As a mum, I know how important it is to keep our homes clean and safe, especially with little ones crawling around. When my kids were younger, I started looking for ways I could reduce the toxic load in our home by finding small, simple swaps that made me feel better about what I was using around my family. So, today I thought I would share some of my favourite low-tox cleaning recipes and hacks that can make cleaning easier and help you ditch the harmful chemicals you might be using in your home.
You don’t need a cupboard full of expensive products to keep your home clean, and you probably already have my most used ingredients sitting in your pantry. Simple ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils can work wonders on everything from kitchen counters to bathroom tiles. Not only are these options better for your family’s health, but they’re also budget-friendly and kinder to the environment.
1. Shower screen cleaner:
This is one of my favourite cleaning hacks and is shared by the queen of cleaning @mumma_mila_au on Instagram. It can be used to clean your entire bathroom and it’s amazing for removing that foggy soap scum that builds up around the bottom of your shower screens. Putting it into a dish wand makes it super easy to use and even the kids can give it a go.
Fill dish wand with half/half white vinegar and dish liquid. Shake to mix. Dampen the shower screen first and give it a good scrub (I’ve never had any issues with the scourer on my glass screens but you might like to do a patch test first if you’re not sure) Rince with water and squigee to avoid water marks when it dries. (she uses clove oil in hers which helps stop mold growth, but I just make it without)
2. Air fryer deep clean:
We use our airfryer constantly and sometimes a quick clean in the sink or dishwasher isn’t enough. This hack is so easy and reduces the amount of scrubbing to get all that grease and oil off.
Add 3/4 cup bi carb soda and 1 tbsp dish liquid to your airfryer then top with boiling water (mine takes two jug fulls) let it sit for 20 minutes. Empty out the water, give the stubborn bits a scrub then rinse thoroughly and dry.
3. All purpose cleaning paste:
This is the first cleaning product I ever made and it’s one that I absolutely swear by. It’s multi purpose and I use it for SO many things, particularly in the kitchen. It’s gentle enough to use on stainless steel sinks and stove tops but powerful enough to use in the oven as well.
In the original recipe the girls use liquid castile soap which would reduce the toxic load even further, but I don’t like the smell or the feel of castile soap so I use my regular earth dish liquid instead.
You can find the recipe along with some other tips for how to use it HERE.
4. Microwave deep clean:
You don’t realise how dirty your microwave is until your friend asks to use it to warm up her baby’s bottle, haha! This quick hack makes it quick and easy to clean and also smells amazing!
Cut up a lemon and place into a microwave safe dish. Cover with water and cook on high for 5-10 minutes. Allow to sit for a minute or two and then remove the dish and wipe the inside of your microwave clean.
I hope you’ve learned something useful from my favourite low-tox cleaning recipes and hacks. Reducing the toxic load in your home is about small, simple, manageable changes that you can gradually build on over time. No-one is perfect all the time, but having the knowledge and being able to make informed decisions about what products you’re still comfortable using is so powerful. Every small change you make is a step towards a healthier home for you and your family. I hope these recipes and hacks help make your cleaning easier and more mindful. If you have any Favourite tips or hacks of your own, I’d love to hear them!
Happy cleaning!
