5 Tips to Create a Natural & Eco-Friendly Home

Reducing toxins in your home is simpler than you might think! With a few quick DIY recipes and thoughtful swaps, you can create a cleaner, greener living space.

From homemade cleaners to natural laundry solutions, toxin-free cookware, and safe floor care, these top 5 tips will help you make sustainable changes without overwhelming your routine.

While we do our best to choose sustainable, eco-friendly ingredients and reduce toxins, we're not perfect, and that’s okay. Everyone approaches this differently, and doing what works for you is what really counts.

For me, it’s about making conscious choices to reduce the toxins in our home while understanding that achieving 100% toxin-free living just isn’t realistic, at least for me.

In this note, we'll share simple DIY recipes and easy swaps we use to make our home feel fresher and more natural.

Let’s jump in! From homemade cleaners and laundry products to safer cookware and food storage options, these are practical steps that anyone can try. It’s all about finding balance and making small changes that work for your lifestyle.

Making the Switch

White cleaning caddy with non toxic spray bottle and blue cloth.

Start by going through your home and noting the things you use on a daily basis. We often don’t realize just how many products we interact with, and statistics show that the average person is exposed to over 100 chemicals and toxins daily.

Think about the makeup you apply, the soap you use to wash your hands, the detergent you wash your clothes with, the dishes you eat from, and the cookware you cook with—the list really does go on!

What if you could swap all of these out for a more natural, eco-friendly option? What if we told you it could save you money, too?

It’s all about making gradual changes that fit your lifestyle, and every little step counts! We like to start with one item at a time, focusing on one small swap rather than trying to change everything at once. It helps me avoid feeling overwhelmed and makes the process feel much more manageable.

We've even put together a list of the everyday products we make at home instead of buying, and it’s a great way to get a few easy ideas under your belt.

Is It Possible to Live Chemical-Free?

Tan dish sponge and soap in wire basket.

As we mentioned before, living completely chemical-free might be more of an idea than a reality, but you can still make a huge difference by creating a safer home environment and improving the air quality around you.

You don’t need to do everything at once. In fact, our best advice is to take it slow. Start with one small swap at a time and gradually check things off your list. The idea of overhauling your entire home with homemade products can feel overwhelming, but don’t stress!

By making these changes step by step, you’ll keep the process stress-free and allow yourself time to adjust to your new routine!

5 Steps Towards a Natural Home

#1 House Cleaners

Wiping away cobwebs from the corners of the window with a clean, purple rag.

It should come as no surprise that these are the first to be overhauled. Most household cleaners contain a large list of ingredients and a fair share of warning labels on the bottles. The first thing to tackle when it comes to toxic-free living is household cleaners.

Making your own natural cleaning products is easier than you think, and they really work great. With just a few ingredients on hand, you can overhaul your entire cleaning cabinet.

Most of the time, we stick to our DIY all-purpose spray for almost all the cleaning in our home. It is so easy to make and works well on floors, countertops, vanities, and even mirrors.

Our Favorite Natural Cleaning Recipes

#2 Homemade Laundry Products

All natural powder laundry soap scented with essential oils.

You probably guessed that we would end up in the laundry room. A lot of chemicals are lurking in your detergents, dryer sheets, fabric softeners, and scent boosters.

These products are tried and true, as we am a mama of 4 little kids with dogs, cats, bunnies, and chickens. To say we get dirty around here is an understatement. Making your own laundry products is going to save you a ton of money and be a big step in creating a natural home.

We have been making our own laundry soap for close to 12 years and will never go back! Since then, we have experimented with powder and liquid laundry soap, homemade dryer sheets, and scent boosters.

Homemade Laundry Products

#3 Kitchen Essentials

Cast iron steak melt with cheese on a white wooden table.

Not all non-stick cookware is bad; in fact, there are plenty of safe options to choose from. However, if your cookware is made with Teflon, you may want to consider replacing it. If you cook with non-stick cookware, this tip is for you!

Teflon is a synthetic chemical that coats many nonstick cookware items. When heated, it can start to break down, releasing chemicals into the air.

This cast-iron skillet is our favorite choice for cooking and lasts essentially forever! Cast iron is our go-to cookware, and we use it for nearly all of our cooking. It’s a classic kitchen must-have, in our opinion. It’s heavy-duty, naturally non-stick, and distributes heat evenly.

Another great option is stainless steel, which is also safe and versatile for everyday cooking.

Finally, we like to use wooden utensils and cutting boards when we can. They seriously seem to last forever, especially if you take care of them. We like to use our homemade wood balm every couple of months, or whenever they start to seem a little dry.

Best Storage Options

Glass is a much safer option than plastic, especially plastic that contains BPA. Our favorite glass storage has locking lids that prevent spilling and helps to extend shelf life. We love using glass as much as possible when it comes to food storage.

Using glass is especially important if you plan to heat up leftovers in the storage container.

#4 Floor Cleaners

A living room setting with wood floors, a chair, and a side table. A bucket of wood floor cleaner is sitting in the middle of the room.

Switching to homemade floor cleaners is a great way to reduce plastic waste and save money! Store-bought floor cleaners often come in plastic bottles with ingredients you might not even recognize.

By using just a few simple ingredients, you can create effective cleaners for every type of floor in your home. Whether you have hardwood, tile, or laminate, you’ll find that DIY floor cleaners are gentle yet powerful, without any of the harsh chemicals that can linger in store-bought versions.

It’s a small change that adds up, and your floors will thank you for it! The best part? These homemade cleaners cost pennies on the dollar compared to what you’d spend on commercial products, and you’ll be doing your part to cut down on unnecessary plastic waste.

Our Favorite Floor Cleaners

#5 Natural Body Care

DIY shampoo with castile soap, water, and essential oils.

We love making our own natural body care products because they’re so easy to customize to suit our needs. Whether it’s a gentle scrub, a soothing lotion, or a nourishing lip balm, we enjoy having full control over the ingredients.

The best part is that you can make small batches as needed, which is both cost-effective and eco-friendly. Plus, there’s something so satisfying about using products that we've crafted myself, knowing exactly what’s in them!

Natural Body Care DIYs

Key Takeaways

Starting with these 5 tips is a great place to begin your journey toward a cleaner, greener home. But the list doesn’t stop there! Remember to tackle one project at a time to keep things simple and stress-free.

As you work through one room, you’ll likely notice that many of these DIY recipes use similar ingredients, making it easier to gather what you need for the next one. Taking small steps, like using natural cleaners or choosing products without added fragrances, can create a more eco-friendly space.

We hope these tips inspire you to make simple, sustainable changes in your home!

If you enjoyed this note, be sure to see our article on cleaning with essential oils next!