Clean Swaps: Household Products
After clean water and clean air, household products were the next items I wanted to tackle in my mission to detox our home. Like clean water and clean air, I knew removing chemicals from these areas of my home would have the biggest impact.
One tool that I discovered in my research to find cleaner alternatives was the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) Guide to Healthy Cleaning, which ranks household cleaning products from "EWG Verified" (best) to F (worst) based on ingredient hazards and data availability.
LAUNDRY PRODUCTS
Think about this: our skin is our largest organ and our clothes sit on our skin all day and all night. It's not just our clothes, it's also the sheets we lie on each night and the towels we use to dry ourselves. I wanted something that was non-toxic yet still effective.
Here are the laundry products in our current lineup:
Branch Basics Laundry Detergent. I have this on ‘Subscribe and Save’ along with the Dishwasher Tablets and the Concentrate. Use this link for $10 off your first Branch Basics order.
Wool Dryer Balls instead of Dryer Sheets. Use at least 4 per load to prevent static cling. If you miss the scent of traditional laundry products, put a few drops of your favorite essential oil on one of the dryer balls and toss in with the load. Don't go crazy, just use 3-5 drops.
Seventh Generation is trustworthy brand that sells Laundry Detergent Pods on Amazon and in many retailers (Whole Foods, Target, etc.).
HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS
Any surface that comes into contact with the food we put in our mouths was another area I wanted to clean up ASAP. I purchased the Branch Basics Starter Kit and have been buying refills of the Concentrate ever since.
I love how this product can be used for everything including the kitchen and bathroom. It’s so clean I even use Branch Basics to clean my daughter's high chair and to wash our produce.
Seventh Generation is another brand that scores an "A" on EWG on most if not all products. When it comes to cleaning dishes, these are my go-to favorites: