Wouldn’t it be nice to clean your house with things that are also clean themselves? And by that, we mean: without chemical additives and good for people and the environment. If you found these cleaners in Hobart but also want to start with sustainable cleaning or have been working on it for a while: these are our tips for sustainable cleaning.
If you start with sustainable cleaning, the first step is to avoid aggressive cleaning agents in the future. For example, do not use bleach, this contains chlorine and is very bad for the environment. Regular cleaning with a natural soap or an all-purpose cleaner is equally hygienic and less harmful to the environment. In addition, avoid chemical unblocking agents. Choose the suction cup or regular soda granules that you pour hot water over to unclog a clogged drain.
The second step is to delve into products to use in sustainable cleaning. In the beginning, it is sometimes a bit of a search for the right products, but in most supermarkets nowadays you can certainly find something sustainable. Think of brands like Klok, Sophie Green, or Marcel’s Green Soap. In our Sustainable Home Cleaning Guide, we list green options for cleaning products, detergents, and air fresheners.
Then: the air quality in your home. Due to chemical cleaners and building materials that ‘exhale’ toxic substances, the air quality inside can sometimes be much worse than outside. In addition, the new houses are often extremely well insulated and are therefore pot-tight. It is therefore good to air your house regularly and to open your window when you go to sleep.
The remedies of that time still work. Acidic cleaning products are indispensable in the household. That’s because the acid can dissolve soap residues and lime. Many well-known cleaning products, therefore, contain an acid. That can be a strong acid such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid. Or a weak acid, for example, ecological vinegar or citric acid.
Hydrochloric acid is the substance that we usually find in commercial descalers for household appliances and in aggressive descalers for toilet bowls. Descalers with hydrochloric acid are very corrosive products that are extremely irritating to the skin. Bottom Line: Use natural acids like lemon and vinegar for sustainable cleaning. These are the safest to use and the least harmful to the environment. You can also clean a lot with baking soda.
Get rid of that air freshener with artificial odors that are bad for the environment. Bring flowers and plants into your home that spread a nice smell and filter the air. Furthermore, a number of ecological brands have natural air fresheners. You can also buy a fragrance diffuser where you put water and essential oil for a pleasant smell in your home. Please note that the fragrance diffuser is made of durable material.
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Detergent can also often be more durable. In the Sustainable Home Cleaning Guide, we list a number of green detergents that contain natural ingredients and take the environment into account. In addition to more sustainable detergent, you can also look at so-called washing eggs. Ecological washing eggs are made from recycled plastic and contain granules that make detergent unnecessary. That saves plastic and it is also budget-proof since you can usually do about 60 to 70 washes with a washing egg.
Microfibre wipes may not be a natural product, but they last a very long time – about 600 cleanings – which we think makes them preferable to cotton wipes or disposable wipes. With a microfiber cloth, you can clean quickly and thoroughly with a little detergent and they can be used both wet and dry. Very versatile for sustainable cleaning! In addition, there are also more and more green options when it comes to microfiber cloths, such as this one or this one from HEMA.
Another sustainable tip is to always adhere to the dosing instructions on the label of the detergent or detergent. In practice, far too much detergent is often used. This is wasteful and also causes streaking and stickiness, which means that cleaning must be done again. Pay extra attention to concentrated products because the chance of overdose here is quite high.
Chemical cleaning is usually done with the substance perchloroethylene; this substance is very harmful to the environment. However, a number of dry cleaners clean chlorine-free (including the dry cleaners from Albert Heijn and Hangers Cleaners). We are also working on less harmful cleaning methods, such as with CO2 or wet cleaning with soap and water.
A more general tip to clean your home is to decorate your home accordingly. This is especially true if you have a house designed or have your own house that you can make adjustments to. Think of the use of materials, no unnecessary corners, or, for example, a ‘floating’ kitchen. You can do this in consultation with an architect.
