When facing off against mess and germs in your house, many times we just want to grab every possible cleaning detergent we can to throw at the problem. This is especially the case when pets leave a mess, we are surprised by a cockroach in the kitchen or flu is being passed around the household like a plague. But have you ever thought about the effects certain chemicals can have on your health? First of all, you should know that despite how effective a lot of cleaning products are, they are mostly toxic. In some instances — lethal. Not to mention, combining and mixing them together makes it even worse, and a lot of people do this at home. This is why so many come with warning labels and poison contact phone numbers. Just because you have two or more strong detergents that manage to clean the house, it does not mean you’re health is clean. Don’t get ahead of yourself just yet. Mixing can lead to irritated airways, skin burns, burning eyes, throat, nose and lungs. Some cleaning products, when mixed together can even cause respiratory problems, damage the nervous system, kidney, liver and worse of all — it can cause death. Sounds extreme but just think, some of the surfaces you spray cleaning products in your kitchen are the same surfaces the food you eat are placed. Know this, smoking as much as 20 cigarettes a day is apparently not the only way in the world to kill your lungs. Home cleaning sprays (if used on a regular) can do the same. A recent
study conducted by the Department of Clinical Science at the University of Bergen, Norway followed 6,000 individuals and monitored them over a span of 20 years. Scientists found that women, in particular, suffered apparent health issues after a prolonged use of chemical cleaning products. With that, we’re sharing with you some non-toxic cleaning essentials that we think you can use for your Spring cleaning escapade.
Here’s our top 5 pick for non-toxic cleaning:
| 1. White Magic, Eco-cleaning products that defy harsh chemicals
White Magic is one of those brands that goes eco all the way. From developing
micro-fibre cloths to packaging them in materials that are from recyclable cardboard with soy bean ink. A natural and sustainable resource. Every year people spend over $100 worth of cleaning products that contain harsh chemicals. A lot of times the chemicals can trigger asthma. Sure cleaning is important but at what price? Speaking of Asthma, this Australian brand is a proud supporter of Asthma Australia. They donate a percentage of all White Magic sales that are used to support community education programs and a big reason why they do is that Asthma is something the owners of this brand have the first-hand experience in. Some of our favourite White Magic products are their
eco-cloth. It can pick up bacteria and leaves no harmful residue using just water. Cleaning detergents that are used with normal cloth on the other hand, especially after cleaning can still leave residues that may be toxic even after wiping. Eco-Cloths are not the only products that you can get from this brand. You can find other cleaning tools that are made specifically to clean all areas of the house such as a bathroom brush, dish brush, wet & dry mop, and cleaning liquids.
Buy: White Magic Cleaning Products
| 2. You’re not buying cleaning cloths, you’re buying chemical-free cleaning - E-Cloth
Chemical free cleaning is what this UK brand prides itself on. We must say, that it does hold to its promises. E-Cloths has 3.1 million microfibers per inch. Because the cloth is made of polyester and nylon, it doesn’t absorb anything. In fact, water, oil, grease and other residue get trapped in the fibres. So the more fibres, the better the cloth functions. Similar to White Magic, you don’t need any cleaning liquids. All you need is water. And if you’re sceptical of using the same cloth for the same areas of the house, E-Cloth has a wide range for specific areas in your home. Plus, with this cloth 99% of the bacteria you wipe off your dirty surface will be picked up. It won’t kill them, it will collect. All you need to do is rinse it in hot water and everything on that cloth; oil, grease, grime, bacteria will be drained away. This way, all of those nasties won’t have a chance to transfer back onto any cleaned surface.
Buy: E-Cloth Cleaning Products
| 3. Soapberries cleans, brightens and whitens your clothes naturally
There’s no need to use toxic and harmful chemicals when washing your clothes. Here at Everten, we stock up on natural soapberries that can be used to wash clothes. There’s a
story behind these berries. It all started when Luke Borda was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma before turning 25. His wife, Talia was dead set on making a commitment to change the way her family lived in order to eliminate chemical exposure as much as possible; and washing her family’s clothes with non-toxic detergents would be the right thing to do.
