You can scrub your home from top to bottom and until every room shines, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that your home is clean … at least in a way that is good for you. Many of the chemicals in today’s commercial cleaning products actually can taint the quality of indoor air and also be absorbed into your body through your skin.
This is why it is important to pay attention to the labels – and consider using organic cleaning supplies. Products that contain only organic ingredients not only are safer for the environment, but they are also better for your family, too.
Organic cleaning supplies will often have plant extracts and natural minerals on the ingredient lists. Some will have flower essences (such as lavender) to give your home a soothing scent.
Look for products that contain essential oils. These are oils from natural items such as lemon or pine. Cleaning ingredients that are organic will also often have the word “biodegradable” on the label.
Baking soda is a natural cleaner and is often used to scrub and whiten stains.
White vinegar is another good cleaner that will cut through grease, get rid of stains and even can be used as a pest control. Ants will avoid white vinegar, so if you clean around your window frames and any crevices with white vinegar, this will take care of any ant problems.
Vinegar can also be used to kill mold, clean a garbage disposal, and even remove stains left by tea and coffee in your cups. It’s also great for getting rid of lime deposits.
Some other organic cleaning ingredients found in “green” cleaners are coconut, minerals and salt. You might not think of salt as a natural cleaner, but it is. Salt can be used as an abrasive and it can also be used to dry up liquids spilled on carpets.
Look for cleaners that contain castile soap. This soap is made of natural olive oil and can be used for cleaning countertops. It can also be used to clean clothes, and it’s great on hands. People with allergies often find castile soap easier and less irritating to the skin.
When choosing cleaning products, look for those that are natural – recognizing that some products will use the word “natural” in their description even when they aren’t 100 percent. Read labels carefully and avoid products that contain preservatives or synthetic materials. Also look for keywords like non-abrasive and non-flammable, because this is indicative of the cleaner being chemical-free.