When cleaning your home, it makes little sense to use products filled with non-eco-friendly ingredients. After all, isn't the aim to keep things fresh rather than introduce toxins?
Traditional cleaning products are often filled with harmful substances such as phosphates, chlorine bleach and ammonia – all things that can cause skin irritation and respiratory problems in humans and pets.
Moreover, when washed down the drain, these nasties can contaminate our waterways and harm aquatic life. Eco-friendly ingredients, on the other hand, are safe for humans, pets and the environment. They're biodegradable and do not contribute to water or air pollution. Plus, most of them are readily available at home or at your local grocery store.
However, the best reason to choose eco-friendly ingredients is that they are just as powerful and effective at cleaning. Let's take a look at the best 10 eco-friendly ingredients for cleaning.
Top 10 eco-friendly ingredients for cleaning
1. Vinegar
This versatile cleaner can be used to clean windows, countertops, bathroom tiles, and even floors. Its acidic nature helps break down grime and dirt effectively.
2. Baking soda
Baking soda is a mild abrasive that will scrub away tough stains on surfaces like sinks or bath tubs without scratching them. It also neutralises odours making it an excellent way to keep your fridge smelling fresh.
3. Lemon juice
The citric acid in lemon juice is a powerful cleaner that can remove hard-water stains and soap scum. And, you're always guaranteed a pleasant citrus-y scent.
4. Castile soap
Castile soap is a vegetable-based soap that is free from synthetic ingredients or animal fats. It's biodegradable, gentle on the skin and reliable at cleaning.
5. Olive oil
Olive oil isn't just for cooking; it's also an excellent natural polish for wooden furniture. It also makes a great vegan substitute for beeswax.
6. Salt
Salt acts as a mild abrasive cleaner perfect for scrubbing pots and pans without damaging their surface. Mix it with other ingredients, such as vinegar, to really scrub up.
7. Essential oils
Essential oils have great properties that makes them ideal for adding to homemade cleaners. For instance, tea tree oil is naturally antibacterial while also introducing a pleasant scent into your home.
8. Borax
Borax is a natural mineral that boosts laundry detergent’s cleaning power and helps remove stains from carpets or upholstery.
9. Vodka
This ingredient is more than just a tipple, you can also use it to add a little shine to glass and mirrors. It makes a great odourless disinfectant too – tip some into the bucket the next time you mop the floor to leave your floors gleaming. You can also add some essential oils for a fresh scent.
10. Cornstarch
Cornstarch can be used to clean windows or mirrors without leaving streaks behind; it also absorbs oil stains on fabrics or carpets effectively.
How to use these eco-friendly ingredients?
Using eco-friendly ingredients for cleaning is simple! Here's how:
- For an all-purpose cleaner mix equal parts vinegar and water
- To make a scrubbing paste combine baking soda with a little water
- A few drops of lemon juice added to vinegar makes a great window cleaner
- Mix olive oil with lemon juice for a natural furniture polish
- Add essential oils to any homemade cleaners for added antibacterial properties and fragrance
Clean up the Bower way!
At Bower our ingredients use essential oils rather than toxic synthetic perfumes. We have other naturally derived ingredients too, such as SLES or ALS derived from natural oils (such as coconut oil) rather than toxic SLS, biodegradable cellulose in our eco-sponges and eco-cloths made with coconut fibre.