The cleaners, cookware, and everyday choices I’ve lived with—what stayed, what worked, and what I eventually replaced.
My house used to smell like mint or lavender vinegar.
When I first started changing the products I used at home, I made my own cleaners. I could choose the ingredients and use what I already had. The cleaner worked. But even with mint or lavender, it was still vinegar.
Eventually, I wanted something easier to live with.
That’s how these changes have happened for me: I try something, live with it, and see whether it earns a place in our home. I still love pretty things. I also need them to work.
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What I use for what
- Everyday cleaning and laundry spot treatment: Branch Basics.
- Regular laundry: Molly’s Suds liquid detergent, with OxiClean Free for some tough stains.
- Cooking: stainless steel from Viking and All-Clad, plus GreenPan, after trying Caraway.
- Food storage: glass containers and Mason jars.
- Air and water: a Miko air purifier and a Sans water purifier.
Why I started paying attention
Around 2020, I began learning more about ingredients and hormone-disrupting chemicals. Losing my mom to cancer and watching my dad’s long fight made the subject personal. I was also in my 40s, quietly still hoping I might become a mom.
Those experiences explain why I started paying attention. They don’t mean I can connect an illness to a particular product or promise that a swap will prevent one.
I began with beauty and cleaning products, then gradually worked my way into the kitchen. I wanted to feel comfortable with my choices and enjoy my home without turning every purchase into another thing to worry about.
Branch Basics made cleaning simpler
Branch Basics replaced my homemade vinegar cleaners. Before those, I’d been using conventional cleaners I no longer felt comfortable with. I really love how easy Branch Basics is.
I follow the mixing directions. I make it. I use it. I clean. And my house doesn’t smell like vinegar anymore. A bottle of the concentrate lasts me about 2–3 months.
I use it to spot-treat laundry, clean my kitchen, and shine up my bathroom. In my experience, it handles those jobs really well.
I first tried it through Amazon, then found it at Target. Sometimes I pick it up there; sometimes I order it. Convenience matters, too.
I follow the directions for each task and surface. I don’t assume one cleaner belongs everywhere.
Shop the Branch Basics Surface Cleaning Kit on Amazon (paid link)
Laundry still needs a little flexibility
Laundry has been a little more mix-and-match. I used to make my detergent. These days, I use Molly’s Suds liquid laundry detergent. I still make my own dishwashing detergent.
For laundry stains, I reach for Branch Basics. Sometimes a really tough stain needs extra help, and I use OxiClean Free, the version without dyes or perfumes. I follow the product directions and the fabric’s care label.
Castile soap is another regular. I use it in our soap dispensers and for jobs around the house. Mine comes from a small company through Amazon, and I love supporting small businesses when I can.
I’m sharing what I use without calling every product “non-toxic.” Some things I make, some things I buy, and sometimes the laundry has other plans.
My pretty Caraway pans and what came next
When I turned to cookware, one of my early purchases was a set of Caraway pots and pans in a beautiful light, creamy color. I kept seeing them everywhere and bought mine during a Black Friday special.
I really liked them. They looked lovely in my kitchen, and I enjoyed cooking with them. Yes, how something looks matters to me, too.
They also got some hard use in our house. My mother-in-law was living with us, and several of us were using the kitchen. About three years later, I have one left out of the original four.
I still like Caraway, and I’m glad I tried it. That was our experience with how we used those pans. It’s also part of the story I’d want to hear before buying a set.
See the Caraway set I owned on Amazon (paid link)
Now we use stainless steel cookware from Viking and All-Clad. I’ve owned a complete All-Clad set and still have some of those pieces. They’re my favorite.
The links below are to full-set options. My Viking experience is with individual pieces.
See the Viking stainless steel cookware set on Amazon (paid link)
See the All-Clad stainless steel cookware set on Amazon (paid link)
I also own the GreenPan Lima skillets linked here.
Shop the GreenPan Lima skillet set on Amazon (paid link)
The GreenPan electric griddle gets use here, too, and I love its warming drawer. I also use and love the GreenPan Advanced covered electric skillet.
See the GreenPan Advanced electric griddle on Amazon (paid link)
See the GreenPan Advanced covered electric skillet on Amazon (paid link)
Before investing in cookware, think about everyone who will use it, the care it needs, and whether you need a whole set.
Glass storage that earns its space
I’m a little obsessed with glass storage. Glass containers and Mason jars are what I reach for to store practically everything—and I drink out of my Mason jars, too. Simple, useful, and already in my cupboard.
Beyond my pots and pans, I use stainless steel baking sheets, muffin trays, and a stainless steel cutting board, along with wood cutting boards. My mixing bowls are stainless steel or glass. These are changes I’ve made gradually, and they’ve become everyday staples in my kitchen.
The air and water products I use
We use a Miko air purifier that I bought a few years ago. I replace my filter every other month and currently pay around $32 for a two-pack through Amazon Subscribe & Save. We have a cat, and I feel like it helps keep the air fresher.
For water, I use the Sans Reverse Osmosis Countertop Water Purifier in white. The water tastes good, and I’m happy with mine. My replacement filters are sent to me annually and cost me about $80 a year. Those are my own costs and replacement routine; prices and filter needs can vary.
See my Sans water purifier on Amazon (paid link)
These purchases deserve a little homework. Check the exact model’s performance information, maintenance needs, and replacement-filter costs. My experience can be a starting point, but it doesn’t answer every question about your home.
Choose one swap and live with it
You don’t have to replace everything at once. Start with one thing you use often that’s running out or isn’t doing its job, and let your budget guide you.
Then give yourself time to live with it. Would you buy it again? That answer tells you a lot.
I want our home to feel comfortable, cared for, and beautiful. Some of that has come from trying something new. Some of it was already here, like the Mason jars I keep reaching for. There’s room to figure it out as you go. And if the house no longer smells like lavender vinegar? Even better.
Next, I’m giving beauty and personal care their own conversation: what I use, what I love, and what I’m still figuring out.
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What’s one change you’ve made at home that you’re glad you tried? I’d love to hear.
Sara
Crunchy Boujee Living