Household

Home may be our little slice of heaven. But it’s also the place where we come in constant contact with chemical-laden cleansers, laundry detergents, air fresheners, and sanitizers that we inhale, swallow, and absorb on a daily basis. In the quest for a healthier lifestyle, I’ve found that one of the simplest places to start is in the home.

Just think about it: our clothes touch our bodies all day, loaded with heavily fragranced detergents, which can cause itchy and irritated skin. Our babies crawl on floors scrubbed with powerful cleansers, then put their fingers in their mouths. Our pets spend many hours resting there, too, inhaling the fumes. Our vegetables sit on countertops wiped down with strong solvents and sprays, which also undoubtedly touch the food. The air fresheners that plug into our outlets and scent our cars may give us a headache, or even worse.

The irony is, none of these household products actually leave our homes smelling quite as sweet as we might hope. In fact, when we scrub and spray synthetic cleansers on those gleaming surfaces, we’re actually polluting the environment even more with the chemical residues they leave behind. And that’s why I believe it is time for us to rethink what we mean by clean and start to go green.

It’s easy. Look for gentle, phosphate-free detergents for your laundry, and try to steer clear of harsh chlorine-, ammonia-, and petroleum-based solvents. Keep your countertops and floors glistening with natural cleaning products made from coconut and vegetable surfactants.

Read more from NATURAL BEAUTY 101:

Why Go Green
My Mission
How To Shop Green
Ingredients to avoid
Skin
Makeup
Hair
Nails
Sunscreen
Water
Food
Green Baby
Pets