As before, please note that nothing we share should be considered medical advise and you should consult with a health professional before making changes to your diet or lifestyle.
We're at week three of creating your most beautiful skin! Have you’ve seen amazing results so far and looking forward to more. You will see results if you are consistent, continue to eat clean and drink plenty of pure water. Today we’ll dive a bit deeper and make you aware of some of the sneaky contributors to why you may not be experiencing optimal skin.
Let’s address the outside in. Do you clean your house? Your car and your clothes? Even if you are blessed to have someone do those things for you, have you considered the effects of conventional cleaning products? Yes, those chemicals cut through grease but what else do they cut through? What are they killing when your rinse or flush them? Speaking of ‘flushing’ chemicals (like antibiotics, hormones and other medications) they show up in our water supply even after waste treatment plants have ‘cleaned’ it! (Another reason to use a good water filter whenever possible.)
There are homemade laundry soap recipes you can explore to see if they work for you. Research the ingredients you’ll be using to make sure you consider them safe. If you don’t have the time or desire to make your own, there are options like soap nuts or brands that have very few ingredients and natural oils for fragrance (if there is any). You may have to contact the company or go online for the full ingredient listing to make sure it falls within your safe list. If they won’t tell you what is in their product, they may not be the company with which you want to do business. We have found that some of the most natural brands available in our area are the least expensive with the least amount of wasteful packaging. It can take some experimentation to find the product or formula that works best with your home water source. Remember to take into consideration any additional products you use in your laundering process such as fabric softeners and dryer sheets. We have had success replacing these with some white vinegar in the rinse cycle.
Fragrance free enzyme cleaners, often called oxygen cleaners, can work well for stains but use caution on some delicate natural fibers such as silk as they may ‘digest’ the fabric. Search natural cleaning hacks using ingredients like cream of tartar or lemon juice for soap scum, hard water rings and other stains. With the internet, there are vast amounts of information, tips and tricks. We strongly urge you to do spot tests to make sure it works as planned. After all, everything on the internet is true, yes?
I feel we must address the fragrance plug-ins and sprays that ‘clean’ your air. What does that mean, anyway? It ‘cleans’ by putting something else in the air to cover up an odor? That doesn’t sound very clean! Although it is possible to be sensitive to certain essential oils, if they are from a reputable source and you don't have a reaction to the ones you choose, they can have the ability to cleanse the air and do not generally cause reactions when inhaled. Diffusing or misting them is much safer than solvent with fragrance added. But let’s get back to cleaning our homes and belongings.
There is nothing wrong with some good old fashioned soap (castile soap is a good liquid soap option) and water and/or vinegar and baking soda. Baking soda is capable of absorbing nasties well beyond it’s weight. It can be used to clean the surfaces of cookware, ovens, grills and more. Simply create a paste with water or sprinkle it on and mist with water and let it soak for an hour to overnight and wipe off. This should significantly reduce or remove any burnt-on mess. Add some essential oils to your ingredients as fragrance and cleansing boosters. Some essential oils act as solvents so research them carefully. You may never need another bottle of chemical cleaner! More recently introduced microfiber cloths can also be helpful. We aren’t sure how natural the cloth is but they are effective and can be washed and reused. Steam cleaners are another way to clean without chemicals. Just be careful to not burn yourself on the steam.
Now go…run…check your cleaning products and see if they are contributing to your frustration or keeping you from optimal skin and health. Find a place to donate the ones you no longer will use. There are places that will choose to use the chemicals no matter your opinion about them and this will save them from ending up in a landfill. Now don’t look back. When you have removed from your home unnecessary fragrances and chemicals, you may find yourself more sensitive to them when you do encounter them. As frustrating as this is, it just proves that you'll want to stay away from them!
Suggested reading and resources:
'The Naturally Clean Home' by Karyn Siegel-Maier
