Detox Your Home - Room by Room Guide
Considering the FACT that we are all aging due to 2 reasons:
Intrinsic aging is the natural process of aging that everyone, no matter how fit and healthy, goes through. Intrinsic aging causes a reduction in the growth and development of new healthy cells. Less healthy cells = AGING
Extrinsic aging is due to external factors that can impact the health of your organs over time. Some of the most common extrinsic insults responsible for premature aging include nutrient deficiency and toxicity from environmental toxins and personal care products. In extrinsic aging, your skin and other organs become damaged due to high levels of oxidative stress and, in most cases, inflammation, which prematurely destroys healthy cells.
You may not be able to avoid aging altogether, but there are plenty of ways to slow down the process and even reverse it with DETOX.
In addition to detoxing your body, you want to detox your home. And that’s exactly the point of this article.
There is A LOT to detox inside your home. I suggest you start room by room implementing at least one change at a time. In each room, I will tell you which change is the most important for your health. No need to feel frustrated, scared or overwhelmed. The changes you make today, then tomorrow, then the next week will add up and will eventually take pounds off your waist and will wipe years off your face. I promise:). Especially when paired with Balanced YOU Detox Program!
Let’s begin detoxing your home!
The Kitchen
Reclaiming your youthfulness starts with reducing the toxins you are exposed to while supporting the detoxification systems. The kitchen is where you spend lots of time daily and I recommend you start here.
Being the source of food and drink in your home, when your kitchen is toxic, it makes it all that much easier for your food and beverages to become contaminated.
Here are some of the most common sources of toxic exposure in your kitchen:
#1 The air
Here is a startling statistic: according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, regardless of where you live. And research shows that, on average, we spend approximately 90 percent of our time indoors, breathing in air filled with odors, potentially harmful gasses and chemicals, pollen, dust, and viruses. What is this doing to us? According to the American Heart Association, poor indoor air quality can cause heart problems and certain types of cancer, especially lung cancer. We see similar reports linking indoor air pollution to autoimmunity, Alzheimer’s, and general cognitive impairment. In that context, it’s certain that indoor air quality should be a high priority.
Solutions:
Open kitchen windows to air out your kitchen
Switch to non-toxic dish soap and dishwashing detergent (toxic chemicals from your cleaning supplies pollute your air even when they bottles are closed and stored under the sink). I use Norwex and doTERRA products.
Diffuse certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils to make your kitchen smell good and kill of airborne viruses and bacteria while enhancing your immune system. Learn more about CPTG essential oils here: https://doterra.me/2IeEjmnW
#2 Cookware
You may be purchasing the highest quality food on the market, but if you’re cooking it in toxic cookware, your investment is pretty much out the window. The biggest culprit in toxic cookware is Teflon.
Teflon is the coating on your pots and pans that creates a non-stick surface. While this might make your cooking and cleaning experience a bit more seamless, Teflon is made from the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and is highly toxic. When you cook your food with Teflon cookware, this compound can leach into the food and, ultimately, into your body.
When searching for safe cookware, avoid anything that carries the “Teflon” label or that markets itself as “non-stick.” Some companies make non-stick cookware that is Teflon-free, so you can keep an eye out for those. Otherwise, your safest bet is to go with healthier options like ceramic, glass, and stainless steel.
Solutions:
Ceramic cookware like Xtrema - Ceramic cookware is a great alternative to other toxic options on the market. With ceramic cookware, you can enjoy a versatile cooking experience that gives you healthy, tasty results and easy cleanup to boot. They are technically dishwasher, oven, microwave and stove safe and can be scrubbed with anything. My favorite brand is Xtrema Ceramic Cookware. Their ceramic is naturally durable and non-reactive — it won’t change the taste of dishes. This durability also means you can use Xtrema safely under high temperatures and freezing temperatures alike.
Glass is great – it is affordable, inert and nonporous. Although it can’t be used on the stovetop, it bakes food faster than metal cookware because it holds heat longer.
My favorite glass cookware should come at no surprise: Pyrex. It’s tried and true in the cookware department. Pyrex simply offers an endless variety of options for your glass chemical-free bakeware needs at an affordable price point. Corningware is great too!
Enamel cookware encases the iron base metal with a coating of porcelain (which is powdered glass melted and baked on top of the metal). While enamel cookware is typically easy to care for, it will likely be your most expensive option.
