People assume that products are safe because they're in the stores...doesn't the government make sure we're safe????

If you've ever used any medication that you rub on your skin then you start to realize that your skin absorbs what it comes in contact with. Same with breathing fumes. There's always the disclaimer.....use in a well ventilated area....We're exposed to thousands of chemicals daily. They're unavoidable. And then we wonder why we're so sick and the kids are sick.

SPF 30--don't leave the house without slathering it over 100% of your skin.

Vinegar and water, Bon Ami, Seventh Generation for laundry and dishes...and, I confess, there's a bottle of bleach under my kitchen sink for cleaning sponges.

It's interesting that some people write in that vinegar isn't strong enough for their cleaning needs. We have 3 dogs and 3 cats, I clean house once the week and use nothing but vinegar & baking soda and we have a clean home. Wash windows with a solution of a squeeze of good dish detergent in a gal. of hot water and a squeegee then a old towel to wipe out the corners - this info is from a professional window cleaner.

Hydrogen peroxide is used for pet accidents - lots of recipes online and used for bed wetting too. If you prefer a store bought cleaner check out EWG.org's site for healthy, environmentally friendly cleaners. Lastly if you wet something down, let it sit and then come back much less elbow grease needed for any job - no doubt there is another job to address whilst you wait.

I had a cancer that is triggered by chemicals in the environment, this cancer usually hits kids and I can't imagine putting a kid thru that chemo! Being thoughtful of our choices helps the environment, other animals and everyone's kids.

I use baking soda, white vinegar, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, borax, bleach, water and lavender spray on quite a lot of cleaning jobs. I've always used microfiber and other cleaning towels from Fuller.

I avoid all products that have artificial fragrances or an overwhelming chemical smell, which eliminates most store bought cleaners. I think they're terrible for the environment and people and they make me sick. When I walk into someone's home and I'm instantly overwhelmed by fragrances I know I'll be leaving with a splitting headache and nausea. A plug in air freshener will give me a headache that lasts for days. I've brought leftovers home from people's houses that use plug in air fresheners and the food has actually picked up the smell and taste of the fragrance. That can't be healthy. At home I use Norwex products, baking soda and vinegar for cleaning. If I need to clean up something really nasty I'll use a very dilute bleach solution. I know bleach isn't Eco-friendly but sometimes it's necessary. I really prefer my house to smell like nothing at all.

Hi Liese.

I think for me anyway, our water is SOOO hard here. Even vinegar does not cut it. The eco friendly products that are available here won't even touch soap scum etc. I have tried them all :( and every recipe for such!

Dear endbullyingnow, norwex is your answer. Go online right now and buy the cleaning cloths and floor cleaning tools.
For your neighbors get the dryer balls. I also have an air recovery unit. It can clean my house air in no time at all. If I cook, by the time the dishes are done, the air is clean. I feel for you. My mold allergy is getting worse, but certainly not as severe as your condition.

I try to use eco-friendly detergents to clean the dishes and the laundry. I found some that work. However to do the general cleaning, I need the products that work fast and well. I found some products that really work for a specific purpose. Most of them are fragnance-free, so I add some drops of the essential oil.

I used to use a product by Ed Begley Jr that cleaned most of my house with zero chemicals or scent, and more importantly it worked. Sadly, it's now no longer on the market. Unlike Method, Seventh Generation, Honest, etc most do not work.

You shouldn't use vinegar on new tiles it erodes the grout on the floor, shower, etc. It erodes the grout in wood floors and sometimes on hardwood with a coating it can pull off the coating as does Murphy's Oil.

So i found Bona has no smell for my engineered wood floors that came with the house. They make tile cleaner as well.

For the windows and surfaces, i found Earth Friendly Products Window Cleaner works well and gets about everything in my house. They also make laundry detergent and toilet cleaner with no smell and again it's concentrated and it works. I have a cabinet full of brands that i wasted my money on. I wanted to pass on what works and be careful of where you use vinegar it can ruin things with it's acidity.

