Welcome back to another of what we like to call “Bluefox blogs.” Today’s topic, “Green Cleaners” and why you should be using them to clean your home. Now what exactly does “green” mean? In our book we refer to green as non harsh plant derived cleaners(or chemicals). Another way to put it would be “Eco Friendly.” So why should you be using these cleaners in your home? Well stick around because it’s about to get green up here.
Chemicals.. Let’s start off by talking about chemicals. We all hear the term thrown around quite a bit, but what are they in their nature? “Chemical – a compound or substance that has been purified or prepared, especially artificially.” This means that the atoms or molecules mixed together = you guessed it, a chemical. Now all chemicals are not treated equally. In fact, some chemicals can cause some serious problems. There are a ton of cleaning products that are filled with toxic chemicals. Take Butoxyethanol as an example. It’s a common ingredient in multi-purpose cleaners and window sprays. You may recognize it by its sweet, slightly floral scent. It is a glycol ether solvent that helps break down dirt and oil.
Extended exposure to 2-butoxyethanol can cause high-grade liver and kidney damage, narcosis, and pulmonary edema. Yeah, I don’t want that around your pets or kids. Moving on we’ll talk about the chemicals you should be looking for on the bottle.
The Good.. So, after the harsh reality, that the chemicals you’re currently using to clean your home are slowly killing you, there’s a bright light at the end of the tunnel. There are companies that have made manufacturing non toxic natural cleaners their life’s work. These are a list of natural cleaning staples.
- Soap Water
- Baking Soda
- Vinegar
- Lemon Juice
- Borax
Some companies that make clean green cleaning products are.
All of these companies have undergone rigorous testing to be certified and label their products as “Green” products. Check the aisle next time you’re at the grocer and find one of these reputable names on the shelf.
Sale Pitch Aside.. Ok, so sales pitch aside, why do you need to be using no harsh chemicals? For one, if you have a pet in the house, using bleach on your floors is a terrible idea. Bleach can cause a whole host of problems that will end up in bringing your dog to the clinic. This is Exacerbated worse if you have toddlers around. Chemicals like bleach and ammonia can cause serious sickness in adults. Toddlers immune systems are verk weak and even trace amounts of toxic chemicals like ammonia can cause serious sickness and respiratory issues. Finding a cleaning product seems like a simple enough job, just be sure to choose the products that fit your lifestyle.
Cleaning Companies.. The last topic in today’s talk will be about cleaning companies. Have you hired a cleaning company, or are thinking about hiring a cleaning company? What kind of cleaners do they use? Do they advertise clean chemicals? Be sure to find out these answers beforehand so you don’t have any nasty surprises when they leave. A lot of cleaning companies have graduated towards using natural cleaners, but they cost more and usually are quiet as effective.
So there you have it, that’s our spill on natural cleaning products. You should be using them for your own health and safety. Take a little extra time to vet the cleaning product before you buy it. Thank you for coming to our TED talk, Sonayra!
