You may want to hide this post from curious little hands — otherwise I’ll likely hear some enthusiastic, “Gee, thanks!” from my kids. One of the greatest advantages of switching to natural house cleaners is that they’re not only safer to use around children, they’re also safe for children to use themselves.
Before I switched, cleaning felt like a covert operation. I avoided having my children in the room because I didn’t want them breathing chemical fumes or grabbing a spray bottle and accidentally spraying the wrong thing. (That happened once: my first call to poison control. They reassured me that one accidental spray of a common commercial cleaner in the mouth isn’t usually dangerous.) As a result, I often cleaned late at night or during naps to keep them away from the fumes and products.
Now that I use cleaners made mostly from ingredients intended for skin or food, the kids can help clean the messes they make.
With a little encouragement and some playful framing, chores become teamwork and even fun. Anything they can do reduces my workload and frees up time for real family activities. One child loves the squeegee and happily takes care of mirrors and windows using a diluted vinegar solution or plain club soda. My five-year-old enjoys handling a small spray bottle and a bright child-sized scrub brush, so they take on bathroom sinks and counters with an all-purpose spray made from gentle cleaners like Sal Suds or Castile soap. Their work may not be as streak-free or pristine as mine, but practice builds skill — and I’ll gladly trade perfection for their growing confidence and help.
Letting kids clean their own toys with non-toxic, green solutions is an easy first step. Turning toy-cleaning into a playful chore is a great way to teach responsibility while keeping things safe.
When children use these mild solutions, it’s not a problem if some residue remains on surfaces — there are no harmful fumes to worry about. If a little spray gets on or even in a child, it’s typically not a cause for alarm. That said, I wouldn’t recommend intentionally drinking any cleaning product, even gentle ones like liquid Castile soap or Sal Suds; accidental ingestion might cause an upset stomach. Also, wait until a child can reliably aim a spray bottle away from their face before letting them use one unsupervised.
I still prepare the concentrated solutions myself because some ingredients—especially essential oils—are potent when undiluted. Proper dilution keeps the products effective yet gentle for kids to handle.
Realizing these cleaners are safe for children to use has changed how our family approaches cleaning. I’m comfortable cleaning with the kids in the room and now routinely teach them simple tasks. My hope is that by involving them in tidying up the messes they make, they’ll become more mindful about making less work in the first place. Time will tell, but the habit of pitching in is already taking root.
Note: That five-year-old now towers over me!
Further reading
- Sal Suds Dilution Cheat Sheet
- Dilutions Cheat Sheet for Liquid Castile Soap
- Sal Suds or Castile Soap — Which to Use?
- GIY All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
*Peppermint and eucalyptus are not recommended for children under three years of age, as these scents can be overwhelming for little ones.