Do you like to experiment by making new things or trying new techniques? I do. I think it started when I was a kid and my sister and I would procrastinate loading the dishwasher by making “potions”. We would collect chunks of food and liquids in a glass from the dirty dishes, add water and dish soap then dare each other to drink it. Oh, the things kids can get up to when unsupervised!
These days most of my experiments are to do with trying to come up with something new and tasty for dinner. I am generally successful if I do say so myself. I have had some epic failures, just ask my husband about my attempts at cooking Indian curries. We go out for Indian food now. Lesson learned. My latest experiment occurred in the kitchen but is not food-related. Instead, it had to do with detoxing my cleaning products and supporting my thyroid function.
Until recently, I didn’t give too much thought to toxin exposure via household cleaning products. What a massive oversight! I’m on the thyroid autoimmune spectrum so I try to keep an eye out for ways to reduce exposure to environmental toxins which often play a role in driving symptoms. I’m usually pretty good at spotting things that will increase the toxin filtering workload of my liver and kidneys – particularly my liver because it’s where the inactive thyroid hormone T4 is converted into the active form T3. But I missed a huge opportunity to support my thyroid function as it relates to household cleaning products, especially those that contain chlorine.
Chlorine is an endocrine disruptor and can interfere with thyroid function due to its structural similarities with iodine. To help mitigate my exposure to chlorine, we filter our drinking and cooking water. We also have a filter on our showerhead to lower the amount of chlorine that may be inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Once I realized I had missed a chance to further reduce exposure to chlorine, I needed a solution PRONTO. So, I put the Google machine to work and found a DIY all-purpose cleaner recipe that uses castile soap.
Why castile soap? I have been a fan of castile soap due to its lack of synthetic preservatives, foaming agents, or detergents making it a cleaner (pun intended!) and more gentle cleaning option. It’s made from vegetable oils and organic and options are plentiful – my favorite brand is Dr. Bonner’s. Castile soap is concentrated so a little goes a long way. You can use it as a shampoo, body wash, laundry detergent, dish soap, and more. Diluted castile soap is in the hand soap dispensers throughout our home. It’s even gentle enough to bathe the baby and your four-legged friends. Bottom line, castile soap is just a darn good multi-purpose cleaning product.
I found several recipes for an all-purpose cleaner but settled on one shared by Humorous Homemaking because of its simplicity and short ingredient list. In addition to castile soap, the recipe also calls for water, white vinegar which is a powerful natural disinfectant, and the essential oil of your choice. If you want more disinfecting power, tea tree oil would be a good essential oil option. I equate citrus scents with cleanliness, so I tend to use lemon, orange, or grapefruit but for my most recent batch, I used eucalyptus which left a light fresh scent. Use your favorite. Make up a bottle for the bathroom and one for the kitchen so you always have some handy.
Keep in mind that this cleaner is made with soap so it will suds up depending on how much you use. You may need to use a clean damp cloth to wipe away any residue that may be left behind. I prefer to use Norwex microfiber cleaning cloths. They are excellent and leave surfaces squeaky clean. The best part is that you can throw them in the laundry and use them again and again. If you are interested in trying Norwex products contact Shannon for assistance – (this is NOT an affiliate link).
This recipe isn’t just for folks on the thyroid autoimmune spectrum. Everyone will benefit from reducing their environmental toxin exposure AND this recipe will save you $$$. Win, win!!
Let me know if you decide to experiment with this recipe and which essential oil you choose.
Hello! I’m Mary, a Functional Nutrition Therapy Practitioner and Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition. I help women identify the missing pieces of their thyroid disease management plan. I believe in your body’s innate ability to use food and lifestyle as medicine. I can show you how to use them to build a foundation for health and wellness so you may live your most vibrant life. Contact me to discuss how a real food diet and lifestyle options may be used to propel you to a higher level of wellness.
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