Why cleaning products are the most impactful first nontoxic swap

I didn’t grow up in a particularly clean or health-focused home, and most of what I now share is something I’ve had to learn myself over the last few years. Once I began paying closer attention to ingredients and everyday exposures, I realized that some of the simplest changes can make a meaningful difference without completely overhauling your life or home.

Many families begin their nontoxic journey with food, but cleaning products are often the most impactful first swap. Cleaners are used frequently, sprayed into the air, and applied to large surfaces throughout the home, making exposure both regular and unavoidable. Unlike food or personal care products, these items are often used multiple times a day and in enclosed spaces.

Conventional cleaning products can contain ingredients linked to respiratory irritation and hormone disruption, especially when used in kitchens, bathrooms, and other poorly ventilated areas. Because these products don’t get rinsed off food or skin immediately, residues can remain on surfaces and in indoor air long after cleaning is done.

What to Look Out for

• Synthetic fragrance / parfum — a broad term that can include thousands of chemicals that aren’t individually disclosed
• Ammonia
• Chlorine bleach
• Antibacterial additives — disinfecting agents that are often unnecessary for everyday home cleaning

Switching to safer options doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. One approachable option is using a concentrated system, such as the Branch Basics Starter Kit, which can replace multiple cleaners with a single product diluted for different household uses. This simplifies routines while reducing the number of products stored in the home.

Simple DIY All-Purpose Cleaner

• 1 cup distilled water
• 1⁄2 cup vinegar
• 10 drops essential oil of your choice

Mix in a spray bottle and use on most nonporous surfaces.

Starting with cleaning products allows families to make an immediate, high-impact change while building confidence to tackle other swaps over time. Progress, not perfection, is what creates lasting habits.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 980)