Most efficient way to clean a house using non-toxic supplies
One of my goals for this year is to declutter and simplify my life in as many areas as possible. My end game is to find the most efficient way to clean a house using non-toxic supplies.
I’ll be honest, I’m tired of managing STUFF. Cleaning products and cleaning tools are no exception to this resolution. It’s easy to accumulate bottles of solutions and have them placed all over the house. But half empty bottles here and there only add up to more clutter, more stuff and can feel completely overwhelming when trying to determine what I have and what I don’t have.
That’s when I decided to create a cleaning caddy that can be brought out at any time for any purpose. Carpet stain? Cleaning caddy. Time to deep clean the bathrooms? Cleaning caddy. Dusting day? Cleaning caddy. No more rifling through solutions to figure out which one I should be using or sending someone to the cleaning cabinet only to have them bring back the wrong product. Nope. Now I have it all in one spot.
And with kiddos in my home, you know I’m going to make sure that the cleaning products I use are safe, toxin free and not adding any chemicals into the air we breathe. Ever since my daughter was born 5 1/2 years ago, I’ve done my best to remove as many cleaning toxins as I can. I’ve tried and tested different methods and solutions and today I’m sharing my favorites with you in hopes that you can create your own decluttered, safe and healthy cleaning caddy. After all, finding the most efficient way to clean a house using non-toxic supplies could be a real game changer for you too.
1. Non-Toxic Concentrated Cleaner
There are a plethora of non-toxic cleaners to choose from now-days. But there are also many bottles that say “green” or “toxin-free” that truly are not safe for your home or indoor air. It’s difficult to know exactly what is safe and what is not in a world where green-washing is the norm.
A concentrated cleaner will be your main-stay. Many of these cleaners are multipurpose, meaning they can be used for many different cleaning jobs. I personally use my Tohi Cleaner for the kitchen every day cleaner as well as a floor cleaner.
Below is my ABSOLUTE favorite concentrated cleaner that I feel completely safe using around my kids, my dog and indoor environment.
How to Use
2. Microfiber Cleaning Cloths with Silver
Microfiber cloths have SO many uses. You can use them for anything from dusting to wiping down the kitchen table. These little gems are one of the most efficient ways to clean a house using completely non toxic supplies.
Silver is a natural disinfecting agent and is a great option when it comes to disinfecting countertops and surfaces that are germ magnets.
Combine these rags with a concentrated cleaner and you’ve got a powerful tool to disinfect and clean your home. The best part is, these can be used pretty much ANYWHERE. Not to mention they are 100% safe and non-toxic for babies, pets and don’t add any toxins to the indoor air.
3. Cleaning Brush(es)
This is a great tool for those deep cleaning jobs or trouble areas. A little baking soda mixed with water to make a paste will do wonders when scrubbing with a soft-bristle brush.
I like to use these in sink basins and on tub fixtures to gently and softly clean fragile finishes. Tub fixtures can easily begin corroding when improper cleaning solutions are used. This is the exact reason I love baking soda, which is a gentle cleaner. If you choose to use vinegar on plumbing fixtures, make sure to completely rinse the vinegar from the surface. Vinegar is highly corrosive, which is why it’s a great cleaner, however when left on it can cause huge problems.
Below are some of my favorite brushes to use in your cleaning caddy:
4. Baking Soda
Baking soda is a go to for anything that needs a good scrubbing. The baking soda gently scrubs and removes dirt and grime with a little bit of elbow grease. It’s also a great way to deodorize and remove odors. Baking soda is extremely cost effective and it’s almost always in our homes, which makes it a great tool to utilize. The same baking soda used in cooking is the same baking soda you can use in your cleaning routine. It makes a great carpet refresher and can help absorb excess moisture within the fibers if you live in a humid climate.
