The world is slowly and steadily waking up to the idea of ecological conservation. More and more people are trying to implement the usage of environmentally friendly products in their day to day life.
The desire, to help create a better world for the present as well as the future generations, is what drives these people.
Many companies are now actively marketing green eco-friendly products to consumers in a bid to help the environment.
What Are Eco-Friendly Products?
The problem with these products is that it is quite difficult to differentiate between the really useful ones and the ones which do more harm than good.
There are many so called natural products which do not have any benefits over the synthetic and normal ones used daily.
In certain cases, they might be even more harmful. Thus, you should follow certain guidelines while purchasing household cleaning products.
By differentiating the good from the useless, you can save money and avoid needless expenditure and protect the environment at the same time.
Bleach has been used as a cleaner for many years now. However, bleach which contains chlorine is not a good idea for cleaning things.
First and foremost, chlorine bleach is possibly the harshest type of bleach available.
Although it does certainly eliminate germs, the chlorine present is very harmful for the skin. Many household cleaning goods contain chlorine like detergents.
A better replacement for chlorine based bleaches will be hydrogen-peroxide.
Even vinegar possesses a considerable talent for acting as a mold-killer, which is an important function of bleach. Chlorine bleach has another major problem.
Chlorine can react with ammonia to produce dangerous and possibly fatal poisonous gases.
Ammonia is another common chemical often found in cleaning products for the house. In order to minimize the risks posed by the use of chlorine based products, it is safer to purchase hydrogen-peroxide based bleaches.
They clean and sanitize areas just as effectively as regular ones but do not react with other chemicals.
When it comes to cleaning products, you should look for one that says chlorine-free. As far as possible, care should be taken not to mix different cleaning products.
Ammonia is an effective cleaner which can be used to clean even grease stains. Therefore, it can be found in a wide number of cleaning products.
Unfortunately, it can pose serious health hazards. It causes severe irritation in the eyes and lungs.
The good news, however, is that there are other things which are quite good and can be a suitable replacement for ammonia.
Nowadays, non-toxic green products are available which are free from chlorine and ammonia.
Some of the chemicals ingredients to avoid are alcohols, lye, triclocarbon, glycol ethers and obviously chlorine and ammonia.
Most environmentally friendly products are labeled as such. These terms include ‘biodegradable’, ‘petroleum free’ and ‘phosphate free’ amongst others.
Simple household tricks for environmentally safe cleaning
Instead of purchasing expensive products to clean the house, there are many simple items which can be used. These items can be found in every household for purposes not related to cleaning.
The four of the most popular cleaning agents which are safe for the environment as well as your health are: vinegar, lemon juice, salt and baking soda. Used in the right ways, these things can save a lot of money.
Ammonia is an integral component of most window cleaners. However, a mixture of lemon juice and water can be as effective as those branded products.
All it takes is a half a gallon of tap water mixed with around four tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
Even rubbing alcohol is a safer way to clean dirty windows.
Lemon juice can also be used to clean stains on vinyl surfaces. The best way to do so is to dip a cloth in the lemon juice and then using it to rub off the stains.
Furniture often poses a problem when it comes to cleaning. Again, lemon juice comes handy.
Most wooden items are cleaned using polishes containing harmful substances like petroleum extracts and solvents.
Not only are they damaging to the environment, they are also poisonous if inhaled, not to mention that they leave a disgusting stink in the room.
Adding 1 part of lemon juice to 2 parts of olive oil makes an environmentally sustainable product which is better than synthetic ones.
Adding salt to the above mixture will create a paste which is excellent at removing heat stains from wooden items.
The paste should be applied as soon as possible and then removed with a soft piece of cloth.
Rust is a common nuisance that affects everybody.
To remove rust, you can sprinkle a little salt on the surface followed by lemon juice. After a couple of hours, the surface can be wiped and the rust will get cleared.
Vinegar is undoubtedly one of the best ways to remove unpleasant odors from indoor spaces.
You can keep a few dishes of vinegar scattered around the room which has a stink.
The smell fresh paint can linger in a room for days. Vinegar is the best way t o combat it. Changing the vinegar each day is a must.
A combination of vinegar, salt and flour mixed in equal proportions can be a great and effective way to get rid of stubborn tarnishes on metal items.
Metal polishes generally have a nice amount of acids, ammonia and other possibly undisclosed harmful substances.
Copper items which are tarnished can either be cleaned with lemon juice and salt or vinegar and salt.
Leading a greener and healthier life by using eco-friendly products
Awareness is important if you wish to follow a greener lifestyle.
There are a great number of household cleaning products which are marketed as eco-friendly ones.
You should gather information about them before making a purchase.
Many products do not even list all the chemicals that are included.
Visiting consumer forums and websites will help in differentiating between the environmentally friendly products and the unfriendly ones.
You can also use reusable products which are safer than others. They tend to be cost effective.
Greta article. I own a home cleaning business, and have been a house cleaner for quite some time now, and having homeowners trust the products I use is very important to me, because I know that every surface I clean, their children interact with on a daily basis. I agree with this blog article. Natural products are just as good, and they really make your home healthy.
I have been trying to live greener for a while now. Baking soda and lemon are my two essential items for cleaning.
Sounds great Sammy!
Great tips. I would like to share it with my mom and sister so that they can change their cleaning habits by using these cleaning tips. Keep sharing such helpful tips with the readers.