Nothing screams spring like a good, solid cleanse, both for your body and your home. This is typically the time of year I get the itch to ditch and clean out every square inch of my home, tossing clutter and broken toys {keep that low, my daughter might be listening}, vacuuming nooks and crannies, scrubbing surfaces, and reorganizing spaces to be more efficient.
Spring is a perfect time of year to take stock of your surroundings and eliminate toxins. Your first stop? The kitchen! Here are 7 areas in the kitchen where you can take steps to make sure your yummy eats and the air you breathe stays clean and chemical-free.
7 Ways to Spring “Cleanse” Your Kitchen
1. Give your cleaning products a makeover
Chemicals in household cleaners are both unregulated and untested. Shocking, right {insert sarcasm}? Companies can use whatever chemicals they want, and they don’t have to test them for safety, or list all the ingredients on the label. These chemicals have been found to contain carcinogens, reproductive toxins, endocrine disruptors and allergens. Nice, huh?
Non-toxic kitchen cleaner options:
Toss all cleaning products that have the following words on the packaging: CAUTION, WARNING, or DANGER. These words = harmful chemicals and that’s no bueno. Remember, you’re disposing of toxic chemicals that could potentially contaminate waterways, rivers, streams, and other areas. Be a good citizen to Mother Earth and check in with earth911.com for disposal rules in your area. Just type in your zip and your options will appear, mmmkay?
Make your own! Save a boatload of money by making your own cleaning products using ingredients you already have. Check out my Pinterest board for some inspiration.
If you’re not ready to jump into the D-I-Y household cleaners world, choose cleaners that meet the guidelines of the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning. This is a good quality all-purpose cleaner that gets a high rating from the peeps over at EWG.
2. Update your cookware
Non-stick cookware was all the rage back when the Diet Dictocrats were screaming at us to cut the fat {and taste} out of our diets. Unfortunately, this cookware {like Teflon} is still lingering in many kitchens and contains a chemical called PFOA that gets released into the air and your food when the pan reaches high temperatures or the coating is scratched. PFOA is linked to low-birth weight, thyroid disorders, immune system toxicity, and testicular and liver cancer, to name a few.
Have I gotten your attention yet?
Non-toxic cookware options:
Cast iron
Enameled cast iron
Stoneware
All clad stainless steel
3. Rethink food storage systems
If anyone has an obsession with leftovers, it’s this busy mama. My M.O. is cooking once and eating thrice. If I cooked from scratch every single day I’d be crazier than I already am. This means I need a liberal collection of food storage containers; food storage containers that won’t leach harmful chemicals into last night’s {grass-fed and organic} chili.
Chemicals found in plastic containers, like Bisphenal-A (BPA), are linked to everything from weight gain or trouble losing weight to early onset puberty and cancers. And don’t be fooled by that BPA-free nonsense. It’s just a smokescreen and a different type of plastic that hasn’t been as highly scrutinized or studied {yet}.
Non-toxic food storage options:
Glass food storage containers
Glass mason jars
Reused glass jars that cost nothing more than a little elbow grease
4. Ditch your toxic candles
Don’t get me wrong, I love the aura and scent of a nice candlelit room as much as the next gal, but at what cost? My family’s health? Thanks, but no thanks. Most candles eschew toxic soot and fumes that not only make your walls filthy, but also wreak havoc on your health.
Besides the soot traveling deep into your lungs {which is uber bad for those suffering from asthma and other lung ailments}, most scented candles are made with paraffin and fragrance oils, both of which are petroleum-based synthetics. The soot from these materials can contain carcinogens, neurotoxins and reproductive toxins.
Instead, opt for 100% beeswax candles. Or diffuse essential oils. Not only do they make a room smell amazing, they actually clean the air of harmful molds, viruses and bacteria.
5. Swap paper towels for cloth
Besides killing an appalling number of trees, many kitchen paper products are bleached with chlorine. That means chemicals in our air, on our skin, and in our food.
Non-toxic paper towel options:
Choose cloth napkins like this these beauties or this gorgeous set. They’ll not only make your table pop, but be so much better for the environment. Even better? Grab some vintage sets at an estate sale and save even more greenbacks.
Instead of tossing your husband’s old {ratty} t-shirts, cut them into rags to use for cleaning. He’ll totally appreciate it when his tattered circa 1993 Pearl Jam T is reincarnated into a toilet wipe.
At the very least, choose products that are labeled “Totally Chlorine Free” {TCF} or “Processed Chlorine-Free” {PCF}.
6. Water
Pure, clean, chemical-free water is becoming increasingly hard to come by. Lead, arsenic, pesticides, fluoride, and chlorine are just a few of the toxins found in tap water – commonly exceeding government-approved “safe” levels. Frightening? You bet.
Instead of drinking tap water {or even bottled water}, invest in a high-quality water filtration system that removes those toxins. This is the one I have {and love} that won’t break the bank. Not only does it run off the grid {for you preppers out there}, but it removes all of the aforementioned toxins, plus viruses and pathogens, and retains the minerals.
7. Open your windows
Yep, saved the best {and easiest} for last. Modern homes are designed to be leak proof. This means toxins are sealed in and fresh air is sealed out. When Mother Nature finally decides to grace us with some sunshine and warmth, open up those windows and let the fresh air circulate in. Yes, it’s that easy. Opening the windows does wonders not only for blowing toxins out but also lifting our mood.
Now what?
This overhaul can be daunting – believe me, I get it! Before you start stressin’ and wondering where to begin, start small. Make one change at a time, and as your budget allows. Before you know it, your kitchen will be truly “clean” and you can continue down this “rabbit hole” in other areas of your home.
Have you begun making some of these transitions in your kitchen {or other areas of your home}? What would you add? Please tell me in the comments below. I’d love to hear!
About the Author
Kristen Boucher is a Registered Nurse, healthy living junkie, health and wellness coach, real foodie, full-time working wife to an amazing husband, cloth-diapering crunchy mama of two beautiful girls, creator of The Superwoman Slim Down: A Real Food Detox & Cleanse for Real Women, Lose Weight, Feel Great: 8 Weeks to a New You, and Founder of MIX | Wellness Solutions For A Balanced Life, where she inspires busy women to eliminate the overwhelm to lose weight, kick cravings, and cook delicious, healthy, and family-friendly meals without crazy diets, countless hours at the gym, or quitting their day job. Kristen can be found pushing the envelope at www.mixwellness.com and on Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+.