There are so many little things we can do to keep our homes and businesses clean without nasties, plastic and producing (too much) waste. Here are six ways I try a mix of to clean green. They are easy, not time consuming and tips to keep in the back of your mind when choosing cleaning products and accessories.
- The less ingredients in the products the better.
Why is this important? Because you will understand the ingredients you’re using if there are less to comprehend. This doesn’t mean that cleaners with a list of ingredients aren’t eco friendly, however, the less ingredients you need to look into and research, to ensure they only contain what you are happy to use, the better. - Look for no added filters and cruelty free products.
Often brands will add fillers to bulk out their products to make them ‘cheaper’. In the long run they’re often not cheaper as you have to use more, and they can also cause unwanted reactions. Fillers can be harmful to plant life as well and therefore the water used with these products isn’t grey water safe. As well as being kinder to animals, cruelty free products are often healthier. As products not tested on animals often don’t contain harmful chemicals, they can be better for us and our environments. - Make your own products using on toxic, natural ingredients.
If you’re feeling creative, why not try and make your own cleaning products with simple eco friendly ingredients and accessories, which can often be bought from bulk stores meaning more they are more economical, and you reduce waste. You can also customise products to your individual needs. - Choose reusable over disposable.
Look for alternatives to single use items. For example, cleaning cloths that can be washed and used many times, rather than disposable cloths or wipes. Instead of paper towels, you can get ‘unpaper towels’ now, or simply make your own, or designate particular cloths for wiping spills etc and chucking in a bucket to wash as a load later. - Look for accessories made from natural and compostable materials.
There are so many on the market nowadays. This doesn’t mean throwing out all your plastic and accessories you are using now. However, try replacing them with plastic alternatives that are compostable. I use compostable dish cloths and scourers and bamboo cleaning brushes around the home. - Refill containers where possible.
What is not to love about refills! Using the same containers over and over, resulting in reduced waste and saving money. There are bulk stores and market stalls available to bring your own containers to refill eco household products. There are some delivery services too, and exciting news that I’ll be opening a delivery eco refill service soon!
Small switches can lead to big changes