E76: Green Cleaning with Essential Oils
E76: Green Cleaning with Essential Oils
From Green Cleaning to "Greenwashing" here's what you need to know, PLUS access to my NEW Green Cleaning eBook, which includes 10 simple and natural recipes for your home...
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[1:20] What is Green Cleaning?
Using methods, solutions, and ingredients that are safe to use in the environment. Keeping your home environment clean, as well as our planet healthy, and the people and animals living in our homes safe, is possible, and a priority in our home. Environmental safety also includes minimizing waste.
[2:04] My story: Growing up with Sensitive Skin
I noticed an allergy to all artificial orange, almost everything orange, except the actual fruit. If I ate anything artificially flavoured orange, or if I used orange dyed or scented cleaners and skincare products, my skin would break out into hives.
[5:14] Choosing the Right Essential Oils
The most important characteristic of an essential oil is its purity.
To ensure that each bottle of essential oil is pure and free from synthetic fillers or contaminates, dōTERRA created the CPTG: Certified Pure Therapeutic (or Tested) Grade protocol. It includes a meticulous examination of every batch of oil, along with third party testing to guarantee transparency.
This is one of the reasons why I’ve partnered with dōTERRA as one of their Wellness Advocates, and also why it is the only essential oil company I trust and use in my home.
In the podcast episodes, on my website, social media platforms, and in my Green Cleaning e-book you will notice all types of recipes and information about dōTERRA’s essential oils and oil blends.
CLICK HERE to access how you can purchase dōTERRA’s certified pure tested grade oils and products for your home.
[6:33] Common Household Products for Green Cleaning
Baking Soda (shop here)
White Vinegar (shop here)
Lemons
Apple Cider Vinegar (shop here)
Dr. Bronner's Soap (shop here)
[7:42] Ingredients to be cautious of when buying products:
Artificial Fragrances
Artificial Colours, Dyes
Phosphates
Chlorine
[7:57] BEWARE OF: Greenwashing
Many companies see the demand for healthier and safer cleaning options as an opportunity to market their products as “Green.” They change the colour of their packaging, and put some images of flower sea leaves on it, it makes it look like you're buying a “green cleaner” when really, you're not.
Greenwashing gives false or misleading information about how the product is environmentally friendly. It's considered false advertising, even if the information is partite true. The claims and benefits of the product are usually very exaggerated.
[8:41] My [Green/Natural] Solution: Essential Oils
Important Resources
[13:12] Tag me in your Green Cleaning Instagram Posts + Stories! @vallavignelife
Safe Containers to Use with Essential Oils
Glass Spray Bottles
LIKE THESE ONES are mostly recommended when it comes to DIYs and essential oil recipes. Glass is best because it is impenetrable to essential oils, making it the perfect container for keeping your DIY products fresh. It's also super easy to clean! Soap and water should do the trick.
Stainless Steel Steel
is another highly recommended material/container for essential oil recipes. It is also impenetrable to oils and a great, high quality option if you're worried about dropping or breaking glass. I love THESE BOTTLES for making essential oil gifts, or when we go camping to hold our natural bug spray.
HDPE
There is a type of plastic that is specifically used with essential oils. It's called Plastic number 2 or HDPE. It's a very high quality plastic that has stronger bond and longer chain lengths that are not broken by essential oils. These types of plastic are mainly found in things like diffusers and caps.
Plastic number 1 or PET can also be used with essential oils, but any other plastics cannot.
If you're unsure about your container, you can test it. Add a drop of your dōTERRA CPTG essential oil to the outside of the container and ensure that there is no change to it over the course of a few minutes after the oil has been applied.
Download the FREE Green Cleaning eBook
Podcast Host
Valerie LaVigne
Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!
