My Journey to a Non-Toxic Home

When one of your kids is diagnosed with a chronic illness, you start reading everything, research and on the back of every bottle in your house — and suddenly realize your home could double as a small chemical lab. That was the day I decided our family was officially going non-toxic.

I pictured peaceful mornings filled with fresh air, healthy meals, and children thanking me for saving them from synthetic fragrances and parabens. Reality check: it’s more like eye rolls, groans, and sneaky contraband foods hidden behind curtains. Let’s just say the cats and dogs have shown me far more support in this journey than my own children.

The Battle at Home (and in the Shampoo Aisle)

Every mom dreams of family unity, but ours is currently divided into two camps:

• Team Toxin-Free (that’s me, the cats, and the dogs), and

• Team "Just Let Me Have My Old Food Back!" (my children).

I lovingly remind them that our bodies are temples, and I’m just trying to keep the temple from smelling like a chemical spill, and saving them from undue health concerns later on. They’re not convinced. Apparently, “natural” deodorant and “crunchy mom” laundry soap don’t have the same appeal as the neon-colored stuff on TikTok.

But the Bible reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” I like to think that includes our cleaning products. Every bottle swapped is one small way I’m honoring both creation and the Creator. With the added protection of less cancer possibilities later on.

Small (and Budget-Friendly) Non-Toxic Swaps

Going non-toxic doesn’t have to mean going broke. I’ve learned to take it one product — and one sale — at a time.

Here are some easy swaps we’ve made:

• 🧽 Dish Detergent: Replaced with plant-based brands like Seventh Generation or DIY mixes with castile soap and vinegar. Bonus: it doubles as a science experiment for the kids. currently, our family is using Seventh Generation, and since they hardly ever start the actual dishwasher, this is a safe swap.

• 🧺 Laundry Detergent: Switched to ECOs, though Molly’s Suds — fewer chemicals, more peace of mind (and fewer rashes). ECOs is currently what we are using. The fragrance-free option is best. Again, since they would have to do actual manual labor, this is a pretty quick change.

• 🚿 Shampoo & Conditioner: Look for sulfate-free, fragrance-free options. (Yes, they lather less, but that’s how you know it’s working.) Currently, I am working on learning how to make my own soap, as one of my kids has issues with their hands.

• 🌿 Deodorant: Still testing options. Looking for ones with no aluminum in them is best. Let’s just say this one is a journey of faith and patience. Options like the brand Humble are what we are trying; there is also Tom's that works as well.

• 🐾 Pet Food & Litter: The dogs and cats now eat food with ingredients I can actually pronounce, and our litter box no longer smells like a chemical cloud. Applaws is the brand of cat food we are using, and they love it. The dogs are on Ollie for the time being. They are thriving — and smug about it.

• 🍳 Kitchen Items: Out with the non-stick pans that were slowly flaking into our food, and in with stainless steel and glass. Even the food tastes cleaner — or maybe that’s just the taste of conviction. Though food still seems to be the biggest battle in our house presently, I am making a bit of progress and have noticed a difference in myself so far.

Learning to Recycle, Reuse, and Rejoice

At first, I grumbled about the effort — all this washing, refilling, and recycling. But somewhere along the way, I began to see a bigger picture. God calls us to be stewards of His creation — not just the trees and oceans, but also the little piece of the world we call home.

Now, I find joy in small victories: refilling the same glass spray bottle instead of tossing another plastic one, or composting scraps that would’ve ended up in the trash. It’s not just a lifestyle change — it’s an act of worship, a quiet way of saying, “Thank You, Lord, for what You’ve given me. I’ll do my best to care for it.” Some plastics I am finding a way to reuse. I am embracing a new way of making what I have last longer.

A Work in Progress

We’re still on this journey. Some days, my house smells faintly of vinegar, garlic and essential oils, and the kids claim it’s “like living in a salad.” But every time I catch the dogs lounging peacefully or see my daughters’ health improving, I know it’s worth it.

So if you’re thinking about making your own home a little less toxic — start small, pray often, and keep your sense of humor. Because sometimes, the most sacred transformations start right at home… with a spray bottle, a stubborn teenager, two dogs chasing two cats and a very patient God.