Nontoxic Laundry Detergent

October 11, 2018October 11, 2018by annahavens10Leave a Comment

Making the switch to natural products in your home may be a slow process, but the “why” of it is easy.

I came from a home where Tide detergent and Snuggle dryer sheets smelled next to Heavenly. As I had my own family I chose to continue the same duo for years. We played with different Tide scents and different dryer sheets.

When our boys were babies, we used Dreft for all of their clothing, blankets, and bedding. As one of the boys developed a rash, we switched to Tide free and gentle.

We eventually all started using the same detergent. Often the blue dye would stain my clothes or leave rashes (even on me). The dryer sheets felt like a waste, throwing them away. I tried to reuse them when I noticed them collecting.

Now starting on a natural living journey, I realize there are more options. And although it may feel strange, it’s time to ditch the dyes and harsh detergents. It’s time to switch to a more natural, less wasteful, and more mindful way of doing laundry.

Guys, I was so excited when I realized there are plant-based detergents and wool dryer balls. I don’t consider myself a hippie whatsoever, but I do love products that come from directly from the Earth. I love that they’re safe, simple, and genuine.

Skimming the store for one to test out was a little overwhelming, but ECOS caught my eye. I could see right through the container and noticed that it was clear. I read the label a bit, and before I decided to buy, I looked up the ratings online. This one averaged 4/5 on Amazon from over hundreds of reviews. So I brought it home and decided to try it out and do some more research.

Here’s what ECOS laundry detergent claims about the detergent I bought:

hypoallergenic
plant-derived ingredients (6 total ingredients)
“tough on dirt”
PH safe
greywater and septic safe
made without dyes, parabens, phosphates, phthalates
built-in with fabric softener
128 oz. bottle can do up to 128 loads of laundry HE loads/64 standard loads
approximately $8.98 per bottle

But I don’t quite believe everything in stores, because I know a thing or two about marketing. And labels tend to be very misleading in order for companies to collect some sales. How hard could research on 6 ingredients be after all.

Here’s what’s in that detergent:

Water (which being listed first, tells me that there’s more of this than any other ingredient) All good there!
Cocamidopropyl Betaine (coconut oil surfactant)
Sodium Coco Sulfate (isolated fatty acid from coconut oil)
Cocamidopralyamine Oxide (foam booster)
Phenoxylethanol (anitbacterial)
Methylisothiazolinone (preservative)

I researched the individual ingredients here on this online database:

https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/#.W79AkRkpA0M

And this is what I learned about what’s inside the bottle of ECOS. Although it’s plant-derived, it’s not free and clear of toxins. Natural chemicals like the coconut products were processed in a way that work best for fluffly, soft laundry. However they may still irritate your skin, eyes, and disrupt other functions in your body.

Still, overall, is ECOS a better alternative to big brands?

[Shoutout to the girls who introduced me to essential oils and “Think Dirty” app!]

Actually, according to the “Think Dirty” app, ECOS just as a toxic as the big brands, if not more toxic.

Ratings of toxicity on detergents (1-10, 10 being the most toxic):

Tide original N/R

Tide free and gentle 5/10

Tide pureclean 5/10

ECOS hypoallergenic 8/10

The Think Dirty app reccomends:

Soapberrry Suds 0/10

Branch Basics 0/10

The Soap Works 0/10

……………………………..

ALL free and clear 3/10

SEVENTH GENERATION 3/10

HONEST COMPANY 3/10

I absolutely loved ECOS for the mildness, how amazingly soft our clothes turned out, and the price. But, I think the journey to find a nontoxic detergent at a great price is continuing on.

What about dryer sheets and fabric softner?

Actually those are some of the most toxic ingredients to add to your laundry. And the worst part is those chemicals sit on your skin, which is your biggest organ. So when it comes to wool dryer balls, those are always the best choice for laundry! Just add a few drops of your favorite essential oils for freshness!

Go check out the Think Dirty app for more recommend nontoxic products!

