Not all non-toxic cleaning products are created equal

Some of us clean like Marie Kondo (that’s still a thing, right?), while others of us shove toys in the closet and call it a day. Whatever your style, turn to these non-toxic cleaning products that help make all that tidying, wiping and washing just a tad bit more bearable. These cleaning brands are all sustainable, effective, and have packaging that you actually won’t want to hide under the sink. Oh, and they don’t require a hazmat suit to use or leave that funky bleach smell on your fingers.

Why go out of your way to stick with non-toxic cleaning products? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the chemicals found in some cleaning products can cause health problems, including eye, nose, and throat irritation, as well as headaches. Leaning on green(er) formulas can help prevent asthma, upper respiratory inflammation, fatigue, nasal congestion, nausea, and dizziness. Of course, we all want to avoid all that. Plus, many non-toxic cleaning products are safer to use around your little ones (always read package labels to make sure, though). Read on for our picks.

 

 

Grove Co's Traditions Aglow Collection

grove collective non-toxic cleaning products with sponges and cleaning bucket
Grove Collaborative

You'll actually want to do the dishes when you smell the Spiced Pumpkin or Harvest Apple scent of the Traditions Aglow collection from Grove Co ('tis the season!). Get the kids doing their own laundry with the dissolvable laundry sheets and show them how to be better Earth stewards with the cleaning concentrate and reusable spray bottle. Everything from Grove Co is sustainable, cruelty-free, and made with 100% natural fragrances so you can feel good having it in your home. 

Grove Co Traditions Aglow Collection ($103.84)—Buy Here!

L’AVANT Collective

flat lay of grey, white, and black non-toxic cleaning products
L'AVANT Collective

With L’AVANT Collective, you can now have effective non-toxic cleaning products that you’ll actually be proud to display on the counter. Their line, with packaging design that's downright dreamy, is sustainable (they have refillable and glass options) and plant-based (they tell us that their dish soap is the first plant-based soap to beat the performance of a conventional soap in third party testing). Choose from dish soap, multi-purpose cleaner, hand soap, biodegradable wipes, and bundles. They also offer a subscription service so you can set it and forget it.

L'AVANT Collective—Shop Here!

HealthyBaby

HealthyBaby

If you consult EWG before making purchases, you’ll love HealthyBaby. Their cleaning and laundry systems are both EWG-verified. Their cleaning system is a concentrate and with each 34 oz. bottle you can make up to 16 bottles of hand soap, 16 bottles of baby dish soap, or 16 bottles of surface spray, which saves so many plastic bottles per year (it comes with a reusable stainless steel container). HealthyBaby's laundry system also comes in a 34 oz. bottle, which makes up to 170 loads of laundry (you simply pump once or twice directly into your washer). Both are free of toxins and harsh chemicals typically found in common household products and detergent. Bonus: HealthyBaby also offers diapers, wipes and a skincare line, all EWG-approved and healthy and effective for your littlest littles.

HealthyBaby Cleaning System ($60.00)—Buy Here!

MomRemedy

MomRemedy

The name of this brand pretty much says it all. This mom-approved remedy was created by New Hampshire mama, Jen Cosco, who created her line of sustainable cleaning sprays and wipes after finding it challenging to find cleaning products she felt comfortable using around her own kids and pets. MomRemedy’s line includes zero waste reusable wipes in glass jars and cleaning spray and stain remover bottles. The brand also has reusable glass bottles to help reduce environmental impact even further. Expect to find effective, non-toxic and a biodegradable formula that is dye-, sulfate- and paraben-free.

MomRemedy—Shop Here!

TrulyFree Clean Start Cleaning Kit

TrulyFree

TrulyFree offers non-toxic, fragrance-free cleaning products that come in minimally-packaged refills so your environmental impact is greatly reduced. Your first shipment comes with the bottles, jugs, and cleaning solution, so all you need are the refill concentrates in future orders. They offer products for all over your home, too. Laundry, kitchen, bathroom, and more.

TrulyFree Clean Start Cleaning Kit ($49.00)—Buy Here!

arbOUR

arbOUR

arbOUR’s formulas are the best of both worlds: stronger than standard eco-friendly cleaners and naturally safe for everyone and everything important to you—your kids, pets, plants, and the environment. They work to adapt the latest professional innovations for household use to create cleaning products that are eco-effective (not just eco-friendly) because cleaners that don’t work just make more work and more waste for everyone, right? 

arbOUR Everyday Spray ($9.00)—Buy Here!

