Toxic Household Cleaners and Natural Alternatives

The holiday season brings guests, fun, happiness, gifts, and cleaning! Yes, people clean for the holidays, and it’s more than just decluttering your closet. Cleaning checklists can include cleaning the walls and floors, deep-cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, cleaning décor items, polishing furniture, removing stains from the carpet, rug, or couch, and much more.

It is definitely a good idea to refresh your home during the holidays. Routine cleaning, in general, is a tedious task in itself. So we frequently choose chemical household cleaners over natural solutions because they are simple and quick. In reality, these cleaners are toxic and can be harmful effects on us, our families, and others.

Types of Toxic Chemical Cleaners

If you have never given your chemical cleaners a second thought before, this is your sign to reconsider your cleaning habits this season. Let’s take a look at how common household cleaners are toxic and what you can use instead.

1. All-purpose cleaner

Let’s start with the most common one on the market: the all-purpose cleaner. Grease-cutting agents, detergents, and disinfectants are commonly found in these cleaners. The compounds in these agents may irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. The hazardous chemicals in these products include ammonia, ethylene glycol aminobutyl acetate, and sodium hypochlorite.

2. Upholstery and rug cleaner

Long-term use of cleaning chemicals for rugs, carpets, and upholstery that include perchloroethylene, naphthalene, and ammonium hydroxide may cause cancer, nausea, and dizziness. Make sure you’re using them in a well-ventilated place. Take extra caution when breathing near their vapours.

3. Air fresheners

Who doesn’t enjoy a house that smells fresh and inviting? But at what cost are you getting the amazing air? Plug-in air fresheners contain formaldehyde, a chemical linked to prolonged nose and throat discomfort. It can also cause nosebleeds, respiratory problems, and may even increase cancer risk.

4. Toilet bowl and drain cleaner

A blocked toilet bowl and drain is an unwelcome situation. However, the chemicals you use for drain cleaning may include lye and sulfuric acid which can irritate the skin and eyes. Toilet bowl cleaners often contain hydrochloric acid or bleach, also irritants.

Steps for Safety Before Using Chemical Cleaners

These common household disinfecting cleaners include toxic chemicals linked to a variety of health problems in the long term. If you must use them, take the following actions:

• Do not mix these cleaners with other household products as this might result in deadly fumes. For example, combining bleach and ammonia will result in hazardous fumes and chloramines. Shortness of breath, chest discomfort and fluid in the lungs are symptoms of chloramine gas exposure
• Always use appropriate ventilation while working with chemical-based products. Switch on the exhaust fan or leave the door open
• Wear protective gloves and eyewear when using the cleaners

Natural Household Cleaners

We now know these common cleaners’ side effects, but what should we use instead? There are numerous chemical-free and natural cleaning products available and we will show you how to make your home sparkle and shine with them. The following natural household cleaners are suitable for everybody because they require only two or three ingredients:

1. Baking soda

Baking soda is the most versatile cleaning substance. This small odourless solution will wow you with its amazing cleaning properties and takes care of oven oil, burns on cookware, or rusted pans, just to mention a few. By combining baking soda with vinegar and water, you’ll make an excellent cleaner for the bathroom and kitchen. It eliminates odour and leaves surfaces sparkling clean.

If you make a thick paste with baking soda and vinegar, you can remove carpet stains as well. Gently wipe the solution on a carpet stain, let it dry, and then vacuum the area.

2. Lemon

A cleaning solution from nature, this fruit has a naturally pleasant smell to freshen up any room. In a simmering saucepan, combine lemon peels, water, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to make your own natural air freshener.

You can also simply soak a sponge in lemon juice and place it in the refrigerator to remove odours.

3. Homemade antibacterial solution

Can you imagine making an antibacterial solution at home with a snap of your fingers? It’s possible. Add 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil to an equal mixture of water and vinegar. And it’s done! This chemical-free antibacterial solution also has a pleasant scent.

Conclusion

These are just a few simple and quick methods for natural, chemical-free cleaning. However, there are several solutions available to decrease your exposure to chemical cleaning. Consider how dangerous these chemical cleansers will be for children, the elderly, and pregnant women. Small changes in everyday cleaning practices can safeguard the environment, aquatic life, plants, and your and your loved ones’ health in the long term.

At Green Schools Green Future, we support sustainable practices.