Introduction
For some people, the smell of cleaning products is the symbol of a clean home. However, most of the popular cleaning products in the market are very harmful and kill you slowly. That’s why when you search for “home cleaning services near me” you should ask the cleaning company to use non-toxic and environmentally friendly products. Let’s check out cleaning products that are slowly killing you and a corresponding list of healthy alternatives:
The Alternatives
1. Laundry detergent – laundry detergents have a distinct synthetic scent that gives a very pleasant feeling. However, did you know that the scent is often the result of petroleum-derived products, some of the most toxic things you can imagine? Several studies have found such toxins in laundry detergent brands. Unfortunately, those brands are still in the market along with their famous products. Moreover, laundry detergent goes into your waterways and ends up in lakes or oceans. Due to the overload of nutrients from laundry detergents, those water bodies see unnatural algae blooms that can be very disruptive to that particular ecosystem. If you live in a rural area with a septic tank, the problem is much more localized for you.
A healthy alternative – You can make your healthy alternative at home and use it for laundry days. To make a healthy laundry detergent you need to mix a cup of Borax and washing soda with a grated bar of soap. The resultant mixture is healthy yet very powerful for cleaning fabric. Moreover, you can boost its stain removal capabilities by adding half a cup of Oxi Clean to the mixture. Use a tablespoon or two of this mixture for washing each load.
2. Bleach – Since the discovery of Chlorine in the late 18th century, chlorine-based products have flooded the market, and bleach established its root in the market, both domestic and industrial as a sanitizing and cleaning product. However, it has the potential to become toxic very quickly. If you or anyone in your home has allergies or respiratory problems, bleach odors can cause significant harm to your respiratory organs. It also raises the pH level of soil and water if it makes its way into waterways and kills plants and animal life in your vicinity. If you aren’t careful with it, bleach can also corrode your skin. When you use it regularly in bathrooms and mix it with vinegar or ammonia, you inhale it and cause significant harm to the environment when you wash it down the drain.
A healthy alternative – Another product that was discovered a few decades after bleach was also a very potent and healthy cleaning agent, but never rose to the same level of popularity as bleach. Hydrogen peroxide can be a very powerful all-purpose cleaner when mixed with vinegar. You can clean all sorts of surfaces with it, from ceramic and stone to glass and metal alloys.
3. Cleaning wipes – Cleaning wipes fall into the category of quats, quaternary ammonium compounds. It can harm your skin, irritate your respiratory tracks, and has also been linked to reproductive issues, birth defects, and asthma. Moreover, unlike the advertisements, they aren’t biodegradable. They don’t just disintegrate when you flush them down the toilet. They completely clog the sewers and cities have to pay millions of dollars to clean them up. Tax dollars wasted from your hard-earned money that could be used more efficiently elsewhere.
A healthy alternative – Instead of cleaning wipes, try out microfiber cloth diaper inserts. Apart from that they can also be used for general cleaning and don’t smudge glass surfaces. Moreover, if you can get microfiber cloths made of recycled plastic you do one more favor to mother nature. They are also much more absorbent than wipes and can be used for years. You can also toss them in with a regular load of laundry and save a lot of money on utility bills.
4. Toilet bowl cleaner – Everyone’s familiar with the blue gooey liquid that cleans your toilet. They may come in different colors from different brands, but most of them are toxic for you. Some of the most famous brands of toilet cleaners have lung irritants like sulfate and phosphoric acid that can even irritate your eyes. They are also highly corrosive and when they go down the drain, they can contaminate the soil, groundwater and can even be very toxic to animals and plants. They are also a contributor to algal blooms.
A healthy alternative – Instead of using expensive toilet cleaners and bars that sit inside the flush tank of the toilet, it’s better to use baking soda. It’s readily available in all homes, has a ridiculously cheap price tag, and cleans your toilet easily with little to no effort and toxicity. Sprinkle baking soda on the walls of the toilet bowl, pour vinegar over it and close the lid for half an hour. After that, you can easily scrub away any nasty stain without risking your health or compromising the environment.
5. Drain cleaner – Drain cleaners are designed to be slightly corrosive so that they can cut through the gunk and wash away anything sticking to the walls of the pipes. Hence, most of them contain sodium hydroxide that can burn your flesh and in worst cases leave permanent injuries. Moreover, after prolonged use, these cleaners can ruin the drain along with anything that it comes across downstream.
A healthy alternative – Fortunately, there is a better way to clean up the drain and clogged pipes. Moreover, it’s a one-time investment that doesn’t require you to refuel your cleaning supplies. Get a drain snake to clean the pipes and for washing away more stubborn clogs in deeper levels you can use baking soda mixed with vinegar.
Conclusion
This list should be extensive enough to cover major cleaning products used in your home and their healthy alternatives. That’s why you should insist on greener and more environmentally friendly cleaning products for your home. The same should be expected from cleaning companies after you search “home cleaning services near me”.
