Natural cleaning products--the kind made from household ingredients grandma used, rather than those containing petroleum byproducts and industrial chemicals--hold numerous benefits for eco-friendly, cost-conscious consumers. Natural cleaning products scrub off grime, clean up spills and shine surfaces as well as conventional cleaners, but are safer for your family and the environment. They also cost less and do more, providing economical cleaning solutions for your home.
They're Cheap
The three basic natural cleaning products--distilled white vinegar or lemon juice, baking soda and castile or vegetable-based soap--cost just a few cents per unit and are much cheaper than conventional products. They also cost significantly less than specialty "eco-friendly" cleaners from health food stores. Warehouse stores and discount retailers often sell distilled vinegar in gallon jugs and baking soda in 10- or 20-pound boxes, which can save you even more money.
They're Non-Toxic
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, most conventional cleaners on American supermarket and drugstore shelves contain petroleum-based chemicals, phosphates, phthalates and/or chlorine bleach. Besides being dangerous if they're swallowed or come into contact with your skin or eyes, scientists have linked some of these substances to long-term health problems, including cancer and reproductive system disease. Natural cleaning products like vegetable-based soap, vinegar and baking soda, in contrast, do not cause skin irritation or other injury. You don't even need to wear rubber gloves while cleaning.
They're Safe for the Environment
Conventional cleaners contain many dubious, industrial chemicals that pollute the air, water and ground when they enter the wastewater stream. Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, fruit sugars that ferment to make vinegar, and vegetable oils used in pure castile soap already exist in nature, so they won't cause pollution when you clean with them. Their ingredients quickly biodegrade into safe, neutral elements.
They're Multi-purpose
Rather than buy a specialty cleaner for each job in the house, consider using one cleaner for multiple tasks. Baking soda softens water and boosts the power of detergent in the laundry, forms a scouring paste that safely scrubs porcelain, deodorizes high-traffic areas and removes grease from kitchen surfaces. Vinegar shines windows and mirrors, disinfects bathrooms and kitchens and gently cleans wood floors and furniture. Castile soap replaces conventional laundry detergents when washing clothes and dispels soap scum and grease on stove tops and ovens.
References
- "The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City;" Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen; 2008.
- Union of Concerned Scientists: Household Cleaning Made Cleaner
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