Cleaning the Healthy Way

I wrote a post about a month ago on how toxins are more prevalent than we realize, and how they may have long lasting effects on our health and our future generations (post below).  Today's post is about how to avoid some chemicals and the myriad of toxins found in cleaning solutions.  I have done this for years now, it works and it saves money.  I started to search for more organic methods of cleaning after breathing in all the strong chemicals when cleaning my bathroom for years, and this one is a winner.

My wonder cleaning solution? White distilled vinegar.

Comes in a huge bottle, you can buy it at Costco, Wal-mart or just about any grocery store.  Do note that white distilled vinegar is chemically distilled.  I do not eat this stuff!  And if you do, try to use apple vinegar or rice vinegar, and read labels to see what they put in it.  Heinz has this label showing all these vegetables, but I really don't think it is naturally produced. 

The other thing to note is when you go out to eat, they typically use white distilled vinegar because it is cheap.  This concern is harder to control or to do something about, but it's something to keep in the back of your mind.

How to Clean with Vinegar?
Mix the vinegar with some water.  More water you put in your cup/bucket, the more diluted the solution becomes, but MAKE SURE you add some water.  White distilled vinegar on its own is corrosive.  Use a sponge and douse with the water-vinegar solution and use it to clean your bathroom faucets, bathtub, shower, tile floor, around the toilet bowl, just about anywhere!  [Although I still use toilet bowl cleaner] After you wipe with the solution, go back with a wet sponge with water and wash it down.  You will find that it cleans beautifully and with no water spots.  I would even challenge that it cleans better than a lot of products out there.

I do wear a mask at times while doing this (and definitely when I used to clean with other shelf chemicals).  But even if you don't, I feel vinegar is more natural than the other stuff out there and overall lower risk.

Lastly, over the long run, you will be saving yourself A LOT OF MONEY.


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Picture source: Heinz Vinegar