Kitchen and bathroom products are the perfect storm of toxic and even dangerous chemicals. Maybe you already know that if you mix ammonia and bleach together it causes a chemical reaction that can kill you. “Bleach and ammonia are noxious on their own and irritate the eyes, mouth, skin, and lungs. Chlorine and chloramine are also respiratory irritants. Hydrazine causes respiratory irritation, nausea, headaches, edema, and seizures. Ultimately, the mixture damages the esophagus, bronchioles, and lungs. Mixing bleach with cleaning products can cause unconsciousness and death. (1)”
But mixing ammonia and bleach isn’t the only toxin that needs to be avoided. There are many other toxins that are harmful to whole body health, ranging from endocrine disrupters to lung-damaging substances.
Known endocrine disruptors are in plastics and liquid soaps. The effects of endocrine disruptors include all kinds of hormonal issues ranging from low sperm count to male balding and on the women’s side from estrogen dominance to weight gain and more. Many plastic items are sold as cleaning tools adding to the mounting micro-plastic crisis. Some compostable, plastic-free, and esthetically pleasing alternatives that we carry at Dandelion Naturals are:
Bamboo And Sisal Pot Brush
https://dandelionnaturals.com/product/bamboo-and-sisal-pot-brush/
Bamboo Bottle Brush
https://dandelionnaturals.com/product/bamboo-bottle-brush/
Kitchen Sponge – Loofah (3 Pack)
https://dandelionnaturals.com/product/kitchen-sponge-loofah-3-pack/
One of our customers left this review: “These sponges are THE BEST sponges I have ever used. They clean thoroughly, are easily rinsed out and dry quickly.”
Swedish Dishcloth
https://dandelionnaturals.com/product/swedish-dishcloth/
These cloths are able to be sanitized and do not collect food fragments like washcloths can.
This dishcloth is a great option when you consider that microfiber cloths are essentially woven plastic and thus add to the microplastic crisis in our municipal water system and thus affect our health.
Alternative cleaners:
Chicken can be oh-so delicious but thoroughly cleaning up the juices and blood that raw chicken leaves behind is a must. While many may have grown up using a bleach solvent to clean up any chicken residue that does not make it a safe cleaner. Bleach is an irritant to the lungs, digestive system, and anything it touches. If you are eating food that has been prepared on the surface that was cleaned with bleach then you are essentially eating bleach, this will negatively affect your digestive system by killing all the good bacteria in your gut that is essential for optimal nutrient absorption.
To clean a wood cutting board try using a solution of salt and half a lemon.
Directions:
Put 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of salt on the cutting you plan to clean.
Cut lemon in half and place the pulp side down on the salt and rub/scrub the cutting board.
Rinse and allow the cutting board to dry after cleaning.
Tip: for the longevity of the cutting board, oil the cutting board after it has dried. We recommend olive oil or avocado oil.
On counter tops try 60%-70% alcohol solution with 30 sec to stand there and wipe with our soap and Swedish dishcloth to clean anything left. This should provide a thoroughly cleaned and disinfected surface. For the sanitizing solution find 70% isopropyl alcohol and a spray nozzle or spray bottle and spray onto the countertop, allow the alcohol to dry for 30 seconds. (2) This solution is a safe way to clean stone countertops.
For dishes and other kitchen cleaning, our dish soap bar is a great option. Since it is a bar it is free of preservatives and chemicals that can be found in liquid dish soaps. You can find our dish soap at: https://dandelionnaturals.com/product/solid-dish-soap-bar/ This bar is free of artificial fragrances and harsh cleaners. It is also easy and effective to use. Just wet your cloth, sponge, or brush and rub onto the bar, then clean the desired thing.
We also have a beautiful ceramic soap dish that pairs perfectly with our dish soap bar. You can find the ceramic soap dish at: https://dandelionnaturals.com/product/ceramic-soap-dish/
Cleaning Tips:
Have you ever wondered how to get a sticky glue off of a hard surface or has someone gotten equipment grease on your counters? Oil such as olive oil or lemon essential oil are both very effective in removing grease and goo. If any of the oil residue remains on the surface then wipe the residue away with a soapy Swedish dishcloth.
Do you need to clean your windows in your kitchen? Vinegar and a paper towel work wonderfully.
Try cleaning your fridge once a week right before doing a grocery shopping trip. This will not only give you a clean fridge but also help keep food waste to a minimum while also making your produce purchases more organized due to the inventory that can be taken while cleaning your fridge.
To remove mold or mildew from your dishwasher mix 5 oz distilled water, 1 oz of alcohol, 3 drops of lemon essential oil, and 3 drops of clove essential oil in a spray bottle. Spray this solution in your dishwasher and wipe it down with a cloth.
Vinegar is great at removing calcium buildup. To clean a water kettle pour 1 part vinegar and 10 parts water into the water kettle and heat it until boiling. Your kettle will have most, if not all of the calcium residue removed and you can use the liquid in the kettle to clean something else such as rinsing down your kitchen sink before you wipe it down with a cloth.
If you need a little extra bit when cleaning a surface try some baking soda and dish soap and if you want even more cleaning power, spray some vinegar on the surface.
Conclusion:
Using these common household cleaners/liquids and our Dandelion Naturals products will tackle most of the messes you will face in your kitchen but without the toxic burden that affects the wellbeing of you and your family.
Resources:
https://sciencenotes.org/mixing-bleach-and-ammonia-heres-what-happens/ (1)
https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/natural-disinfectants?op=1 (2)
