Spring is here… you know what that means! It’s time for Spring cleaning (with the help of a printable Spring cleaning checklist)! You may be tempted to pull out the nasty chemical-ridden cleaning supplies sitting in the back of a cabinet, but it’s time to upgrade to natural cleaning products.
How can traditional cleaning products impact your health? What should you avoid? What natural, non-toxic cleaning products actually work? How do you clean for Spring without the nasty chemicals?
If you’re looking for natural, non-toxic cleaning solutions and a checklist for effective Spring cleaning, this article is for you! Keep reading to learn more.
Note: This article contains affiliate links, meaning In On Around will make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps me maintain the site. As always, I value full transparency & only work with brands I love and trust.
Ingredients Commonly Found In Cleaning Products:
Common household products, like cleaning products, can pose a major health risk… even if they’re approved “safe” by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Cleaning products are full of surfactants, solvents, fragrances, enzymes & more… all of which can impact your health, especially when used in conjunction with other products.
They release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which are gases that can damage the eyes, nose, throat, coordination, liver, kidneys, nervous system & more. It’s absolutely essential that your exposure to VOCs is limited [1]
- Ammonia
- Perchloroethylene (PERC, PCE)
- Sodium Hydroxide (Lye)
- Cresol
- Formaldehyde
- Phenols
- Fragrance/Scents
- Hydrochloric acid
- Antibacterial ingredients, like triclosan
- Chlorine Bleach
- Phthalates
- Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (Quats)
The crazy thing is: cleaning manufacturers are not required to disclose all of the ingredients on their labels. They’re only required to list active disinfectants and ingredients that are “potentially harmful.” What is classified as “harmful” to the cleaning product manufacturers is certainly different than reality.
Cleaning manufacturers are not required to disclose all of the ingredients on their labels.
How Can Cleaning Products Impact Your Health?
Many of these ingredients are known carcinogens, neurotoxins, respiratory irritants & can burn lungs or skin. Some can even form a poisonous gas when mixed together (like ammonia and bleach). [2]
Unfortunately, many of these chemicals or cleaning agents can lead to death if ingested… especially in small amounts for young children and pets. Definitely not a risk you should have in your house! Even if they’re locked away in the cabinet, accidents can happen. Protect your furry friend!
- May trigger asthma attacks, even in healthy individuals.
- Some ingredients can contain impurities, like from 1-4 dioxane, which is known to release low levels of cancer-causing formaldehyde.
- They also have a significant impact on environmental health, since many of these chemicals end up in our oceans or water supply while polluting our air & surfaces.
… there’s a reason there are warning labels on cleaning supplies! When in doubt, opt for baby-safe household cleaning products.
Why Is Regular Cleaning Important?
Indoor air quality is oftentimes 2 – 5 times worse than outdoor air quality. Chemicals, microbes, ventilation, temperature, pets etc… (yes, cleaning products too!) all contribute to air quality hazards.
In fact, the average home in the United States collects over 40 pounds of dust every year – gross! Usually, it’s a combination of pollen, hair, fibers, soil & dead skin cells.
Dust, while usually small particles, can have a big impact on your health. They can irritate your airways, impact lung function, cause asthma attacks or other chronic lung conditions & more. It’s important to keep your home clean of dust, use a high-quality indoor air filter & keep windows open when possible for proper ventilation. Plus, nobody likes a dirty house!
Indoor air quality is oftentimes 2 to 5 times worse than outdoor air quality.
Beware – What Is Greenwashing?
Greenwashing is using unsubstantiated marketing claims saying that a product is eco-friendly or non-toxic. Many companies claim to be “clean” or “safe,” when in reality they are using the same harmful chemicals.
- Terms natural, eco-friendly, green, non-toxic, clean etc… are not regulated, so anyone can use them. Make sure you do your research since many are misleading. Many, many, many “clean” companies are not truly clean.
- In fact, from a study of 335 “green” cleaning products, 98% had at least one misleading claim. [3]
- Ask yourself if the brand is owned by a larger corporation (many are) & they spend millions of dollars towards marketing with one goal in mind: to make you buy the product, regardless if the non-toxic claims are true or not.
Best Practice Tips And Tricks With Natural Cleaning Products:
It’s time to ditch the toxic cleaning problems & switch to safer alternatives. Here are some cleaning best practice tips:
- Stop using aerosol sprays – you don’t want to directly breathe it in.
- Ditch the bleach ASAP! It is incredibly irritating and corrosive to the body. It should never be used to clean, even if on laundry. Its use is associated with many health issues, such as increased rates of asthma. [4]
- Skip anything that is “antibacterial.” Not only does it contribute to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but it may disrupt your hormones.
- Use Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning – this is a great resource!
