Confessions of a green cleaning convert

[Below is a post from Laura Stude who previously did not use Better Life products, tried the products and fell in love with them and now works with our team to manage social media.]    

I used to purposefully bypass green cleaning products on supermarket shelves. I’m only 27, but like many of us, I was raised with the understanding that the more foul-smelling the chemical, the deeper the clean. I accepted that as fact and carried on, generally ignoring the Mr. Yucky stickers and the recommendations to wear gloves while using the stuff. I figured if they sold it (and as long as I didn’t drink it), I was out of harm’s way.

Boy, was I wrong.

An unfortunate incident involving altitude sickness, my cat and my mom’s white, wool rug had me buddying up with every single toxic cleaning product I could find in my parents’ house. When none of that worked, I rented a steam cleaner and paid the extra for the recommended cleaning solution.

I really needed them to watch my cat for a few weeks…eviction after 2 days was not an option.

After multiple days fighting the stain, I couldn’t do it anymore. And not because the stain was gone (it wasn’t), but because I felt physically ill from the chemicals I had been inhaling. At one point, I had a pair of pajama pants wrapped them around my nose and mouth like a burqa, hoping to retain at least a few of the last brain cells that were left. The fact that I had to resort to that to simply clean is absurd.

That was the day I swore off harsh chemical cleaners for life.

If you’re like the “old” me and find yourself saying, “green cleaning products don’t work as well,” I urge you to give them a shot. Yes, they’re generally a tad more expensive but so are medical bills for asthma and cancer treatments. And seeing as how there is now a LARGER stain on my mom’s carpet, it’s clear that the harsh chemicals aren’t exactly true to their claims. So what do you have to lose?

If you’re still a skeptic, I recommend starting slowly. Try some whatEVER! or Even The Kitchen Sink. These are great all-around products that are safe, natural and healthy for people, pets and the planet.

Leave a comment and tell us what converted you to green cleaning or why you’re interested in it if you’re not doing it already. We’ll randomly select someone and send them a bottle of whatEVER! and EKTS!

Full disclosure: Laura now works for Better Life as the social media manager

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9 comments

Green cleaning had always been a hope, but it seemed that nothing ever got clean. (I, too, always treated myself with cleaning chemical disregard.)After my second child I developed allergies to tons of things, especially to cleaners and to pain killers. Guess what would give me the headache to need the pain killer – yeah. So a search began. Personally I found Better Life while looking for a granite cleaner and started slowly…I mean, c’mon, really? After about 4 products I can truly say I’m a lifer. Less itchy for me, and the hope that my home can be a haven versus a combat zone for anyone.

Catherine

My husband is an electronics freak and swore by ONLY using Windex to clean the screens on his toys until I brought a bottle of I Can See Clearly Wow! into the house. When we ran out of Windex, I told him I wasn’t buying any more so he tried the Wow and now he’s a convert! Less nasty chemicals in our home is better for all of us- even the electronics!

Meredith

I started using Better Life cleaning products because I wanted to have a cleaner and less toxic home for my children.

Katie Meyer

I switched because I always felt awful when I did any cleaning with harsh, toxic cleaners. I would literally start wheezing, my chest would burn, my head would ache and my skin would turn red and bumpy. I needed a change and I can happily say that I actually enjoy cleaning now!

Kelly Recktenwald

I was converted to green cleaning when I became pregnant. The motivation was a combination of wanting the purest atmosphere for my growing unborn child, and my own new physical aversion to the strong odors of traditional chemical cleaners (which I was using even more frequently — when you’re regularly face-to-toilet with morning sickness, you want that baby CLEAN!). We love Better Life, and my now toddler can safely help clean up!

Liz

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