Everyone wants to live in a clean and organized house. One could even say that a clean home leads to a healthy and happy living experience.
However, many of the cleaning agents that we regularly use are suspect. They do clean, yes, but some of their ingredients contain chemicals that can cause allergies or are even dangerous to people. Not to mention the adverse effects many popular cleaning methods actually have. In our world today, making sure that we do our part in preserving nature is necessary. Day by day, we see the deterioration of the environment, and this will only negatively affect us in the future.
How Cleaning Affects Nature
It may sound strange that even our cleaning negatively impacts nature. However, the truth is that many of our actions affect the environment one way or another, and using cleaning materials and chemicals affect it even more.
Many of these items contain ‘volatile organic compounds’ (or VOC) which are dangerous to not just the environment, but also to people. Cleaning agents containing VOCs are flushed down the drain, which then leads to wastewater facilities where they are treated. Unfortunately, not all of the dangerous contaminants are always removed and this water eventually gets back to rivers and the sea. These can affect the natural environment in many ways, such as affecting the local flora and vegetation or becoming a hazard to wildlife.
Of course, the production cost of store-bought cleaning agents is also suspect. With all the chemicals, packaging, and delivery involved, these products inevitably leave a considerable carbon trace. This carbon trace is not entirely necessary, however, as you can make your own cleaning agents. Yes, your own cleaning agents that not only helps save nature but also your wallet.
Cheap, Healthy, Homemade, and Nature Friendly
An interesting alternative to commercial cleaning agents are homemade solutions that do the same job, if not better than store-bought alternatives. These ingredients are all readily available in your usual retail store and are very cheap.
These solutions below are for common household tasks that require cleaning chemicals. There are three major ingredients that you will need: baking soda, lemon, and vinegar. The cleaning properties of these simple ingredients cannot simply be understated. And there is a large percentage that you already have most of this too, but even if you don’t acquire them is pretty easy. You also need something like a spray bottle or any receptacle where you can mix the ingredients.
Mold Remover
Finding mildew and mold will always be a disgusting experience. But before you use that strong cleaning spray, try spraying it with vinegar instead. Let it sit for a couple of hours, and then clean it off. If the mold still persists, you can a gentle abrasive paste of baking soda and a little bit of water. Use this to scrub off molds and mildew.
Clogged Drain
A clogged pipe or drain is a major pain. Not only do they drain water down slowly, but they also smell. To unclog them, you can start by pouring hot water. After that, pour a mixture of 1 cup baking soda mixed in 1 cup water and half cup vinegar will help clean your drain or sewer lines.
Metal Polish
Many of us use stainless steel equipment in our kitchen. However, through time, they become scratched worn with use. To make look clean and new-looking, you can use a lemon mixed with a little bit of baking soda. Rinse your silverware with this mixture, and they will look as if you just bought them.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
If there’s something that needs to be regularly cleaned, that’s the bathroom and everything inside. We normally use acidic chemicals to clean toilet bowls, but you can also a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to get rid of the stains.
Homemade Air Freshener
We also judge a room’s cleanliness based on smell, and a good-smelling room always feels better to be in. You can make an alternative to store-bought air freshener by mixing one cup of water mixed with a quarter cup of vinegar and lemon. Put all of them in a spray bottle, shake, and voila. A homemade air freshener.
DIY All-Purpose Spray
To be able to clean different kinds of surfaces, you need a safe compound that won’t destroy different kinds of material. A safe alternative to an all-purpose spray is a mixture of water, vinegar, baking soda, with lemon thrown in for scent. You can use this to clean a wide variety of surfaces.
With no germs or bacteria to worry about, we can concentrate on enjoying our stay in our own homes. We would feel more confident and secure that our family can be safe and healthy.