- Encourage your family, friends, coworkers, school boards etc… to use safer cleaning products
- Vacuum your house frequently to pick up any dust and dirt that’s been accumulating
It’s time to DITCH the bleach!
The Natural Cleaning Products That You Need:
- Branch Basics – perfect for pretty much everything: surface cleaners, multi purpose cleaners, stream free window/mirror cleaners, mopping, laundry detergent, hand soap etc..
- Note: many conventional window cleaners or glass cleaners are also extremely toxic to pets (like cats and dogs). They can be fatal if ingested, even in small doses. Ditch them and switch to a safer alternative, like Branch Basics. If your pet gets into a toxic cleaning product (even if they walk in it and lick their paws), contact your veterinarian or animal poison control center immediately.
- Force of Nature – a nontoxic disinfectant with a convenient spray bottle! Use code inonaround for 40% off the value bundle.
- Hydrogen Peroxide – great for sanitizing (beware: it can stain darker fabrics or porous surfaces). You can easily make your own disinfecting wipes with hydrogen peroxide. It’s even safe to use on stainless steel.
- Baking Soda – for fabrics
- Lemons & salt – for cleaning pots/pans
- Bon Ami Powder Scrub – great as a tub scrub
- Soap nuts – alternative to liquid laundry detergent
- Wool dryer balls – alternative to dryer sheets
- Laundry washing soda – great to use with laundry detergent
- Puracy Carpet Cleaner – excellent on tough stains for carpet and upholstery (even pet stains and odors)
- Dr. Bronner’s castile soap – it’s gentle on sensitive skin
- Bamboo scrub brush
- Puracy stain remover
- Mama Sud’s toilet bombs (use code inonaround to save money)
- Microfiber rags – use these rags to dust (instead of pushing dust into the air with a feather duster)
- Vacuum
- Broom
- Mop
Aunt Fannie’s also has an excellent selection of cleaning products, including cleaning vinegar, pest sprays, and floor cleaners.
… and yes, these are just as effective as chemical toxic cleaners! They work just as well. if not better. Cleaning your home can be a fun “chore” – play some music and enjoy the process.
Printable Spring Cleaning Checklist
Make sure to print out this free printable house Spring cleaning checklist PDF to clean every nook and cranny of your home! Save these images to Pinterest for future reference too! It’s time to clean up your home… top to bottom!
Spring Cleaning Checklist
Let’s break it down by room! You don’t need to do all of this all at once (unless you prefer to)… but you can choose a task or two per day and work your way through the checklist. Feel free to print out the checklist graphic to keep track of your progress – it’s a great room cleaning checklist!
Before starting, open the windows & crank up your air filters in every room. Dust may fly into the air & having proper airflow is essential. Pump up any air purifiers you have available!
Every Room
Especially for your living room!
✔ Wash drapes/curtains
✔ Dust window blinds, ceiling fans, light fixtures, tables etc…
✔ Vacuum, sweep & mop the floors, if possible
✔ Wipe down all lampshades
✔ Wipe down walls (yes, dust can hide in plain sight!)
✔ Wash vent covers & replace HEPA filters as needed
✔ Wipe down baseboards
✔ Sanitize all door handles (use hydrogen peroxide, especially if someone has been sick)
✔ Replace the batteries in your smoke detectors & carbon monoxide detectors (this is super important!). Test that the alarms work every single month and replace the batteries 1-2 times a year. Smoke alarms should be fully replaced every 10 years.
✔ Replace the filters in any portable air purifiers (like AirDoctor) and vacuum/clean the pre-filter
✔ Clean off windows, window sills, window tracks & screens to remove any debris/dirt.
✔ Launder any throw rugs & couch blankets. Opt for non-toxic rugs moving forward
Kitchen
✔ Polish & clean the oven (interior & exterior)
✔ Wipe out microwave (note: some microwaves have a mesh filter on the bottom – check to see if yours needs deep cleaning!)
✔ Rub down the counters, shelves, drawers etc… (anywhere that collects dirt, grime, or dust… especially the harder to reach areas)
✔ Tackle that fridge! Toss or compost any expired food. Change the water filter, if you have one. Wipe down all drawers & shelves… thoroughly (nasty mold can lurk in food drawer crevices). Vacuum behind the fridge around the coils (to prevent fire).
✔ Clean your dishwasher by filling a dishwasher-safe bowl with 1 cup of white vinegar. Place that bowl on the bottom shelf of the dishwasher & let it run a cleaning cycle (the vinegar will help to loosen any grime caked on the inside). Don’t forget to wipe down the interior!
✔ Deep clean the sink & drain. You can also throw a couple of lemon slices down a garbage disposal to clean the hard-to-reach areas.
