When you have a family and a business, life gets busy fast. Both demand a lot of attention, and I prioritize making sure neither suffers. To make time for both, I simplify everything else in my life. While I’ve always been into cleaning, finding a plant-based cleaner that met all my needs made a big difference, reducing stress and cutting down my to-do list.
Initially, I reduced chemicals at home by making DIY cleaners, which are easy, effective, and safer for everyone, especially kids. You can clean an entire house with a simple and affordable list of ingredients. I’ve always had a few basic items ready for various cleaning recipes. This approach meant less waste, saving money, fewer trips to the store, and knowing exactly what’s in my cleaners.
For a long time, natural DIY cleaners worked perfectly. However, as life got busier and my priorities shifted, I needed something even simpler. Plus, as the kids grew older, they weren’t always sure which bottle to use or recipe to follow when things ran out.
As I began embracing minimalism in other parts of my life, I wondered if I could do the same with cleaning. I discovered some new products with ingredient lists I could trust and decided to give them a shot. They worked! Although it was tough to move away from my tried-and-true DIY recipes, with great store-bought options now available, it was the right decision.
Today, I enjoy using just one safe, plant-based cleaning concentrate for the entire house. It keeps my cleaning closet organized with just one cleaner inside.
When searching for a single cleaner, I needed it to meet specific guidelines. Deciphering if a cleaner is truly safe can be tricky because terms like “natural” and “organic” aren’t regulated and can be misleading. Companies aren’t required to disclose all ingredients on labels. Despite that, you can start by examining the label. Be cautious of warnings like “avoid contact with skin” or “flammable,” which indicate harmful ingredients.
Always check disclosed ingredients and steer clear of those with numbers or complex, unexplained names. For example, some cleaners mention glucosides, which are sugar-based cleansers. Harmful chemicals aren’t usually clarified on labels.
You can refer to the Environmental Working Group’s list of household cleaners to see if the ones you have are safe.
I’ve tried a few naturally based, store-bought cleaners that I like, with Branch Basics being a favorite. It’s convenient to use just one cleaner throughout the house without switching products. My cleaning routine might differ depending on your home’s needs, but I generally use an all-purpose spray for most tasks and the concentrate for heavier cleaning like laundry and floors.
This approach simplifies cleaning so much that I barely need to think about it. Plus, I love that my cleaning products are 100% safe for everyone in the family, with no controversial ingredients.
How do you make cleaning more manageable in your home?
