Low Tox Living – what do I mean?

When I refer to low tox, when I am talking about workshops, self care products, cleaning products and things we have in our home, what I mean is switching out products we use which may be high in toxins and chemicals, for products which have less harmful chemical, i.e. low in toxins. Toxins are chemicals used in products we use around the home and include ingredients made from petrol, sulphates, parabens, animal products, artificial fragrances, to name but a few. The issue with these ingredients is they haven’t all been tested as safe for use.

We can learn to read the labels and work out which products have less of these types of ingredients, and more natural ingredients. A clue is these low toxin options are often labelled as organic, and often have eco friendly recyclable containers. Another option is to use old fashioned solutions like bicarb soda and vinegar to clean, adding essential oils for added oomph (for cleaning products).

 There are options available, as in simple ways we can switch out our products for safer options, all we have to do is some research. I am willing to share what I have learnt, via workshops or one on one chats.

Why bother sourcing products that are low in toxins?

We use skincare and cleaning products every day. Our skin being the largest organ in our body absorbs a lot of what we use and put on it. Our bodies are already dealing with environmental toxins, which can affect our health. If we can control the amount of toxins we (and our families) are exposed to, well why wouldn’t we?

Luckily for us there are now more than ever, more natural and organic brands readily available at our local supermarket, and more affordable than a generation ago.

With a little bit of time and effort we can source or make healthier options for use in our homes and on our bodies.

How easy it is to swap to low toxin options.

Low toxin – general purpose cleaner – we use this on all kitchen surfaces, all bathroom surfaces, outside furniture, even the kitchen and bathroom floors, the fridge etc – a great all around cleaner.

This is so easy to make,

¼ cup white vinegar

1 ¾ cup water

(I add ¼ cup of Doterra On Guard cleaner)

And 30 drops essential oils a mix or any combo of the following; On Guard, Lemon, Clove, Grapefruit, Tea Tree, and the other oils mentioned at the link below.

https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/diy-all-purpose-spray

Low toxin – bathroom and kitchen soft scrub cleaner – can be used on sinks, tiles, bath, shower, oven, stove etc. This can be stored in an air tight container and used over a few days. I am so happy we have low chemical alternatives to those harsh cleaning products.

¾ cup baking soda

¼ castile soap

Tablespoon water

Tablespoon vinegar

10 drop lemon essential oil

https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/diy-bathroom-soft-scrub

Low toxin – quick and easy toilet clean

½ cup baking soda (bicarb soda)

10 drops Tea Tree essential oil

¼ cup white vinegar

Directly into the toilet bowl and scrub as the vinegar and baking soda react.

The link to this one is to a Doterra cleaning challenge, which I think is brilliant. I will probably post more about this one in a few weeks. It is a useful resource, I am so glad I stumbled across it.

https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/healthy-living-ten-day-cleaning-challenge#:~:text=To%20make%20your%20toilets%20sparkle,vinegar%20directly%20into%20the%20bowl.&text=Combine%201%20cup%20white%20vinegar,generously%20on%20tub%20and%20tile.