If you were to describe what the products under your kitchen sink look like, what would you say? Would they be similar to the picture below? Or would they be more like the pictures further in this post? If they are toxic products, what’s stopping you from switching to greener options? Do you know what their ingredients are? Do you care? Those are some questions to ask yourself. If you do care, keep reading…
Today I am sharing ways that you can “makeover” under your kitchen sink. In other words, you will learn how to “green” up your home by switching to non toxic cleaning methods. There are many ways to do this. Today, I will share how we did it.
Below is an example of what our cleaning products looked before our “switch”. Look familiar?
Here is what it looks like now.
Where to begin?
The first thing we did was swap out all toxic cleaning products for all natural products. I used to use clorox, comet, and anything else that “promised” to clean well. Whatever my mom used, I was surely using. THEN, I got smart. I educated myself on the hidden dangers of the products I was using around my family. Soon after, we made the switch. This was over 2 years ago. Now, whenever I go shopping, I try my best to choose “green” products that are good for our home & environment. When making these same changes, you will improve the overall health of your family and prevent illnesses related to toxic & synthetic chemicals.
Use Essential Oils – Swap out your synthetic fragranced cleaning products for pure essential oils. Cleaning with essential oils not only gives you a pleasant aroma while cleaning, but it effectively cleans and deodorizes naturally. Synthetic fragrances are harmful to your health. They contain neurotoxins, phthalates, allergens & sensitizers, all of which are nasty little things. To read more about the harmful effects of synthetic fragrances, visit here. If you are new to essential oils, read my post here.
Non toxic dishwashing: There are many methods to washing dishes the “green” way. Keep in mind, it’s “greener” to wash your dishes in the dishwasher since it uses less water. Also, avoid synthetic dyes & fragrances, and choose phosphate free when shopping for dishwashing soaps.
Liquid Castile Soap – This is an all natural Liquid vegetable soap, that is non toxic and super concentrated so it will last you forever. Here is a great recipe for castile dishwashing soap. There are also recipes for use in the dishwasher as well.
Phosphate Free Dishwasher Detergent – Shaklee has a great natural detergent for the dishwasher. It’s phosphate, chlorine, and fragrance free. There are many other brands that are phosphate free as well.
All natural Liquid dish soap – Non toxic, phosphate free, all natural & hypoallergenic are what you need to look for when purchasing dish soap. I use either Shaklee or Method (Tomato Vine).
All purpose cleaning: You can clean your entire home with any of the following “green” products…
Vinegar – I could go on for days, sharing the ways you can clean your house with vinegar. It is all natural and effective. Here are 10 easy ways to clean with vinegar in your home.
doTERRA’s On Guard – This is an all purpose cleaner concentrate (one bottle makes 12 spray bottles of cleaner) that targets viruses and bacteria on hard surfaces. You can also wash clothes with it. It’s made with pure essential oils, including 5 ml of the popular On Guard. For details on this cleaner, visit here.
Basic H Organic Cleaning Concentrate – This is one of the “greenest” cleaners you can use. It makes 48 gallons all purpose, organic cleaner!! Since its completely natural, its unscented. So, I add a few drops of pure essential oils to each bottle when cleaning. You can also use this for windows, degreasing, and a gazillion other things.
Method – This company offers non toxic & biodegradable cleaning products with style. I love the limited edition “Tomato Vine” scented dish and hand soap.
Reusable Cleaning Products:
To “clean” green, you really should eliminate the paper towels. Invest in some microfiber cloths and keep them handy under your kitchen sink. Also, environmentally friendly “green” gloves are perfect to take care of your beautiful hands. Make sure they are “reusable”.
Scrubbing: There are 3 natural cleaners that I recommend using to “Scrub” hard to clean surfaces.
Scour Off – This product is made from natural mineral abrasives & the pits of cherries. It smells divine. It’s one of my favorite cleaning products. You can clean your oven, sink, tile, & tub. It will even remove rust, and is great for cleaning copper, grout, cement, ceramic, and imitation marble.
Meyer’s Surface Scrub – This product is an aromatherapeutic scrub thats chlorine and phosphate free. You can use it to clean stainless steel, porcelain, pots & pans.
Baking Soda – Anything that needs “scrubbing” can be cleaned with baking soda & elbow grease. Its cheap, natural, and works well. Use lemon halves to scrub the baking soda into a paste (helps whiten or “bleach” areas that are yellowed).
My cute mint colored dust pan and broom came from World Market. Its great for kids to sweep up dinner crumbs.
These are just a few ways to makeover “under your kitchen sink”. Going green doesn’t happen in a day. You have to incorporate it into your lifestyle. A little at a time makes a huge difference in the long run. I would love to hear how you are going “Green”? Also, let me know if you would like to see more blog posts like this one?