5. Castile Soap
Non-toxic, plant based castile soap is another favorite cleaner by anyone who wants to ensure they aren’t adding chemicals and toxins into the air. I highly recommend an unscented castile soap. While the soap itself is a safe option for your home, castile soap with scents added can contain phthalates that are harmful and toxic to your family and indoor air.
I strongly recommend Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Liquid Unscented Soap. Not only is this soap healthy, it has MANY applications and can help you find the most efficient way to clean a house using non toxic supplies. It can be used for personal care as well as in the kitchen, laundry and most places you might use a soap or cleaner. Another plus? That big bottle goes a LONG way. Most times you need just a small amount of castile soap when using it around the house.
Always opt for unscented products. The simpler the product, with less additives, the healthier the product is for our homes.
6. Hydrogen Peroxide (with a sprayer)
Hydrogen Peroxide, where do I start? This little gem is a couple dollars (if that!) at any drug store and it has many uses. It can be used in many practical cleaning applications. It’s a great replacement for toxic bleach in laundry and stain removal applications. It also serves a great addition to disinfect in bathrooms and kitchens. I can’t speak highly enough of Hydrogen Peroxide as a safe and natural cleaning product. It not only whitens and remove stains, but it sanitizes. Make this an easy-use option by adding an inexpensive sprayer to the top and keep it in your caddy.
LITTLE KNOWN FACT: Hydrogen Peroxide can actually keep fungus and mold off of your house plants. (Not only is the fungus and mold toxic to your indoor air, but it hinders your plant’s growth.)
7. Cleaning Sponges
Sponges are a handy little tool to have in your caddy for simple things like scrubbing a stain off the floor, cleaning the bathroom or kitchen counter and getting pesky little hand prints off your wall. Make sure to let your sponge dry out completely before puting back in the caddy though. A damp sponge sitting in a dark caddy can grow bacteria and create a bigger problem.
I like to keep a sponge at the kitchen sink as well. They’re on of the most efficient ways to clean a house using non toxic supplies. They are gentle enough to scrub pots and pans without scratching them, but tough enough to get stuck-on food off of the dishes.
Sponges are so inexpensive, they’re easily one of the most efficient ways to clean a house using non-toxic supplies
One more great use for sponges? Lift pet hair out of your carpet by using a damp sponge as a lint grabber.
8. Vinegar
Vinegar is a great replacement for things like fabric softener and a dish washing rinse agent. It also makes a great cleaner if you have hard water and your fixtures get hard water spots on them. Window cleaner, which is usually toxic due to the ammonia used in it can now be replaced with vinegar.
I use vinegar when cleaning just about any hard, non-porous surface in my home such as flooring, counters and sinks. Again, it’s important to remember that straight vinegar can be very abrasive if left on fixtures. So once you’ve used the vinegar to clean the faucet or fixture, make sure to gently wipe it down with a cleaning cloth.
Aunt Fannie’s cleaning vinegar is one of my favorite additions to a cleaning caddy that doesn’t require you to wipe it off when done.
9. Spray Bottles
Use one or two spray bottles to mix up a tough cleaner and another one for a disinfecting cleaner. I personally use a diluted concentrated cleaner in one with some essential oils added and then another bottle for windows and mirrors with my window cleaning recipe.
I love that most spray bottles come with a cap as well, so I can mix up a backup cleaner and leave it under the sink and switch it out with an empty bottle in a snap. The great thing about having a cleaning caddy is that you can have ONE cleaner and easily move it from room to room instead of having four different cleaners in any room you might want it. The idea here is to simplify, take out the clutter of cleaning products and make everything streamlined.
10. Essential Oils
This last addition is definitely my favorite and one of the most efficient way to clean a house using non-toxic supplies. Essential oils are AMAZING additions to cleaning routines if you’re looking to naturally disinfect and remove bacteria and viruses on your home’s surfaces. I love adding a few drops to my concentrated cleaner to not only boost it’s disinfecting power but also make the surface I’m cleaning smell fresh and clean as well.
