After I became pregnant with our first child, I suddenly became hyper-aware of what I had touched and how it could get into my system or my sweet little one’s. From any residue that could be on our dishes, to the residue that could be on our clothes to our hands from touching/using cleaning products, not to mention everything we were inhaling. While I don’t want to become “Mom and family in the plastic bubble”, I do believe strongly in only eating and using products as natural as possible while still performing as they need to to kill germs, etc. I used to wipe EVERYTHING down with antibacterial Clorox and Wet ones, but soon started to become concerned about those chemicals especially the inevitability of them coming into contact with LO or being ingested by LO sucking on that board book I just wiped down after it fell on the floor, etc.
I LOVE Branch Basics and use them for everything (this is not sponsored!), but there are other great companies out there and other cheap/almost free ways to clean with safe ingredients. Below are some of the things I use BB for:
- Hand soap
- Dish soap
- Dishwasher Detergent
- Furniture polish/dusting
- Floor cleaner
- All purpose cleaner
- Bathroom cleaner
- Window/mirror cleaner
- Washing fruits and vegetables
- Stain removal
- Laundry
- I use it as detergent for my clothes
- They also sell a replacement for oxyclean that is safer that I use and love (this can also be used while cleaning bathroom, dishes, etc. It’s amazing!)
- also great for stain removal
- They also have a travel sized all purpose spray (and foaming pump) you can use wipe down airplane trays your hands, etc. just make sure to rinse to get the germs off or wipe with a cloth/tissue/paper towel
Again, this is not sponsored, but I do have a $10 off code. I always hesitate to share codes with people because I fear it takes away my credibility, however, I figure if it’s something I would be sharing anyway, shouldn’t I offer the discount? Anyway, I hope you can know the only reason I am sharing is because I truly believe in it and if you would like the discount. No pressure at all 🙂 If you purchase, you will likely get a code as well to share. I do get a commission if you use it, but that was an afterthought in sharing this, and I will never share anything that I am not fully confident in. If you would like the code, here it is. Also, if you look up natural DIY cleaners, you can find recipes to clean with baking soda, lemon, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, etc. !
A few other things I use that aren’t Branch Basics
- Hand Sanitizer (I no longer use this and just use BB all purpose travel size, but the below is helpful info)
- Many sources, including this one from Rush University Medical Center says your body is covered in good bacteria and hand sanitizers can remove the good bacteria, allowing bad to replace it. This article from Time says it’s contributing to antibiotic resistant bacteria. Some ingredients like Triclosan common in many mainstream soaps, hand sanitizers can be very damaging to health and hormones. The CDC says the best way to remove germs is soap and water. Because of all this, I try to only use it when absolutely necessary and this has some of the safest ingredients I’ve found.
Wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets
- I got mine at Trader Joe’s, but you can get them pretty much anywhere. I love them so much!!
Just a reminder that Think Dirty and EWG are fantastic resources for finding products with ingredients that you feel comfortable with!
Sources (click for articles explaining why we need to be vigilant about what’s in our homes!):
CDC: Show me the science hand sanitizer
Time: Why I’m breaking up with hand sanitizer
Forbes: Bacteria becoming more resistant to hand sanitizer
American Lung Association: Cleaning Supplies
Today: Dirty truth about cleaning products
Fortune: Cleaning products can be as bad as smoking a pack a day