My Healthy Home: chemical free cleansers for busy girls
I am all for cleaning without harsh, unhealthy chemicals. Honestly though, I simply do not have the time to make all my own cleansers. And then, I feel guilty that I don’t. With the help of Walgreens, poof… no more guilt. I can have my healthy home with Ology.
Ology provides ready made, chemical free cleansers for everything from the kitchen, to the bathrooms and even the laundry room. This opportunity to try these new products with #CollectiveBias could not have come at a better time. I started something new last Earth Day and I really wanted to write and tell you about it. I didn’t say anything at the time, because I didn’t know how I would do.
I am proud to report, that I have stopped using paper plates and plastic cups.
If you knew me, you would know this was a big change. I hate to do dishes (more on that later). I thought with Earth Day approaching, it would be the perfect time to celebrate this milestone and to tell you about it. I never thought I could go a year without using paper plates on a daily basis. I for sure thought I would miss my ice-cold milk in a shiny red SOLO cup as well. Nope. I’m going strong, and my family is on board. Sometimes, making small changes can be so effective. If I try to do everything at once, it often backfires. Every little bit helps though and I feel good knowing we are putting less in the landfill with the changes our family has made.
Now, I am moving forward with fresh, new changes that I know I can stick with as well. Like chemical free cleansing. It’s been on my mind for a long time and now I can be at ease knowing it’s possible.
I’ll give you the run down of what I picked up while shopping my local North Bend Walgreens:
- Bathroom Cleanser
- All-Purpose Cleanser
- Odor Eliminator (perfect for kitty smells)
- Bath Tissue and Paper Towels made from Sugar Cane Husk and Bamboo
- Facial Tissue
- Oatmeal & Honey Soap
- Dish Liquid
- Spring Lavender and Vanilla Laundry Detergent
- And… White Pear and Cucumber Shampoo and Conditioner
We are lucky to have a nice, new store and the location is super convenient for us! Plus, I never have to wait in line. I waltz in, grab what I need and I’m out. Or I would be. If I waltzed. You get it though, no waiting.
The first thing I tried was the White Pear and Cucumber Shampoo and Conditioner.
Well yeah… because I’m a girl!
It had been a really busy day and I was showering very late. Even as tired as I was, I still enjoyed the delicate scent of the Pear balanced with the freshness the Cucumber added.
The shampoo & conditioner are both sulfate and paraben free.
You know know there are times I wish we were in the future and I had a smell-a-blog function.
This is one of those times.
I freely admit that I popped the top on the isle and smelled this before I even brought it home. Yum.
The shampoo lathered up really well, especially for being sulfate free! The conditioner was rich and emollient.
You can find them both on the isle with the other shampoo and conditioners in the store.
Just try not to get sucked into the cosmetics department… they have everything 😉
And tree free paper towels? I had no idea! They make them from Sugar Cane husks (which would otherwise be thrown out) and sustainable, quick growing Bamboo. I know from personal experience, that Bamboo grows like a weed!
I’m feeling really good about taking the chemicals out of my kitchen. The All Purpose Cleaner made my tile counter top tile shine and it smells so nice. Using Meyer Lemon and Lavender for plant based cleansing power.
I have used brand X to wash my dishes since I was a kid. My grandma used it, my moms uses it… so I did too.
No more. Why would I clean the things I am going to eat off of with chemicals? It sounds so silly to me now when I ask myself out loud.
Now, it is well known that I despise doing dishes. I do them… but I don’t like it. I will clean, vacuum, scrub toilets even… and leave dishes in the sink until dead last. So, I just happened to have two griddles from our indoor grill that needed to be cleaned. It’s the hardest to clean “dish” I do.
I figured, sink or swim! This was a big test.
Nailed it. Cut the grease no problem, and even left a little “squeak” behind. Hey, that is saying something.
Test passed with flying colors.
I don’t know how you feel, but scent is really important to me and all the scented products are beautifully scented.
And they smell REAL. Because they are. The fragrances are not cloying. They are delicate, soft and fresh. Not processed. They are quite nice.
All except this one.
There are times when you do not want a scent. I feel this is one. When you are trying to eliminate an unpleasant one.