Enamel also doesn’t have the non-stick qualities of bare iron or stainless steel cookware so it’s not very good for cooking eggs. However, enameled cookware is considered better for acidic dishes, soups, and sauces, as there are no metal surfaces to chemically react with the food. Another advantage of enamel is that it won’t hold flavors, like fish, the way that cast iron does.
Le Creuset, Le Chasseur and Staub are a little on the pricey side but they come with a lifetime warranty.
Once enamel cast iron is chipped, throw it out because it leaks toxic metals.
Titanium is nontoxic, non-reactive and lightweight, but a poor heat conductor. Typically what is labeled titanium cookware is actually aluminum that has a fused ceramic-titanium, nonstick coating. It’s expensive, but durable and a healthful, nonreactive choice.
Non-toxic Bamboo steamers and paddles as well as wooden spoons, utensils, chopsticks and crockery are non-reactive and considered to have no harmful effects on food during cooking. Make sure they are organic and paint and stain free. For food preparation, bamboo cutting boards are a sustainable alternative to traditional wooden cutting boards. Bamboo is an earth-friendly, fast-growing renewable resource. It grows rapidly without chemical fertilizers, and can be harvested in just 3-5 years.
Stainless steel is a great choice for cookware. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron, nickel and chromium and sometimes other metals like molybdenum. The actual stainless steel used in stainless steel cookware is an iron-based metal alloy that must contain 11% chromium and up to seven additional metals (but never lead or aluminum). Chromium provides durability and rust resistance. Although nickel is not required, it provides rust resistance, hardness and high polishing characteristics. Nickel makes stainless steel shiny.
High quality options, labeled 18/10 for its alloy composition, will not react with your food, even at high temperatures. The 18/10 ratio stainless steel consists of 18% chromium and 10% nickel. If you are allergic to nickel try a stainless ratio with less nickel like 18/8 or 18/0 or avoid stainless steel.
I highly recommend All Clad or Demeyere. Both come with lifetime warranties. You want to go for quality when it comes to stainless steel. There are few regulations on stainless steel in the US and lower quality brands can contain lead. Best to go with reputable brands to be on the safe side.
#3 Water
If you or your family members are in the habit of drinking water straight from the tap – you absolutely must stop. Our water supply is full of chemicals and contaminants, just a handful of which include:
Heavy metals
Pharmaceuticals
Disinfectants to kill microorganisms
Bleach
Bacteria
Pesticides
Radiological contaminants (cesium, uranium)
Fluoride
And more
Solutions:
As you can see, filtering your water is absolutely crucial. Choosing a water filter can be a little tricky because there is a huge variety on the market, ranging from $20 to thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, many of the water filters on the cheaper end don’t really do much, they may filter out a contaminant or two, but they aren’t purifying your water thoroughly. With that being said, you don’t have to shell out thousands of dollars for a high-quality filter. My personal favorite is Pure Effect Filters. These filters purify your water of all the above-mentioned contaminants (and more), and they’re very reasonably priced.
Drink and cook with spring water (ideally in glass bottles like Mountain Valley)
Bonus recipe!!!
ESSENTIAL OIL DETOX WATER
Makes 1 gallon of concentrate; 2 gallons of drinking water
1 dropperful plain or flavored liquid stevia
10 drops lemon essential oil
10 drops grapefruit essential oil
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
1 tablespoon unfiltered, raw apple cider vinegar
1 gallon purified water
SUPPLIES 1-gallon jug
1. Combine the stevia, essential oils, lime juice, and cider vinegar in the jug.
2. Top it all off with filtered water.
3. Use concentrate as the base for your drinking water each day. Dilute it further by mixing equal parts of concentrate and filtered water.
4. Drink 2 to 3 glasses per day.
#4 Storage Containers
Most storage containers (Tupperware, plastic bags, etc.) are loaded with BPA (Bisphenol A). BPA is a chemical found in plastics, and it’s a known endocrine-disrupting hormone – with a special affinity for estrogen receptors.
While BPA can be found almost everywhere in our environment these days, the largest source of human exposure is food packaging. According to the Environmental Working Group, some of the health effects associated with BPA exposure include[6]:
Brain, behavioral, learning, and memory impairment
Cardiovascular abnormalities
Diabetes
Obesity
Thyroid and sex hormone disruption
Early puberty
Changes to egg and sperm development and fertility
Genetic alterations that can be passed to future generations
To avoid BPA in your kitchen, swap out your plastic containers for glass ones, and look for paper bags for storage or brands with the label “BPA-free.”
