Housekeeping Naturally

Are you going crazy cleaning your house with all the flu, colds and now Coronavirus going around? Me too, okay, maybe not ‘crazy cleaning’… but I am being a little more aware of cleaning areas of the house that get exposed to more germs. I’m big on housekeeping naturally though…

This is not a health report about me… we all have our own health things, right?! Mine happens to be migraines. I’ve had chronic migraine for almost 40 years. That means that I get migraines at least 15 times a month. Migraines are debilitating, but I have learned many ways to lessen triggers. One of the biggest triggers for me is perfume. I’m not talking just perfumes of the cologne variety… I mean ALL perfumes!

We’ve been perfume free in our house for years. It has made a huge difference for my migraines to not be so debilitating… this way, the meds I take when I do get a migraine has more of a fighting chance to relieve the pain so I can have a productive day.

Being perfume free, does make you realize the ridiculously strong scents of soaps and cleaners. I actually wonder if people become numb to the smells and need more and more stronger scented stuff to think it smells good. So many cleaners are scented with perfumes… doesn’t matter if the scent smells good or bad, there is something in the actual chemical of the scent (the perfume fragrance chemical) that makes me ill. I have no idea what the long term effects of all those perfumes are, but I know without a doubt that the short term is they are definitely migraine triggers for me, so I steer clear.

Some of you may love Pine-sol and Lysol, and maybe think ‘clean’ when you smell them. I get so sick from the smell of those cleaners, I have a very different thought when I smell them. It’s not just the smell when they’re being used either, but the lingering smell of them on the surface for days that continues to attack me. (My personal hypothesis is that it is releasing a chemical in the air that we’re ingesting by breathing it in.)

Sounds dramatic, but if you struggle with migraines, not only do you ‘get it’, but hopefully this post will be an encouragement to you to get the perfume out of your house so you can take comfort in your home.

The question is how to accomplish housekeeping naturally with all those perfumed cleaners out there?!

20 years ago, there were basically no unscented or truly naturally scented cleaners to be found. I just had to use vinegar… even essential oils were barely coming into the market. Now though it’s a different story. More and more manufacturers, large and small cottage industries, are realizing there is a demanding market for this.

Finally, I can find both unscented and 100% naturally scented cleaners. The natural scent is from essential oils instead of the chemically based perfumes. I should make a post with all the wonderful cleaners that I have found I can use that do NOT trigger migraines. Online is the best way for me to find exactly what I need… like unscented non-chlorine bleach… I can only find that online.

So, back to the disinfectant spray I have been using to help sanitize my house… I excited to share this with you!

It’s this Seventh Generation Disinfectant Spray. I’m loving it! Today when I just used it on the counters, I thought, this stuff is great, I really need to share this with my devoted readers! I love that the actual disinfectant is made from an herb!  The active ingredient is thymus made from thyme oil, and it actually works!! No perfumes either, this spray is scented with essential oils and doesn’t trigger a migraine for me.

Unfortunately, (or maybe fortunately, it might freak most of us out!) we can’t see the germs crawling around on all those surfaces in our homes. I have no idea if I’m killing the germs when I’m wiping a surface or more like spreading them around with my wiping cloth! But this handy spray doesn’t need any wiping. Just spray it on and let it stay wet for 10 minutes and the germs are gone. It’s safe to even leave on food contact surfaces!

I feel really good about that! When I get done wiping the counters, I now can spray them and leave it there to disinfect what the wiping did or didn’t do.

I’ve been spraying all sorts of things like the bathrooms, door handles, light switches, microwave door handle and keypad, and the list goes on… oh, you know what my favorite thing that I can use this spray on? My phone!! Right?! Think about how dirty it gets from our hands. We are on our phones when we’re out and about picking up all those nasty germs in public. Short of putting my phone in a ziploc baggie when I’m out, (which I don’t even think would work with the touch screen… trust me, I’ve considered all sorts of germ fighting tactics) being able to spray it and disinfect it when I get home is huge… and with a naturally scented disinfectant cleaner to boot!

Housekeeping naturally is made so much easier with products like this. The disinfectant spray I have is this one: Seventh Generation Eucalyptus, Spearmint and Thyme Disinfectant Spray  Though I haven’t tried it yet, here is the link for the citrus scent, with the same thymus disinfectant.

Did you know I now offer e-decorating? I can help you with your decorating needs via email, without having to step foot in your home. If you’re interested in more information, visit my e-decorating site: Frame and Frills. I’d love to help you with your project!

Here are more household tips you’ll find in this blog:

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