What You Need To Know About “Natural” Products
What Are “Natural” Products
To get right to the point, no one really knows. And that’s because there’s no regulatory definition for what “natural” is, which also means there’s no certification process or standardization for products claiming to be natural. Compare this with organic products, which must meet a certain set of criteria in order to receive USDA certification.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the agency responsible for “ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and by ensuring the safety of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.”
And while there are still tens of thousands of chemicals in production today that have not been evaluated under the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976 (which I could do an entire article on), typically chemicals that are known to be hazardous, require their claims and concentrations to be verified by the FDA.
Greenwashing
So if “natural” doesn’t mean anything, then why do companies label their products as such? Simply put, to get your money and make a profit. Corporations see the demand for more environmentally friendly products and give them a green or natural name, load the product description with similar verbiage, and quite literally sell them in earth toned packaging.
This is known as greenwashing, specifically making a product not entirely “natural” seem so through marketing. This isn’t to say that all “natural” products are greenwashing or aren’t legitimate, but it’s important to do your research on active and inactive ingredients, know what certifications to look for, and how to spot false advertising.
Homemade Natural Remedies
This discussion isn’t just limited to store bought natural products, but extends to homemade natural remedies too. Generally speaking, homemade options have fewer concerns as you know exactly what’s going into them, so generally the efficacy is more in question than the ingredients or safety.
A Tale of Two Natural Products
Homemade Natural Herbicide
Summer in Maine means an abundance of vegetation growth, because the growing season is so short, competition is heightened and quite literally so are the plants. It’s difficult to keep up with yard chores as the grass grows so quickly, including the weeds, and in areas with gravel weed wacking can be a painful experience.
This year, I wanted to experiment with a homemade herbicide to help combat the weeds. A quick google search yielded several variations of the same three part recipe: Vinegar, Dish Soap, and Salt. The particular ratio I chose was one gallon white vinegar, one cup of salt, and a tablespoon of dish soap. I purchased a one gallon plastic sprayer (reusable), mixed up my concoction, and took to the yard!
Pictured above you can see the before of the test area I sprayed, although the photo quality isn’t the best. After one application, 24 ours later, you can see the difference in the photo below!
I found this combination to be effective, especially on dandelions which was unexpected as they are a highly resilient plant. The results lasted for a few weeks until the plants started to grow back, because the mixture only kills the aboveground portion of the plant, not the roots. Eventually, if the plant can’t produce energy through photosynthesis, the roots will die off. I found that the most efficient strategy was to weed-wack first, then apply the herbicide to what was left of the plant. Additionally, warm and sunny days are needed to make the herbicide most effective. Below are some additional considerations if you’re thinking of making you’re own vinegar herbicide.
| Pros | Cons |
| Only three ingredients | Can build up salt concentrations of soil |
| Non-toxic to people and pets | Kills most/all plants applied to |
| Low-cost and accessible alternative | Needs multiple applications |
For more information on how to best use vinegar for various purposes around the home, this farmer’s almanac article is a great resource.
Natural Flea and Tick Spray
I have four cats and two dogs, and each spring we track fleas in from our yard. Our dogs get flea and tick treatment year round, however, I only treat the cats in the summer. Well this year, with the early onset of spring, I didn’t get all of their medications purchased in time and we had fleas in our house. I didn’t want to deal with fumigating the house, and knew that once all the pets were treated the issue would resolve, so I was in search of an intermediate solution.
I hop onto Chewy, every pet parent’s favorite online store, to shop for flea and tick home spray. The first item that pops up is the Vet’s Best house spray. A “natural” flea and tick killer made with peppermint oil and Eugenol (and 96% other inert ingredients). Now, I know that essential oil diffusers are dangerous for pets, especially cats, as they lack the enzymes to break the oils down. However, the spray was rated 4 of 5 stars, said it was safe for cats and dogs over 12 weeks in age, and was a very affordable price. I checked various other websites and the reviews seemed good.
I would never apply this directly to my pets, but I figured it would be safe to apply on my fabric surfaces after washing them. I have to say, this stuff is pretty pungent, although personally I don’t think the scent is bad, just too overwhelming. I kept my cats and dogs out of the area I sprayed for a few hours. However, after the second time spraying I started to feel in my gut that I shouldn’t be using this product.
I decided to look into more reviews and unfortunately it didn’t take much beyond scratching the surface to find scary stories of pet reactions (including fatalities). Peppermint oil can be toxic to both dogs and cats4,5 and given that natural products don’t receive the same amount of regulation regarding concentration of their products and claims they can make, there’s no established safe quantity for exposure. Pets can still get this product onto their fur and skin if they lay on the surfaces where it was sprayed, and skin exposure can result in adverse reactions. I decided I wasn’t willing to risk the well-being and safety of my fur babies, so I stopped using the product.
Takeaways
The natural products world can be a difficult one to navigate, but here are some takeaway points I have based on my experience:
Intention: what are you trying to accomplish? Natural weed killer might work great if you’re just trying to get rid of some pesky plants around the edges of your yard. But, if you’re trying to target weeds in your vegetable garden, a homemade version might not be the best option as it kills anything it’s applied to and can change the salt concentrations in soil long term.
Safety: As we just learned from my experience, natural isn’t synonymous with safe. If you don’t have any pets, perhaps a natural flea and tick repellent like Wondercide or Vets Best is the better option. However, if you’re a pet parent like me, having a pest company with trained employees and tested/regulated substances might actually be the safest route. Also, the flea and tick prevention I give my animals is regulated and tested by the FDA whereas the spray is not.
Efficacy: Listen, sometimes the chemical option is more popular for a reason, because it just works. This can be true with anything from skin care products to household cleaners. Gathering feedback from professionals and reading a variety of reviews online can help you gauge if the natural option is an effective alternative or if you should stick to the chemical counterpart.
Cost: Often is the case that natural products are cheaper because they are made with more readily available ingredients. My homemade weed killer cost a fraction of the store bought stuff and works well for what I want it to do. However, depending on how often you need to apply, fewer treatments of a traditional herbicide might save you more money in the long run.
References and Resources
- https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/OrganicCosmeticsFactSheet.pdf
- https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2020/10/27/organic-101-allowed-and-prohibited-substances
- https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/what-we-do
- https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/essential-oil-and-liquid-potpourri-poisoning-in-dogs
- https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/essential-oil-and-liquid-potpourri-poisoning-in-cats
