I have had the idea over and over to write a post about many of the changes that I’ve made that involve staying away from toxins in every day life. But it can be overwhelming to say the least.
So I started a list. And it’s pretty mind blowing just how long it is. And I know it’s not an exhaustive list…I’m sure I forgot something. But here goes. Forgive me for not adding links and pictures and making this post more fun looking but that takes gobs of time. And if you’re interested in a product, it’s easy to do a search and find out where it’s available in your area and what stores carry it.
I know I blogged about getting new plates. Corelle Ware. They replaced very old ceramic stoneware plates we have been using for 20-plus years. Gah. And I still love them. Healthy food looks so pretty on them!
I wanted to replace my old coffee mugs with glass but I could never find what I wanted. So one day I was at the thrift store and found a cute set of two mugs. They are a little bit retro and I love them! And they are glass.
I replaced my drinking cups with Copco cups from Bed Bath and Beyond. They come with a lid and straw and they are BPA FREE. I also got the girl a Tervis Tumbler for her every day drinking glass and it’s BPA FREE also.
I use vinegar water in a spray bottle to clean off the kitchen counters instead of Lysol kitchen cleaner. And baking soda and Dr Bronners to scrub out the kitchen sink and bathtub instead of some sort of bleach scrub cleaner. I have made a concoction of Dr Bronners, some washing soda, water and maybe some vinegar to wipe down the bathroom counters. I just use my kitchen spray of vinegar/water to wash mirrors, instead of Windex. On a related kitchen note, I use gloves when I handle raw meat and put the knife I use to cut open the package straight into the dishwasher, the meat in the pan/dish and the meat container and the gloves in the trash…so there is no raw meat cleanup in my kitchen. If something unusual happens and I need to clean up after raw meat, I go ahead and use bleach spray (and I follow it up with the vinegar solution to get rid of any residue), but try not to get it on my hands. But that is very rare.
I used to use All laundry detergent. And sometimes Purex. Usually the “free and clear” stuff because fragrances bother me. But now I use Ecos. I first found a monster huge bottle at Sams. I loved it except for the very huge size of the bottle. Hard to handle when it’s full. But then they stopped carrying it at Sams but I noticed it at Walmart. And it’s about $10 for a still very large bottle and it lasts forever since it’s very concentrated. It comes in a natural lavender and the free and clear, which is the one I am using. I still use Bounce free and clear…I hate static cling. I keep thinking about trying those dryer ball thingies but haven’t done it yet. Have any of you tried them? Do they work?
I have used several brands of body wash over the years. But now I use Every Day Shea in lavender scent. It comes in vanilla mint which also smells nice. And unscented, which doesn’t smell like much of anything. I love this product because it lathers well and has a nice scent that doesn’t linger forever…and it’s a fair trade product, so I can feel sort of good about buying it. And it’s got a very short list of ingredients as well. I will say that although I love the body wash, I did not enjoy using the shampoos or lotions. But they are all a steal at around $10 for a huge bottle that lasts forever. Score. On a side note, the shampoo left my hair feeling heavy, and using the conditioner of the same brand didn’t help. So currently I am using the shampoo to wash my foobs every morning. It’s a good thing to clean things with, just not my hair. And the lotions are ‘ok’, but if you’ve got dry skin at all, it’s just not enough. I could get by with it in the summer for body lotion, but not in the cooler months. And strangely the coconut variety that is for extra hydration is worse on my skin than the shea.
I’ve used every shampoo under the sun as well. And to be honest I am still searching for the perfect natural alternative. (I gave up on the vinegar/baking soda routine..over time it seemed to strip my hair) I have used Burts Bees for hair…meh..it sort of weighed it down. I am using Alba Botanicals now and I like it. Not very toxic and it works well. I also just bought a small bottle of Hugo Naturals styling gel. So far so good. When I run out of the Alba stuff, I want to try Hugo Naturals for other products…they have everything from bath gel to shampoo. Would be interesting to try some more of their hair care line.
I haven’t settled on the best thing ever for body lotion, so right now I’m using a more natural line of Johnson’s baby. Works great and doesn’t smell much at all. I also use Yes To Cucumbers for hand cream. It works very well and has a light scent.
I have never been much of a scented candle kind of girl, mostly because of having asthma. But now I rarely, if ever use them. (I got one for Christmas that I have burned for a few minutes a few times.) Instead of Oust, I use Pure Citrus if I absolutely feel like I need to spritz a trash can or the air. It’s natural and smells like oranges. YUM.
I used to use mainstream toothpaste and mouthwash, but now I use Trader Joe’s toothpaste, without fluoride, and Spry mouth rinse. The toothpaste tastes funny, but it seems to do the trick.
I know I did a post early on about using Crystal deodorant. I still love it and that’s saying something after using through a hot Texas summer. Enough said on that one. ; )
I used to use a Walmart brand knock off for Cetafil face cleaner. And then for a while I used Yes To Cucumbers brand face cleaner. I also use Yes to Cucumbers face moisturizer, which I LOVE. But lately, I have been using a mixture of olive oil and castor oil to wash my face, and believe it or not, it works great. And my skin is super soft and I’m not breaking out. Score. You can do a search of “oil face cleaning method” and find a good explanation of this.
I used to use Ajax dishwashing soap but now I use a natural dish washing liquid. I’ve used several. And they all work very well. I have some Ajax under the sink because its antibacterial, in case I ever need it, but so far I haven’t. I also use the natural dish soap in my foaming soap dispensers throughout the house and it works great diluted in those.
I used to use run of the mill drug store makeup…Almay, Maybelline etc, but now I am enjoying using Sheer Miracle. It works great and feels nice on my skin. I bought some Burts Bees tinted lip balm to give my lips a little bit of color when I’m wearing makeup. I threw all of my old makeup in the trash. Good riddance.
I used to keep antibacterial wipes in the car for after pumping gas or after I came out of a store etc. But lately I have been trying to stick with Purell type stuff. I am a germ freak and especially during cold and flu season, I really want to wash my hands when I get in the car after each leg of an outing. So I’m trying to stay away from the wipes.
Whew…that is all I wrote down, but I will probably remember something after I post. Ha, isn’t that always the way.
***I know you know this, but all of these opinions are mine and nobody gave me anything or is sponsoring my words in any way…bla bla bla.***
Having said all of this, I daily think of new ways I could do more. I think it’s a never ending evolution really. There is always something new to do/try in this journey. And you know I’ll tell you about it when I do. LOL
But just step back and look at all the toxins I’m not subjecting my body to with just these changes. When I think about that, it’s mind blowing. And I’m so thankful I’ve made some changes.
I have made some simple changes for the girl too, to try to keep her away from a lot of chemicals. I bought her new make up also. She uses the same deodorant and I got her hooked on a youth line of Burts Bees products and she is doing pretty well with those. I knew for her to use them, they would have to have a more mainstream feel etc, so I’ve kept it simple for her. (she won’t be washing her face with EVOO and castor oil any time soon…) But I did get her a bottle of Every Day Shea body wash and a poof and she’s happy with the results. So score, cuz it’s cheaper than Burts Bees.
If you know of any natural products, please be sure to pass the info along…I’m always interested. : )
