Do you Want to 'Spring Clean' or 'Detox'?

I want to write about a topic that I find lots of folk turn to in Spring - 'Spring cleaning'. We get that itch to pull things out of cupboards, to clean and clear and to declutter and dust. Do you start feeling like that in Spring? Or you read an article that says you need to 'detox' and go on a juice fast, or only drink lemon water and cayenne or buy this magic bowel/liver cleanse product or that. But then you can get overwhelmed by it all? I find a simple solution is to try just one area to spring clean at a time and there is one that I'd love you to try (because I do think a lot about your health and wellbeing, and because this is when the of us with sensitive noses can start to sniff and sneeze AND it is a wonderfully simple way to minimise toxin exposure for everyone who lives in your home).

This one area to start with is to start looking at all the products in your home that are scented and, as they run out, see what you can replace them with that isn't scented. It seems these days, that just about every product we don't ingest, has some sort of added fragrance. Let's start in the kitchen with your dish detergent? Is it lemon and lime? or apple blossom perhaps? Are they real scents? I bet not. Then move into the bathroom. I bet there are lots of products in there that are artificially perfumed. There are your personal care products: shampoos and conditioners; soaps and body washes; deodorants, moisturisers, hair care products. Then there's the cleaning products you use in the bathroom: toilet cleaners; toilet ducks (what?!); 'air fresheners' ( I think they mean 'nasty-smell-covers' that really just pollute your home environment). Oh and some last products that are probably not doing you any good - scent reeds and so many of the scented candles that are available. 

I did say that I don't want you to feel overwhelmed. That's not good for you either but I would love you to take one product out of one room, and replace it with something that has no artificial (or even 'Nature Identical') scents. Then move onto another. You'll find an abundance of info online about natural cleaning products, and I'm sure lots of us know about using vinegar and carb soda. I love using the vinegar that I add citrus peel to. Simply fill a large glass jar (preferably with a plastic lid) with vinegar, add citrus peels to it until they fill the container. Let it sit for a short while eg two weeks, then decant the vinegar into a spray bottle and you have a handy, low tax cleaning product to use around your home. 

Give it a go, and let me know how you go. I thought our home was pretty good but then I had a proper look and realised we still have things we need to find replacements for. I won't worry about the things I haven't changed yet, worry is another thing counter productive to good good health but I'll be doing my best.