When deciding to use natural and green cleaners in the home, the choices can be a little overwhelming. Not only do more companies offer green product options, but each company has different business practices. And for the thrifty consumer looking for a good natural cleaner, a couple of easy ingredients will create a green and safe cleaner that is easily made at home.
In making the change away from standard household chemicals there are a couple different options.
Choosing a Big Brand Natural Cleaner
Choosing a natural cleaner has become as simple as stopping by the cleaning aisle at WalMart or the local grocery store. A couple of green cleaners formulated by big companies are Green Works from Clorox, and Nature’s Source from SC Johnson, which features familiar product lines and boasts the same cleaning power as Scrubbing Bubbles, Windex, and Shout.
Depending on the reasoning for making the switch, some environmentally conscious consumers choose against these companies because of their other chemical products or their business practices. It’s up to each consumer to make the decision for themselves how they will make the change to natural cleaning in their home.
Environmentally Friendly Companies
Parallel to big brand natural cleaners are specific green cleaner companies. Many small eco-conscious companies create products that are safe to use anywhere while still packing as much cleaning power as traditional household chemicals. Many, if not all, of these companies provide a green cleaner that is non-toxic and derived from natural sources. The following three companies are just a few options for natural cleaners.
Seventh Generation, which offers a variety of supplies from bathroom disinfectant to laundry detergent to botanical disinfectants, is a well known and easy-to-find line of natural cleaners. Seventh Generation makes a point of disclosing every ingredient in their products, as well as every facet of their business practice. Their mission is clearly stated on every product, a quote from The Great Law of the Iroquois. The store locator on the website finds local retailers by zip code.
Another green cleaner consumers may find at the local grocery is Mrs. Meyers, which focuses not only on effective cleaning products but also a bit of aromatherapy. The website offers visitors the possibility of shopping by cleaning need or by scent. They offer environmentally safe cleaners on their varied product list. They also provide honest environmental and safety information, making consumers aware what kind of ingredients they use and why they use them. As with Seventh Generation, the website offers a store locator that finds stores that carry Mrs. Meyers by zip code.
A third environmentally friendly option is Mountain Green. Distribution of Mountain Green is smaller than the previous two companies; the website features a list of national retailers in place of a store locator. The cleaners are not only environmentally sound. but are also kosher, vegan, and gluten-free. They offer a variety of household cleaning and laundry products.
Creating a Homemade Cleaner
Almost every home has vinegar and baking soda, two perfect and inexpensive ingredients for homemade cleaning remedies. White vinegar makes the perfect all-purpose cleaning solution when mixed with tap water inside a clean spray bottle; it kills odors, germs, and mold while remaining completely non-toxic.
Baking soda has long been the trick of housewives to deodorize everything from the litter box to the refrigerator. It can be used to freshen up the garage disposal, and just baking soda and water can be used to scrub around drains and counter tops for a hard clean. Not only can it be used to keep your home clean, but it can be added to your aundry to help with grease and fight odors.
To really make a home shine, baking soda and vinegar can be used together to scour, brighten, and deodorize. The combination together can tackle projects that elude them separately. To clean and clear a lightly clogged drain, simply pour baking soda into the drain, followed by the vinegar. After ten minutes, follow that with hot water. Together baking soda and vinegar can also be used as a mild paste in the bathroom for the floor, the tub, and the sink.
Another potential ingredients in a homemade cleaner is tea tree oil, a perfect addition to the due to it’s natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties; it can handle all the stuff that the tradition chemical cleaner can, while still being safe to use anywhere it’s needed. Not only can tea tree oil, a little soap, and water make a perfect all-purpose cleaner, it can help sanitize children’s areas without concern of hazardous residue: simply spray with the tea tree oil solution, wipe clean, and let dry.
Explore the Alternatives of Green Cleaning
As the green movement gains more momentum and eco-conscious consumers make more changes for the better in their homes, there will be even more options for safe and natural cleaners. Don’t be afraid to try a combination of homemade and store-brought cleaners -- sometimes different cleaning projects will require different solutions.
Research and knowledge are the keys in understanding the chemicals in the home and the impact that they may have on the environment. As a jumping point to more research, consider the following links.
Sources & Additional Reading
- Earth Friendly Products
- How to Make a Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit
- Top 5 Alternate Home Cleaners
- The Happy Slob’s Way of Cleaning
- Vinegar Tips
- 27 Ways to Clean with Baking Soda
Ashley Poland - I love small and local businesses, and would like to use my writing prowess for furthering the business-owners in my community. I'm ...
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