Non-Toxic Cleaning Products: DIY, Online, and In Store -

The Irritants in Household Cleaning Products

When I walk down the cleaning aisle at a grocery store, I am overwhelmed by smells. Strong and overpowering, we are programmed to associate a fresh scent to a clean house. But are the ingredients in your cleaning products safe? The American Lung Association states that “many cleaning supplies or household products can irritate the eyes or throat, or cause headaches and other problems, including cancer” (1). So, now is a better time than ever to make the switch to non-toxic cleaning products.

Do Non-Toxic Cleaning Products Work?

The question many people have when wanting to switch over to a safer, non-toxic alternative cleaning product is, will it clean well? Will it still disinfect? I’m here to go over my top picks for safe but effective cleaning products. I no longer use bleach or “traditional” store bought cleaning products in my home, and it has truly simplified my cleaning routine as well as made me feel confident that I am not exposing myself or my family to harmful fumes in the process. Keep reading to learn about safe alternatives for non-toxic cleaning products.

DIY Non-Toxic Cleaning Products

When I first wanted to switch to non-toxic cleaning products, I was also looking to save money. I decided I wanted to make my own basic household cleaning products, but I didn’t know where to start. I ended up stumbling upon a website called Clean Mama and her recipes for non-toxic cleaning products. She has recipes for just about everything you can think of- all-purpose spray, floor cleaner, shower spray, and more.

Clean Mama DIY Non-Toxic Household Cleaning Products

Clean Mama is run by a mom who began by sharing her cleaning routine online. Then, in her search to find natural, safe, but effective cleaning products, she decided to launch her own line of products. I became an instant fan of her DIY product recipes. They are simple and consist of safe, natural ingredients.

For example, her DIY all-purpose spray is made up of just 3 ingredients: water, white vinegar, and your favorite essential oil. So, if you are looking to make your own DIY non-toxic cleaning products but you’re at a loss as to where to find great recipes, be sure to check out Clean Mama’s website here. You will save your family money while feeling good that you are using safe, non-toxic ingredients to clean your home.

Force of Nature Multi-Purpose Cleaner

The go-to non-toxic disinfectant spray in my house is Force of Nature. I wanted a spray that was powerful enough to be an effective disinfectant during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also safe and gentle enough to be used around my twin toddlers.

It’s safe to use on sealed stone, so I use it to wipe down and disinfect just about everything: countertops, toilets, floors, even my kid’s toys. It really is a versatile, gentle disinfectant that I know is effective at killing germs without using harsh chemicals.

Force of Nature is EPA registered for sanitizing and disinfecting. It uses a process called electrolysis to break down and turn salt, water, and vinegar into hypochlorous acid and sodium hydroxide. When an electrical current is applied to the salt, water, and vinegar, the molecules break apart and form two new molecules.

Hypochlorous acid kills 99.9% of germs. This makes it as effective as bleach, but so gentle that it can even be used in the medical field to disinfect wounds (2).

Sodium hydroxide is a detergent that busts up grease and grime. Yet the concentration in Force of Nature is a fraction of what is found in conventional cleaners (2).

The best part of the product is that you make the solution as you need it. Using the electrolyzer appliance that comes in their starter pack, you simply mix water with the tiny activator capsules. You can then pour the solution into the spray bottle that comes with the set.

You can reorder the activator capsules on their website. After the initial purchase of the starter kit, reordering capsules ends up being cheaper than having to purchase new bottles of store-bought disinfectants. Not only am I saving money, but it reduces single use plastics, and it’s a product with minimal ingredients that are safe. Order or read more about Force of Nature on their website here.

Non-Toxic Cleaning Products from Target & Walmart

If you aren’t interested in investing in Force of Nature, all hope is not lost for finding a non-toxic all-purpose spray in a brick-and-mortar store. Again, it can be overwhelming to figure out which brand is safe when you’re standing amongst a sea of bottles all claiming to be “natural”. Although there are many brands out there that have mostly good ingredients, many still have harsh irritants or fragrances. After looking at the ingredients in brands like Method, Everspring, and Mrs. Myers, I landed on 9 Elements.

9 Elements All Purpose Spray

9 Elements is a brand I mentioned in my Non-Toxic Laundry Detergent Guide (check it out here) because of its minimal, plant derived ingredients. 9 Elements never uses more than 9 ingredients and the main ingredient used in their cleaning products is vinegar. What’s best is you can find it on the shelf at lots of stores like Target, Walmart, and even some grocery stores. Although the products are scented, the brand still receives an “A” rating from the Environmental Working Group. This is the best score (aside from being EWG verified) when it comes to analyzing ingredients that could be hazardous to our heath.

Now that you know it is possible to find effective, yet safe, non-toxic cleaning products both online and at your local store, it will be easy the next time you find yourself in the cleaning aisle wondering what product is safe to use in your home. All you had to do is refer to this list and you’re good to go! If you’ve tried any of these products before, or have any favorite non-toxic cleaning products, be sure to comment below!

If you want to keep reading, you can also check out my previous blog post on choosing a safe, non-toxic sunscreen here!

Resources: