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Kirsten Oliphant

The Best Green Cleaning Products PLUS How to Use Them!

Life Stories

25 Nov

The best green cleaning products that are kid-friendly. Have a clean home without worries of danger to your kids.I would hardly call myself green. OR a good house cleaner. Generally I think I’m a pretty normal mom: doing the best I can without breaking the bank or my sanity. Sound familiar? What really got me into green cleaning products was the reality of how dangerous some of the common household cleaners are. I don’t want to get all scare-tactic-y, but the reality is that some of our normal household items can be deadly to our kids, or at the least very dangerous. Like those laundry pods that have been sending 1 kid a day to the hospital. Yikes! Studies show just how great this danger from household cleaners is. (For a great post on why we should care, read THIS!) Everyone cares very much about things like gun safety (and we SHOULD! read my post here on gun safety tips), but we often don’t prioritize the safety of our household cleaners.

So for me, I think it’s a great thing that many of the green cleaning products are safer for the greater environment while ALSO being safer for my home environment. It can seem like a big change to get rid of the normal cleaning staples, so I’m sharing with you my dream team of the BEST green cleaning products for your household and how to use them. I have used all of these and do use them all, fairly interchangeably. Many of these links are affiliate, which means that if you buy a product after clicking through from here, I get a small referral commission.

A list of the best green cleaning products for safely cleaning your home!

Here are some tips and tricks for kid-friendly, green house cleaning!

Ways to use vinegar as a house cleaner

If you want to go ultra-simple, start with vinegar. I have to confess: I HATE the smell of vinegar. (If you didn’t know, my first blog was named after my hatred of pickles.) Cleaning with vinegar can be a bit of a challenge for that reason, but once it’s dry, the vinegar smell goes away. This is also cheap and you can use it to cook as well. It has so many great properties! Here are a few ways to use vinegar as a green cleaning product.

Toilet Cleaning with Your Kids– I posted last year about how much my boys love cleaning toilets when we use vinegar plus baking soda. It makes a kind of explosion when they react together (remember this is what you use to make volcanoes for school!) and this is a great excitement for kids.

32 Cleaning Ideas for Vinegar– Here is a great list of ways to use and clean your home with vinegar!

Things You Shouldn’t Clean with Vinegar– Every product isn’t for every THING. Make sure you know these 6 things you shouldn’t clean with vinegar!

Unless your kids have a vinegar allergy (is that a thing?), using vinegar to clean your home should be totally safe. No worries about storing this in a high place! The smell might even turn your kids away, but if they take a big swig, no harm done.

How to use Mrs Meyer's green cleaner.
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day All Purpose Cleaner is one of the first green cleaners that I used. Well-priced at about $7-8, this concentrated bottle lasts for months. What I love? On the back is a little warning label that says: “If ingested, drink a glass of water.” As opposed to the toxic death warnings and poison control numbers listed on so many of the cleaners widely available in stores. I like that there are a variety of scents. Lavender and Lemon are my favorite!

General Cleaning- Fill a spray bottle with water & Mrs. Meyer’s (follow instructions on the back) and use on countertops, bathtubs, toilets, floors—EVERYWHERE!

 Green Cleaning with H2O at Home.

H2O at Home is a line of products that is fairly new to me. A friend of mine sent me a few things to try (look for a giveaway soon!) and I LOVE them. Like, REALLY REALLY love them. The idea of this company is to remove chemicals and unnecessary products from your home and use WATER. They make several high tech micro fiber cleaning rags, which they call Chiffonnettes. One is for glass, one for general surfaces, and one for heavy duty. My favorite is the heavy-duty Chiffonnette, which I used mostly on our tables, chairs, and kitchen counters. I can FEEL the difference while cleaning and see the difference: no streaks. The glass Chiffonnette will actuallyl give you a streak-free mirror or window with nothing but water. Insane, right? You can read more about H2O at home here. I can safely say that I don’t know how I’ll ever use another cleaning cloth after trying these.H2O at Home is a great eco-friendly cleaner for home that is safe for kids. Perfect if you're moving toward green cleaning products!

There is also a scouring clay (pictured in the white tub) that is fabulous for just about everywhere! I’ve used it on counters, sinks, the oven, and the bathtub. It is super easy to use and the products are all highly concentrated NATURAL ingredients. I have barely made a dent in the small container of clay (and it’s not just because I am not the best house cleaner). These are a great product to use especially if you care about packaging as well because the packaging is biodegradable. AsCheck out more of their products on Kara’s H2O at Home page!