I'm sensitive to chemicals and have to rush through that aisle in the store of products or my throat starts to close. I have no issue with the above products.

Yes, better for the planet and my health !

I try to stick with natural and cruelty free products. Every once in a while I will buy a normal product if I have a problem that I have been unable to solve with natural cleaner or vinegar and baking soda. As some others, I am sensitive to fragrance and chemicals, so I try to avoid harsh cleaners. I have also found that I am allergic to some natural cleaners. I use ecos or seventh generation for laundry (along with vinegar sometimes), and method or seventh generation for just about anything else I buy ready made.

Vinegar & baking soda does the trick for just about everything!

Merrytimes

I have been using Shaklee since the early ninetys , I use Basic L for laundry and Basic H for all cleaning it is very concentrated so you do not use very much, and it cleans so well.

I still have bleach and some heavy duty cleaners for the hard stuff but buy vinegar by the gallon and use baking soda for most stuff.
since getting into the essential oil stuff I have been adding them to my vinegar for more germ and mold killing. I have started saving orange peels and putting them in the vinegar for scent and extra cleaning.
Oils to add are tea tree, lemon, lavender or mint. While oils are concentrated just soaking a few herb spigs will work too.
These are cheaper and healthier but they all require more elbow grease to work well.

I make my own eco friendly general household cleaner and laundry soap. I wasn't happy with making my own dishwasher detergent, so I buy that. I use Bon Ami for the toilet, Eco friendly and inexpensive.
For pest control, equal parts of diatomaceous earth and 20 Mule Team Borax.

i just recently was introduced to NORWEX products. i now clean my windows with their microfiber kitchen cloth (made wet with water) and their kitchen towel to wipe the window down, it is amazing. no streaks, no lint... just sparkling clean windows. *i highly recommend finding someone in your area who is selling it. you will love it (i promise)!

Please be very careful using essential oils. Just because they're natural doesn't mean they're safe.

I have removed everything with a natural or chemical fragrance from my home. Menthol, for example, is highly toxic and very bad for people with asthma. Studies are showing that some natural fragrances can disrupt hormones (= weight gain), increase pain (especially for those with imflammator pain), and cause liver and kidney toxicity. I stick to vinegar, water and baking soda for day to day cleaning.
Also, never put an essential oil directly on your skin. Always use gloves. Some essential oils can cause ban burns.
I always check to see if a product causes imflammation. Natural doesn't always = safe.

You can't get more Eco-Friendly then steam. I have a steam cleaner for floors and another hand held one for showers, bathrooms, sinks, kitchens, etc. I was surprised the first time I used it on shower walls and glass doors. What I thought was clean was even cleaner using steam. Everything also stays cleaner longer in that there is no buildup.

Just don't use steam on hardwood floors. It may violate your warranty

I make some of my own cleaners only because the fragrance in those products irritate me (though thankfully not as bad as others have posted). I generally buy what works for the task at hand. I like to be conscious of what I'm buying but I'm not a fan of "green" products.

Also not a fan of "green" products and think it is often a gimmick. But I do use gentle natural dish soap and window/counter cleaner because it comes into contact with my hands regularly and I don't like to have chemicals for that. I loved Ecos Earth Friendly almond dish soap until they recently changed their formula, apparently to accommodate a lawsuit against them saying that the product wasn't really natural! The change of formula gave it a different smell and consistency. So I have switched to 365 citrus dish soap and love it. It is a little too thick so I have to water it down. Which is good! More economical.

I still use Ecos Earth Friendly vinegar window spray, for my granite counters, my butcher block counters, even my wood tables, and of course my windows. All over the place. I love it. Have been using it for years. I sure hope they don't have to change the formula!