Keep in mind that any packaged food you buy may also be wrapped in BPA linings, so avoid buying food-wrapped plastic as much as possible.
Solutions:
Glass storage containers
#5 Dishware and Water Bottles
Along the same lines as storage containers, plastic dishware you own may contain BPAs. Furthermore, unless your water bottles explicitly say “BPA-free,” you can be sure that there are BPAs in there. And that goes for both reusable water bottles as well as disposable ones.
Solutions:
Even products with a BPA-free label may be contaminated, so your best bet is to stick with ceramic, glass, or steel dishware and bottles.
#6 Canned Goods
Canned goods or food sold in tins is best tossed from your pantry altogether.
One obvious issue with canned goods is that they’re stored in a container that’s made of tin, which can leach into your food. To combat this issue, manufacturers add a “protective lining” to the tin, which is often made with BPA. In some cases, the protective lining wears away due to acidity or heat, and now you’ve got both BPA and tin leaching into your food.
When it comes to canned products, it’s really just a disaster waiting to happen. Some companies sell their products in a BPA-free canned container, but even in this case, it’s better to buy your food fresh or frozen.
Solutions:
Buy your food fresh or frozen and make just a few exceptions for high nutrient foods like sardines
#7 Aluminum Foil and Plastic Wrap
Every kitchen has that one drawer that’s stuffed with partially used aluminum foil and plastic wrap rolls. While these two items come in quite handy now and then, they really have no place in your kitchen – or your home, for that matter.
The obvious issue with aluminum foil is that, well, it’s aluminum. Aluminum foil is often used to wrap veggies on the grill or line a baking sheet, which means that the aluminum is not only touching your food but is undergoing extremely high temperatures as it does.
Aluminum is a toxic heavy metal that can impact several systems in your body and is associated with a variety of conditions, including (but not limited to) Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, anemia, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and autism.
And, of course, plastic wrap is yet another source of BPA.
Solutions:
In place of aluminum foil on the grill, try using cedar wraps. They’ll not only protect your veggies from the flame, but they’ll also provide a delicious cedar flavor.
In place of plastic wraps, try using beeswax food wraps. These are non-toxic and can be molded around food just like a plastic wrap – minus the BPA.
#8 Processed Junk Food
Toxins like added sugar, saturated fats, additives, colorings, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, heavy metals and more are found in many of our foods. They are found mostly in processed foods, fast foods, and junk foods of every type. These bad ingredients are among the leading reasons chronic disease is on the rise.
Solutions
Adding foods rich in bioactive compounds to your diet along with essential oils (which are also bioactive) to your routine can help ensure that you are getting the nourishment your body needs. Bioactive compounds are antioxidants and phytochemicals (plant-based chemicals) that help boost metabolism, prevent disease, and make you feel great.
Avoid unsafe items like bleached sugars and white flour—and products made with them.
Also on the list are vegetable oils like canola, which have been linked to numerous chronic diseases; commercial fruit juices (most store-bought versions are pasteurized, which renders them useless because they are void of nutrition); and artificial sweeteners.
As for nonorganic, GMO meat products, these are absolute death foods. So eat organically grown or raised foods whenever possible. They are free of pesticides, insecticides, hormones, antibiotics, and other toxins known to cause harm to humans.
Bathroom
Your bathroom is a room where a lot of personal care happens. It’s also a room with a potentially significant amount of toxic exposure. Cleaning up your bathroom space goes beyond the obvious cleaning products and extends to your personal care products like moisturizers, makeup, soap, and so on.
Let’s get into it.
#1 Personal Care Products and Makeup
Whatever you put on your body can be absorbed through your skin. If you only eat organic, high-quality food, it makes no sense to put toxic, low-quality products on your body.
Personal care and makeup products contain a range of harmful compounds, including (but not limited to):
Heavy metals
Phthalates
Parabens
Fragrance
Formaldehyde
Triclosan
Ethanolamine Compounds (DEA and TEA)
Dioxane
And many, many more
Unless your products explicitly state that they are free of unwanted chemicals, you can be sure that they’re contaminated.
