Do you have one cupboard (or maybe more than one) that is crammed full of various cleaning products? Do you ever worry what all those chemicals maybe doing to you, your family and the environment? What if I were to tell you that you can clean everything in your home safely and free from harmful chemicals using 3- 4 inexpensive items!

Why ditch those chemicals

Have you read the label of the cleaning products that you use?  They all contain warnings of the harm they can inflict. Direct contact can with chemical cleaners can cause

• skin irritation leading to dermatitis, skin allergies and asthma.
• skin burns and eye damage
• Disruption of hormones which has been linked to causing cancer

Mixing chemical cleaning products increases the harm that can be done, so clean with single products! Many ingredients in cleaning products evaporate easily and inhalation of fumes can trigger asthma. (A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to cleaning products can cause asthma to develop in healthy people too). Chlorine is used extensively  to domestic cleaning products such as dish-washing detergent and bleach.  Did you know that chlorine was used in World War One as an agent of chemical warfare? Chlorine Bleach is strongly corrosive and will irritate the eyes, skin and the respiratory tract by when the fumes are inhaled. There is strong evidence that links asthma attacks to Chlorine.

What about germs?

Chemical/synthetic cleaners kill germs, that’s true but they kill all germs. Some germs are good germs. Our bodies house more than 100 trillion  good bacteria that we need to live. From digesting our food to supporting immunity we need them on a daily basis. Exposure to germs teaches our bodies how to fight the bad germs and trains our immune systems, so we need them. Ditching and switching to chemical free cleaning keeps our homes hygienic and safe, but allowing our bodies to function and learn how to protect our health.

Benefits of Chemical Free Cleaning

Chemical free products generally contain natural ingredients, rather than synthetic chemicals and include safe ingredients such as vinegar and bicarbonate soda, commonly found in your kitchen cupboard. The benefits of chemical free cleaning include:

• Most are safe to use around children and pets
• There are no toxic inhalations.
• Low cost
• No harm to the environment
• Selective anti-bacterial action
• You know what’s in them

Green cleaning is not complicated or difficult. Used in combination with a plastic scourer, microfiber cloth or paper towels and a squeegee can give very pleasing results! Common household items you can use for green cleaning:

• White Vinegar: Cleans calcium deposits, cuts grease, grime or wax build-up.
• Baking Soda: Deodorizes, removes stains and softens fabric.
• Castile soap- a pure liquid soap, like Dr. Bronner's (not handwash or detergent)
• Water- Surprise!

Essential oils

Essential Oils are great for chemical free cleaning but must be used cautiously;  a  little goes a long way. Just 15 drops in a 4 litre bucket of water is all that is necessary.

• Eucalyptus : use as disinfectant, deodorant, and de-greaser. It’s good for removing sticky residues when dabbed on undiluted (e.g. tape adhesive).
• Clove: natural mould killer.
• Lavender: a fragrant addition that kills germs

 

A word about “Green Cleaning” products

Not all green cleaning products are as safe as you may think. Reading the label is what is necessary to determine if ingredients are harmful. The US based Environmental Watch Group (EWG) are a reference for the safety of cleaning products you can  buy.

Make your own All-Purpose Cleaner:

Mix 1/2 cup vinegar +1/4 cup baking soda + 2 litres warm water

Store and keep. Use in spray bottle or in a bucket as required. Use for removal of water deposit stains on shower stall panels, soap scum, bathroom chrome fixtures, windows, bathroom mirrors.   Article by Desley Hatfield | Naturopath

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References:

• environment.nsw.gov.au/households/green-cleaning.htm
• articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/01/16/toxic-chemicals-in-green-cleaning-products.aspx
• eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm
• healthline.com/health/cold-flu/good-bad-germs
• ag.ndsu.edu/flood/home/chlorine-bleach-safety