Norwex is definitely the way to go to reduce chemicals for cleaning by up to 90%.

ruthfrogers, thank you for bringing that up. Essential oils are natural but not always safe. Some should not be used on children under two... some should not be used on children under 6, and some not until age 10 (euculyptus, peppermint). Even lavender has been under scrutiny for possibly causing early puberty. I make my family's skin care products and have removed essential oils from the recipes.

Any kind of mint should not be used around people with fibromyalgia or chronic pain.

According to a leading doctor who specializes in fibromyalgia, any plant based oils contain salicylates and these can increase pain in these patients.

I am just going through getting rid of salicylates in my house. They are in many household and personal care products.

Norwex cleaning towels and water. Bleach is caustic and will damage finishes making them porous to stains. only place I use product is the toilet. I use Zep toilet bowel cleaner from Menards. NEVER bleach in toilet bowels. Norwex towels for everything else.

I use EarthBerries soap berries for my laundry. I only use water and microfibre cloths for general cleaning like bathroom and kitchen and windows. Lots of people use vinegar or lemon juice for cleaning, but they are acidic and over time I found they damaged the finish on fixtures, even when diluted, so I just stick with microfibre cloths and water. I have to admit I don't have an eco-friendly dishwasher soap. My toilet cleaner is Norwex biodegradable.

I discovered Method cleaning products about 6 mths ago while watching America's Test Kitchen. They did a product review and Method came out on top. They smell great, they don't make me choke on fumes (I have COPD) and they do a good job. I found them to be no more expensive than the regular brands I've used. So far, I have hand soap, kitchen cleaner and bathroom cleaner by them. I'm glad I found them.

Yes, all of them including personal care products. Once I heard dryer sheets were one of the most toxic because skin is our largest organ and absorbs the chemicals quickly I did not hesitate. My home is a safe environment for all and I feel a strong responsibility to the next generation. Far too many children are inflicted with asthma, autism and numerous other illnesses since chemicals were introduced into our everyday products.

Thanks to everyone who posted their ideas and product choices for green cleaning! I have more than a few leads to follow up on now. We use green cleaners. I have to say, results for dishwasher soap have been a bit disappointing. If anyone has found one that effectively cleans, and does not leave a film, please post!

Having health problems the last few years has just reinforced my commitment to using green products. For those that are looking for dishwasher detergent I recommend ecover zero and the companion rinse aid. I still get a few water spots, but I can live with that and it's the best I have found. Last year we rented a vacation condo in Florida and I brought along a few cleaning supplies, my son-in-law didn't know and used one of the dishwasher tabs supplied with the condo. You could taste the fragrance on the glassware and dishes so we had to redo the load with the ecover I had brought. Yuck! And don't get me started on the laundry pods in the condo......

endbullyingnow - I am anaphylactic to fragrances due to being anaphylactic to lilies and hyacinths which are used in almost all fragrances. Doesn't matter if it is expensive or natural or organic. Can't get more natural than the flowers themselves. Essential oils, diffusers, incense, plugins all give me anaphylaxis! Bounce dryer sheets from my neighbour's home have almost killed me! We are inundated with too much scent! We become used to the scents and can no longer smell them which is why the companies like Pantene keep changing up their scent. Body lotions are just as bad! People have said it is their right to wear scented products. I guess I have no right to live. Like you I cannot go to movies, concerts even church.

I am a furniture recycler - I often refinish roadside, thrift store or handed down items and restore them to a beautiful wood finish. I decided to try the "green" paint stripper product on a simple project and it was a disaster! The solution couldn't even remove the decals on the drawers of a dresser once used in a baby's room...

I am a furniture recycler - I often refinish roadside, thrift store or handed down items and restore them to a beautiful wood finish. I decided to try the "green" paint stripper product on a simple project and it was a disaster! The solution couldn't even remove the decals on the drawers of a dresser once used in a baby's room...