Soapberry facts: Soapberries are made from
Sapindus Mukorossi trees that can be found in the Himalayan region. The dried shell is full of
Saponin where when added with water, it produces a natural soapy consistency that can be an alternative to the laundry detergents that usually contains harsh chemicals. Before these berries arrive in Australia, they are grown without toxic sprays and are not treated using chemicals in any way. As a responsible brand, That Red House donates a portion of their profits to Grow Nepal, a charity foundation that is dedicated to enhancing the living standards of Nepalese communities.
Qualities of the soapberries you’ll love: It is easy on the skin, especially for anyone suffering from skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and other common skin sensitivities. Kids and babies will love them too and with good reason. It is because the Soapberries don’t contain any artificial fragrances and it doesn’t leave any fabric residues that could irritate your skin. What’s fantastic about them is that they are also long-lasting and multifunctional. This means you can use these Soapberries to clean your kitchen and bathroom. All you have to do is boil the berries to create the liquid. Then strain them in water and fill into a spray bottle and use around the house.
Buy: That Red House 100% Natural Homekeeping and Laundry Products
| 4. Drying your dishes with Nawrap Binchotan Dishcloths
@Nawrap
We can all agree that sometimes, we’d rather let the wet dishes air dry (the path of least resistance, right?). But let's not make it a habit. Often, we tend to shove the dishes into the kitchen cabinet with a little bit of moisture left in there. The water will (silently) evaporate in the cabinet leaving a tiny pool of water in your dishes. Not a pretty sight when you pull out your dishes the next time. So if you had to use a cloth, don’t just get any cloth. Consider the
Nawrap Binchotan Dishclothes, made with charcoal-infused material. It’s made with a unique 6-layer weave process and the fabric is 100% natural Rayon Yarn. Something you seldom see outside of Japan. The key quality we want you to know here is that, due to the dish cloth’s natural material, it has antibacterial and anti-odour properties, and on top of that, it is very absorbent.
Binchotan: A Japanese oak charcoal. Also known to be the highest grade charcoal in the world.
Colours available: Pistachio,
coral, and
aqua. Care Tips: The fabrics will become softer with frequent use. To achieve softness fast, dip in hot water for 5 minutes. When cleaning it, avoid applying bleach and never use the dryer.
Buy: Nawrap Kitchen Dishcloth & Towels
| 5. Use Full Circle spray cleaning bottle with a built-in juicer
If you fancy making a DIY cleaning detergent, you’re definitely going to need a cleaning bottle. One that’s going to help you add a natural scent into your cleaning detergent mix. Behold, the
Full Circle Come Clean Natural Cleaning Spray Bottle. This sturdy 600ml spray bottle has a built-in juicer allowing you to squeeze out fresh citrus for an all natural scent. Like you, we love making our own cleaning detergents, especially when we make them using vinegar! Granted, its Grandma’s famous cleaning staple invention. From showerheads to soapy heads, microwaves to
copper pots and pans, vinegar (specifically distilled white vinegar) is adaptable and safe for the environment compared to store-bought cleaners. Not to mention, it’s also remarkably inexpensive.
Try these simple DIY vinegar cleaning mix:
Clean the windows: Blend equal parts of distilled white vinegar and water. Apply on the window with a micro-fibre cloth. We personally prefer using
White Magic Eco Cloth or
E-Cloth. Use a squeegee to wipe clean. (Keep in mind to wet the
squeegee blade first so it won’t skip).
Remove wine stains: In order to remove stains from fabrics like cotton, polyester or permanent press fabrics, sponge wipe with white distilled vinegar directly onto the stained area until it completely disappears. You can launder it but be sure to follow directions from the care label.
Remove antiperspirant and deodorant stains: Use white distilled vinegar and rub it at the underarms of a light-coloured or white clothing and launder as usual.
Hands with fruit stains: To remove fruit stain, use vinegar to wash your berry-stained hands.
Buy: Full Circle Come Clean Natural Cleaning Spray Bottle (600ml), $19.95
Found this guide useful? You might find more cleaning ideas from our recent article,
Clean into Spring: Top 10 Ideas to Purge The Mess at Home
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We're inspired by conversations on Everten Love to Cook and we're sharing with you tips and tricks so you can make the best decisions before shopping with us. Everten Love to Cook supports our readers with product recommendations that can help improve lives at home. Prices for products listed above are accurate at the time of publish and prices may be subject to changes.
