Bleach Is Yucky

I know bleach eradicates all types of bugs and you may have been using for a very long time. But bleach is so bad for you and I’d like you to reconsider using it from today onward.

I don’t want to concern you with what goes into bleach and how dangerous it is. Let’s just focus on healthier alternatives. One word of caution before I begin though: Never mix bleach with anything else, including vinegar and drain cleaners. And please never use bleach to clean your shower or bath.

Here are the two non-bleach alternatives:

1. Distilled vinegar. It doesn’t smell great. But neither does bleach! Vinegar is an incredible cleaner. You may even be able to find a distilled vinegar concentrate, which will clean your home even more effectively.
2. Lemon juice or essential oil: I know, it can seem strange to put lemon into your bucket before cleaning, but lemon is a strong antibacterial agent. Apply it neat to areas where you want it to work extra hard. To make an all-purpose cleaning spray, add 5 drops of lemon oil and 5 drops of tea tree oil to a glass spray bottle and then fill it with warm water. Just be sure not to use it around pets. Citrus oil can also be used as a stain remover for greasy, oil-based stains. Add a few drops of any citrus oil to a teaspoon of natural, liquid soap and apply.
3. Hydrogen peroxide: Now if you really love bleach, this should be your first go-to. Read the instructions and dilute it to a 3% solution. Wear gloves so it doesn’t come into contact with your skin. You can even apply it to some surfaces neat and then rinse. You’ll hear a pleasant hissing sound as it goes to work on bacteria, mold and other bugs. Test it on an inconspicuous spot first to make sure it won’t bleach whatever you’re cleaning!
4. Check online for other natural cleaning recipes for specific uses. There are lots of them out there. So there really isn’t any reason to use bleach anymore!