Make the Swap to Non-Toxic Cleaning Products (+ Giveaway!)

For the longest time, many of us used typical household cleaning products without thinking twice about what nasty chemicals we might be adding to our indoor air. (Perhaps a hint was how many of us had to hold our breath when cleaning!) Turns out, most household cleaning products are full of irritants that you don’t want to breathe or get on your skin.

Whether you love cleaning or not, it’s something we all to do keep our homes looking nice and feeling comfortable and we want to know we're making our environment safer and cleaner. But cleaning with toxic chemicals actually adds pollutants to our home. With non-toxic cleaning products you can keep your surfaces and air clean and safe!

Honest is continuously expanding its line of cleaning products. For those of us who enjoy cleaning (or at least enjoy lounging in a clean house when we're done!), we've come up with some non-toxic DIY solutions, too.

But first, let's break down some of the harmful ingredients in the most popular cleaners:

The nasty chemicals in typical cleaning products include fragrances (serious toxins!), VOCs, dyes, formaldehyde, and many more substances that are harmful to humans and the environment. Women’s Voices for the Earth commissioned an independent study of 20 popular cleaning products from five companies. The analysis shows there were harmful chemicals in many of these products, and sometimes the manufacturer didn’t even list those chemicals on the product (like allergens in fragrance-free products). Check out what else is in some popular cleaning products:

Popular glass cleaners may contain:

2-Hexoxyethanol- A cleaning agent link to central nervous system depression and is an upper respiratory irritant.

Sodium C14-17 Sec-Alkyl Sulfonate- A wetting agent that is hazardous to the environment and an irritant to skin and eyes.

2-Butoxyethanol- Confirmed animal carcinogen. Irritant for human's eyes, skin, and lungs.

Popular all-purpose sprays may contain:

Phthalates - Even at very low doses, phthalates can cause hormone disruption and reproductive harm including birth defects.

Toluene - Toluene exposure has been linked to pregnancy complications, birth defects and developmental delays in children.

Ethanolamine - Human skin and respiratory irritant. Limited evidence of gastrointestinal or liver toxicity.

Popular wood polish/oil may contain:

Trisodium NTA - This corrosive substance causes injury to eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. It's a possible human carcinogen.

Formaldehyde - Known human carcinogen. Respiratory and skin allergen.

Swap Out Guide

Considering what you now know about all the nasty chemicals in typical cleaning products, we bet you're eager to swap those old cleaners out with new, non-toxic ones. Give your cleaning supplies cabinet a makeover with safe products like the ones below in this cleaning makeover guide.

Instead of typical glass cleaner use:

Honest Glass + Window Cleaner contains: water, alcohol denat. (corn-derived solvent), caprylyl/myristyl, glucoside (plant-based surfactant), acetic acid (plant-based vinegar).

(You can read about the ingredients we use, as well as some we don’t, and why in our Ingredients 101 series every Wednesday.)

Instead of typical dish washing soap use:

Honest Dish Soap contains: purified water, cocamidopropyl betaine (coconut-based cleanser), sodium coco-sulfate (coconut-based cleanser), cocamidopropylamine oxide (coconut-based cleanser), phenoxyethanol (pH-sensitive preservative), methylisothiazolinone (preservative), litsea cubeba oil, citrus limonum (lemon) peel oil, canarium luzonicum gum oil.

Instead of typical all-purpose cleaner use: 

Honest Multi-Surface Cleaner contains: Purified water, sodium coco sulfate (coconut-based cleanser), caprylyl/myristyl glucoside (plant-based cleanser), phenoxyethanol (pH-sensitive preservative), citrus grandis oil (N.O.P. certified organic grapefruit oil), PPG-4 laureth/Myreth-5 (coconut-based cleanser), alcohol (fermented from corn sugars), methylisothiazolinone (preservative).

Instead of typical toilet cleaner use: 

Honest Toilet Cleaner contains: Water, citric acid (plant-based pH regulator), caprylyl/myristyl glucoside (plant-based cleanser), gluconic acid (plant-based pH regulator), xanthan gum (natural viscosity enhancer), potassium sorbate (plant-based preservative), lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus) leaf oil, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf oil.

Instead of typical bathroom cleaner use: 

Honest Bathroom Cleaner contains: water, ethyl alcohol (fermented from corn sugar), caprylyl/myristyl glucoside (plant-based cleanser), sodium gluconate (plant-based water-softener), sodium citrate (plant-based water-softener), potassium sorbate (plant-based preservative), citric acid (plant- based pH regulator), aloe barbadensis (aloe) leaf juice, eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus) leaf oil, mentha arvensis (wild mint) leaf oil, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf oil.

You can also make your own cleaners with things in your pantry:

• To remove soap scum from a shower curtain, apply a paste of baking soda and a small amount of water, scrub with a brush.

• To remove grease stains from cloth pour boiling water over the stain. For non-washable cloth, mix cornstarch, baking soda, and a small amount of water to form a paste. Apply to a grease stain and brush off when dry.

• To naturally deodorize air without using a generic freshening spray, which typically contain all sorts of things you don't want to breath, like phthalates and synthetic fragrances. In The Honest Life, Jessica Alba recommends mixing vodka with a few drops of essential oil and putting the mixture in a spray bottle. Vodka contains ethyl alcohol, which absorbs odors.

• For alcohol, coffee, and tea stains, mix 1/3 cup white vinegar with 1/3 cup water, dab onto stain with a clean rag and wipe off.

• To remove a tough fabric stain or carpet stain try mixing our liquid laundry soap with water and using a clean toothbrush to scrub the stain out. Wipe clean with a wet cloth.

• Clean copper pots with lemons and salt, or cover in ketchup and scrub with a scouring pad.

• To clean stains from glass cookware, soak in a mixture of hot water and baking soda for about 20 minutes then scrub clean.

What are your safe cleaning tricks and tips? Also, we'd love to know which Honest cleaning products are your favorites! Tell us in the comments!

This post was revised as of 4/26/2016.