We started using Basic H2 products from Shaklee for everything in and out if the house including the pool. Works fantastic and a little goes a long way and great for the environment and my allergies. EatCleanAndGreen.com

Love love love PURE haven Essentials. Hard surface cleaner, glass, master blaster, soft scrub and they all have EO's that make cleaning smell delicious. Very useful effective and a little goes a along way. They used to make a laundry detergent so I hAVE FPUND A COMPANY CALLED Green Essentials from Traverse City Michigan. It's working out so well. I use EOs in air diffusers for air fresheners.

I use vinegar and water for a lot of cleaning tasks as well as baking soda but I find some eco friendly cleaning products don't do the job well enough. In those cases I use Simple Green which I love. For the toilet I have to go with Lysol with bleach or for mold control in the shower. One thing I don't use is eco friendly deodorant! They simply do not work!!

I strongly agree with the comment about essential oils - we're a society that believes that a man made product from a chemical plant or factory is a stronger product when yes to the point of danger but let's not disregard the fact that natural ingredients too can be dangerous. I was a huge user of tea tree oil and it really did help many ailments that I had but I oddly developed an allergy to it after innocently using it for the 78th time yet this time with a bad reaction and a trip to Med Express. Mint, clove, rosemary, and cinnamon oils all have a dark side so please be very careful. I read an article where folks were putting oils in their eyes for one thing or another to find themselves in much pain and an ending result of blindness. If you do use a natural oil please use a carrier oil to dilute it.

Re: Eco-Friendly Deodorants Some do work. I used a stainless steel bar called deOdor. You use it in the shower under running water. It lasts a lifetime and it works - on odor. Your gonna need an antiperspirant if sweating bothers you.

Outside of vinegar and water, I do not use eco-friendly products for cleaning. I have tried many different types, only to be disappointed in their performance.

The "green" paint stripper (which is actually an orange color) works great on metal but much slower on painted wood. I've stripped paint from 2 metal doors and it worked well.

Having several animals and keeping things safe for all of us, I find the safest & best cleaner available (DIY) is a mixture of 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, 1 cup water & 2 drop of dish washing liquid (I prefer Dawn soap). This cleans, deodorizes & disinfects. Great on all surfaces. I fill up large spray bottles and it's the only cleaning solution I use!

Yes all my products including makeup are vegan, cruelty free, and all natural. You vote with your dollar.

I like Method. I use the hand soap, all purpose cleaner and bathroom cleaner. Gave up on Bounce years ago when I discovered that it made me itch like crazy. I can't breath with Fantastic. 401 is much better for me, but I only use that on heavily greasy items because Method failed. I am sensitive to certain perfumes. Back in the '70's I loved Charlie perfume, until I realized that it was making me hyperventilate. These days, I almost never wear perfume (I mean one or two nights a year, and it's very light) because so many people are allergic to the scents. Only use deodorant and Johnson's Baby Powder (non-talc) the rest of the time. Since getting granite counter tops for the first time ever, will switch to a spray bottle filled with water and a few drops of Dawn.

Well, we use eco-friendly stuff at home, and some of them are DIY, some - from the store. Much better and safe, that using chemicals

Vinegar will only disinfect when it is highly concentrated. Your regular grocery store vinegar won't do it.

Whatever gets the job done with the least amount of effort.

Toxic chemically laden fragranced cleaning products add to poor indoor air quality and formaldehyde levels off the charts. Acetic Acid (vinegar) is sufficient enough. Highly effective. Cost effective. And no one with asthma, COPD, or any chronic lung or neuro illness will have issues.

Almost everything comes clean with green cleaning products or even just with water, sometimes with vinegar or a little plain soap, and a microfiber cloth or Magic Eraser (not the Magic Eraser with soap added) and elbow grease. The only non-green product I use is dishwasher detergent since the dishwasher does not seem to want to exert appropriate elbow grease with green detergent.

Guess what--microfibers and fleece are not good for the environment...those tiny fibers make their way from washing machines/landfills into the water system, lake, streams and then fish.

Commercially sold dryer sheets are terrible. Total chemicals for you to breathe because they smell like an ocean breeze???? Toxic.