Fluff the Nest Friday: “Clean” Cleaning Products

Happy Friday! Are you fluffing your nest today too? We’re getting ready for company this weekend so there will definitely be some fluffing going on here!

Last week I shared about my Norwex cleaning cloths which I use on the daily with no spray or cleaning solution at all. They are amazing! But there are times in my cleaning when I need to use a spray with a paper towel or regular cleaning rag. Unfortunately, I can’t tolerate most cleaning sprays on the market due to their strong smells. For years I was getting bad headaches very easily and one of the main culprits was my cleaning and laundry products because of the chemicals and fumes. For a while I just accepted it as part of the job. Crazy, right? I would even expect a migraine on my cleaning days because I cleaned the whole house with chemicals but didn’t really think there was an alternative other than vinegar. I had used vinegar on all my surfaces many years before but started to notice that my wood floors and countertops were dulling, and my faucets were corroding due to the acidity of the vinegar. But then….

Enter ”clean” cleaning products!

I was familiar with DoTerra’s essential oils and even had a small oil collection to diffuse in my home. Ironically, one of the reasons I was diffusing oils was to help sooth my headaches. Hmm. I had noticed their On Guard Cleaning Concentrate on their website but it was expensive, and for some reason just I didn’t think it would work that well. After researching it a bit and reading such good reviews from sources independent from DoTerra, I decided to give it try. Spoiler alert: I love this stuff!!

The concentrate comes in a 12-ounce bottle and includes a dilution chart on the side of the bottle. Y’all, this stuff goes a long way! To make the spray, I fill a spray bottle almost to the top with water and then add the suggested amount of solution, put the spray nozzle back on and shake. I keep one in my kitchen for countertops, appliances, table, chairs, and sticky spills on the floor. And before I got my Norwex mop, I would use a 2 tablespoons in my mop water. I make additional bottles to keep in all our bathrooms for anything we might need a spray for in there. It cleans VERY well, and the best part is it smells SOOOOO good because it’s made with orange, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary oils!

Like I said before, I use my Norwex cloths for daily maintenance, but on my Friday cleaning days when I do a deeper clean, I use the On Guard. For my tub, I put some hot water in the bottom of tub and give a quick squirt of On Guard. Then I use a regular cleaning rag to wash the bottom, sides, faucets, and tile backsplash. I repeat the same for my sinks–a little hot water, small squirt of On Guard, and then wash the basin, faucets, and counter. I swish the rag again, squeeze it out, and wipe the cabinets as needed. For my toilet I use the On Guard spray and a rag to wipe the tank and seat. For the bowl I use a Clorox disposable scrubber which is one of the two non-natural cleaning products I still use in my house now. The scent of the toilet scrubber isn’t too strong for me, and it cleans so well so I’ve conceded to keeping this product.

For my shower, I use the DoTerra spray when just wiping the door and walls, but I use the Norwex Cleaning Paste when it needs scrubbing. The paste has enough fine grit to scour a grimy surface without being abrasive. Now, I will say that about once a month my husband gives the shower a good scrubbing for me to save my back and while he’s at it he’ll use Tilex (the second of my two non-natural cleaning products). But he’s sweet to make sure I’m out of the house and turns on the vent and opens the bedroom windows to let the strong fumes escape before I’m back. Yep, hero status.

My sister gave me my first tub of the paste and it’s incredible how long it’s lasting! A little goes a long way. Besides the shower, I use it on a number of other areas in the house. Lately I’ve used it on my kitchen floors to clean some very sticky stubborn residue.

Again, I want to say that both of these products may seem expensive compared to most other cleaning products in stores, but they give a lot of bang for their buck. Also, I keep a yearly membership with DoTerra so I get the wholesale price on the cleaner ($14 instead of $19). But if nothing else, just for the fact that they are “clean” and don’t make us feel sick, I’d pay a little more for that anyway, but it averages out about the same.

Ok, friends, I’m off to fluff the nest now! See you back here tomorrow for Snapshot Saturday!