Creating An Eco-Friendly Clean Home
Sometimes the harsh chemicals that we use can do us more harm than good. For an Eco-friendly, clean home, check your cabinets for eight natural solutions.
Though most traditional household cleaners are great at sterilizing, cleaning, and removing stains, they can also have adverse effects on our health. The chemicals can irritate our skin, causing things like eczema. The fumes can irritate our eyes and contaminate the air in our homes, making our allergy and asthma symptoms worse.
Looking to make an Eco-friendly change in your cleaning techniques? Consider using the products listed below to help keep your home clean.
8 Eco-Friendly Cleaning Solutions
- Baking soda. This is a mild, abrasive cleaner that will gently scrub away stains and eliminates strong odors. It’s inexpensive and it can be used to clean bathrooms (like toilets, bathtubs, and sinks), carpets, and kitchens (like refrigerators, counter tops, and microwaves).
- Club soda. Carbonated water cleans a host of things. The acidity of the club soda removes fabric stains as well as stains from coffee and tea mugs. With club soda, you can also remove rust from precious objects as well as clean and polish jewelry.
- Cornmeal. This coarse flour can be used throughout your garden. Cornmeal can be used to control “root- and soil-borne fungal diseases,” as well as weeds. You can also use cornmeal within your home; it can soak up spills on the carpet.
- Hydrogen peroxide (3% concentration). It’s a germicidal agent that sanitizes through oxidation. Hydrogen peroxide can be used as non-toxic bleach that can remove stains and disinfect. You can use it on cutting board, certain counter tops, and tile floors. It can also remove mold and whiten clothes.
- Lemon juice. It not only has a pleasant fragrance, it’s also a versatile cleaner. Lemon juice has “low pH and antibacterial properties” that make it perfect for cleaning a host of household things. With lemon juice, you can shine, remove stains, and reduce grease. You can also refresh refrigerators, garbage disposals, and microwaves.
- Liquid Castile (vegetable based, not animal-fat based) soap. This soap is completely biodegradable. It works as an all-purpose cleaner that also disinfectants. You can use liquid castle soap to clean your kitchen like your stove top, the vent hood, the floors, and the counter tops.
- Olive oil. It isn’t just for cooking. Olive oil can be used to polish tons of items around your house like wood furniture and metal like pots and pans.
- White vinegar. It’s an anti-fungal disinfectant that will give you spot-free dishes and soft laundry. White vinegar also deodorizes strong odors like cigarette smoke and pet odors.