In our war on dirt and germs, we may often actually be making things worse. Most of the conventional cleaning products we all grew up with are petroleum-based and have dubious health and environmental implications.
Instead of opting for cleaning products that annihilate everything in their path, there are plenty of natural products and methods that keep a house clean and fresh-smelling without the toxic side effects.
Read labels and ingredients: When shopping for cleaning products, take the time to read labels and check the ingredients. Look for products that are labeled as green, natural, organic, or biodegradable.
Research eco-friendly brands: Do some research to find brands that specialize in green cleaning products. Make your own cleaners: Consider making your own cleaning solutions using simple household ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice.
Choose concentrated products: Opt for concentrated cleaning products that require a smaller amount per use. Concentrated formulas often come in smaller packaging and help reduce waste. Consider sustainable packaging: Choose products that come in packaging made from recycled materials, or packaging that is easily recyclable.
Employing green cleaning products is a wonderful way to reduce your environmental impact and promote a healthier living space. By following these tips, you can make a positive difference in the environment while maintaining a clean and tidy home.
It is not uncommon for the air inside a home or office to be more toxic than the air outside. This is because of the presence of toxic materials and substances and the fact that homes and buildings are better insulated than ever before (which is a good thing from an energy standpoint).
Keeping windows open as often as possible allows fresh air in and keeps toxins flowing out. This is especially important when cleaning your home. Make sure your indoor spaces are well-ventilated to allow for the circulation of fresh air. Open windows and doors, if possible, to let in fresh air and encourage airflow.
The antibacterial and antimicrobial ‘cleaners’ that many people think are necessary, especially during the cold season, don’t clean hands better than soap and water and also add to the risk of breeding “super germs,” bacteria that survive the chemical onslaught and have resistant offspring.
The FDA has found that antibacterial soaps and hand cleansers do not work better than regular soap and water, and should be avoided.
Baking soda not only removes those strange smells coming from your fridge, but it’s also a great odor eliminator for your carpet. Just sprinkle on a little baking soda to soak up some of those odors and then vacuum it up.
Skip the store-bought air fresheners and instead try boiling cinnamon, cloves, or any other herbs you have a fondness for. Fresh chocolate chip cookies also have been known to create a friendly aroma.
Also, plants may not make your house smell different but are good for filtering interior air–pretty much any broad green leaf plant will do. Peace Lilies are a favorite choice.
When replacing your cleaning products, don’t just throw the old ones in the trash. If they’re too toxic for your home, they won’t be good for the drain or the landfill either. Many communities hold toxics & electronics recycling days and will take all of these off your hands.
Throwing chemicals in the trash or down the drain means they might end up back in your water supply and come back to haunt you.
Conventional dry cleaners are the largest users of the industrial solvent called Perchloroethylene, or perc, which is toxic to humans and also creates smog. The two most common green dry cleaning methods are carbon dioxide cleaning and Green Earth.
Seek out cleaners that use green methods. If you do take clothes to conventional cleaners, be sure to air them outside before wearing them or putting them in the closet.
For people who don’t have the time to clean their own homes, fortunately, there is an increasing number of green cleaning services out there to help get things spic and span. If you can’t find one in your area (or their rates are outlandish), call around until you find a service willing to use the products and methods you specify.
Imagine what’s on your shoes at the end of the day. Bringing that oil, antifreeze, animal waste, particulate pollution, pollen, and who knows what else into the house is not good news, especially for kids and other critters that spend time on the floor level.
Keep the sidewalk out of your home with a good doormat or a shoeless house policy. Many green buildings now include entryway track-off systems as a means of maintaining a healthy interior environment. Less dirt also means less sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming, which means less work, water, energy, and fewer chemicals.
Designing houses and other buildings with cleanability in mind can create spaces that are cleaner, healthier, and require fewer substances to maintain. In larger buildings, good cleanability can also be a big money-saver as cleaning costs can often add up to as much as half of a building’s total energy costs.
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