More and more I’ve become mindful of the products I use in my home. As a person who used to roll my eyes at organic or homeopathic remedies or cleaning agents; recent research has caused me to rethink my stance. The chemicals used in many cleaning products can be so harmful to your health and the environment. The lasting effects of these agents can possibly cause damage to your health. If these agents get into our ground water; we can inadvertently be consuming them as well. So it may be time to consider how we clean our homes and choose products that can be both effective and eco friendly at the same time. Let’s talk about some ways to to be more mindful about how we clean our homes.
Create your own cleaning products
It’s actually possible to make your own effective cleaning products yourself. Using basic soap and water with the addition of a concoction of vinegar and baking soda, you can clean and disinfect most areas of your home. Many of these elements can be found in commercial cleaning products as well but it’s the additional chemicals that can do harm. Making your own cleaning agents gives you the control on what you are introducing to your home and into the environment. Your family’s health is worth the extra trouble.
Re-purpose your waste
If you’ve got a lot of waste coming out of your home, find ways to make use of the things you’d usually just throw away. Find ways to re-purpose things like cardboard boxes you’d normally toss out. Cardboard boxes, tree trimmings, and grass clippings make a great bed underneath garden soil in your planter beds. You can always undo the boxes and stack them neatly in your attic as well. They come in handy for closet clean-outs or to give when friends are moving.
Mindful pest prevention
Some pest control methods are more eco friendly than others. It’s all about what you use to either kill the nest off or prevent the infestation from occurring in the first place. Pesticides can be quite bad for the environment thanks to the ‘runoff’ from them, and a lot of companies will operate without them. But if you want to be truly secure in your pest control methods, use safer solutions that make use of organic soaps and liberally add water to them.
Use fewer disposable materials
Think about using fewer disposable cleaning items. Paper towels, antibacterial wipes, and anything else that’s single use fills up the trash bin very quickly. Try using items like flat sponges that can be used instead. These can be used in place of paper towels then tossed in the dishwasher and reused. It might be a bit less convenient, but it’ll definitely cause less waste.
Cleaning your home in an healthier, more eco friendly way is doable. You just have to do the work.