But what about folks with allergies? There are folks with severe allergies or asthma or other breathing issues, who know that they have a hard time tolerating so many chemical fragrances.
What if there are many other people who are suffering and don't even know the reason why? We might be suffering from frequent sinus infections (thinking some of them are colds), we might be having trouble sleeping (possibly due to post nasal drip), we might be feeling fatigued (not only from lack of sleep but also from the effects of smelling so many chemicals)
But we've been feeling badly for so long (but not quite bad enough to know there is an issue), we just assume it's job stress, or spouse stress or the weather, etc.. What if it's all the smells that we are bombarded with every day. Not only personal grooming items but also air fresheners, cleaning products.. Even smelling other people and their perfumes can all take a toll.
Try to reduce fragrances in your life and see if you feel better.
-- Instead of commercial cleaners, try vinegar, barking soda, hydrogen peroxide, etc
-- Instead of soap, try a sugar/lemon scrub or try water only showers
-- Instead of shampoo, try baking soda water or vinegar water or try just plain water (do your research on vinegar and baking soda first - some people have issues)
-- Instead of using a commercial moisturizer, try rubbing on coconut oil when you are still wet out of the shower
-- Or once you stop using soap, you might not need moisturizer
-- Instead of commercial hair grooming products, try any type of cooking oil, or fragrance free aloe vera gel or make a hair gel out of flax seeds
-- Instead of deodorant, try a deodorant crystal or baking soda or corn starch or coconut oil, or rubbing alcohol, or witch hazel, or nothing
-- Reduce the times you spend in crowded indoor situations
-- Take online classes instead of on campus classes
-- Go to the grocery store during non peak hours and/or wear a mask when you go
What about laundry?
Well, if laundry just needs refreshing, we can wash in hot water and hang out in the sun (if we have a yard)
For tough stains, thus far, I have not found anything that works as well as detergent (other than elbow grease). But we can purchase perfume free detergent. See my experiment below
If you have found a way to clean your laundry without commercial cleansers, tell us about it in the comments below.
Email general questions to education@stubbypuddin.com