I don’t want litter box flowers.
I want nothing. Sweet.. sweet.. nothingness!!
This little gem will be living next to the liter box. Permanently.
This little bit of #WalgreensOlogy is going to be my savior. I can already tell. I wash my hands so frequently in the Spring and Summer because I am outdoors weeding, watering, snipping and tending my plants and flowers so much more. This soap is effective yet moisturizing all at the same time. The exfoliating properties of the Oatmeal are perfect for removing the garden soil from my skin, but gently.
I want my whites white. But I want them whitened gently. I don’t care for bleach. I never have.
Well lucky me, no bleach here. Again using the power of plants to boost the cleaning power, this cleanser did the trick, while smelling of Spring Lavender and Vanilla. Which is so much better than bleach! Oh, and the containers are made from 100% post consumer materials. So even the packaging is Earth friendly!!
Gosh. We are recycling, I run all my errands at once, we have energy efficient appliances, new windows, use compact florescent bulbs (mostly)… have stopped using paper plates and plastic cups… and now we have non chemical cleansers in the house. I am feeling so good about these changes!!
What can I change next?
Any ideas on smart changes I can make that you would care to share?
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I hate using cleaners that are too overly scented – they give me headaches, but Ology is so nicely scented it makes cleaning fun! #client
So true! I don’t dread getting assaulted by the smell when I spray my counters down now (:
Am going to look for this & give it a try. I retired last year & am on a limited budget. So saving money along with the environment is a big deal. Will cut out paper plates when I have used up what I have now. I am like you…..I hate to do dishes but I do…lol! Keep up the good job!
I am TOTALLY LOVING this. I have never heard of this Brand/Company before. I love that it’s Chemical Free and I am Really Loving the Pink, Super Cute Packaging. I can’t wait to give this a try. Thank you so much for sharing.
xoxo
totally know about 2 day old hamburger over here, burgers have been my favorite late night dinner! I’m always looking for good smelling but not nasty chemical filled cleaners! thanks for sharing!
Are these products expensive? We are on a fixed income and that is very important to me. Thanks for sharing!
God Bless
Hi Shirley, I felt like they were comparable. Everything was on sale and I got extra Walgreen’s points for buying them. I notice they add up really fast, the next time I was in I got $5 something off my purchase!
I can’t wait to try these. I asked Mike about them and he said they are flying off the shelves. I said well get me some LOL!
Honey, bring me home a bag of cleaning supplies! (things hubbies don’t hear often) lol!
I did not know about this brand! Thanks for the tip sweet Shannon!! xoxoxo
I didn’t know they had such a variety! I’m really liking the multi-purpose cleanser. It doesn’t bother me at all!! Yay.
Wow, Shannon, I have not seen those products. We don’t have a Walgreens near either though so maybe that is why. Good for you going chemical free!! I have slowly eliminated most chemicals and use all J R Watkins cleaning products in the house, which are all organic and made in USA. I just tried Mrs. Meyers Clean Day dishwashing liquid, and I love that as well as their laundry detergent , but it is not cheap. If I hang clothes out on the line, I use vinegar as a softener and lemon oil for scent, but it is not great in the dryer for static.
Also, I have found that the homemade laundry detergent recipe has as many or more chemicals than regular detergent, so I have not gone that route. It sure takes some effort, but makes a big difference. Like you, I love that the natural cleaners have a softer scent.
I was also gonna say that eliminating paper products makes a big difference. We never use paper plates or plastic cups, and always use cloth napkins. I have a huge stack that goes into the laundry and it works for us.
I’d like to switch to those reusable paper towels. I saw them on etsy. They were a bit out of my budget though. I think 45$’s for a roll.
We live in a small town and the more I pop into Walgreen’s, the more I like it! I avoid the “other” W store like the plague. I am super pleased with everything I’ve used. Thanks. It took a little doing, but like I said, small changes. They are adding up!! So far, the multi-purpose cleaner is working out super. I can spray my counters down and it does not make me feel sick to my stomach. I am so sensitive after my treatments! My MIL uses vinegar as a softener as well. I’ll need to fiddle with something like that soon!