Common household cleaners may leave behind a residue of chemicals and synthetic compounds that can cause allergies, asthma, eye and skin irritation and other illnesses. Some ingredients in conventional cleaners are also known carcinogens and can cause endocrine or hormonal disturbances in the body and central nervous system disorders.
These include chemicals such as napathene and paradichlorobenzene in toilet bowl cleaners, dioxane in glass cleaners, toluene in furniture polish and formaldehyde in room and carpet deodorizers.
Household cleaners may also not be good the environmental health; chemicals in these cleaners are air polluters and many are not biodegradable, meaning they remain in the water and soil indefinitely – and in our food and bodies.
Make Non-Toxic Green Cleaners At Home
Make toxin free and environmentally friendly cleaners with simple and safe kitchen ingredients. Homemade natural cleaners save money and help to reuse plastic and glass bottles. Some of these easy to make cleaners can be prepared in larger batches and stored. Be sure to store homemade cleaners safely and label the bottles.
Glass cleaner: This multipurpose cleaner can also be used on stainless appliances and counter tops of any material. Mix all ingredients for this organic glass cleaner in a regular spray bottle and store safely.
- 2 cups of water
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons of liquid detergent
A general spray cleaner that is antibacterial and can be safely used on all surfaces throughout the house can be made with hot water to cut through grease better or made with cold water and stored for weeks of use. The tea tree oil increases its natural antibacterial strength.
- 4 liters of waters
- ½ cup pure soap
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- A few drops of vinegar or tea tree oil
Environmental and Health Friendly Drain and Stove Cleaners
Drain cleaners are among the harshest chemical cleaners and the acids in them can cause skin, eye and lung burns from their fumes alone. This natural drain cleaner uses edible ingredients and is easy to do.
Pour ½ cup vinegar, 4 tablespoons baking soda and 4 teaspoons salt down a clogged drain. Cover and wait for 30 minutes and then pour a pot full of boiling water down the drain. To clean drains weekly, pour down a ½ cup of vinegar and let sit for at least 30 minutes before allowing water to empty into the drain.
Oven cleaners also have harsh corrosive action that is harmful for the health and even damages the interior lining and polish of stoves over time. Baking soda mixed with non-toxic dishwashing soap works well to clean ovens and stoves.
For very hard to remove baked on messes in the oven, place a metal cake pan filled with water in the center shelf and turn the oven on until the water has evaporated. As soon as the oven cools down enough to touch. wipe it clean with a coarse sponge and the baking soda mixture. The steam cleaning should make cleaning easy.
Mold and mildew cleaning often involves harsh bleach cleaners. Make a natural mold remover by mixing 2 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of tea tree or eucalyptus oil and store in a spray bottle. Spray on the affected area and leave on. Vinegar also helps to kill mold and mildew spores.
Related Articles:
- Make Your Own Biodegradable Laundry Detergent
- Mold Spray on Furniture Causing Skin Rashes
- Causes of Atopic Eczema
Reference:
- Cornell University: Breast Cancer - The Estrogen Connection (Accessed March 20, 2010)
GOG101
Noreen Kassem - Noreen Kassem is a hospital doctor based in London, UK. She has extensive experience in clinical research and an undergraduate honors ...
