When it comes to cleaning your home, products like bleach, ammonia, and others seem to offer the most cleaning power. If you’re tackling tough stains, smells, and grime, you might assume that these chemical products are the only options available to eradicate the mess.
However, these and other store-bought, chemical-based cleaning products have significant downsides. More than that, they often are not actually better than eco-friendly cleaning solutions. These are the eco-friendly cleaning swaps you need to try.
Why Switch to Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products?
There are many good reasons to switch to eco-friendly cleaning products, and they begin with their ingredients. Many all-natural products are well-suited for cleaning tough grime, lifting grease, and eliminating powerful odors.
You don’t need to introduce harmful chemical cleaning products into your living environment in order to have a clean home. More than that, eco-friendly cleaning products can be made at home using ingredients that most people already have.
These ingredients are ultra-affordable, so using homemade green cleaning products can save you a bundle of cash over the course of a year. If you decide to make your own products, you can also cut down on waste associated with packaging.
Easy Eco-Friendly Cleaning Swaps You Can Start Today
The good news is that you don’t have to rush out to the store to make eco-friendly cleaning swaps. Many DIY green cleaning products use common and all-natural ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, and lemon. Here are some great swap ideas to get started with today:
Vinegar Instead of Glass Cleaners
Vinegar is an acetic acid that acts as a powerful cleaner. While it might not smell amazing, it’s excellent at cutting through soap scum, and it can even fight germs and mold. It can damage natural stone, such as granite, but it is safe to use on many surfaces as a general-purpose cleaner.
Typically, distilled white vinegar is diluted with water for cleaning purposes. You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to improve the scent.
Baking Soda Instead of Abrasive Scrubs
Baking soda is also an effective natural cleaner, and its properties often are combined with vinegar for a more powerful cleaning solution.
When baking soda is mixed with vinegar, a chemical reaction occurs that releases energy and increases cleaning action. Alone, baking soda is a mild abrasive that is ideal for removing stains without scratching surfaces.
For example, it can remove soap scum from porcelain tile without damaging the tile. It is also an air freshener that neutralizes tough odors in trash cans, laundry, garbage disposals, refrigerators, and more. Baking soda can also cut through grease with ease.
Lemon Instead of Chemical Degreasers
An alternative to chemical degreasers is pure lemon juice. Lemon juice can be used to more easily clean the interior of microwaves and ovens.
Often, it is used in combination with baking soda for added oomph. Consider sprinkling baking soda on baked-on grease as a first step. Then, use the open end of a sliced lemon to scrub the mess away.
Microfiber Cloths Instead of Paper Towels
Paper towels are commonly used for cleaning, but microfiber cloths are a smart alternative. These cloths can be laundered after each use, which reduces your carbon footprint and keeps trash out of landfills.
Microfiber cloths actually trap more water and dirt, which makes them ideal for dusting as well as drying wet surfaces. Plus, they won’t leave behind pieces of lint on glass like paper towels do.
Tips for Transitioning to Green Cleaning Products
Unless you’re eager to go cold-turkey and switch out all of your chemical cleaning products and methods today, you can choose a smooth transition to green cleaning. Here’s how:
- Replace a cleaning product with an eco-friendly alternative one at a time.
- Switch to a green cleaning product after you’ve run out of your current cleaning product.
- Try different homemade cleaning recipes.
- Be aware that some store bought products that are advertised as “green” can still contain harmful chemicals and may not be as eco-friendly as homemade products.
- Make homemade cleaning supplies in large batches and store the extra for your next cleaning session.
You don’t have to do all of the spritzing, scrubbing, and mopping yourself to enjoy the benefits of eco-friendly cleaning. At Better Clean, we are proud to be your top choice for eco-friendly cleaning services in Boston.
We exclusively use cleaning products that are completely effective at tackling the toughest jobs yet are safe for people, pets, and the environment. To book your first green cleaning service, contact Better Clean today.
