A good home cleaning will definitely make your home appear neater and might make you feel cleaner, but what impact does cleaning actually have? The substances you clean with might actually be putting more pollution back into the environment and in your home than you realize or want. According to a study conducted by the EPA, indoor air pollution can be up to 5 times higher than outdoor pollution, depending greatly upon the type of cleaners you use.
Conventional cleaners have a petroleum base, which is a non-renewable resource and can also leave a toxic film behind on the surfaces you are supposed to be “cleaning.” How can this be prevented? The answer is easy, slightly tweak your cleaning routine to create a cleaner, less toxic environment. The following are a few easy ways you can make a difference:
1. Reduce Your Water Usage
If you are cleaning with conventional cleaning products, chances are it takes a great deal of water to wash away all of the film and toxins left behind. Plant-based, organic cleaners will greatly reduce the need for rinsing. Completely natural cleaners, such as vinegar, eliminate the need to rinse all together!
2. Use Reusable Cleaning Cloths
Most often, people use disposable cloths for cleaning. Paper towels are often seen being used a few times, then thrown away. If you use microfiber cloths (or really any washable cloth), you are reducing the amount of waste that will eventually end up in a landfill. You are also greatly reducing the amount of toxins that are released when paper towels and other such products break down.
3. Purchase Cleaners Without Packaging
When you purchase (or make your own) natural cleaners, you are typically going to see a reduction in the amount of packaging used for each item. Creating your own cleaners nearly eliminates waste by using products that you already have in your kitchen or home.
4. Use Less Chemicals
Reduce the amount of chemicals released into you home and the environment by following all of these steps. Switching to natural cleaners will cut down on the amount of chemicals released into your home, while using reusable cloths will reduce both waste and toxin exposure.
5. Be Kind to Animals
In addition to green cleaning products, you can also take animal friendly products into consideration. You should look for a cute leaping bunny logo. This logo appears on cleaning products that are approved by the Humane Household Product standards. This guarantees you that the cleaning product has not been tested on animals.
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