Safe, Earth & Human-Friendly Cleaning Options

by Samantha Greenbaum 

Reaching for bleach and your other favorite fume-filled cleaning products is fast and easy, but they add harmful chemicals to the air you and your family breathe. Not only are these products harmful to you and your family, they are bad for the environment and unnecessary to use when there are so many green cleaning products available that will clean just as well. Below is a list of safe, earth- and human-friendly cleaning products.

Brand Name Green Cleaning Products

There are many brands of green cleaning products that are easily accessible in grocery stores, chains of department stores, or home improvement stores. Many of these products are still made with chemicals, but they are chemicals that are not toxic for you to breathe and are not destructive to the environment. While green cleaners used to be significantly more expensive than chemical cleaners, they are now within closer price points to their toxic alternatives. Green products hover near the same price as their toxic counterparts, depending on the products and size you are purchasing.

Homemade Green Cleaning Products

While you can now purchase green cleaners in most stores that sell harmful cleaners, you can also make your cleaning products at home out of some simple items you are likely to have in your cupboards. Here are a few ideas for homemade cleansers:

Cleanser or Scrub: Mix 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 tablespoon dish soap, and enough vinegar to make it the consistency you prefer to clean with. The vinegar and baking soda will foam (just like a school science project volcano) and help break up stains or clogs.

Tub and Tile Cleanser: Mix equal parts of vinegar and dish soap and use to clean and disinfect.

Cat Box Deodorizers: As an alternative to bleach, mix 1 cup of vinegar in to your cat boxes when cleaning. To extend the life of your cat litter, rub 1 tablespoon of coconut oil into the bottom before adding your preferred litter and sprinkle with baking soda to help control odors.

All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix equal parts of vinegar and water into a spray bottle. If you prefer a scented cleanser, use apple cider vinegar (your vinegar does not need to be organic for cleaning purposes) or add a few drops of lemon essential oil to your white vinegar.

Drain Declogger: First try heating up 4 quarts of water on the stove until the water is hot, but not boiling, and pour it down the drain to see if it clears up the clog. If that does not work, you can purchase a small handheld plunger and alternate pouring vinegar and baking soda down your clogged drain and plunging until the clog clears. You can pour hot water down again when you are done to clear any remaining debris from the drain.

Green Cleaning Services

If you would like to ensure that your home or business is cleaned with environmentally safe products but don’t do most of the cleaning yourself, look in your area for green cleaning services. When you find a green cleaning service you’re interested in, ask what percentage of their cleaning is done with green products as many still clean toilets and showers with chemical cleaners.

Green cleaning products are just as powerful as chemical products. While store-bought green cleaning products might be a touch more expensive, there are plenty of at-home solutions to try.

About the Author

Samantha Greenbaum is an earth-conscious mother of two. If you are a business owner as busy as Samantha, she recommends checking out Valor Janotorial to help keep your office or facilities nice and clean.