*This post contains affiliate links.
Tags: green cleaning, kitchen, organize, organizing, under the sink
Blog, Clean, Cleaning, Green Cleaning, Kitchen, March 2013, Organize, Pure Essential Oils, Shaklee, shaklee featured Posted in
56 comments
56 comments on ““Green Makeover” under the kitchen sink…”
For an all purpose cleaner, “Windex” and “Febreeze”, I use one part water and one part vinegar in a squirt bottle. The vinegary smell airs out in ten minutes tops, its cheap and easy.
Hydrogen peroxide works well on grout, when mixed into a paste with baking soda. It has whitening agents so only use on white grout. It’s also great on stains (1 part hydrogen peroxide, one part baking soda, two parts water). For a toilet bowl cleaner I just splash a cup or two of vinegar into the bowl! I have really enjoyed doing some research and testing out greener, cheaper and easy ways to clean! Thanks for suggesting all these products, I will be sure to take a look into them!
I’ve been making my own cleaners for years, due to my son’s allergies. The bonus is that it’s cheaper. Love your organized sink area!
great post; just this week I rearranged under the kitchen sink, looks much better plus easier to get to stuff. like you, I’ve been weeding out caustic cleaning supplies; my go to cleaners are white vinegar, Dr. Brommer’s and lemon juice.
Love your blog…inspires me! Your white baskets were from….? and door shelves?
The white baskets are from Target and the door hanger was installed by the cabinetry company. 🙂 Thank you.
Did you recently purchase the baskets at Target?
Yes. 🙂
Recently purchased baskets?
Yes
OMG I am so inspired by your blog. I read t everyday and plan to make changes in my house one step at a time. Thank you for your time and effort into doing what you do.
I know the white baskets are from Target, I saw them today.
I’m clicking my heels 3 times like Dorothy (wizard of oz). I want my “under the sink” to be magically transformed. Beautiful! I have some of those products but the nasty ones seem to keep creeping in. Great Job!
Thank you so much for this. I’ve been making the shift to natural beauty/skincare and cleaning products over the past few months, and you share some great tips. Plus, as always, everything is so beautifully organized!
I have been using green cleaners for for 6years. I mainly use some combination of vinegar, water, dr. Bronners and EO’s 🙂 I recently discovered Bare Naked cleaners and I am super excited to try them! Other ways I have gone green: unpaper towels, reuseable produce bags, reuseable sandwich bags, wool dryer balls..I have been trying to add a new green item each month. I would love more posts like this one:) I love your posts!!
I am working towards greener products and love them. Do you know where you found the cute white baskets. Prettier than the ones I have found. 🙂
Target. 🙂
We switched from paper towels to cloth napkins at the dinner table several months ago! Also just started using essential oils, and vinegar. We are using method products also! Love this post and would love to see more like this! Thanks Toni! 🙂
My under the sink cabinet looks almost like yours!! I need to get some essential oils next. I switched over to Shaklee cleaners about a year ago and will never go back to store bought again!! I also stopped buying paper towels and now only use microfiber towels, took my husband and kids a little time to get use to not reaching for a paper towel but they’ve come around. Thanks for this post, it’s great!! 🙂
Amazing, I am inspired by this post to clean out our harmful cleaning supplies. I have wanted to for a while but I’m so happy to see this post that offers multiple suggestions in every category. With a now 9 month old at home, we are more ready than ever to switch to a “greener” lifestyle. Yes Yes Yes! Please keep these type of posts coming! I’m hooked 🙂
I’ve been meaning to contact you to see if you know of any natural Lysol type air sprays/disinfectants? I’m a social worker and transport people in my car every day, most who aren’t the cleanest or who are frequently sick and find myself always spraying down my seats to get rid of the germs soon after they are out of my car and I know that’s it’s not healthy to be breathing in all the chemicals of the Lysol.
What do you use Basic G for?
Sanitizes. 🙂
I too enjoy these green cleaning posts. I just purchased my first couple of Shaklee orders from you and am loving everything I’ve used! I hope to clear out all of the toxic products from our house soon!
Do you have a good way to clean top load washing machines without using bleach?
Thanks!
The three essential oils I can’t live without for cleaning are clove oil, eucaluptus and tea tree. You may want to mention that despite these being natural products, pregnant ladies should ALWAYS be careful around essential oils and in some case natural cleaners that use them as they can cause miscarriages. Also they aren’t nice to some animals and could make your pet sick.
Love your post btw; am a big fan of cleaning green and now totally envious of how neat your cupboard is. I also reuse old flannels, tea towels and some used clothing for wash cloths. Has saved me so much money.