Solutions:
Shop with a company you trust and immediately replace your toothpaste and lipstick!!! I like Beautycounter for makeup and skincare, doTERRA for skincare and personal care products like shampoo, toothpaste, body oils and Norwex has a great toothpaste and toothbrush!!!
Castile soap: Available in bars or liquid, castile soap replaces almost any commercial soap or cleanser alone or in recipes.
Unfiltered, raw apple cider vinegar: Use this exceptional natural product as a clarifying hair rinse. It gets rid of residue buildup from hair products.
Aloe gel: Fresh from the leaves or bottled, this gel is both healing and soothing to skin of all types and ages. It can replace many lotions and creams, alone or in recipes.
Witch hazel: From shrinking pores to fighting aging, witch hazel is a natural astringent with many skin-boosting benefits.
Avocado: Mashed and used alone as a mask, an avocado is loaded with many minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, all of which contribute to skin health in no uncertain terms. Avocado also contains fats that keep the skin moisturized as well as combat inflammation.
Fatty oils: These include coconut, jojoba, olive, and sweet almond oils. They can be used alone as healing cleansing oils or as carrier oils in recipes to very convincingly replace commercial lotions and creams.
Diluted essential oils: Oils such as lavender, frankincense, Roman chamomile, neroli, helichrysum, sandalwood, and rose are all popular choices for cosmetic or skin care in conjunction with many natural healing recipes.
Flaxseeds: So often the skin needs exfoliation to get rid of dead skin cells and dry flaky areas. One of the best ways to exfoliate naturally is with ground flaxseeds, used in skin scrub recipes.
Bentonite/French clay: Historically, clay is a top clarifying and detox mask ingredient that will give you glowing skin.
Honey: Because honey is antibacterial, it is very healing for the skin and helps promote probiotic activity (which may fight “leaky skin”) and reduce acne.
Fruit acids: Mashed, blended, or freshly juiced fruits are natural sources of alpha and beta hydroxy acids—both of which provide antiaging benefits to the skin. Try lemon, apple, cream of tartar (from grapes), or strawberries.
DIY Recipes
QUICK AND EASY HAND SANITIZER
10 drops essential oils (see Notes)
Organic 190-proof grain alcohol (or the highest proof alcohol you can get; see Notes)
SUPPLIES
1-ounce glass spray bottle or polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
plastic flip-top bottle (PET is recognized as a safe material for food storage).
1. Drop the essential oils into the bottle, then add alcohol to fill the bottle.
2. Cover and shake vigorously to mix thoroughly.
3. Be sure to give your hands a thorough soak with the mixture, rub them vigorously, and let them air-dry, keeping them wet for as long as possible.
NOTES: Since all essential oils are antimicrobial, you can pretty much choose whatever you want. Want to calm down? Use lavender. Want to boost your mood? Use citrus oils. Want to boost immune function? Use our Immune-Boosting Blend (this page). The sky’s the limit! At least 70 percent alcohol is necessary to sanitize the hands, but this concentration is not adequate for solubilizing essential oils.
HEALTHY LIQUID HAND SOAP
¼ cup distilled water
¼ cup Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile liquid soap
1½ teaspoons vitamin E oil
1½ teaspoons sweet almond or jojoba oil
20 drops of the essential oil or blend of your choice
SUPPLIES
8-ounce glass bottle with pump or glass foaming soap dispenser
1. In the glass bottle combine the water and liquid soap.
2. Add your vitamin E, sweet almond or jojoba oil, and essential oils.
3. Screw on the lid and shake well.
NOTE: If you make this soap in a larger amount, store the leftovers in a glass jar until your containers need a refill; just remember to always shake well before using.
#2 Bathroom Cleaners
Toxic cleaners poison your air and YOU! These toxic cleaners can contribute to autoimmunity and other chronic health issues. Some of the most toxic chemicals are parabens, which are hormone disruptors and may lead to breast cancer; chlorine, associated with sneezing and skin, eye, nasal, and throat irritations; triclosan, another hormone disruptor; ammonia, which is corrosive to the lungs; and phthalates, which are carcinogens. Also, be wary of antibacterial cleaners. When you use them, good bacteria are also killed. This could be harmful to your skin microbiome if the ratio of good to bad bacteria is disturbed, and bad bacteria get the upper hand.
Solutions:
Distilled white and apple cider vinegars are all-natural disinfectants. You can even clean glass and other surfaces with them.