Health

10 Effective Vinegar Remedies (For Health and Home)

September 21, 2018by annahavens101 Comment

After starting my journey with essential oils, I learned how harmful everyday household products can be. The possibilities with essential oils seem as vast as the ocean. And they smell good too! But, what if I’m just looking for a basic non-toxic remedy that is super cheap? And what do I have on hand?

Researching different remedies continues to send me back to one household product. To be honest, you might have some forgotten about in your pantry right now.

This magical kitchen staple has been around for thousands of years. Vinegar. While it’s known for an unpleasant odor, it has super cleaning powers. According to DifferenceBetween.net, white vinegar is used more for cleaning purposes and is known to be more acidic and sour smelling. Apple cider vinegar is used more for health purposes.

Did you know that a $3-4 jug can be used to remedy these 10 things? And even better, the smell disepates over time so you and your home won’t smell like a pickle.

White Distilled Vinegar For Natural Cleaning

Untitled design.jpg — Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash

Kills Fleas

Just dilute one cup into your pet’s bath water to kill these microscopic terrors. A 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water can also be used in a spray bottle. Spray onto your pet before they go outside to keep fleas off. (More info.)

Kills Fruit Flies

Have fruit flies? No problem! Remove the source and set a fly trap! Using a small dish, add a cup or two of water, a couple tablespoons of vinegar, and a drop of dish soap.

Eliminates Urine Odor

Did you make the flea deterrent for your pet? You can use the same spray bottle of that 1:1 ratio (water and vinegar) to rid your house of urine and other odors. So pet owners and parents of potty trainers, you may want to remember this one! You can even use a diluted spray bottle of pine, rosemary, or lemon oil to get rid of that lingering smell!

Cuts Grease and Lime

The acidic properties are effective enough to cut grease and grime from pots and pans. You can also add some to your dishes that got the best of your hard water. Just add undiluted vinegar and a dab of dish soap to scrub away that lime!

Kills Weeds

Spray weeds generously with pure vinegar. Do this when rain isn’t in the forecast to avoid it washing off.

Whitens and Brightens Laundry

When I was a kid, my grandma accidentally grabbed the vinegar bottle next to the bleach. I was a bit perplexed. We had a good laugh when we all realized it was an accident. However, vinegar really does whiten after all. Add 1/4 cup to laundry for a better wash. Here are 10 reasons it’s good for your laundry!

Apple Cider Vinegar (AVC) For Natural Beauty

noah-buscher-385639-unsplash — Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash

Balances Your Body’s PH level

Cleaning my house with vinegar is one thing, adding it to my pet’s bath is another. Adding it to my bath is out of my comfort zone. However, I was willing to give this a shot in a super diluted form. You can add a cup or two of vinegar to your water to kill bacteria, and fungus on your body. The bath particularly helps treat skin conditions like eczema. (More Info.)

Makes Your Hair Shiny/Grow

If you follow my Instagram account, this is the wash I tried recently. I’ve been using natural shampoo and conditioner. My natural curly hair is a lot less unruly. But one step farther, I diluted vinegar and water on a 1:1 ratio for a hair wash. This was best done in the shower where I wasn’t making a big mess. You can add the dilution after shampooing your hair. Here’s a video.

Tones Your Face

Here’s a tutorial on how to do it. Basically, for oily skin, it’s the same 1:1 ratio as the hair wash. You want to wash your face first, then apply toner with a cotton round or spray bottle. This stays on

Aids in Weight Loss

About a year ago I started hearing about people adding AVC to their water in order to help lose weight. I honestly thought, “If I have to drink vinegar to lose weight, I’d rather stay where I’m at.” But after seeing the popularity in this method, I may consider it before my next cleanse. (And by cleanse I mean a mostly fruit/veggie and lots of water diet for a few weeks.) Supposedly this one helps regulate weight loss, blood sugar, and a lot of other internal/external functions.

Try it out!

If the vinegar smell is really too much for you, try diluting the solutions a bit more. You can always finish off with a couple sprays of purification, lemon, or rosemary essential oils!

