Have you ever thought about replacing toxic and chemical-laden products in your home with organic and natural ones?

I never really thought about its merit until I had skin asthma years back. My dry and itchy skin woke me up in the middle of the night, and it was definitely no fun! Add to the burden the fragrance-free products my dermatologist gave me that cost a fortune! The wisdom I got from the several check-ups is that my skin asthma could be triggered by anything – from the products I use on my body to the products we use at home, not to mention the quality of the air I breathe in and out of the house!

Thankfully, I don’t experience flare-ups now, but that was the prompt for me to be more mindful of the products we use at home. Chemical-laden products are admittedly more familiar and more convenient, but they pose serious health risks. Admittedly, our home is still not 100% chemical-free right now, but my husband and I are constantly putting in our best efforts to at least minimize the use of chemicals at home. Here are a few of what we use and how we use them.

We used to be big on insect sprays in our childhood home. I remember the weekend routines of going out of the house for a few minutes so the familiar toxic smell could settle. Since we don’t use it here at home anymore, we protect ourselves instead with natural citronella oil or lotion. Of course, we supplement the use of lotion with a clean household, to make sure that it will not be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Have you ever been bothered by a slow-draining water in your bathroom while taking a bath? It already happened so many times to me and the go-to solution was always the product from the market that could cause respiratory problems. Instead of buying it, we searched for its natural counterpart – vinegar and baking soda – et voila! It worked perfectly that I even shared it on my Instagram stories as if some people don’t already know about it! Later on, I discovered that the same combination works as a bathroom cleaner, deodorizer for sweaty clothes, and a fabric conditioner, too!

Every home has a signature scent, and I love discovering that whenever I visit friends or family members. Ours vary from time to time, but one thing’s for sure: I don’t want our home to smell odd and old! Homes can be a mishmash of odors, from the aroma of coffee or freshly cooked meals to the stench of the passing garbage truck. Instead of big names in the market usually used for sprays, we use products with natural oils to cover our home not only with a signature scent, but also with a toxic-free one.

Who doesn’t want a fresh-smelling bathroom? Again, while store-bought ones are more convenient, this doesn’t mean that they’re all good for the health! Go to your pantry and get some baking soda and lemon juice extracted from the fruit. Complete the mixture with hot water and you’re good to go! Citrus peels are a great addition to the mixture, too! Sometimes, when we use the lemon juice for lemon water, we just leave the peels in a small container in the bathroom for a day or two for that fresh and citrusy scent.

Read the label
We’ve heard this time and again, but guess what? This is also one of the best ways for us to ensure that what we use at home is free of chemicals. Many products would claim that they are natural and organic, only to find out from their labels that there are still chemicals in their compenent. Be wary!

Look for natural alternatives
There is already an abundance of natural products, thanks to the efforts of local and foreign individuals with wellness-oriented lifestyles. There are also a lot of companies that started chemical-free initiatives on their products! Search, read up, and discover natural alternatives to keep you and your family healthy and safe in your own home.

Exert the effort
Preparing a more chemical-free alternative to an already existing product can be quite time-consuming, but that is a small price to pay for the benefit it will have on our health. It’s better to exert the effort now when it’s not yet too late. At times when it’s tiring to prepare a chemical-free solution or in some cases, it’s quite costly to buy the natural alternative, remember the old but gold “Health is wealth!”