If you're selling your home in the spring, now is the time to clear out the winter clutter in preparation for the big move. Part of that process will be the inevitable ‘spring clean’ and the extra sunlight at this time of year may be deceptively revealing.
With mounting evidence that we all need to make positive changes to protect our planet from further damage and degeneration caused by toxic gases and chemicals, it’s more important than ever to do everything we can to help. But you don't need to make drastic changes to have a big impact. One of the easiest things to do is to simply switch your daily cleaning supplies to more sustainable products.
Doing so can also save you money and reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals in your home, helping to protect not only the planet but also your family’s health.
Let's take a look at some of the benefits of switching to sustainable cleaning.
Fewer toxins
The chemicals we use to clean our homes typically contain toxins such as phthalates, chlorine and ammonia. These are dangerous to both nature and human health, as they release fumes and contain allergens known to cause respiratory issues, chemical burns, and allergic reactions and they are also poisonous if ingested.
Even if you use gloves when cleaning, inhaling the fumes from these cleaners can aggravate your lungs, and even once washed away, the chemicals continue to contaminate our water sources and negatively affect marine life.
Children are naturally curious, and with around 15 toddlers being admitted to hospital every day with accidental poisoning in the UK, it makes sense to have as few dangerous chemicals as possible in our homes. For families, switching to non-toxic cleaning products seriously reduces the risk of harm to our children.
Eco-friendly cleaners are also better for those with pets, who are likely to ingest small amounts of our cleaning chemicals after walking on surfaces and then washing. Another benefit for animal lovers is that green cleaning products are usually vegan and aren’t tested on animals.
Reduce waste
It's important to look not only at the contents of our household cleaners but also at the containers they come in as well as the tools we typically use with them. All of these elements pose a problem to our planet by contributing to environmental issues. By switching to more sustainable recycled plastic and refillable bottles, we can help to reduce the overload of plastic waste that pollutes our land and oceans.
Using wooden tools, coconut fibre scourers and reusable cloths instead of disposable ones helps to reduce the amount of cleaning products in our landfills and reduce your carbon footprint. Each small change helps massively to reduce our contribution to the depletion of the ozone layer and global climate change.
When looking for sustainable alternatives, be sure to verify any green claims made by the companies as not all of them are as eco-friendly as they may appear to be. Greenwashing is a term used for companies that claim to have ethical standards but fall short of their promises throughout their production processes. Look for products that are zero-waste and are produced ethically to be sure you are making the right changes to your cleaning routine.
Save money
Whilst many companies are making more environmentally friendly cleaning products, you can also make your own household cleaners with simple kitchen ingredients such as baking soda and essential oils. Not only are natural cleaners safer, but they are also cheaper than many chemical cleaners and can have equal results, so you can have a clean and shiny home whilst being environmentally friendly.
Rather than buying cleaning cloths, using old towels or clothes instead is a great way to repurpose old fabrics and save money. Essential oils are excellent for cleaning, with many possessing natural antibacterial properties. Lemon, eucalyptus and tea tree oils all are brilliant for cleaning and also offer the benefit of aromatherapy as you clean, uplifting your mood and promoting well-being.
Positive changes
As you can see, there are many benefits to switching from harsh chemicals to natural, eco-friendly cleaning products. From protecting your family and pets from the dangerous toxins of standard cleaning products to helping to stop the deterioration of the planet and our environment, there is little reason not to make the change as soon as possible. Of course, throwing away all of your cleaning products and spending money to replace everything is not a very economical option. Instead, simply replace and upgrade your supplies to green alternatives as they break or run out.