Green Cleaning with Dr. Bronner's soap.

I love Dr. Bronner’s Soap! It is derived from plant products rather than synthetic chemicals, so it’s safe and less harsh on the environment. Like Mrs. Meyer’s, it is a concentrate, so a little goes a long way and it lasts a long time. I will say after using it that if you use it as dishwashing soap or hand soap, it has a different consistency, which can be odd. It’s a lot thinner, so might work better as a hand soap in one of those foaming soap containers . You can find it in many stores now or on Amazon for a great price, especially considering how long it lasts. (A bottle lasts me almost a year.) Here are a few great tips on how to use it.

Great Ways to Use Dr. Bronner’s Soap– This post helped get me started on Dr. Bronner’s.

Why NOT to Mix Dr. Bronner’s with an Acid (like Lemon)– Some of these natural products have specific combinations that you should avoid. (And also why you MIGHT NOT want to use it as shampoo.)

10 Products to Replace with Dr. Bronner’s– This is a very practical guide to show you how you can stop buying so many other products in favor of using Dr. Bronner’s.

 How to Clean with Thieves Essential Oil

I am a very quiet seller of Young Living Essential Oils. Quiet as in: Did you KNOW that I sell them? Probably not. But I do LOVE them and Thieves is the #1 reason. It starts as a shallow reason—Thieves smells amazing. Spicy and Christmas-y and wonderful. It also contains a blend of therapeutic-grade, purifying essential oils that fight off microorganisms (even bacteria & mold!) without exposing you or your household to harsh synthetic chemicals. All the while smelling of Christmas! A bottle of Thieves cleaner is also concentrated, so it can last a long time. Because Thieves has so many great properties, I feel like I’m not just NOT harming the environment, I’m doing GOOD in my home. (Plus, did I MENTION it smells like Christmas?) Thieves Essential Oil is also fabulous for other cleaners, and there are tons of uses for essential oils around the home. Here are more links for ways to use Thieves and essential oils in the home!

 

Ways to Use Thieves Cleaner at Home– 20 different household ways to clean from Don’t Mess with Mama.

30 Homemade Essential Oils Recipes- This is a popular roundup I’ve done with everything from laundry soap to face scrub.

50 Ways to Use Thieves- This is a super comprehensive list of ways to use Thieves oil.

If you want to know more about essential oils and Thieves in particular, shoot me an email! I’d love to tell you how you can get set up with a fabulous set of oils (or the Thieves line) and get wholesale discounts without feeling all sales-y…unless you want to be sales-y.

 The dream team of green cleaning products!

With ALL of these cleaners, you still want to be cautious and smart. Other than vinegar, your kids shouldn’t be eating these things. (Though if they DO, you are much better off than if your child gets even something like dishwasher detergent.) Most have a keep-out-of-eyes warning, so be practical. I hope all of these will help you feel better about the environment large AND small.

And if you hate cleaning as much as I do, here are a few links from Moms Confession to get you in the cleaning mode!

10 Cleaning Hacks to Speed Up Your Routine

11 Secret Cleaning Tips

Printable Cleaning Checklist

 

What are YOUR favorite cleaners and cleaning tips? Are you passionate about using green cleaning products?

Pin this post for later!

Five Green Cleaning Products that are kid-safe as well!

 

 

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Comments

  1. Vanessa D. says

    November 26, 2014 at 7:57 am

    I use vinegar in my laundry. I’ve got a front load washing machine, and because they use less water than traditional top load machines getting odors out of clothing and towels can be a real problem. Especially with two young adults in the house that leave their towels heaped in a corner of their bedrooms. A bit of vinegar in the bleach and fabric softener dispensers is the only way I’ve found to take care of the problem without wrecking clothing with bleach.
    Vanessa D. recently posted…Keeping Your House As A Rental?My Profile

    Reply
  2. Prudy says

    January 11, 2015 at 3:44 am

    It’s really great that people are sharing this innoomatirf.

    Reply
  3. life insurance quotes says

    March 15, 2015 at 11:29 am

    I can’t hear anything over the sound of how awesome this article is.

    Reply
  4. Danielle says

    July 14, 2015 at 11:40 am

    These are all great alternatives, EXCEPT, Thieves is NOT kid safe. It has age restricted oils in it and should not be used around small children. Eucalyptus oil is unsafe for children under 10 years old. The 1,8-cineole content is way too high for young lungs to handle. It has been known to slow respiratory function to the point of stopping. No, its not going to happen to every child that comes into contact with it, but seriously, why take the chance? Same thing with Rosemary. Too high of a 1,8-cineole content. Anything over 40% 1,8-cineole is not recommended for under 10 by the worlds leading authorities on oils like Robert Tisserand and Sylla-Hanger Sheppard.

