There is now a huge range of effective, people- and eco-friendly cleaning products available in stores, making it easy to substitute regular cleaners for greener choices. However, making the right choice can often be complicated, with an overwhelming range of terms & logos used & different companies making a variety of claims about their products. About 6 months ago I read an article on the David Suzuki Foundation’s website explaining that not all green products are created equal & that manufacturing companies are not required to disclose their product’s complete ingredient list, making it all the more difficult for consumers to make informed choices.
Via the same website I found a link to the Queen of Green’s recipes for homemade cleaners & decided to give it a try. Since then I have been making & using my own liquid laundry detergent, glass cleaner, toilet cleaner & all-purpose scour, with great success. I am not normally one to get excited about cleaning the bath/shower, but I was grinning with delight the first time I scrubbed away the grime to reveal a sparkling white finish using just plain old baking/bi-carb soda & water! Making my own cleaners is definitely cheaper, as only a handful of ingredients are needed, many of which are regular household/kitchen products, such as vinegar & baking/bi-carb soda (which is also comforting- knowing that what I clean the house with is also safe enough to go into my food!). I am also reducing waste by making the cleaners in a bucket/bowl etc then re-using the containers of my previous cleaning products to store them in. I haven’t yet used any of the recipes containing Borax, as I haven’t felt the need for this stronger ingredient. I use Dr Bronner’s Unscented Baby-Mild Liquid Castile Soap, which I buy from my local health food store & it’s certified Fair-trade & organic. If you like a pleasant aroma when washing your clothes or wiping your benches it is also available scented with essential oils. http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LS.htm
Via the same website I found a link to the Queen of Green’s recipes for homemade cleaners & decided to give it a try. Since then I have been making & using my own liquid laundry detergent, glass cleaner, toilet cleaner & all-purpose scour, with great success. I am not normally one to get excited about cleaning the bath/shower, but I was grinning with delight the first time I scrubbed away the grime to reveal a sparkling white finish using just plain old baking/bi-carb soda & water! Making my own cleaners is definitely cheaper, as only a handful of ingredients are needed, many of which are regular household/kitchen products, such as vinegar & baking/bi-carb soda (which is also comforting- knowing that what I clean the house with is also safe enough to go into my food!). I am also reducing waste by making the cleaners in a bucket/bowl etc then re-using the containers of my previous cleaning products to store them in. I haven’t yet used any of the recipes containing Borax, as I haven’t felt the need for this stronger ingredient. I use Dr Bronner’s Unscented Baby-Mild Liquid Castile Soap, which I buy from my local health food store & it’s certified Fair-trade & organic. If you like a pleasant aroma when washing your clothes or wiping your benches it is also available scented with essential oils. http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LS.htm
David Suzuki Foundation's Queen of Green Blog : 'What Makes a Good Home Cleaner' http://www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/queen-of-green/2012/09/what-makes-a-good-home-cleaner-label/
DIY Cleaners Recipes: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/downloads/2011/QueenOfGreen-Green-cleaning-recipes.pdf
Disinfecting
In most houses a mixture of hot soapy water & elbow grease, or water and vinegar or borax, is the strongest cleaner needed. However, if you are a bit of a germaphobe, then a peroxide-based cleaner will do the job of removing bacteria. Most green brands make a product containing an eco- and people-friendly amount of hydrogen peroxide, usually named a “kitchen cleaner”.
The following is an excerpt from The David Suzuki Foundation’s website giving advice on the safe use of disinfectants:
‘Our recent obsession with germs has the Canadian Medical Association calling on the federal government to ban all anti-bacterial household products because of fears they cause bacterial resistance.
If you live or work with children, non-toxic disinfectants are even more important. Kids are not miniature adults. Kilogram for kilogram they absorb more chemicals than adults. To start, children are closer to the ground. They also have what some experts call an "exploratory nature" which means they put everything in their mouths!
Choose disinfectants with:
· Ingredients listed
· Plant-based ingredients
· EcoLogo or Green Seal certified labelThe Green Seal standard provides criteria for the development of many products, from home-cleaners to paints. Certification guarantees that products perform as well as or better than conventional products and that ingredients are biodegradable and do not contain phthalates, heavy metals or optical brighteners.
Avoid disinfectants with:
· "Chlor" compounds
· Triclosan
Triclosan in particular is one of the most common anti-bacterial agents in household cleaners and personal-care products. It's suspected of interfering with hormone function and contributes to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Triclosan is also harmful to fish and wildlife.'
Triclosan in particular is one of the most common anti-bacterial agents in household cleaners and personal-care products. It's suspected of interfering with hormone function and contributes to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Triclosan is also harmful to fish and wildlife.'
According to ‘The Conscious Kitchen' by Alexandra Zissu, these are some of the purest brands found in North America :
· Vermont Soap Organics
·Dr Bronner’s
·Ecover
·Dr Bronner’s
·Ecover
· Seventh Generation
· BioKleen
· BioKleen
And these brands are highly-rated in Adria Vasil's Canadian guide 'Ecoholic Home':
· Bio-Vert
· Nature Clean
· BioSource
· Attitude
In Australia, The Ethical Consumer Group publishes a yearly detailed 'Guide to Ethical Supermarket Shopping' and in the 2012 guide it most highly recommends the following brands:
- Orange Power
- Earth Choice
- Ecostore
Stain Removal
For stain removal, there are also green options available, with Canadian 'Ecoholic Home' recommending:
- Bi-O-Kleen-Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator
- Pink Solution
The David Suzuki Foundation provides a comprehensive guide to removing a wide variety of household stains using easy home remedies: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/downloads/2012/qog-stainremoval.pdf
Cleaning Tools
It is also worth considering what tools you use to do your cleaning. When it comes to cleaning the bathroom & other surfaces I do as my Mum does & use torn up old tea-towels, t-shirts, pillow-slips & other such items, which I then throw in the wash. There is also a wide range of washable, microfibre products, e-cloths and natural sponges now available, many of which require only water, rather than chemical soaps. Antibacterial sponges & cloths are usually embedded with triclosan (often using the label Microban-see above for explanation of triclosan). One-use/disposable products are the least environmentally-friendly options.
Paper Towels:
Paper Towels:
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York, if every household in North America replaced just one roll of virgin-fibre paper towels with 100% recycled ones, about 550, 000 trees would be saved.
Acknowledgements:
'Ecoholic Home: The Greenest, Cleanest and Most Energy-efficient Information under One (Canadian) Roof' by Adria Vasil
'The Conscious Kitchen' by Alexandra ZissuAcknowledgements:
'Ecoholic Home: The Greenest, Cleanest and Most Energy-efficient Information under One (Canadian) Roof' by Adria Vasil
The David Suzuki Foundation website http://www.davidsuzukifoundation.org/
The Ethical Consumer Group's '2012 Guide to Ethical Supermarket Shopping' http://www.ethical.org.au/downloads/2012/GESS_2012.pdf
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