Baking soda is extremely helpful for scrubbing down surfaces (including ovens), cleaning smelly drains, cleaning grout, mopping floors, and refreshing furniture.
Definitely use essential oils in your cleaning products. They impart two big benefits: they are disinfectants, and they bring a pleasant scent to the job you’re doing.
Norwex and doTERRA have household cleaners that work great. If you don’t have time to DIY (I don’t), check out the cleaning products from these companies. Everything is truly clean—no fragrances, dyes, fillers, formaldehyde, triclosan, ammonia, chlorine, or other harmful chemicals.
# 3 Medicine cabinet
Detox your Medicine Cabinet! Over the counter medications mask the symptoms but they damage your gut, are toxic to the liver and cause side effects.
It’s better to use natural alternatives! Natural remedies are safer, more effective and often cheaper!
Taking synthetic prescription or OTC drugs long-term is toxic, depleting your body of essential nutrients and results in suppression of your immune system.
Solutions:
Essential oils
Other natural remedies
Living Room and Bedroom
Much like the bathroom, you’ll want to make sure the cleaning supplies you use in your living room and bedroom are also green-certified and completely toxin-free. You’ll also want to avoid the use of air fresheners in these spaces. In addition, there are a handful of specifics to keep in mind for your living room and bedroom.
#1 Air Quality
Most people don’t realize that the air in their homes can be filled with toxic compounds. In fact, indoor air can be up to five times more toxic than outdoor air.
Of all of the potential chemicals in your air, formaldehyde is the most common indoor pollutant in homes today. It can come from a variety of sources, including gas stoves, household products, building materials, and more.
Formaldehyde is dangerous on its own, but when it breaks down, it can form carbon monoxide, which can be deadly.
Solutions:
Take off shoes before entering the house
Use Norwex doormat to trap the most bacteria possible!
Open windows as often as possible
Run a fan to circulate the air
Change filters in your home
Humidifier in your bedroom (doTERRA has a humidifier I love that you can put essential oils into!!!)
Purchase a filtration system. It helps minimize all the main sources of air pollution in your home. An efficient one can even filter out virus-sized particles! There are many good choices such as Air Doctor Pro, Fresh Air Surround System, EnviroKlenz, Breathe Safe from Creatrix Solutions, a portable and compact personal air purification system that generates millions of negative ions, balanced by a small number of positive ions, as soon as it’s connected
Use himalayan salt lamps
Detox your home with houseplants. Plants are amazing at cleaning up your air, so add some to your home! Certain types of plants can suck pollutants from your indoor air. These include the Garden Mum, Peace Lily, and Aloe Vera, and the Spider Plant. The Peace Lily is my personal favorite.
Diffuse essential oils to clean the air, they have antiviral and antibacterial properties, which means they kill viruses and bacteria airborne! Plus they smell good and can make you feel happy and energized!
De-dust your home! Dust is essentially a repository for the potpourri of harmful toxins throughout our homes. Teeny little specks of chemicals that escape from clothing, furniture, cleaning supplies, consumer products, and dirt that we track in on our shoes merge with things like skin flakes, pet dander, and pollen to create dust.
Pick one or two rooms where you or your kids spend the most time. Start there, and dust that area one extra time per week.
Take your shoes off before entering your home.
Damp mop rather than sweep. Sweeping just moves the dust around. Damp dust rather than dry dusting with a Swiffer or feather duster; this also moves dust around.
Dust with a safe dusting spray or use a DIY dusting spray (using toxic chemicals just adds to the problem).
Vacuum frequently, and use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
You can also fill your home with detoxifying plants for enhanced air quality. There are certain plants that can suck pollutants right out of your air. These include the Garden Mum, Peace Lily, Aloe Vera, and the Spider Plant.
#2 Bedding
Did you know that acne can be caused by bacteria from your pillows? Yikes. You spend at least 8 hours a day in your bed, you want it to be CLEAN (super non-toxic).
Solutions:
Invest in a latex pillows for everyone. Ideally you want to replace all pillows every 6 months BUT it can be very expensive. That’s why I use Norwex pillow cases!
Norwex pillow cases that remove up to 99.7% of bacteria! Buy here
Organic or Norwex bedding
Foam mattress covers may offer a soft, cloud-like sleeping experience, but these materials are treated with fire retardants that off-gas toxic chemicals that you breathe in all night. It does little good to have a high-quality air filter if you’re sleeping on a toxic mattress. The same goes for your living room furniture, such as sofas and armchairs. If they’re made with foam, you can be sure they were sprayed with fire retardants. When possible, choose furniture made with leather, wool, cotton, or wool.
