Green up your cleaning routine

Cleaning products are everywhere in our homes and offices, on dishes and cutlery, countertops, furniture, clothing, floors, windows, and floating through the air. In our daily war on dirt and germs we are often making things worse. Most conventional cleaning products on the market are petroleum-based and have dubious health and environmental implications. Instead of opting for cleaning products that annihilate everything in their path, there are plenty of natural products and methods to keep a house clean and smelling fresh, without all the toxic side effects.

Use green cleaning products

As the health and environmental impacts of conventional cleaning products become more thoroughly understood, more and more brands of healthy, green, and effective cleaning products have started hitting the market and competing for that coveted space under your sink. Many of these products are non-toxic, biodegradable, and made from renewable resources, so they are not petroleum based. But if designer labels aren't for you, home-mixed cleaners can also get the job done. Vinegar and baking soda can be used to clean almost anything. Mix in a little warm water with either of these and you've got yourself an all-purpose cleaner.

Avoid poor indoor air quality

It is not uncommon for the air inside a home or office to be more toxic than the air outside. This is because of the presence of toxic materials and substances and the fact that homes and buildings are better insulated than ever before, which is a good thing from an energy standpoint. Keeping windows open as often as possible allows fresh air in, and keeps toxins flowing out. This is especially important when cleaning your home.

Be careful with antibacterial cleaners

The antibacterial and antimicrobial cleaners that many people think are necessary don't actually clean hands better than soap and water. They also add to the risk of breeding super-germs, bacteria that survive the chemical onslaught and have resistant offspring. The US Food and Drug Administration has found that antibacterial soaps and hand cleansers don’t work better than regular soap and water, and should be avoided.

Help your home smell so-da-licious

Baking soda not only removes strange smells coming from your fridge, it's also a great odour-eliminator for your carpet. Just sprinkle on a little baking soda to soak up some of those odours and then vacuum it up

Clean your indoor air naturally

Skip the store-bought air fresheners and instead try boiling cinnamon, cloves, or any other herbs you like. Fresh chocolate chip cookies also have been known to create a friendly aroma. Also, plants may not make your house smell different, but they’re good for filtering interior air and pretty much any broad green leaf plant will do.

Toss toxic cleaners carefully

When replacing your cleaning products, don't just throw the old ones in the rubbish bin. If they're too toxic for your home, they won't be good for the drain or the landfill either. Many communities now have recycling collection points in place and will take these off your hands. Throwing chemicals in the trash or down the drain means they might end up in your water supply and will come back to haunt you one day.

Avoid conventional dry cleaners

Conventional dry cleaners are the largest users of an industrial solvent called perchloroethylene, or perc, which is toxic to humans and also creates chemical smog. Seek out cleaners that use green methods like carbon dioxide cleaning. If you do take clothes to conventional cleaners, be sure to air them outside on the balcony before wearing them or putting them back in the wardrobe.

Leave your toxins at the door

Imagine what's on your shoes at the end of the day. Bringing oil, antifreeze, animal waste, particulate pollution, pollen, and who knows what else into the house is not good news, especially for kids and household pets that spend more time at floor level. Keep the street out of your home with a good doormat or, better still, a shoeless house policy. Less dirt also means less sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming, which means less water, energy, fewer chemicals, and less work for you.

Employ a green household cleaning service

Your free time is precious, so reach out to a company like IHateCleaning.ae and have them clean your home professionally without using toxic chemicals. They can also advise you on the best way to clean difficult items like sofas, curtains and mattresses. IHateCleaning.ae uses environmentally friendly steam cleaners that will banish odours and kill microbes and harmful bacteria, like E. coli, without using any chemicals at all. Book the team from IHateCleaning.ae today.