✔ Throw away any old spices
✔ Tackle the pantry & discard/compost old food
✔ Use half a lemon with salt to scrub away the char on burnt pans.
✔ Replace tap water filter, which can be used for cooking (good option: AquaTru)
✔ Soak your kitchen sponge in straight white vinegar or Force of Nature to sanitize
✔ Wipe down stovetop
✔ Clean the coffee maker & tea kettle
- Related Posts: 1) Mold In Your Coffee Maker? The Best Non-Toxic Coffee Maker That Will Keep Your Family Safe, 2) The Best Non-Toxic Tea Kettle That You Need In Your Kitchen ASAP
Find More Cleaning Products Here
Bathroom
✔ Scrub shower liners or replace as necessary (if it has pink or black spots, that means mold is growing!)
✔ Replace shower head filter (my favorite is the AquaBliss)
✔ Wipe down mirrors
✔ Sanitize surfaces, like the toilet, with hydrogen peroxide or Force of Nature (take caution on marble or granite, peroxide can damage the surface). Along with your toilet bowl brush, you can use Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap or Branch Basic’s concentrate for toilet bowl cleaner – you don’t need crazy harsh chemicals to clean the toilet!
✔ Launder all rugs, especially the bath mat, as well as any hand towels
✔ Throw out the loofahs & any hollow kids toys (sorry, Mr. Rubber Ducky) – they’re a breeding ground for bacteria
✔ Scrub-a-dub-dub that tub! No one likes a grimy bathtub or shower floor. Put some elbow grease into your scrub brush.
✔ Wash your toothbrush holder. This is oftentimes overlooked, but you use it daily & it’s always touching your brush.
✔ Discard of any old makeup or skincare products
✔ Clean makeup brushes
Laundry Room
✔ Wipe down the dryer lint trap
✔ Sweep or vacuum behind the washer & dryer
✔ Make sure all ducts are clear to prevent the buildup of lint, which can start a fire
✔ Launder all dirty clothing, towels etc… (Branch Basics and/or soap nuts are the perfect duo. Soap nuts are sustainable, dried berries that when wet will release saponin, which cleans fabrics – all without the chemicals!)
✔ Ditch the synthetic dryer sheets & opt for wool dryer balls (if you’re looking for fragrance, you can add a couple of drops of essential oils directly onto the wool).
Bedrooms
✔ Vacuum & flip your mattress. First, sprinkle a whole box of baking soda on your mattress, lightly massage it into the fabric, & let sit for 1 hour before vacuuming it up.
✔ Donate any clothes that you haven’t worn in the last year – another family could use it more!
✔ Throw your pillows in the wash & dry them thoroughly. Wash your pillows at least twice a year
✔ Vacuum under the bed
✔ Wash all sheets, mattress covers, and duvets
Cleaning Routine – Frequently Asked Questions
Click on the below FAQs to learn more about this weekly cleaning checklist!
Do cleaning products impact your health?
Common household cleaning products can pose a major health risk… even if they’re approved “safe”. Cleaning products are full of surfactants, solvents, fragrances, enzymes & more… all of which can impact your health, especially when used in conjunction with other products. Many of these ingredients are known carcinogens, neurotoxins, respiratory irritants & can burn lungs or skin.
What ingredients are in cleaning products?
There are many dangerous ingredients found in cleaning products, such as ammonia, bleach, hydrochloric acid, formaldehyde, fragrance, and more.
What is greenwashing?
Greenwashing is using unsubstantiated marketing claims saying that a product is eco-friendly or non-toxic. Many companies claim to be “clean” or “safe,” when in reality they are using the same harmful chemicals.
Is bleach dangerous?
Ditch the bleach ASAP! It is incredibly irritating and corrosive to the body. It should never be used to clean, even if on laundry. Its use is associated with many health issues, such as increased rates of asthma.
Is indoor air quality worse than outdoor air quality?
Indoor air quality is oftentimes 2 – 5 times worse than outdoor air quality. Chemicals, microbes, ventilation, temperature, pets etc… (yes, cleaning products too!) all contribute to air quality hazards.
Will you be changing to natural cleaning products?
Who needs toxic cleaning products that can make you & your family sick?! Definitely not you! After a long winter, regular cleaning of your home is key. It’s time to opt for kid and pet-friendly cleaning products.
Let me know your thoughts on our printable spring cleaning checklist! You can watch our web story here.
xoxo,
Want to read more? Check out my other articles here!
Information on free printable house cleaning checklist for maid (or anyone) from: EPA, EWG, Clean Water Action, Hughesenv, SA Health, EcoWatch, By Sophia Lee
Copyright In On Around LLC 2021 ©. The statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration). They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided by this website should not be used as individual medical advice and you should always consult your doctor for individual recommendations and treatment.
2 Responses
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