#3 Check For Lead Paint
If your home was built before 1978, there’s a good chance you have lead paint lurking on those walls. Paint slowly deteriorates over time, which means that you may be inhaling dust that contains lead particles on a daily basis.
Lead poisoning is extremely serious, especially for the little ones. Exposure to this heavy metal can cause a range of issues, most strikingly mental and physical development. Children exposed to lead may experience developmental delay, learning difficulties, irritability, fatigue, weight loss, and more.
You can remove your lead paint using a wet sanding method with a HEPA filter vacuum. But it’s probably best to hire a professional to do this job, so you don’t expose yourself to unnecessary toxicity.
Laundry and Other Cleaning Practices
There are a few standard cleaning regimens that every household follows. Namely, laundry, vacuuming, and (hopefully) dusting. While these practices themselves are great for keeping your home clean and reducing toxins, there are certain practices you should follow to make sure you’re getting the most out of your time.
#1 Laundry Detergent
Similar to how personal products can contain chemicals that absorb into your skin, chemicals in laundry detergent that get absorbed into your clothes can also end up in your skin – and eventually in your body.
Remember, anything that touches your skin has the potential to absorb into your circulation.
You wear your clothes every day, which is why purchasing toxic-free laundry detergent is so crucial.
Some of the biggest offenders in laundry detergents include benzene, nonylphenol ethoxylates, Dioxane, and fragrance. These harmful chemicals are linked to hormone imbalance, endocrine disruption, respiratory dysfunction, and more.
Laundry room solutions:
Look for better modern detergents, such as green detergents that are formulated with natural, plant-based ingredients (I recommend doTERRA and Norwex).
Use baking soda. There’s not much that baking soda cannot do. It’s the jack-of-all-trades when it comes to cleaning. Baking soda washes clothing, is a natural stain remover, and can even dry-clean your clothes.
Try washing soda. This natural cleaner is also a powerful water softener. The watchdog organization the Environmental Working Group ranks it as an “A,” so it passes with flying colors, making it safe and nontoxic.
Clean with distilled white vinegar. Simply put ½ cup in your washing machine’s detergent compartment. You don’t need to add any other detergents.
Making your own laundry soap can be very messy and a bit tricky, which is why I recommend using Norwex detergent, the best non toxic, truly chemical-free laundry solution that actually works! Visit https://olyaclark.norwex.biz/en_US/customer/shop/Laundry
#2 Vacuum
No one likes vacuuming, but we all have to do it. I recommend finding a vacuum model equipped with a HEPA filter to get the most out of your vacuum. A HEPA filter (“high-efficiency particulate air” for short) is a mechanical air filter that traps harmful particles like mold spores, pollen, pet dander, and dust mites.
This will ensure that any of the toxins from your air that settle into your carpet or in the corners of your home will be swept away once and for all.
#3 Dusting
While vacuuming is often something that comes naturally as we notice our floors looking like they could use some help, dusting is something that many people put off.
What you may not realize is that household dust contains a multitude of toxins that can build up and add to your air contamination. A handful of dust’s toxic compounds include fungal spores, phthalates, flame retardants, phenols like bisphenol A (BPA), Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), and fragrance chemicals.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to make dusting a part of your regular routine, along with vacuuming.
Solutions:
Norwex dusting system makes sure dust doesn’t fly in the air to only land some new place. Check it out here
Dry mop your floor with Norwex
DIY Recipes with doTERRA oils
TEA TREE–CITRUS BATHROOM CLEANER
2 tablespoons Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile liquid soap
2 tablespoons baking soda
25 drops tea tree essential oil
30 drops orange or lemon essential oil
2 cups distilled water
SUPPLIES
16-ounce glass spray bottle
1. Combine the liquid soap, baking soda, and essential oils in the spray bottle and mix well.
2. Pour in the water and shake thoroughly.
3. Use as you would any other bathroom cleaner. Shake before each use.
4. Store in a cool, dark place.
CITRUS-POWERED GLASS CLEANER SPRAY
½ teaspoon Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile liquid soap
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
25 drops essential oils (see Note)
1½ cups distilled water
SUPPLIES 16-ounce glass spray bottle
1. Add liquid soap, vinegar, and essential oils to the spray bottle and mix well.
2. Pour in the distilled water and shake thoroughly.
3. Spray the mixture directly on glass windows and mirrors for cleaning. Shake before each use.
4. Store in a cool, dark place.
NOTE: Essential oils for cleaning glass include lemon, lime, bergamot, and grapefruit.
