In addition to our helpful hints on how to clean your home in an eco-friendly manner, we also thought it would be worthwhile to include some exclusive industry insights from leading members of the green cleaning community. From fellow homeowners and landlords to leading eco-friendly cleaning product manufacturers, environmental researchers and cleaning experts, here are their recommendations on the best ways to introduce green cleaning practices within your daily life.
"Kitchen roll may be handy, but it’s a non-renewable paper product. You’ll be saving trees (and money) by re-using cloth rags instead. Cut up old clothes and towels into rags that you can use again and again. Re-usable sponges and mops are also more eco-friendly than kitchen roll" - Cleanapedia.
"What many people don’t know is that lavender oil is actually a very effective antibacterial product...Create your own antibacterial spray by mixing 20 drops of lavender oil with a cup full of water. Keep in a spray bottle and use as necessary. There’s no need to wipe or rinse – just allow to dry naturally...Soak cotton balls in lavender oil and leave by doors and windows to deter bugs from entering the home" - Cleanapedia.
" Labels indicate the maximum temperature to wash clothes, not the exact number. In fact, according to the UK Energy Saving Trust, choosing to wash at 30 degrees rather than at higher temperatures uses around 40% less energy. High temperatures are good, however, for sanitizing towels and bedding –read on for the best temperature to wash towels" - Persil Sustainability Blog.
"Choose products with less packaging and avoid disposable, single-use products: From the moment of purchase, you can often choose a product which will generate less waste. You will save raw materials and help to cut down on the pollution generated through the production process. You can also save money!" - European Week For Waste Reduction.
"Most conventional detergents contain an ingredient called optical brighteners. This is a chemical which reflects light, making your clothes and linens look brighter or whiter than they really are. But don’t be fooled! This effect is just an optical illusion: it doesn’t have anything to do with removing dirt. Instead, optical brighteners leave traces of chemicals behind on your fabrics that neither you nor the environment need. Optical brighteners are what scientists call persistent chemicals. They’re the nastiest ones because they never biodegrade" - Ecover green cleaning supplier.
"Most washing up liquids have foam boosters added but the extra bubbles they give don’t actually do a better job. The real trouble with bubbles is what you don’t see, foam boosters don’t biodegrade very well and fish don’t really like that!" - Ecover green cleaning supplier.
"Aerosol air fresheners contribute to, rather than reduce, indoor air pollution, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)....the chemicals that create the aerosol effect are bad for the environment, in particular the ozone...Carefully estimate the amount of product you need to complete a particular job and buy only that much. Avoid “super” sizes or bundled aerosol products" - Mother Nature Network.
"Avoid or at least minimize your use of products labelled with the words "warning," "poison," "flammable," or "corrosive"—terms that suggest the use of harmful ingredients" - Healthy Home article.
"Choose fragrance-free cleaners. Delivering a scent can take a bunch of chemicals—many of which can irritate skin or lungs and may be deemed toxic or hazardous by the EPA" - Healthy Home article.