Chemical-Free Conversion

I found out I had MS and I freaked out. I tried to think about what may have made this disease target me.  After learning that nobody really knows what causes this monster, I decided to change what I could. I was hoping that maybe something would help hold the beast off or maybe even stop it's progression. I know it's out of my hands, but what's life if we don't have hope?

I used to clean businesses and offices when I was in my twenties. I didn't think twice about using those atomic warfare cleaners that riddle our big box stores and televisions sets, claiming to kill 99.9% of everything. I knew the chemicals were strong and I wouldn't even clean my house when my two young sons were inside. I'd wait until outside play time came and then I'd disinfect every inch of my home with those poisonous chemical mixtures that we have come to trust. Then, I decided to change the way I do things.

MS has that power. It makes you stop and wonder "what did I do wrong?".  Since I couldn't change the fact that I have a disease, I began changing what I could. I eliminated processed foods, stopped eating fast food whenever I felt like it, and I started making my own cleaning products and laundry soap.

Maybe you've thought about changing how and what you clean with, but you don't really feel like you have the time to make the changes or you don't think the homemade stuff will work as well.  I felt that way too. I kept putting it on the back burner, assuming it would take hours of tedious work. I was wrong.

I did some research online and discovered some easy and fairly inexpensive recipes and I gave them a try. A few that I tried didn't really seem effective, but after some trial and error I found some pretty great concoctions. My favorite of them all is for my homemade disinfectant. The main ingredients are castile soap and essential oils. Now, I don't know about you, but I knew very little about essential oils (EO).  Essential oils are derived from plants, nuts, seeds, and many other sources and help provide aromatic and protective qualities for the plants in which they come from (the definition is much more detailed, but you get the drift).

I headed to Ebay and purchased some, only to find out they weren't all that great. Some were diluted, some didn't even smell like they should.  I began doing some online exploring and I found a company by the name of doTerra, who sells Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG) essential oils. Some of them can even be ingested for health uses. Anyways, I purchased a bottle of their Lemon EO and I still had some other brands from my Ebay purchases that I didn't want to go to waste. What resulted was a great smelling, completely effective cleanser. You've really got to try it!

All-purpose Disinfectant

Lemon Essential Oil
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Lavendar Essential Oil
Castile Soap (I prefer Dr. Bronner's...you can purchase it on their website, on Amazon, or in some local grocery stores)

You'll need a clean squirt bottle, 24 ounce or larger (I purchased a three pack of 24 oz. bottles from my local dollar store for $2).

Fill the bottle half full with tap water, then add 2 tablespoons of castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner's Unscented Castile Soap).
Then 5-7 drops each of lemon, eucalyptus, and lavender oils. Fill the bottle the rest of the way up with more water. Be sure to shake the mixture gently to get everything nice and mixed. Now, go clean.
Each time you use this mixture you'll want to give it a little shake. The castile tends to settle at the bottom of the bottle.

I use this cleaning mix for everything! I have stopped purchasing dusting spray and have replaced it with this stuff. I don't spray it on the furniture directly. I use a washable microfiber cloth (dollar store purchase...again) and I spray my rag and then dust. Works great and leaves my house smelling great.

I'd love to hear if you try this and if you have any variations. Never hurts to try new things!


If you have any questions about this feel free to email me at womaninthemancave@yahoo.com. Also, if you have a difficult time finding essential oils, I just signed up to be a wellness advocate with doTerra. I basically earn points when I shop. If you would like to purchase some doTerra essential oils or sign-up to become a wellness advocate message me or stop by my shop Nicole Bauer doTerra (no, I didn't earn anything for mentioning their name in this post...would have been nice though).

Until next time, I hope you enjoy detoxing your home and keep on kicking some MS ass!

Take care,
NB