Lastly, before you reach for your toxic cleaners and beauty products, try these out first. You may even save a lot of money in the long run! While the big businesses are out there selling solutions for every little thing, we have a cheap jug for multipurpose remedies!

Family, Health

Week 1 of Essential Oils [What It Did For My Family]

March 20, 2018by annahavens104 Comments

Here’s what essential oils really did for my family on the first week!

Last week, I was anxiously waiting the arrival of the delivery guy with my Young Living starter kit. When I saw him pull in, I paced around the house, snatched the box, then had that thing opened up before he could even pull away. 😀

Yes, I was that excited!

Included in the Young Living starter kit was:

The Desert Mist Diffuser
10 Essential Oils
+ Stress Away
Sample bottles/roll on top
Ningxia samples (delicious detox drink)
Thieves household cleaner sample
Tons of informative packets
Thieves household cleaner (concentrate, which I added on to my order)
Extra Lemon vitality (as a bonus for ordering Thieves)

Top row left to right (vitality): Lemon, Copaiba, Digize, Thieves, Peppermint Bottom row left to right: Panaway, Raven, Citrus Fresh, Frankincense, Lavender

All of this hidden glory was under the bottom portion of the box! (2) Ningxia samples, Thieves household cleaner sample, Stress Away, (bonus bottle) Lemon Vitality, roll-on top, sample bottles (to share with friends), and cards to send with those sample bottles!

There were some booklets on other products and the purpose for each oil.

Everything was so beautifully packaged, I felt like a friend sent me a care package!

So, first thing I set up my diffuser, which was really easy. Just add water to the reservoir and 8-10 drops of essential oil. Lavender was first on my list of things to try because which Mom of 3 little boys doesn’t need to relax, right?

And to my surprise, not only did the diffuser run much longer than expected, but something amazing happened that night. I usually struggle to get the kids to bed when my husband is at work. Sometimes I spend over an hour from the time they brush teeth to this Momma Bear finally sitting on the couch. Instead, after about an hour of enjoying the lavender mist, they walked right up to bed and each laid down without a fight.

I was shocked!

The next day, I knew I had to try something new to diffuse or I’d run out of lavender too soon. My oil friends had talked about the use of peppermint. So, I thought, let’s try that! In the early morning I added 8 drops of peppermint to the diffuser and it really started to perk me up. (Not like my morning coffee, but in a more subtle, longer-lasting way).

I’m still learning about all of the different uses and mixtures of the oils, but so far, stress-relief has been the biggest change in our home with the essential oils. Not to mention, I’ve needed less coffee and less naps.

So far I’ve had a lot of fun adding oils to a glass of water, spray bottles, and cocunut oil… etc. to try out. I’m also trying the frankinsense on my face to help with dark under eye circles and blemishes. So, hopefully will be glowing in the next week or so! (Thanks to the girls who shared that tip with me!)

For those of you who are learning with me, these are some basic perks of essential oils:

Diffuser (8-10 drops)

Naturally mood enhancing
Supports immune health
Non-toxic (candles actually can be toxic)

Vitality drops added to water (1-2 drops each glass/once daily):

Peppermint for refreshing pick-me up
Lemon to help restore the body’s PH levels/detox
Thieves for immunity

Balms/Roll-on mixes:

Lavender/coconut oil for relaxing
Stress Away (relieves headaches and stress)

Thieves household cleaner

Makes my house smell like a spa
It actually cleans, leaves a shine
It is versatile/great for frugal families
Is said to support immune system
Is safe for everyone from kids to pets

My favorite part of having essential oils in my home is knowing we won’t suffer from side effects because the oils replace harsh chemicals (and are just as effective).

The coolest part is essential oils go all the way back to Jesus’ time. It’s so neat to see old, traditional ways becoming trendy again. In an ever-changing world it is nice to go back to our roots.

*Momma Bird Blog owns the right to all of the photos in this post. Do not copy without permission.