We were lucky to catch up with Dani Vodak recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dani, thanks for joining us today. Some of the most interesting parts of our journey emerge from areas where we believe something that most people in our industry do not – do you have something like that?

There is a pervasive belief, especially in US households, that harsh chemicals are necessary to achieve a high level of cleanliness – that if it doesn’t “smell” clean, it isn’t clean. But if you think about it, clean doesn’t have a smell.

It’s time to challenge the socially accepted norm that a home needs to smell like chemical-based cleaning products in order to be clean.

Cleaning and personal care products, unlike food and beverages are not required by federal law to carry a list of ingredients. Between dodging greenwashed marketing ploys and weaving through inflated green prices, manufacturers don’t make it easy to be a conscious consumer.

In the US, more than 85,000 chemicals have been created in the last 50 years. About 40,000 of them are actively used in consumer products, but only a small percentage have ever been tested for their impact on human health.

Cleaning product manufacturers invest significant resources in advertising campaigns that promote their chemical-based products as superior and essential for achieving a clean and sanitized environment. These messages influence consumer perception and create a belief that chemicals are the only effective option. The strong smells and powerful cleaning action of these products can create the impression that they are more effective in removing dirt, stains, and germs.

Many people may not be aware of alternative cleaning methods or natural ingredients that can be just as effective. They may not have been exposed to information about safer cleaning practices or have access to education on the potential health and environmental risks associated with chemical cleaners.

A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control found that one-third of U.S. households are cleaning wrong. Only 35 percent of respondents said bleach shouldn’t be mixed with vinegar, and 58 percent of people knew bleach shouldn’t be mixed with ammonia. Both of these concoctions create dangerous fumes that can be lethal.

Given the popularity of cleaning videos on social media, I witnessed too many “influencers” touting cleaning hacks by mixing chemical formulas together or promoting cleaning fads that have a negative impact on the environment. That’s when I decided to start making cleaning videos, promoting eco-friendlier alternatives that use fewer chemicals.

*https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6923e2.htm

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started The Dirt with Dani to help educate homemakers about eco-friendlier alternatives to conventional cleaning methods that don’t require a lot of effort, time, or money.

I’m a busy mom to four daughters with a full-time career. I don’t have the time or energy to concoct homemade cleaning solutions from lemon rinds and bentonite clay, nor do I have the income to shop the cleaning aisle at Whole Foods. I know I’m not the only one.

There is a simple, cost-effective solution that cleans faster, reduces your exposure to harmful chemicals, and lowers your environmental impact. Premium microfiber has the ability to remove up to 99% of bacteria from surfaces with just water, making it highly effective for cleaning. It’s durable, reusable, efficient, and can cut your cleaning budget in half.

I know it sounds too good to be true, so I use my social media platforms to show you messes in my own home that I clean using these methods. With four kids and four pets, there is always a mess to be found!

I’m most proud that there are a combined 240,000+ followers that are looking for easier ways to clean that don’t harm the environment.

How did you build your audience on social media?

A great cleaning transformation tells a story all on its own, but when you tell the story behind the transformation, something magical happens. You create an authenticity that people can relate to. That’s why I created the series WTF Wednesday, where I bring you a mess from my home and offer you eco-friendlier alternatives to clean up.

Creating a weekly series can help you show up consistently for your audience. It’s easier to hold yourself accountable and your followers will know what to expect.

The best advice I can give to anyone starting to build your social media presence is to follow a marketing expert that speaks to you. For me, that’s Dan Thomas (@imdanthomas) and Travis Brown (@travisbrown). Together, they built a community called Social Boom that turns creators into influencers. Their methods helped me create an attractive profile, refine my message, and repeat my successes. You can check them out at https://www.socialboom.com/?ref=44

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I lost 500 followers in a single day but I don’t regret the post that lost me those followers. When I first started creating content, I was newly sober from an addiction to alcohol. Creating cleaning content kept my mind (and my body) busy but it wasn’t something that I shared about on my platforms. I created a post about being three years sober, showing pictures of my face 3 years prior to getting sober, and three years of being sober.

I knew I would lose followers. Addiction can make people uncomfortable, whether it’s because they grew up in a household with addiction issues, or they think they, too, might have a dependency problem. I definitely struck a social media nerve, but the stigma that persists around addiction being a moral failure needs correcting.

I received hundreds of encouraging comments and messages from people sharing their own recovery story. Though I may have lost some followers, it was worth it if I empowered just one person to seek help.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thedirtwithdani.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedirtwithdani/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedirtwithdani/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedirtwithdani
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedirtwithdani
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thedirtwithdani