I personally love Plant Therapy for their transparency in listing ingredients as well as the option to buy USDA Organic Certified oils. You can read more about why I trust Plant Therapy for Essential Oils here.
There are many essential oils that disinfect and help kill biological toxins such as mold and fungus. Some of my favorites are listed below. (BONUS: I feature different oils that are beneficial for your home on my Instagram Page — I’d love for you to join me!)
To Sum It All Up
The most efficient way to clean a house using non-toxic supplies and How to Create a Non-Toxic Cleaning Caddy
- Plant Based concentrated Cleaner
Tohi Multi Purpose Concentrated Cleaner is so safe it warns if ingested to simply drink water. Plus it cleans better than any cleaner I’ve used.
- Microfiber Cleaning Cloths with Silver
Silver is a natural anti-microbial and is 100% safe and non-toxic.
- Cleaning Brushes
A soft bristle brush with a little baking soda makes a huge difference when you’re working on tough stains.
- Baking Soda
The baking soda gently scrubs and removes dirt and grimewith a little bit of elbow grease. It’s also a great way to deodorize and remove odors
- Castile Soap
Non-toxic, plant based castile soap is another favorite cleaner by anyone who wants to ensure they aren’t adding chemicals and toxins into the air. Use in place of any soap.
- Hydrogen Peroxide
It can be used in many practical cleaning applications. It’s a great replacement for toxic bleach in laundry and stain removal applications. It also serves a great addition to disinfect in bathrooms and kitchens.
- Cleaning Sponges
Sponges are a handy little tool to have in your caddy for simple things like scrubbing a stain off the floor, cleaning the bathroom or kitchen counter and getting pesky little hand prints off your wall.
- Vinegar
Vinegar is a great replacement for things like fabric softener and a dish washing rinse agent. It also makes a great cleaner if you have hard water and your fixtures get hard water spots on them. Window cleaner, which is usually toxic due to the ammonia used in it can now be replaced with vinegar.
- Glass Spray Bottles
Use one or two spray bottles to mix up a tough cleaner and another one for a disinfecting cleaner. I personally use a diluted concentrated cleaner in one with some essential oils added and then another bottle for windows and mirrors with my window cleaning recipe
- Essential Oils
I love adding a few drops to my concentrated cleaner to not only boost it’s disinfecting power but also make the surface I’m cleaning smell fresh and clean as well. You can read more about why I trust Plant Therapy for Essential Oils here.
Amazing! This blog looks exactly like my old one! It’s on a totally different subject but it has pretty much the same page layout and design. Great choice of colors!
Thank you!
Love that we can make non-toxic cleaning products ourselves! Not going to lie though, I am kinda lazy so I probably wouldn’t – but I do make sure to buy things that aren’t chemical laden at the store and I love that there are more options these days!
I used to make my own, but now with kiddos around there is just no time. I’m so glad there are options to purchase that are safe and healthy too!
Yaaaassssss! I’m currently in the process of switching my cleaning supplies over to Thieves and I am SO HAPPY with it! Thanks for the excellent post!
Thank you, Krysten. SUPER EXCITING! Thieves is the absolute best!
This is such a great idea! I have my cleaning supplies (almost all the same products you list) in a cabinet, but it’s a pain to carry them around individually. I need to get a container to keep it all in.
It definitely makes cleaning a lot easier!
These are great suggestions for non-toxic cleaning solutions… I try to buy the least toxic options when I’m shopping but making your own is even better!
I love making my own when I can, but with a busy schedule, it’s nice to have the option to buy too 🙂
It’s amazing to see all the things that we have sitting in the pantry, closet, and the house overall when we decide to declutter. Lately, for some reason, the skin in my hand is becoming so sensitive and I am using less and less toxic products. Your post is speaking to me and I am grateful I am reading it.
That’s great! I’m so glad it was helpful, Marjie!!
Some of the cleaning products I have around the house are so full of chemicals. I would love to start using Castile Soap and microfibre cloth.