cause death if ingested.
THE SOLUTION: Mix together baking soda, salt + vinegar. Let soak in the oven for a few hours, then get scrubbing.
Toxic Product #2: Toilet Bowl Cleaner
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THE PROBLEM: Toilet bowl cleaners contain hydrochloric acid + chlorine bleach, both of which are harmful to lungs when inhaled + absorbed through the skin.
THE SOLUTION: Purchase a green, eco-friendly toilet cleaner, or make Micaela’s DIY fizzy toilet bombs.
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Toxic Product #3: Drain Cleaner
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THE PROBLEM: Commercial drain cleaner is simply unnecessary.
THE SOLUTION: Make a vinegar + baking soda solution to naturally dissolve clogs by pouring baking soda in the sink then drizzling vinegar on top. Follow this up with very hot water.
For bigger clogs, purchase a drain snake (or use a metal clothes hanger!).
Toxic Product #4: Dryer Sheets
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THE PROBLEM: Dryer sheets are single-use items that are both disposable + unnecessary.
THE SOLUTION: In the washing machine, add a scoop of kosher salt with an essential oil of your choice (Micaela uses lavender). While the salt helps soften clothes, the essential oil adds a slight scent.
Next, dry your clothes with a reusable wool dryer ball. Add a drop of essential oil to each ball.
Toxic Product #5: Air Freshener
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THE PROBLEM: Air freshener is an unnecessary product that masks odors by placing artificial chemicals into the air.
THE SOLUTION: Make your own spray by combining water + an essential oil of your choice.
Notable quotes from the episode:
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“The products we use in our lives everyday on our bodies + in our homes are not really all that regulated.”
“The cleaning products that we’re using every day have a lot of chemicals in them that haven’t been tested.”
“If you look under my sinks + in the cupboards you wouldn’t see most of the conventional brands that most people use or that you see in advertisements.”
“It’s crazy that we’ve been trained to think that we need a house that smells artificial for it to be clean.”
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