Recently, my container of homemade deodorant ran out, and I was heading out the door on a super hot day, so I knew I needed to do something. I went into the kitchen, grabbed my large box of baking soda out of the cupboard, sprinkled some into my palms, patted it onto my armpits, and went on my way.
By the end of the day, even after walking to the park while pushing my kids in the stroller, standing outside in the hot sun while they played, and driving in a scorching hot car – sweating the whole time, my husband confirmed that I did not smell like B.O. Sometimes the simplest things work the best.
One thing I have loved about our family’s transition to a more green and natural lifestyle is that I have found so many great multifunctional products that simplify my life and save our family money, while also reducing our exposure to toxic and harmful chemicals in the products that we use on our bodies and around our homes every day. I was even able to get TikTok followers onboard.
Here are my top choices for multifunctional green and natural products:
1. Castile Soap
Castile soap is an all-natural, oil-based soap that is a staple in every green household. One of the most popular brands is Dr. Bronner’s and they list 18 different uses on the side of the product label. While I haven’t tried everything suggested there, our family uses castile soap for:
- body soap in the shower
- replacement for shaving cream
- baby bath soap (the unscented version)
- homemade foaming hand soap
- multi purpose homemade cleaner
- homemade soft scrub
- toilet bowl cleaner
- pet shampoo
2. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a curious thing – it’s usually solid at room temperature because its melting point is 76°. Unrefined, virgin coconut oil retains the scent and taste of coconuts, and is also the most beneficial. Coconut oil is great to use in both the kitchen and the bathroom. To get you started, we use it for:
- cooking and baking
- nutritional additive to smoothies, oatmeal, etc.
- homemade deodorant
- diaper rash lotion
- after-sun lotion
- moisturizer
3. Baking Soda
I think baking soda pretty much speaks for itself. I buy it in four pound boxes, two at a time, to be sure that I never run out! Baking soda is one of my top go-to green and non-toxic cleaners!
- baking (of course!)
- homemade deodorant
- in place of deodorant
- homemade soft scrub
- non-toxic abrasive cleaner
- carpet deodorizer
4. Essential Oils
If you’re new to using essential oils, you may feel a little overwhelmed or unsure about how to use them. I recommend beginning with just a few basic ones that you can use for both cleaning and personal care; lemon, tea tree oil, eucalyptus, lavender, and peppermint are a few of my favorites that I use most often. Also, here is a great post on the basics of using essential oils to help you get started.
And here are even more ideas for ways to use your essential oils:
- homemade multipurpose cleaner
- homemade baby wipes
- homemade tick and mosquito spray
- sunburn relief
- homemade reed diffusers
- homemade vapor rub
5. Vinegar
I feel like I can’t even begin to list all of the uses for vinegar here, but let’s just say the uses are pretty much endless! You can get started by checking out this post on 20 uses for vinegar around your home.
One thing to remember when using vinegar is that you should not mix vinegar and castile soap together for homemade cleaners.
6. Carrier Oils
Carrier oils include almond, jojoba, grapeseed, olive, etc., and are used as the base for many homemade healthy and beauty products. Try one of these recipes to get started:
- oil cleansing method
- homemade lotion
- homemade scented body oils
- homemade sugar scrubs
7. Glass Jars
And of course, you’ll need glass jars to store all of those lovely homemade beauty products, and so much more, around your house! Although we are trying to really simplify our stuff and purge unnecessary stuff from our home, I’ll admit that I am definitely a hoarder of glass jars. My husband picked up about 10 dozen of them for me at an estate sale earlier this summer, and I’m just dreaming of all of the ways that I can fill them up. For more inspiration, here are 15 ways to reuse glass jars!
If you are looking for a good place to start your journey toward more green and natural living, I want to encourage you to invest in these multifunctional products that will become the base for so many homemade, safe and non-toxic products all around your home.
What are your go to multifunctional products for green cleaning and body care?
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