8 Household Ingredients that will green your cleaning routine (Guest post by Radhika C)
This article is a guest post written by Radhika Chandorkar, in a series done in Collaboration with in-yūgen, a sustainable lifestyle platform that helps you find ways to improve your environmental impact. Visit her website & Instagram page linked at the bottom of the article to stay updated on the current happenings in the world environment news, & how you can do your bit.
You now know which chemicals to avoid when buying cleaning products & reading product labels and staying away from products that mention any of these ingredients is one way to go.
Another great, simple strategy? Creating your own cleaning products out of natural ingredients that are likely to be just where you'd have hoped: right there at home.
Here are some safe everyday ingredients you can use to create your own household cleaners:
Baking soda
Can be used for: all-purpose cleaning, deodorising, softening water, freshening air, removing odours and scouring.
Sources:
https://journals.tdl.org/watchbird/index.php/watchbird/article/view/1310
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FY/FY144900.pdf
https://www.enr.gov.nt.ca/sites/enr/files/brochures/environmentally_friendly_household_cleaners.pdf
White vinegar
Can be used for: Cutting grease, removing mildew, odours and some stains, and preventing or removing the build-up of wax.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17803147
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/heloise-hears-a-hint/
https://www.enr.gov.nt.ca/sites/enr/files/brochures/environmentally_friendly_household_cleaners.pdf
Lemon juice
Can be used for: Neutralising and killing household bacteria.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7858646
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/217/1/012023/pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17803147
Castile soap (vegetable-based soap, free of animal fats and synthetic ingredients)
Can be used for: All-purpose cleaning, washing laundry and scouring.
Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10406699
Washing soda
Can be used for: cutting grease, removing stains, softening water and cleaning walls, tiles, sinks and tubs.
Source:
https://www.heraproject.com/files/10-F-05_HERA_sodium_carbonate_revised_version2%20.pdf
Corn starch
Can be used for: cleaning windows, polishing furniture and shampooing carpets and rugs.
Source:
https://ctclusi.org/assets/57c5d02bc9e22cfe66000005.pdf
Essential oil (like tea tree oil)
Can be used for: creating a DIY recipe made up of vinegar and club soda to clean surfaces.
Source:
file:///C:/Users/admin/Downloads/Journal%20of%20Applied%20Microbiology.%202015..pdf
Salt
Can be used for: cleaning (especially when mixed with vinegar), removing carpet stains, scouring metals (like stainless steel, when mixed with lemon juice) and removing burnt material from pans.
Source:
These are some of the ingredients you would find easiest to procure, but the list of eco-friendly and healthy alternatives to regular household cleaning products can go on. There are also eco-friendly products that promise to help us clean our homes in natural, safe and environmentally responsible ways. For anyone opting for those, just remember to give the ingredients a quick glance to make sure the claim holds true.
The more we stop to question our products and habits (like the way we clean our homes), the more we realise that there are countless ways to switch to healthier, more environmentally mindful alternatives. Each presents a real opportunity for us to treat ourselves and the world around us with a bit more kindness and consideration.
For anyone who has a growing interest in improving their environmental impact in other ways, you can take a look at How to improve your kitchen's impact to get started as well.
Guest written by:
Radhika Chandorkar,
Founder of in-yūgen, a sustainable lifestyle platform that helps you find ways to improve your environmental impact.
www.inyugen.com
www.instagram.com/in_yugen