With all of the dangerous, toxic chemicals in household cleaning products these days, making your own DIY cleaning products is a better option for your health and the health of your family.
Here are three natural cleaning ingredient combinations you don’t want to mix. Let’s take it back to chemistry class to find out why.
1. Baking soda + Vinegar
I’ve been cleaning my toilets with baking soda and vinegar for years thinking it was an effective cleaner. Not so, my friend. Although baking soda and vinegar are wonderful ingredients to add to your homemade cleaning products separately, they do not create a better cleaner together. Baking soda is alkaline, and vinegar is acidic. When combined together they create a wonderful, bubbly reaction that turns into . . . mostly water and a little bit of sodium acetate. Yep, mostly water. That’s not going to get rid of any germs, especially in the toilet.
2. Vinegar + Castile Soap
Vinegar is acidic, and Castile soap is alkaline. Mix the two together, and the vinegar actually un-saponifies or breaks down the Castile soap. You’ll be left with a goopy, slimy mess and ineffective cleaner.
3. Vinegar + Hydrogen Peroxide
Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are each effective cleaning agents on their own. However, when mixed together, these two liquids create peracetic acid. The vapors of this acid can be harmful to your lungs when inhaled. Peracetic acid can also irritate your skin and eyes. Don’t mix these two together.
The first two combinations aren’t harmful or dangerous when combined, they simply become ineffective cleaning agents together. However, be careful to not mix the last combo to stay on the safe side. After all, that’s why we switched to natural DIY cleaning products in the first place!
Find my simplest alternative to creating your own fantastic all-purpose cleaning spray without having to mix up multiple ingredients here.
