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Everyone in the world today is aware of the precarious state of the environment. Most folks are keen to do their part to lessen our impact on the planet, but knowing what that part is and how to implement it, can be tricky.One way you can help is by switching out the cleaning products you’ve got stored in the pantry or under the kitchen sink for an array of environmentally friendly products.It doesn’t have to be done in one fell swoop, nor do you have to make the products yourself. You can make the change gradually, as you learn about what works on which surface in your home, and later consider preparing the products yourself.We have some ideas for you on this front, suggestions about how you can do two vital things in the battle for a cleaner environment: First, stop putting toxic chemicals into the earth and in the water (which is what we do, let’s be honest, every time we use bleach to clean the bathroom). And, second, start using products that cause no harm to the soil, the air, or the water.It is the very least we can do for our children, right? And our grandchildren, who may, at the rate things are going, inherit an almost uninhabitable planet by 2050, according to experts.So, let’s get on with the subject of helping, not hindering, our earth’s health and well-being.
1- Stop Using Air Fresheners & Open The Windows
Letting fresh air blow into your home is one way to lessen yucky pet smells and other odors. Instead of masking those smells with artificial ones, like a floral or lavender air freshener, simply open the windows and let in the breeze.This reduces dust as well as strong odors. If you aren’t in a high-rise apartment with sealed windows, crank them as wide open as you can and let Mother Nature work her magic!
If you don’t have the time to mix up your own solutions, or you aren’t inclined to do so at the moment, not to worry; plenty of manufacturers are now making and selling environmentally friendly products of their own.Businesses read consumer trends and study their spending habits, and they know that their customers want to choose cleaning solutions that don’t negatively impact the planet. Rather than leaving their customers to “fend for themselves” and lose market share, these companies now offer a wide range of products, everything from bathroom tile scrubs to laundry detergent, that are free of toxic chemicals.
3- Replace Your Current Supply Slowly
If you’re hesitating about making the switch because you’re unsure how eco-friendly products perform, you need to start slowly. When you run out of one item – an all-purpose cleaner, for example – choose to replace it with a store-bought product that’s certified eco-friendly.Or make your own and see if you’re pleased with its performance. Recipes for homemade cleansers abound online, but if you’ve got white vinegar, baking soda and fresh lemons at home, you’ve got the ingredients of a terrific all-purpose cleaning solution on hand.
4- Remember: This Isn’t Just About Using Safer Products
It is also important that you stop using certain products completely. Bleach sales are plummeting, for example, because people are so much more aware of the damage it does to the environment. Rather than using it on laundry day, added to a load of whites in the washing machine, just leave out the bleach entirely.If you aren’t happy with the cleanliness level of your whites, add a bit of Borax, (sodium borate) which softens water and boosts your washing machine power without causing environmental damage. You can even do colours with a bit of Borax to boost their brightness safely, too.
5- Baking Soda As an All-Purpose Wonder Product!
Okay, maybe it’s not a miracle cleaner, but it’s not just for baking anymore, either. Baking soda and white vinegar combined to make an excellent bathtub cleanser and cause no damage whatsoever. Baking soda sprinkled on smelly carpets, then left for 20 minutes before vacuuming, does a terrific job getting stale, malodorous rugs fresh again.It’s an inexpensive, versatile ingredient in many homemade cleaning solutions, so pull it out of the pantry and start researching its many uses.
6- Speaking Of Research…
We aren’t suggesting you should toss out all your cleaning products and dive into the switch unprepared. You’re reading this article, and that’s an excellent first step!There are plenty of websites and online resources to help you make the change. You can make the switch gradually, as your supply of cleaning products diminishes, or you can go all in and toss the offending items all at once. How you approach this depends, in part, on your personality and preferences when starting any new endeavour. What matters is that you do make the change, preferably sooner rather than later!
7- Bringing In Plants Is Good For More Than Your Decor
Having a garden indoors is a great way to help clean the air in your home, as plants help rid the air of harmful gasses like carbon monoxide. According to Live Science, an online magazine dedicated to all manner of major scientific insights and minor, fun trivia, plants do indeed make the air in your house or apartment cleaner. By how much is still a subject of considerable debate, but why not add some greenery and ditch the chemical air fresheners?
8- Read Labels When You Start Switching Products
Most eco-friendly cleaning solutions are what they say they are and contain vinegar, fresh lemon, and other ingredients that don’t harm the earth. Still, it’s important that you read labels and are certain that the products you’ve chosen are indeed safe and non-toxic.A quick way to know is by looking for a label marked “DfE,” which stands for “Designed for the Environment” Manufacturers must meet certain strict criteria to obtain this label issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States. For more details, check out the agency’s website and learn more.
9- Check Your Local Health Food & Bulk Supply Store For Products
If you can’t find cleaning supplies that meet your new standards at a local grocery store, head to your organic food shop or bulk food store. These outlets often sell environmentally friendly products of all types, including cleaning supplies. And if you’ve decided to make your solutions at home, they will have everything you need, like baking soda and white vinegar.They often carry essential oils, too, so if you want a drop of lavender in your household cleaner because it smells so good, you can buy everything in one place! And buying in bulk reduces packaging that has to be tossed out or recycled, which adds another angle to your new, environmental warrior self! Once you make one change, more just seem to naturally follow.
Wrapping Up!
Everyone knows that saving the planet is hard work, and sometimes folks feel as though the struggle is too large for any one individual to undertake. But just as it takes a village to raise a child, as the saying goes, it takes a world of people to save a planet, and each of us must do our part. Taken together, all these small changes add up to very profound improvements for our society and our planet. Making the switch to eco-friendly cleaning products is not as intimidating a process as you may think. Whether you do it gradually or you decide, one fine morning, to rid yourself of every toxic product in the house is entirely up to you. Like we said earlier, what matters is that you do it, preferably before 2022 begins!You’ll be amazed at how wonderful you’ll feel when you make even one small change in this regard. Before you know it, you’ll be thinking about buying an electric vehicle or aiming for a zero-waste household by next summer!It’seasy to get excited about the potential we all have for change, and good changes for Mother Earth mean our grandchildren will inherit a planet we are proud to have kept for them. Opting to switch to environmentally friendly cleaning products is just the first in a long list of harm reduction practices we all need to make.Our brand recommendation for this topic is Seventh Generation. I’ve always been impressed by Seventh Generation’s social commitments and transparency with their ingredients, and my recommendations in this article are based on personal experience for the products below, including their Dish Soap Liquid, Hand Soap, Paper Towels and Laundry detergent. Please check them out down here ⇓SG Dish Soap Liquid.….…SG Paper Towels.….….……SG Laundry Deter.….….…..SG Hand SoapWe are all in this together, and together we can make our planet healthier!
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