Going Chemical-Free at Home

Let’s be honest—most of us don’t think twice about the products we use daily. Cleaning sprays, garden pesticides, skincare, even toothpaste; it’s all part of life, right? But when you start looking at what’s actually in those bottles, it’s easy to see why cutting back on chemicals makes sense. It’s not just better for your health, but also for your home, your garden, and the environment.

Ditch the Harsh Cleaners

Most supermarket cleaning products come loaded with chemicals you can’t even pronounce. They promise to kill 99.9% of germs, but they also leave behind residues that you breathe in or absorb through your skin. The good news? You don’t need them.

• White vinegar and baking soda—your new best friends. Together, they can clean almost anything: kitchen counters, shower grime, even your oven.
• Castile soap—a plant-based soap that can replace almost every cleaner in your house. Mix it with water and you’ve got a simple all-purpose cleaner.
• Essential oils—like tea tree or eucalyptus, add a natural antibacterial boost (and smell amazing).

You can find most of these in places like Commonsense Organics or Bin Inn, which stock natural and bulk cleaning supplies.

Keep Your Garden Happy Without Chemicals

If you’ve got a garden, you’ve probably dealt with weeds and pests. The easy fix? Spraying them into oblivion with chemical herbicides or insecticides. But those chemicals don’t just disappear—they seep into your soil, your veggies, and can even harm bees and pets.

Try these instead:

• Weed management—boiling water, vinegar or just good old-fashioned hand weeding work surprisingly well.
• Companion planting—grow flowers like marigolds, which naturally repel pests (think of them as your garden’s security guards).
• DIY pest sprays—a mix of garlic, chilli and water makes a natural pesticide that won’t poison everything else.

If you want organic seeds or garden products, check out Koanga Institute or Kings Seeds.

Eat Cleaner, Live Better

Supermarket food is often packed with preservatives, artificial flavours, and other additives. The problem? They’re designed to last forever, not necessarily to be good for you.

• Shop local and organic—it’s easier than ever in NZ, with places like Huckleberry and farmers’ markets offering fresh, spray-free produce.
• Get to know your food labels—if a product has 15+ ingredients you don’t recognise, it’s probably best to skip it.
• Grow your own herbs and veggies—even if it’s just some basil in a pot, it’s fresher and chemical-free.

Natural Body Care That Works

Your skin is your biggest organ, and it soaks up whatever you put on it. A lot of store-bought body care products have synthetic fragrances, preservatives, and other stuff your body just doesn’t need.

• Swap to natural soaps and shampoos—New Zealand brands like Ethique make solid shampoo bars with no nasties.
• Use coconut oil or shea butter—great for moisturising, and contains zero weird additives.
• Check the ingredients—if it looks like a chemistry experiment, it’s probably not great for your skin.

Start Small, Keep it Simple

You don’t have to throw out everything overnight and start fresh. Just swap things out bit by bit. Replace your cleaning products when they run out, switch to a natural deodorant when you finish your current one, and start making smarter choices at the supermarket.

The best part? Living without chemicals isn’t just safer and healthier—it often saves you money too. And really, who doesn’t want that?