Healthier Homes with DIY Green Cleaning

by Silvia
(London)

Green cleaning is a great way to ensure a germ-free, sanitized and healthy environment in your home without the use of chemicals. The greener you go, the better for you and the planet.

Green cleaning is not a recent discovery. It would be used in the past by our ancestors before the industries developed so much and introduced a great deal of chemical-based solutions. They eliminate dirt very efficiently but are very dangerous to our health. On the other hand, green cleaning solutions are safe, eco-friendly and cost-effective. You will never go wrong using natural products as an alternative to chemical-laden solutions.

Reasons for Going Green
It has been reported that the quality of indoor air is a lot worse than that of outdoor air. The truth is, the quality of indoor pollutants is greater than outdoor levels of pollution due to many factors. They include poor ventilation or airing of the premises, the use of stoves, deodorants and air fresheners, personal cosmetics, detergents, etc. A great deal of the indoor pollutants come from the cleaning supplies we use to keep the house clean and sanitized. They contain a variety of chemicals, most of which are highly toxic and hazardous to both human beings and nature. Some of them can cause allergic reactions as well as respiratory and eye irritations that are very unpleasant.

Moreover, the average person tends to spend 90% of their time indoors, which increases the risk of exposure to some of the air pollutants. Children are especially at risk.

Ways to Go Green
What we should all do is pay more attention to the commercial products we use to keep house. One of the basics to start going green is to check out the label of the product you intend to buy while you are still in the store. Look for some key words such as “warning,” “caution” and “danger.” If you find any of these on the label, it means this product is no good for you. Furthermore, check the ingredients. If you cannot pronounce some of them, it is clear that they are not so harmless.

Also, don't

trust what the label says entirely. Many of the brands do not even list all the ingredients on their products. The first option is to make your own cleaning detergents. The second, if you can afford it, is to book home cleaning services. The cleaning agencies use methods like hot water extraction that are completely green.

Green Cleaning Recipes

All-Purpose Cleaner

Ingredients:
½ cup of water
½ cup of white vinegar (distilled)
Essential oils
Clean spray bottle

Directions:
Choose your favorite essential oil and use twelve to twenty four drops of it for this cleaning recipe. Take a clean spray bottle. Pour in the water and vinegar. Then add the essential oil. Shake the bottle. You can use this product multiple times, provided that you store it well out of heat and direct sunlight. When you want to clean a surface using this cleaner, all you have to do is spray the area with the solution and scrub if necessary. Then rinse the surface well and let dry or use a towel to dry it yourself.

This cleaner has disinfectant properties, it is powerful and is very easy to prepare. It is also cost-effective and it takes no more than five minutes to make.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of baking soda
1 ¾ cup of water
¼ cup of castile soap (liquid)
1 teaspoon of essential oils
Squirt bottle

Directions:
Mix together all ingredients, pouring them in a squirt bottle. Gently shake the bottle to make sure all ingredients are mixed well. Whenever you want to use this product to clean your toilet, you have to pour it into the toilet bowl and let rest for a while. This way the solution will be able to take effect. When the time is up, scrub the surface with a brush and flush the toilet.

This cleaner has amazing results. The castile soap is a great product that is organic and therefore healthy. It helps make surfaces clean and shiny. Baking soda is another great ingredient used in the household. It can be used for a number of cleaning jobs and does not scratch finish.

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