Nontoxic Simple Home Fragrance Ideas
Bathroom air freshener: Pop a few drops of essential oil on the inside of your toilet roll.
Long car drive spray: Try a car freshener spray for alertness: 4 drops peppermint essential oil, 4 drops rosemary oil, 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) alcohol (e.g. vodka) and 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) water in a small spray bottle.
Natural air freshener 1: Pop 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) alcohol (e.g. vodka) into a spray bottle with 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) water. Add a total of 20 drops of your favorite essential oils. Spray as needed.
Natural air freshener 2: Pop 45 g (1½ oz/½ cup) coffee beans in a vase with some vanilla bean powder, and sit a big beeswax candle inside. The gentle heat from the candle will bring out a beautiful, subtle vanilla bean and coffee aroma. You can also pop a baking tray of coffee beans with ½ teaspoon vanilla powder and 3 drops cinnamon oil in a 180ºC (350ºF) oven for 15 minutes. It’s as close as you can get to baking something extraordinary without actually baking. In fact, why don’t you just bake something gorgeous? There’s an idea! Nothing like the smell of something baking to lift the spirits of everyone in the house.
Bedroom air freshener: For stale smelly children’s bedrooms, pop a tub of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and 10 drops lemon oil underneath their beds. Add a few fresh drops of oil each week. They’ll almost smell as sweet as the day they were born. Almost.
Sweet, earthy blend that makes for a wonderful spritzer to promote health and vitality.
10 drops organic 190-proof grain alcohol
5 drops cardamom essential oil
5 drops pink pepper essential oil
5 drops vetiver essential oil
10 drops witch hazel
Distilled water, as needed
SUPPLIES 1-ounce spray bottle
1. Mix the grain alcohol, essential oils, and witch hazel in the bottle.
2. Fill with distilled water and shake gently to mix well.
3. Use as you normally would an aerosol spray for an invigorating aromatic escape and to promote overall health and vitality.
4. These oils also work great in a diffuser. Use just 1 drop of each oil.
EMFs
Most of us love the conveniences of modern life. But few of us are aware of the possible health risks presented by the gadgets that make our world work.
It turns out that our cell phones, microwaves, Wi-Fi routers, computers, and other appliances send out a stream of invisible energy through electromagnetic fields (EMFs) that concerns some experts.
EMFs are known to trigger oxidative stress on various tissues throughout the body and they can cause free radical damage to your cells.
So please remain aware of these negative effects of EMFs. Although the impact of the waves varies at different frequencies, it is better to stay as far as possible from their source because of the health risks.
Solutions
Use essential oils as a way of life in your body care and cleaning products, and diffuse them throughout the day in your home. Essential oils are rich in free radical–fighting antioxidants and can help reduce the effects of these waves.
Use the speaker function or headphones so your phone is not right by your ear when talking.
Avoid wireless earbuds and Bluetooth technology.
Turn off your phone or put it on “airplane mode” when you sleep.
Turn off your Wi-Fi router at night.
Live without a microwave. We do it, and it’s not as hard as you might expect. You can reheat foods quickly on the stovetop or in your oven. Toaster ovens come in handy for the same reason. Water boils quickly in an electric kettle, and you can defrost foods overnight in your refrigerator.
Use EMF-protection devices to help create a protected environment in your home, office, and car. My favorite protection against EMF stress is the Harmoni Pendant.
Takeaway
If you’re a health-conscious person (which, if you’re reading this, you probably are), then caring for the health of your home must become a priority right up there with caring for the health of your body.
As much as a healthy diet and exercise regimen will do your body good, you don’t live in a vacuum, and the world around you directly impacts your physical health.
Now, if you’re reading this article and feeling a little overwhelmed, take a deep breath and rest assured that none of these suggestions need to be done this instant. Cleaning up your home environment is a project; it can take several months or even years to complete for some people.
With that being said, the more you can do today, the better you’ll feel tomorrow. I suggest taking a couple of suggestions at a time and making changes slowly but progressively. Truly, any changes you make toward a less toxic home will pay off.