I have hesitated to share this publicly because I would never want to make someone feel bad about the products they use, but I honestly think most people are not aware of the dangers lurking behind many of the things we use every single day. I recently found the Environmental Working Group online and have been working to educate myself on the ingredients that are included in cleaning products, and cosmetics and have been shocked at how many are very harmful. I have been learning a lot of things that I had never thought about before, and finding products to replace more toxic products in my home. I want to share them so other people can see real opinions on this lifestyle change and be aware of the costs.
As my little girl has started to walk I have realized that baby proofing my house is much more stressful than I thought it would be. A huge reason for this is because of the different cleaners, soaps, and detergents stored under the kitchen and bathroom sinks that I cannot seem to find another place for. After hearing about the dangers of babies ingesting household cleaners, I decided that I needed to take action and figure out a solution that worked for my family.
This journey led me to find Branch Basics. I searched for products that were non toxic, very low on the EWG scale, safe around kids, and good for the environment. The two that I felt most comfortable trying were Force of Nature and Branch Basics. With a limited budget I needed to only pick one so I went with Branch Basics because it seemed more versatile. I decided to splurge on the starter kit so I could honestly review how this product worked in all the different areas of our house. I also plan on keeping track of how long everything lasts me so I can get an idea of the cost efficiency of switching to these products for my family. Something that I am learning while searching for better products is that a lot of companies claim to make very clean products but hide behind words like “fragrance” or “aroma.” Branch basics does not. I love that they list all of their ingredients, as well as the ingredients they will never include. It scores a B on the EWG guide, which is much better than most of the cleaning products I was using. They are a very transparent company and want people to have the cleanest products in their homes. I linked an article I found very interesting at the bottom, about some issues the company encountered a few years ago and how they have been able to come back with an even greater drive to only allow the best ingredients in our homes.
Branch Basics comes with a bottle of 33.8 oz. of concentrate and an empty All purpose, Bathroom, Streak Free, Laundry, and hand soap bottle. They have very clearly labeled on the side of each how much water to add and how much concentrate. Each product uses a different amount of concentrate which is why they are able to work in different areas. We just got our package at the beginning of January and I have been making up the different bottles as I clean different areas of my house and so far I love everything. It is very interesting to have a cleaner that literally has almost zero scent, as you kind of feel like you are just wiping everything down with water, but it cleans so well you know there is more to it. I am accustomed to my house having a very strong chemical or bleach scent when I have been scrubbing away, so this has been a huge relief. Usually after cleaning my kitchen I have to open up a window so I feel like all of the fumes are not going to be trapped in my house, especially with my baby always near. With these new products I feel comfortable enough to give her highchair tray a quick wipe down before I feed her without any rinsing. I love knowing that with these products I can teach her good habits about cleaning and not be worried about her touching harsh chemicals or breathing in toxins.
We were most nervous to try the laundry detergent as we have used a very strongly scented one for a long time, but I am happy to say it has been working great! I am actually going to write an entire post about detergent so I will not go into more detail other than saying I think this detergent is going to be well worth it and cost efficient for our family.
***After using all of the products for over a month now I am still obsessed. This is seriously the fastest I have seen a bottle of all purpose cleaner drain in our house as I want to use it on everything. Today I decided to use it to scrub my bathroom floor, and it’s the best it has ever looked.
If you end up choosing to buy Branch Basics you can get $10 off your purchase by using my referral code http://branchbasics.refr.cc/carissao
Sources:
How We are Leading the Industry in End-Product Testing
https://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners
https://www.inc.com/christine-lagorio/why-branch-basics-stopped-selling-its-one-product.html
WELL BALANCED 