Homemade alternatives to toxic cleaning chemicals

Homemade alternatives to toxic cleaning chemicals

In a previous article, I spoke about a few toxic chemicals that you need to look out for when buying products for your home and office cleaning. These chemicals are not only bad for the environment but, they are can negatively impact your health if you are exposed to them for long periods of time. Fortunately, there are alternatives that are not only safer and even cheaper but, they also won’t compromise the quality of your job. These include:

• Baking soda

Perfect for both simple jobs such as regular domestic cleaning or even extensive end of tenancy cleaning, baking soda is a powerful product that can clear out dirt from sinks, drains or even tiles. It is especially effective when it’s mixed with other ingredients such as lavender oil or vinegar.

• Vinegar

Yet another powerful cleaning product, vinegar is cheap and easy to use. It’s perfect for cleaning ovens and sinks and relatively safe to use even when you mix it with water, lemon or essential oils.

• Essential oils

If you are having problems with mould or mildew, essential oils are good for breaking them down. They can be mixed with water and you never need more than half a teaspoon at any given time so one bottle should last for weeks or even months depending on how often you clean. The best essential oils to use are tea-tree, lemon and lavender.

• Lemon

Citrus fruits are known for being useful for many reasons and lemon is no exception. When mixed into a solution of water and baking soda, lemon can be used to clean stubborn dirt on floors, tiles or bathtubs and sinks. Just take care to dilute it because when used alone, lemon can stain surfaces and leave unpleasant marks.

• Microfiber

Although not a chemical or liquid solution, microfibre products offer gentle yet effective cleaning in place of harsh tools. In addition to the above-mentioned cleaning alternatives, add a good microfibre cleaning cloth to remove dirt without damaging your surfaces or exposing yourself to toxic materials.

Overall, there are plenty of natural cleaning solutions that you can use in place of toxic chemicals. Not only are they cheap but, in the long run, they ensure that your health is never at risk while you are cleaning.