Everyday Clean Products for the Home

These past few weeks I've been sharing about Jase and I's processes of renovating our home on the blog in a collection of talks we're calling Making A Home – While we're still very much in the process, things are slowly but surely coming together and I'm excited to share more with you here in the upcoming weeks! Throughout this time, we've really discovered that creating a home isn't just about the paint you put on the walls and the furniture you fill it with, but even the everyday items you use that make it feel like home. I know we all have our go-to cleaning products, whether they're ones we've grown up using in our childhood homes or those we've come to love on our own – Here are a few of the everyday items that are always stocked in my home!1. Force of NatureI know I talk about this brand a lot – And it's because I am absolutely in love! It's always been a priority to me to keep things extra clean, and with the rise of recent attention towards disinfecting and cleansing, it was important for me to find an all-purpose cleaner that really does its job without being full of chemicals and harmful to the body. Force of Nature is a nontoxic disinfecting solution that cuts through just about anything while also working on virtually any surface – Which I do, trust me! It is an equivalent to the power of bleach and kills viruses, but the only ingredients are salt, water, and vinegar.Plus an extra bonus, it keeps chemicals out of our water system, cuts down plastic waste, and is shipped using materials that are 100% recyclable – So what's not to love? This has easily become one of my household staples that I will always have on hand.2. Branch BasicsAnother nontoxic cleaning brand that I have stocked in my home is Branch Basics. From all-purpose cleaner to laundry detergent and bathroom cleaner – I love it all! Their multipurpose cleaning solution is plant and mineral-based, free of harmful preservatives and their reusable bottles make it extra sustainable. It also can be used on just about any surface, but their options make it super easy to target cleaning specific areas of your home without having to compromise on using toxic cleaning products instead. And like Force of Nature, it's very affordable! Proving that you don't have to compromise on safe cleaning to stay within budget, which is always a win.3. Revive Essential OilsThere's a lot of essential oil brands out there today, but Revive Essential Oils has actually become the only one I use! Made without any fillers, synthetic fragrances or odor enhancers (which can actually be found in a lot of essential oils today), Revive is also locally sourced and directly sold without the middle man – So it's oftentimes cheaper and more affordable than other brands, and the quality is an A+.It's also 100% pure therapeutic grade, free from any additives, adulterants, synthetics, or dilutions. I love being able to use them without having to worry if I'm compromising myself in doing so – Which is why they're my all-time favorite!4. EquilibriaI mentioned this brand last week in my post on The Clean Sweep for Clean Sleep – but I wanted to jot it down again here because it has quickly become a staple item in my home! Implementing hemp oil into my regular routine has been such a game-changer, not just for my sleep but for my mental and physical well-being. Like I mentioned above, there's a lot of brands out there today that make promises about what they can offer, then you end up finding out you're actually harming yourself rather than helping! The journey of clean-living can be so discouraging in this way, so when you find a brand that actually works, and is as clean and sustainable as it promises to be, it's so exciting! Equilibria has been one of those products for me, and I cannot recommend it more!5. SupernaturalAnother cleaning brand that I love! This one is scented with essential oils, so for anyone who prefers a healthy scent, this is perfect. With a variety of different solutions like counters and granite, glass, bath and tiles, wood and floors, and stainless steel – I love that supernatural makes it easy to know that the product I'm using in specific areas of my home is catered just for that area. Like the other brands, it's 100% all-natural, plant-based and made from minerals, and sustainable.All of these brands are actually the only products I use in my home! I hope these help you in the journey to clean-living, especially in times where we've all spent a bit more time at home than usual. I talk more about my own journey to clean-living and give specific advice, practices, and products from my years of research in my 90-day program, The Clean Sweep, but I'm constantly updating my knowledge and looking for ways to make clean-living easy to understand and accessible to everyone.As always, following along with my journey right here on the blog or on my Instagram, @LaurenScruggs or @TheCleanStuff for a peek into the everyday clean beauty, health, and wellness products I currently have my hands on!

Force of Nature: A Clean Alternative to Bleach

If you follow me on Instagram, you have probably heard me rave about my love for this natural all-purpose cleaning product that I recently discovered. During this time of a worldwide pandemic, I think so many have been tempted to use chemicals even with knowledge of the harmful effects. Did you know that bleach and other harmful cleaning products affect our respiratory system and our immune system, which is something we need to be extra strong right now!A sweet girl DM-ed me about a month ago telling me about Force of Nature and how much she loved this clean alternative to bleach. So I gave it a go! And oh. my. I am so giddy about it! Jase and I have been using alcohol as our disinfectant for products/mail/food deliveries, but we are trying to conserve it as much as possible, so we haven't been using it to kill germs on the surfaces in our home. I have been deep cleaning our house once a week (OCD in full affect!) and have used FON on our wood floors and surfaces two times already – I give it a major five stars!This solution is only 3 ingredients: salt, vinegar, and filtered water. They provide a beaker (that plugs in), a tube of the concentration. You fill the beaker with your own water and insert the solution, turn the beaker on and wait 9 minutes. It is converted to electrolyzed water when an electrical current changes the chemical composition of the solution into two new ingredients: hypochlorous acid, which is the same germ-killing substance our immune system makes, and sodium hydroxide, which gives this solution extra disinfecting power! Then you pour this into the spray bottle that they provide.This nontoxic disinfecting solution powers through odors, grease, grime, soap scum and sticky, icky messes as effectively as bleach. The best part: it cleans virtually any surface – sealed stone, glass, stainless steel, wood, laminate, porcelain, composite, grout, tile, plastic and rubber. Other things to use it on: baby gear like strollers, highchairs, car seats, kids serve wear and utensils, sports gear, rugs and furniture, makeup brushes, backpacks, lunch boxes, thermoses, straws, sippy cups, yoga mats, reusable bags, fresh-cut flowers, patio furniture, camping gear, diaper bags, front load washers, retainer cases, toothbrushes, children's toys, pet habitats, sponges, cars, the fridge, humidifiers, door handles, mail, and the list goes on!Also, many people have been asking me if it has a scent. It smells like a pool (not for long), but honestly, that smell makes me feel extra productive when it comes to cleaning. It smells so fresh and I love it!Extra Bonuses:

• This keeps toxic chemicals from going into our water systems.
• It reduces plastic waste from typical cleaners by 97%. It is Green Seal certified for environmental excellence.
• The shipping boxes and Activator Capsules are 100% recyclable.

What's not to love? DM me on Instagram or comment below to tell me how you like it! Stay safe and healthy everyone! xx