How many of you have kiddos in your home?  Raise your hands, raise ’em high.  That’s what I thought.  Have you ever worried about the chemicals in cleaning products?  I hadn’t ever really thought much about it until one day when Big J wasn’t so big.  I had just finished loading the dishwasher and grabbed the multi-surface cleaner and sponge to wipe off the counter top and sink.  Big J was in a sling, facing outward, right at counter height.  These were tall counters and I am not, so they hit me right below my rib cage.  Big J stuck out his tongue and licked the counter.  I knew from the big ole slobber mark on my counter top.  He was pretty little (7 or 8 months maybe) and wasn’t deliberately trying to lick the counter but he did.  I stopped cleaning, hesitant to spray the surface cleaner on something my kid was apparently going to lick.  In fact, he did the same thing at lunch today when he spilled some peach juice on the table.  Surface cleaner was not really something I wanted him to ingest… that was the day I switched to a vinegar and lemon water cleanser.

Leah from Mama Knows Nest is here today to share some of her safe cleaning tips.  That way you won’t have to worry when your kid licks the counter…

When I found out I was pregnant, I became more concerned with what I put in my body and what I surrounded myself with because I learned that many babies are born with hundreds toxic chemicals in their umbilical cord blood. Hundreds! In this article, you will find information about a study done on the cord blood of several babies. They found over 200 toxic chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of the babies they examined. When I found out about this I was afraid to use the cleaning products I had because I would be breathing toxic fumes, but I honestly didn’t know what to do about it. So I simply wore a mask when cleaning. Did that help? I have no idea, but it made me feel better.

My mother-in-law and even my own mother are into their own holistic ways, but I never really gave much thought to my own household. Once our daughter was born that changed and it became even more important to me. From the type of baby wipes, to the type of baby wash and cleaner I used to wipe off her toys, high chair, etc. I wanted to use all natural, organic cleaners. I even pitched my Swiffer and bought a steam cleaner for our hard wood floors because I didn’t want our little girl crawling around on a floor that was cleaned with harsh chemicals.

It’s scary becoming a mother for the first time. There are so many things to worry about and you want to do everything right. In my 2 short years of being a mom I’ve learned that you just have to do the best you can. One way that I am doing that is by raising Lana in the best natural environment that I can. I want to protect her, and the rest of my family from exposure to carcinogens that are known to exist in some of the most popular household cleaners (like Windex, Lysol, Comet, Scrubbing Bubbles, and Bleach).

A year ago I decided to make the switch to all natural cleaning products for our entire household. Cleaning the floors naturally was a start, but would that really make a difference if I used harsh chemicals everywhere else in our home? It was at that time that I learned about Shaklee (a company founded 60 years ago that is the #1 natural nutrition company in the United States) and their nontoxic household cleaners.

This was a portion of my cleaning product stash before Shaklee.

There are lots of reasons why cleaning with natural cleaners is so important, but here are just a few…

Source (a wonderful and informative blog by the way): www.amybayliss.com

Commercial cleaners contain toxic substances like phenol, formaldehyde, phosphates, ammonia, chlorine bleach, arsenic, naphthalene, hydrochloric acid, paradichlorbenzene, lye, phosphoric acid, and sulfuric acid, just to name a few. When breathed in, these substances can irritate the entire respiratory system. The chemicals are then leached into your blood stream leaving traces in other organs including your heart. Petroleum based cleaners are directly absorbed into the skin. The long term effects of these chemicals are not good. Some are carcinogens (cancer causing).

Some of these cleaners release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), making the air inside of your home toxic. In fact, studies conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) found the levels of about 12 common organic pollutants to be two to five times higher inside your home than outside. Even worse, these contaminants may persist indoors long after using a product. The Cancer Prevention Coalition lists hundreds of toxic and deadly chemicals that are in household cleaners. Here is another informative test by an independent company: Cleaning Chemicals and Their Impact on Indoor Environments and Health.

We can’t assume that products are safe just because they are widely available and for sale. Cigarettes are sold and yet we know the effects they have on the body. They are proven cancer causers. The New York Times has reported several times about the fact that the US allows the sale of toxic and dangerous products that other countries prohibit. Here is just one such article where formaldehyde laden wood was sold in the US: US Rules Allows the Sale of Products Other Countries Ban.

Shaklee has a few starter kits for people looking to try out their products. I decided to purchase the Get Clean® Starter Kit for $99. It seems like a large investment for household cleaners, but you get a TON of products and what is even better is they last FOREVER! You can see an example of just how long the cleaner lasts below. You would spend $3400 for ready to use cleaners to get the same amount of clean found in the Get Clean Starter Kit! So I figured heck, why not!?

As you can see, your money goes a long way with this kit because it is filled with a ton of products.

This is my bottle of Basic H that I started using at the end of October 2012. Granted we lived with my parents for a month while purchasing our new home, but as you can see it really does last a long, long time! It’s a concentrated solution that you mix with water. Each spray bottle is designed with instructions on just how much Basic H and water you need. It’s awesome and easy!

The Get Clean Starter Kit contains:

• Basic H2® Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate, 16 oz.
• Germ Off Disinfecting Wipes, 35 Wipes
• Nature Bright® Laundry Booster and Stain Remover, 32 oz.
• Dish Wash Concentrate, 16 oz.
• Dish Washer Automatic Concentrate, 32 oz.
• Fresh Laundry Concentrate HE Compatible, Regular Scent 32 oz. (Liquid)
• Soft Fabric Dryer Sheets, 80 sheets
• Dish Washer Automatic Concentrate Dispenser (empty)
• Nature Bright® Dispenser (empty)

Including all the accessories you need to get really clean:

• Organizer Caddy
• Spray Bottles (3) for Windows and Mirrors, All-Purpose, and Degreasing
• Dropper Pipette
• 1/4 oz. Dispenser Pump for 32 oz. Bottle
• Laundry Measuring cup
• Dual Measuring Spoon
• Super Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
• Super Microfiber Window Cloth
• Super Microfiber Dish Sponge
• Miracle Scrubber Pad

Not only am I providing a safer environment for my family, I am saving a TON of money!

Click below to get your own clean kit!

Thank you for sharing with us today, Leah!  I definitely think it is worth knowing about all the options out there, especially when it comes to your family’s safety.  I’ve never used the Shaklee products but have heard good things about them.  I do make a lot of my own cleaning products from natural ingredients and I like knowing exactly what is in them.  That way I know just what is entering my children’s bodies when they lick the counters and if I need to call poison control or not…  Check out Leah’s awesome blog, Mama Knows Nest!