Increased environmental awareness has led many people to look for safer cleaning solutions for their homes. Green cleaning products are now available from specialty providers and mainstream companies. You can also make your own homemade cleaners using easily accessible and safe ingredients found at the grocery store. If you are looking for safe and effective cleaning products for your home, weigh the pros and cons of homemade cleaners against commercially available green products.
Types
Commercially available green cleaning products and homemade cleaners rely upon different ingredients. Homemade cleaning products typically use pure soap, lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda. Commercial green cleaners may use natural ingredients or naturally derived ingredients or may opt for green and biodegradable chemical options approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, to create effective cleaning products for your home.
Function
Green cleaning products and homemade products work well to keep your home clean. To work well, cleaners need to cut through grease, disinfect surfaces and break down dirt. A variety of products are capable of performing these functions in an environmentally friendly way. You can choose green cleaning products or homemade cleaning solutions the same way you would traditional chemical cleaners. Select the product that will best do the job you need.
Costs
One of the most noticeable differences between homemade cleaners and commercially available green cleaning products is price. Homemade cleaning agents are quite cost effective, often costing only pennies to produce an entire bottle of product. Many of the environmentally friendly cleaners on the market are not only more expensive than homemade options, but also substantially pricier than comparable traditional cleaners.
Significance
Green cleaning products and homemade cleaning solutions allow you to keep your home clean, fresh and safe. According to "Southern Living" Magazine, you can look for the Environmental Protection Agency's Design for the Environment seal on the packaging of the cleaning products you choose. These products should consist of non-toxic and biodegradable functional ingredients, meeting stringent criteria for environmental and human safety.
Recipes
If you would like to try making your own homemade cleaning solutions, start with basic white vinegar and standard baking soda, plus a few other household ingredients. OrganizedHome.com suggests that you combine 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in a spray bottle for an all purpose cleaning solution for your bathrooms and kitchen. Use a paste of baking soda and water to clean tough stains or dirt, and try sprinkling baking soda on your carpets and vacuuming up later as an effective carpet deodorizer.
Member Comments