Benefits of Green Cleaning
Green cleaning can have many different definitions. But the goal of all of them is to use techniques and ingredients to keep your home and the environment healthy. When you clean with green products, it also reduces waste and is safer for you and your family.
So before you grab the cheapest supermarket version of your favourite products, consider the following…
What is Green Cleaning?
When you think of green cleaning, you might imagine using lemons, vinegar or baking soda. They can be used to clean all types of surfaces in your home. You’re right to assume that these are all-natural green cleaners. And they’re what I started with in my green cleaning journey.
Since then several new green cleaning products have come onto the market. Many are made by ethical and sustainable brands. Brands that don’t test on animals and demonstrate a commitment to the environment too. Some brands use biodegradable ingredients. Others produce products using safe and sustainable farming techniques.
Green cleaning involves using products which don’t include toxic ingredients like phthalates, sulphates, ammonia, chlorine, sodium hydroxide artificial fragrances and artificial colours.
7 Reasons to Clean with Green Products
1. Better for the environment
Releasing harmful chemicals into the environment is damaging. Not only to you, but also to those around you forced to breathe them in. Chemicals like ammonia can be particularly irritating. People with asthma or breathing problems are especially affected.
In contrast, adopting greener habits
- helps reduce pollution,
- minimises the impact on our global climate and
- creates fewer smog-producing chemicals.
And you’re helping to ensure the next generations won’t suffer the consequences of our actions!
2. Safer to use
If you’ve ever wondered how chemical burns happen, you now have the answer. Chemicals used in conventional cleaning products can affect the skin or eyes of the person using them. There is a reason we use rubber gloves to clean!
My eczema to flare up regularly before I changed to more natural cleaning methods.
In comparison, green cleaners are not corrosive or damaging to the skin. They also meet strict safety standards. These standards relate to inhalation toxicity, combustibility and skin absorption.
Why expose yourself and your loved ones to unsafe, toxic cleaning products? There are safer options available!
3. Better Transparency of Ingredients
“Greenwashing” is when products claim to be natural or environmentally friendly when in fact they’re not.
One of the key reasons Green Foot Mama began was due to skin reactions to well known branded products. Including those products that claimed to be ‘organic’ and ‘natural’. On closer investigation these products contained harmful ingredients. But those ingredients were not listed on the labels.
Most cleaning products don’t list all their ingredients because they don’t have to. There is a lack of stringent governmental regulations.
Just as I want to know exactly what is in the food that I feed my family, I want to know what is in these everyday products I use in my home.
Green cleaning products usually list all their ingredients. And most of the time, these are common natural ingredients we are all familiar with.
4. Doesn’t pollute water bodies
You might not be aware that traditional cleaning products can affect and contaminate your drinking water.
In fact, it is possible to contaminate your own drinking water if you forget to cover up your tap or drinking water supply.
This is highly dangerous, especially in the long run. Additionally chemicals in wastewater (from your washing machine, dishwasher, bath and shower) can get into our water bodies via the drains. This can and cause long-term damage to marine life.
When you can use green cleaning products you don’t need to worry about water pollution.
5. Cleaner, Fresher Air Quality
I can’t speak for everyone, but I’ve always been super sensitive to the strong smell of chemical odours. Even perfume!
Fragranced household products like air freshener and scented soaps make my skin itch. These products typically use phtalates. Known irritants and hormone distruptors that may even affect your fertility.
Green cleaning products use natural fragrances or essential oils for their many benefits. You might even enjoy an aromatherapy session of sorts!
6. Personal Property Lasts Longer
Conventional cleaning products for fabric are full of chemicals.
Most of them we’ve never heard of, many of them are extremely harsh.
These chemicals often shorten the useful life of your furniture or clothing. They can also affect their texture, shape and shine.
Green cleaning products tend to be more gentle on your fabrics. This helps to preserve the condition and life of your belongings.
7. Safer Antibacterials
People tend to favour products with the label ‘antibacterial’.
Why?
Because they think they’re more effective at preventing the spread of germs.
But most ‘antibacterial’ products in Australia use triclosan. Triclosan is linked to allergies, skin irritation, breathing issues, hormone disruption and bacterial resistance to antibiotics.
Triclosan was recently banned in the USA after studies showed no benefit. Washing with antibacterial soaps wasn’t any better than using regular soap and warm running water.
In contrast, green cleaning products use natural ingredients with antibacterial properties. Some examples are eucalyptus, tea tree and lemongrass.
Making Your Own Cleaning Products
Making your own green cleaning products is easy.
Just take a look at this comprehensive infographic by Groom and Style for info on how to get started.
Using Essential Oils for Cleaning
Improve the cleaning properties of your home-made cleaning recipes by using essential oils.
They also leave a lovely smell in your home.
Pure essential oils are highly potent and can destroy bacteria, viruses and fungi naturally.
There are numerous cleaning recipes using essential oils you can try at home. Make your own toilet scrub cleaner, surface cleaner, glass cleaner and more.
Conclusion
Concern for the health of our families and the planet is rising. Conditions such as asthma and allergies are becoming more common in our children. Toxic chemicals in every day products contribute to this. They also contribute to pollution of our water bodies.
Consider moving away from the harsh effects of conventional cleaning products. Go back to basics and try green cleaning.
The benefits speak for themselves.
