I used to think that ‘fragrance’ in products were completely harmless. They made everything smell lovely, from my perfumes, to my scented candles, and even my cleaning products. It wasn’t until a year or so ago that I started getting headaches and nauseous every time I put on my vanilla perfume or lit my scented candles that I started to question what exactly I was putting onto my body and into my house. Even worse were those intoxicating fake ‘lemon’ or ‘eucalyptus’ scents that tried to over-power the dangerous chemicals in my cleaning products. I would literally have to hold a tea-towel over my nose every time I cleaned, to stop the fumes…ah…I mean, ‘harmless fragrances’…from sneaking up my nose.
 
‘Frangrance is the new second-hand smoke’. And it really is! Thankfully, laws have made it illegal for people to smoke cigarettes indoors, but now almost every home and work place is full of synthetic toxic fragrances wafting around, causing us to die slowly. Fragrances have been linked to a number of adverse health effects, such as asthma, allergies, endocrine and hormonal problems, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, brain fog, stomach cramps and heart palpitations. The scary thing is is that the vague term ‘fragrance’ is an ingredient in almost all cleaning products – even some supposedly ‘green’ cleaning products contain the ingredient ‘fragrance’.
 
I was in denial for awhile, thinking going chemical-free would be too hard and too expensive. I didn’t mind spending money on good quality wholesome foods, and even on some ‘green’ body-care products (to an extent), but spending our precious dollars on cleaning products – well I couldn’t quite justify that.
 
But then I started getting into essential oils. First for the therapeutic benefits, and also to replace all those candles and sprays that were making me sick. Then I started looking into DiY recipes and I was AMAZED at how cheap I could make 100% toxic-free cleaning products, sometimes at even a cheaper price than supermarket brands. PLUS, the ingredients are so simple, and preparation so quick, that even a time-poor, DIY-dummy could make them. This made me excited!
 
Homemade-All-Purpose-Cleaner
I’ve been making my own cleaning products, now, using essential oils in replace of toxic ‘fragrances’. I tell you what, my lavender and orange multi-purpose cleaning spray smells so amazing that I could almost eat it (actually, I do have a little lick if it drips onto my hand – and I can, because every ingredient in the spray is not only safe to use for cleaning, but safe to consume! Not that I’d serve it up as a soup or anything, haha…just saying’!). Jokes aside, I can now, without worry, clean my bathroom and kitchen with Poppy and Elsie around, because I know that my home-made cleaning spray can’t hurt them or me, and in fact, can improve our health and wellbeing as we breath in the therapeutic aromas of my Young Living essential oils 🙂
 
So…Challenge #1 – Have a look at your current cleaning products (and if you dare, any other product you have in the house), and check out the ingredients to see if the product contains ‘fragrance’. Becoming aware is the first step to making real changes. And if you feel like you’re ready to take the next step, stop using the product! if you’re planning to come to our Chemical-Free Cleaning ‘Make-and-Take’ Workshop on Sat 11 June, 7pm at Alchemy Cafe, save your toxic products to chuck away in the ‘Toxic Bin’ – the person who chucks away the most products will win a prize!
During the workshop, you will learn to make five household cleaning products:

Laundry liquid
Multipurpose spray
Dishwashing liquid
Bathroom surface spray
Dishwasher powder

You’ll also learn some of the more nastier chemicals commonly found in household cleaning products to avoid, as well as the negative impacts these chemicals are having on you and your family. You’ll learn what essential oils are best for cleaning, and which ones can help with physical and emotional health issues. We’ll also provide you with a recipe hand-out to take home, as well as tips on where to get the best price for quality ingredients.

No pre-shopping or supplies required, just register and show up! The workshop is $25 and covers all supplies, containers and oils. This really is a bargain – if you purchased a ‘green’ cleaning product from a store, chances are you would be paying anywhere from $20 – $70 for a 1 litre bottle – plus, there are often some questionable ingredients in even supposedly ‘green’ products.

Space is limited in the workshop and will require pre-purchased registration to ensure we have enough room and supplies for everyone. Please pay online through our online store, cash at the gym (please place money in an envelope with your name on it) or via EFT (contact us for our bank details).

All welcome! Looking forward to seeing you there!