All the products listed are independently & personally selected by our shopping editors.

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While there is no actual cure for the common cold, there’s plenty you can do to ease your symptoms. Before you reach for that cold medicine, however, the best remedy might simply be soup—specifically, chicken noodle soup.

One dietitian explains exactly how chicken soup can help fight colds: “Studies have shown that a hearty bowl of chicken noodle soup may help clear nasal congestion and ease cold symptoms,” said Sandy Allonen, a clinical dietitian at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. “It’s all about the ingredients.”

Besides the obvious nutritional benefits of carrots, celery, and even onions and chicken, chicken noodle soup has some other healthy tricks up its sleeve. As Allonen explains, the warm broth can soothe a sore throat and provide hydration, the steam can help clear your nose, the salt can stimulate your tastebuds (encouraging you to eat more even when food tastes bland), and even the chicken can help.

“Chicken is high in tryptophan, which helps your body produce serotonin that can enhance your mood and give you the feeling of ‘comfort’ that helps make chicken noodle soup a true comfort food,” Allonen said. With all the bugs going around these days, it’s time to put the soup on.

Even within the chaos of this pandemic, kids are still experiencing usual “kid stuff.” In my pediatric office, we are still seeing children for typical bumps, bruises, and bellyaches. It is also the time of year when kids are beginning to experience seasonal allergy symptoms. Different than previous allergy seasons, however, is that this year’s symptoms are causing more anxiety. Parents are (appropriately) worrying that any cough or sniffle is coronavirus. Now is the time to be reminded of the critical distinctions between viral illnesses and seasonal allergies.

If you can remember life just a few short weeks ago, you were calling your pediatrician when your child “looked sick.” And this shouldn’t change. We are expecting you to call our offices when you are worried. Things like sudden onset of fever, extreme fatigue, aches and pains, decreased eating, and trouble sleeping are signs concerning of a viral illness. Although children with coronavirus are typically experiencing milder symptoms than older individuals, a child with these symptoms should trigger a call to your child’s doctor for advice. 

The key difference between allergies versus viral illnesses is the absence of fever and the presence of itch. Kids with allergies will have itchy or swollen eyes, itching or runny nose, and sneezing. Some kids will even get a sore throat or cough when pollen counts get high. In short, allergy kids look uncomfortable, but they don’t “look sick.” To help your child feel better, you should feel comfortable and confident using simple modifications at home and over-the-counter medications.  

Here are a few other things to know about seasonal allergies: 

Babies and toddlers do not suffer from seasonal allergies. Since young children are exposed to trees, grasses, and flowers for only a few weeks each year, it takes many seasons to react to various types of pollen. Also, sneezing during the first weeks of life is a healthy way babies can clear mucous from their nose and throat. A baby sneeze is not an allergic sneeze. 

Parents underestimate the significance of untreated seasonal allergies in kids. Uncontrolled allergies can lead to inattention at home and school, poor academic performance, worsened athletic performance, and less quality sleep. If your child seems to more fatigued or having an unexpected lower performance at home, school, or after playing outside, consider seasonal allergies as a possible cause.

Great seasonal allergy control starts with keeping pollen outside of your house. When local pollen counts are high, a few changes to the daily routine can prevent sticky pollen from getting into the places children sleep and play. Changing your child’s clothes after spending time outside, washing her face and hair every night, and keeping the window closed (especially on windy days) will help to keep the pollen out. Don’t worry about air purifiers or gadgets that promise to reduce indoor pollen levels. The best practice is to keep pollen out of your house from the start. 

Not all over-the-counter medications work the same. Some allergy treatments can result in undesired drowsiness or “zombie”-like behavior during the waking hours. Nasal steroid sprays help nasal congestion and watery eyes but can take up to a week to work. For fast and effective control of intermittent seasonal allergy symptoms, doctors recommend long-acting, non-drowsy antihistamines like Children’s Allegra. These medications are safe and effective on sneezing, drippy noses, itching eyes, and lasts throughout the entire day.

Pediatricians around the country have made impressive changes in their offices to keep kids and parents safe, and most are willing to talk through action plans virtually. If you have any questions or worry about any symptoms your child is showing, please reach out. We are ready and willing to help. 

Dr. Natasha Burgert
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Dr. Natasha Burgert is a board-certified pediatrician, nationally recognized child health expert, writer, and mom of two. After completing pediatric training at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, she now lives in Kansas City. She provides full-time patient care at Pediatric Associates in Overland Park, KS and serves on the Board of Directors.