The smell from the cleaning section in the supermarket hits us long before we see the products. Row upon row of bottles for every corner of the house, to make sure we catch and snatch every germ and send it back to where it belongs.
Cleanliness is next to G-dliness is what we are told, and we all agree that keeping a home clean and organised is a necessary part of ensuring that all who live there can function properly.
Nevertheless it does seem at times that city living has detached us from the world we live in and we have become a little paranoid. We need to consider if finger prints are more horrific than chemicals? If there is maybe a better way to keep them under control? We need to consider what we are killing the germs with, and the best ways to keep our families well.
Our children are sensitive, some more than others, but all of them need us to be aware of what is in their environment and to protect them from an overload of toxins.
One young person told me that when he went shopping his throat would block up as they went down the aisle with the cleaning products, but he was too embarrassed to say, after all everyone else seems to be fine and they wouldn’t believe him if he said he felt he was going to stop breathing.
One little girl can’t sit still; she grabs her clothes by the shoulders and scratches them frantically across her itchy back. Thankfully her mother ‘gets her’ and has found a gentle laundry product that doesn’t bother her skin.
It is rewarding to know that we can be kind to our children’s skin and their development while still maintaining a germ-free environment for them. There are many products available now that respect our need to maintain a clean home without the harsh chemicals that can damage not only the skin, but can also affect the brain and internal organs of our children. More natural cleaning products smell fresh and best of all they do a good job, it really is win-win.
Or make a ‘product’ of your own. Try mixing some lemon and geranium essential oil in a spray bottle with water. Shake to mix the oils in and spray on any surface.
And remember that safety always comes first. When using bleach and disinfectant be careful to use them when children are not around and rinse very well.
And never use dangerous home products like caustic soda in a room where a child is, children are fast and love exploring and these chemicals burn fast and do not choose what they react on; not a good mix. Prevention is the only real option, do not keep items that are harmful in a house with kids, they don’t work well together. Only use these things if children are safe in another room or are out of the house, make sure you will not be disturbed while doing this task and finish or destroy the remainder of the chemical. Rinse all containers well and air out the room.
The most important place we want to keep the sparkle is in our bright, healthy kids.