Cleaning products available on the market contain many harmful chemicals. Detergents and many other cleaning solutions use harmful chemicals like perchloroethylene, formaldehyde, 2-butoxyethanol, ammonia, sodium hydroxide and chloride. Whether you are washing clothes or the floor, you mix these chemicals in the water. This is your contribution to water pollution. Needless to say that this is also not good for your health. These products can leave burns, trigger asthma and cause long-term illnesses.
You can avoid all these problems by using a natural cleaning product. This is also one of the ways to go green.
Benefits of Natural Cleaning Product
A natural cleaning product does not contain any of the hazardous chemicals. So, you don’t have to worry about any health problems due to this regular domestic duty. You have to clean your house or office every day.
It is not safe to use hazardous chemicals in your house if there is someone with health problems or a weak immune system. It is not safe to use non-toxic cleaning products around such people. You are not mixing any harmful chemicals in the water. It is easier and cheaper to treat water that contains little to no harmful chemicals. Water can be easily reused.
There is a wide range of natural cleaning products available in the market. These products are often advertised as eco-friendly. However, a product advertised as eco-friendly may not be a true green cleaning product. It may contain small amounts of hazardous chemicals. Therefore, purchase a natural cleaning product from a reputed manufacturer. A natural cleaning product is always:
- Non-toxic
- Biodegradable
- Phosphate-free
- Packaged in a recyclable material
- Labeled with ingredients
- Free of chlorine, hypochlorite and dyes
A green cleaning product has natural fragrances. You can also make an eco-friendly cleaning product at home. Though it will not be that effective, your homemade cleaning product will not cause any harm to your health and environment. There are many cheap and versatile recipes that you can try. Like a natural cleaning product, these recipes do not cause any indoor pollution. The following are the most commonly used materials in these recipes.
- Castile soap
- Tea tree oil
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
Here are some recipes for different purposes:
Laundry Detergent
Combine the following:
- Washing soda: ½ cup
- Soap flakes: 1 cup
- Baking soda: ½ cup
- Oxygen bleach: 1-2 tablespoon
Drain Cleaner
Pour a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar and half cup of baking soda into your drain. Pour boiling water after 15 minutes to fix your clogged drain.
Glass Cleaner
Add a mixture of the following in a spray bottle:
- White vinegar: ¼ cup
- Rubbing alcohol: ¼ cup
- Warm water: 2 cups
- Cornstarch: 1 tablespoon
If you don’t want to make these cleaning solutions at home, you can buy natural cleaning products online.