That is very surprising to hear about staying away from the oils when pregnant. I thought that was the whole point that they are safer because they are natural. Do you know why there’s a difference for pregnant women?
I’d love to know where you got the racks for the doors!! Those are awesome!
Toni, I love this post. I am working on going green. I have to do it slowly since my husband is out of work. I purchased some doTerra oils and the book and am trying to learn how to use them. Please, posts like this coming. I am learning so much!
I love the installed racks behind the cabinet doors !!!
Love this post! I was going to ask about the cute white baskets too but I see that other posters beat me to it. And I especially love the smaller shelf for the essential oils!
hi, I was wondering where you found that door hanger basket? I really like how it’s sleek and simple. thanks for all the tips on cleaning and the products you use
and also, where do you get your microfiber cloths? I got mine at the dollar store but it doesn’t seem to work that well with my ceramic cooktop. I used the degreaser for basic H and it’s so hard to clean!
I would love to see more post like this!!! I’ve been absolutely loving all of your recent posts! Well I love all of your posts! =)
Great post! I want those door shelves!
I have to ask about the scentsy stuff. Is it green or healthy? I love all your green cleaning stuff as well. Bon ami is great too!!! Trader Joes has greet kitchen reusable wipes.
I am thinking about ordering some shaklee products, and wanted to also order one doTerra oil to scent the basic H. Which one would you recommend for a clean citrus scent? Would you recommend plain Lemon, Citrus Bliss, or something else? Thanks.
Thank you for adding the part about eliminating paper towels. I did that a year ago and I haven’t missed them since!
For all those wondering about the cabinet door shelves, check these out: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rev-A-Shelf-Medium-Sink-Base-Door-Storage-Organizer-4SBSU-18/202855452?N=c3uj#.UYgYl7Xvt8E
and
http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202855733?productId=202855733&storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&MERCH=REC-_-product-1-_-202855729-_-202855733-_-N#.UYgZT7Xvt8E
This is a great post. I read a lot about green cleaning, and I re-educated my mother too about it. She was used to chemicals also for laundry. Now she is more ‘greener’ and uses vinegar instead of common softener (with great results!) as I do.
It’s a shame Shacklee can’t be found here in Italy, I always read a lot of good posts about their Basic H2 and other cleaning products, I would really love to try them.
Anyway it’s about 1 year since I’ve left chemicals, and I couldn’t be any happier. Green products are a little more expensive than chemicals, but they are often concentrated (so you need less quantity when cleaning), and anyway I rather pay a little more in change of a healthier home, and healthier planet, since we have only this one to live in. 🙂
First, Where did you get the door racks to hold your cleaners? Secondly, have you heard of melaluca products? Any opinion on these as far as being safe/natural?
The rack was installed by the cabinetry company. I haven’t heard of melaluca products.
I was curious when you are making the switch, how to get rid of the old products safely? I have been hoping to make a switch to greener products, but it feels weird to “work through” the caustic ones to get there.
I LOVE your entire blog! I have also been trying to go green, some things just don’t seem to clean as well. And “somehow” I keep getting more stuff under the sink. Just looking at your organized spaces makes me feel happy! Can I hire you!! 🙂
Love the door shelves, where can I find them?
they were installed by the cabinet company
Thank you for this post, Toni! I just ordered the Scour Off and Basic H2. We have really hard water and I have a hard time getting my toilet bowls and showers clean and free of hard water build up. I’ve tried numerous green products – including baking soda and vinegar but keep going back to CLR because that’s the only thing that works. I have high hopes for the Scour Off 🙂 because CLR just doesn’t seem in the least bit safe to use.
We have asthma,migraines, and allergies in the family. We used to just suffer through and ‘deal with’ the issues from cleaners. I was introduced to EO’s a few months ago and haven’t looked back. We’re a healthier & cleaner household now. Thanks for the organizing ideas!
Where did you get the shallow shelves for the cabinet doors?
I see it was installed by cabinet folks…..what brand of cabinets?
Just wondering if you know whether shaklee products contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or not? Thank so much!!! Absolutely love your blog 🙂
I am so glad you are doing this!! I hope this can get me organized and ready for the holidays!
What would you use on regular marble countertops?
Sorry…I meant granite
I LOVE cleaning with natural products. I haven’t tried Shaklee yet. I’ve used and love Melaleuca, but I just can’t buy as much as is required each month. Love the smell of tea tree oil in the Melaleuca cleaners.
One thing I don’t know if I could give up is bleach…. to me, the smell of bleach is just “clean”.
Maybe one day I will…….
I am LOVING all of your blogs!!! I just started selling DoTerra, and while my husbands laughs and calls me a hippie, I feel that I am really helping my family. I believe in the EO’s and what they can do for us. Thank you for all your wonderful views and insights!