Do you want a clean house without all the chemicals? Here are my favorite natural cleaning products that keep my house clean even with three messy little boys! Bonus: The kids even like to help and it’s safe for them to do so!
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Traditional Cleaning
Like many of us, I’m sure, I was brought up using traditional chemical cleaners. We used Comet powder with water to clean the bathroom. Windex for windows and mirrors. We also used Pledge for dusting. I had no idea how horrible these products are not only for the items they’re used on but more troublesome, for my own health.
Natural Products
I began searching for more natural products to clean with in 2015 after I learned how horrible they were through my research about my autoimmune flare. The chemicals that are in cleaning products, and personal care products for that matter, are astounding. We breathe in these chemicals when we clean and they soak into our bodies via our skin when applied topically or even through our clothing in the case of laundry detergent.
The EWG (Environmental Working Group) has had a guide to harmful chemicals for years where it shows which dangerous ingredients are in the things we use every day. The most dangerous chemicals that tend to be in everyday cleaning, cosmetics, and personal care products include known carcinogens such as formaldehyde, parabens which disrupt hormones and the reproductive system, and mercury which can damage the kidneys and nervous system, just to name a few.
When I made the switch to more natural products I began cleaning with vinegar and dish soap. It worked relatively well but left a smell at times. Sometimes I’d add a drop or two of essential oil which would help with the smell at least. I realized though that I was still wasting a lot of paper towels and I really didn’t like using vinegar.
Then I started using some popular plant-based products which are more natural than traditional cleaners. I liked using these products but soon they didn’t have as many fragrance-free options, which was frustrating. I also noticed that my laundry and dishes had a film on them after they’d been washed. I wasn’t too fond of that either.
Years prior I had stopped using dryer sheets because they leave residue on clothing and contain harmful chemicals. I didn’t think that detergent would leave a residue as well but apparently, it did.
Enter a Perfect Solution
It wasn’t long after we moved to our first home together that my husband and I went to a craft/vendor fair in the new city we lived in. There we met a wonderful woman who introduced us to Norwex. I told her that I used vinegar to clean my house and she said something to the effect that it still had harmful things in it and I should consider switching to Norwex.
She showed me the butter demo in real life and while it was impressive, I didn’t want to spend so much on a cloth. I entered in the contest she had going and moved on to the next vendor. We actually didn’t buy anything from anyone that day.
Not long after that, she notified me that I had won a Norwex EnviroCloth and Window Cloth. I was excited! Not only do I love winning things, of course, but I also was still really intrigued by this new way of cleaning!
Once I Tried it I was Hooked
Once I tried out the Norwex® EnviroCloth ®and Window Cloth® together, I was hooked. I’m the type of person who absolutely HATES streaky windows and mirrors. Drives me completely nuts every time I see it. I had never found a solution that made the streaks fully disappear until these two products entered my life.
By getting the EnviroCloth wet with water, wiping down my mirror or window, and then using the dry Window Cloth I suddenly had clean and STREAK FREE windows and mirrors!! No chemicals, no residue, no nothing. Just water and a couple of cloths.
I soon learned something even more awesome is both of these cloths have BacLock® which inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, and bacteria within the cloth. Also, the use of mechanical cleaning vs chemical cleaning is better for my health and the environment.
I use the EnviroCloth for way more than just windows and mirrors, I have 2 full-size EnviroCloths and 7 travel Envirocloths. I have one in every bathroom, one in the kitchen, one in the van, and one in my purse. I have them with me everywhere. I use them for everything from cleaning up spills to wiping down the dash of the van when I’m waiting in line at the pharmacy, to adding some water and wiping down the bathroom countertops to clean them. It’s amazing all I can do with them.
Reusable = Saves $$ and the Planet
I grew up using paper towels for most cleaning and thought that was the only way to clean. This continued well into my 20s when I’d clean my apartment and then my 30s when I’d clean my house. Until I really got into Norwex.
Now instead of using paper towels for cleaning, I use the EnviroCloth for almost everything. With the Baclock I don’t have to worry about washing them every time I use them either, which cuts down on laundry and water usage!
I also have several Counter Cloths® that I use in the kitchen to wipe up my kids after meals. They work wonderfully well! They also have BacLock so I just hang them to dry after rinsing them out and rubbing them a bit and reusing them for days.
My 3 sons, 5 and under use them for every meal! One has food allergies so we color code based on their preferred colors and make sure the kid with food allergies doesn’t get the one from his brothers who are able to eat gluten, etc. This has been great. They love they each have their own, that they’re lightweight yet absorbent, and they dry fast! I love that with the BacLock technology we can use them for quite a while before washing.
I also have one that has been overused so now is a clean-up cloth around the kitchen for spills, crumbs, microwave cleaning, etc.
Since we got these we have greatly reduced our paper towel usage to basically zero! I hang them to dry on this awesome rack I got on Amazon. It’s got three tiers and I’m able to fit two counter cloths wide so can dry 6 at a time. The grey cloth in the back is one of my travel-size EnviroCloths. Below my counter cloths you can also see counter cloth sponges, the Spirisponge, Mighty Mesh Pot Scrubber, and dishwashing liquid. On the side of the rack I use to dry my cloths, you can see my Counter Cloth House!
- Kitchen Rack Shelf Dish Drainer: A good helper for duster cloth draining in the kitchen, which could also save a large space for you.
- Kitchen Sponge Organizer: Storage container for kitchen. Multi- function and , fashionable design, ensure its popularity.
- Travel Bottle Drying Rack: The draining rack provides a dry environment for your kitchen utensils, make your kitchen organized
- Bottle Dryer Rack: Easy and convenient to use. Kitchen storage draining rack, it can be as a housewarming gift to your friends.
- Dishrag Holder: Storage container for kitchen. Multi-function and creative, fashionable design, ensure its popularity.
With Norwex Products Even my Kids Want to Clean!
One morning I had to take an important phone call and at the time, my almost 2-year-old twins and 4-year-old got loud so I went upstairs and closed myself in my room. Prior to the call they had been coloring with dry-erase markers (which are NOT washable) and when I came down a few minutes later my 4-year-old told me one of the twins had drawn on the floor but he cleaned it up. He had one of my travel Norwex cloths in hand, he had gotten it wet, and used it to clean up the floor and the walls. I’ve never actually taught him how to do this but he’s seen me do it so many times he knew exactly what to do!
Click the images below to read my blog post about my kids helping clean with Norwex!
Want to Reduce Toxins in your Home?
If you want to go beyond just cleaning supplies and reduce toxins in your home, check out this blog post by fellow blogger Krystal of Live Well with Krystal, where she talks about the Top 5 Environmental Toxins to Avoid for Families!
As a mom of identical twins and a son two years older, I have gained invaluable experience in the realm, and chaos, of parenting. With a Master's Degree and Education Specialist Degree in School Psychology, I spent years as a school psychologist, helping children navigate through their educational and emotional challenges. Now as a stay at home mom and professional blogger, I combine my areas of expertise to help you in your parenting journey.