    Reply
    • Kirsten Oliphant says

      July 14, 2015 at 8:50 pm

      Thanks for the info! Yes, the bottle does say keep out of reach of children. I do keep it up and the bottle I let my children (5 & 7) clean with is diluted. Still a FAR CRY from the off-the-shelf cleaners from the store. 🙂
      Kirsten Oliphant recently posted…The Best Little Blog Conference in TexasMy Profile

      Reply
  5. Wendy says

    February 26, 2016 at 10:43 am

    Hi, you provided great reasons for making your own green cleaning products.

    Reply
  6. Jackie Bolen says

    June 19, 2016 at 10:28 pm

    Thanks for sharing! You’ve actually not just given the best must-haves for the cleaning products. You’ve taught everyone too, the proper way of using them!

    Reply
  7. Jackie Bolen says

    August 9, 2016 at 9:53 pm

    Oh, yes! It is important that the green products we use are not just eco-friendly but kids-friendly too! This is such an awesome post. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  8. Jo says

    November 17, 2016 at 6:45 am

    My cat has pee on my bed i have an onsoble so it on the side and it has stains on how could i get that off and stop him from going back to it he is desexed. Thanks you

    Reply
  9. Brian says

    December 15, 2016 at 9:44 am

    I love all of these green cleaning products and so many of these I already have around the house! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  10. Julie Austin says

    April 22, 2017 at 1:45 pm

    Glad you mention what not to clean with vinegar. Love the idea that Thieves smells like Christmas. I’ve never heard of the product before. My dog’s all natural flea medication smells like that too. Probably has some of the same essential oils.
    Julie Austin recently posted…Promotional Products Outlook for 2017My Profile

    Reply

Trackbacks

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    December 15, 2014 at 12:07 pm

    […] little ones running around, I want to have cleaners that are safe (read my post on safe, green cleaning!) and that are simple enough for THEM to do. I want to teach them responsibility and also pawn off […]

    Reply
  2. How to Clean Your Roller Derby Gear says:
    January 14, 2015 at 1:45 pm

    […] stuff. Thieves especially is a fabulous bacteria-fighter and wonderful for cleaning. (We use the Young Living Thieves cleaner at home, too!) I love the Christmas-y scent of cloves and cinnamon paired with lavender and […]

    Reply
  3. 30 (Plus!) Homemade Recipes with Essential Oils - Kirsten Oliphant says:
    January 21, 2015 at 8:31 pm

    […] changes to rid our house of unhealthy, chemical-filled products. (Check out my list of favorite green cleaning products!) Don’t even get me started on food, which is still my biggest struggle. If you’ve made […]

    Reply
  4. Super Acts of Service with MARVEL'S The Avengers: Age of Ultron - Kirsten Oliphant says:
    April 30, 2015 at 8:50 am

    […] how we get our kids excited about toilet cleaning with safe products? Or see my list of eco- and kid-friendly cleaning products? We don’t keep a spotless home, but we DO get our kids involved and keep cleaning as safe as […]

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  5. How to Clean Pee Off Furniture and Carpets - Kirsten Oliphant says:
    August 1, 2016 at 10:56 pm

    […] Clean area with your normal cleaning spray or solution. (See my list of favorite cleaners HERE!) […]

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  6. Strands Blog says:
    October 16, 2016 at 7:29 pm

    Dream Home Spray Mop Bottle

    […] to happen to every child that comes into contact with it, but seriously, why tak […]

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  7. Engineered Blog says:
    March 10, 2018 at 12:02 am

    Dream Home Spray Mop Bottle

    […] and should not be used around small children. Eucalyptus oil is unsafe for chil […]

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Hey, there! I'm Kirsten, but most people call me Kiki. I'm a mom to five kids, ages under 1 to almost 9.It's a little loud up in here.

I'm writing this blog for YOU. That's right-- you. If you're like me, you might be surrounded by a loud, wild life. It's hard sometimes, finding the joy in the midst of the crazy. That's my goal, but I fail a lot.

I'm a writer with an MFA in Fiction, but these days I run on blogs and coffee. In this space I keep it real about family and make delicious recipes in my messy kitchen. You can also find me at Create If Writing writing about creativity or interviewing writers, bloggers, and creatives. I'm so glad you're here!


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