Green and Clean With Essential Oils

Part of our cleaning routine involves using a variety of products to get rid of the

grime and bring on the sparkle. We wash dishes, clean floors and scrub toilets

often without thinking of the toxicity we may be exposing ourselves and our

families to. However, you may have noticed the warning labels such as

"DANGER," "WARNING," "CAUTION," "TOXIC," "FLAMMABLE," or "POISON".

Studies have shown that these chemicals may cause short-term and long-term

health problems when you use them.1

Of particular concern are the affects these dangerous chemicals can have on

children. They are often more vulnerable to chemical exposure during

developmental stages, and certain chemicals may interfere with the development

of their neurological, endocrine, and immune systems.2 Younger children have

higher respiratory rates than adults, therefore they absorb more air contaminants

per unit of weight, meaning they experience a higher inhaled dose.2

The main routes of exposure: eating, drinking, breathing, and touching.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside a

typical home is 200–500 percent more polluted than the air outside mainly due to

toxic household cleaning products.

It is estimated Americans as a whole spend around 5 billion dollars a year on

cleaning products, with the average household spending nearly $700 dollars a

year.

Cleaning supplies can be hazardous to your health, your children and pets,

pollute the environment, contaminate septic tanks, cause safety issues for refuse

workers, and there is no proof they are any more effective. According to a

WebMD article, "These products don't work any better than their natural or nontoxic

counterparts, and they damage the environment and potentially place our

long-term health at risk."

However, by swapping out expensive and toxic products for items you probably

already have in your pantry, you can create easy, inexpensive, safe and

effective natural cleaning products.