Cleaning products often house a menagerie of chemicals hazardous to both human health and to the environment. There are currently no government regulations to force manufacturers to list the ingredients of cleaning products and even ‘eco-friendly’ products can use misleading terminology.
“Across the continent, there are more than 75000 chemicals in use in industry. Yet barely 10 per cent of those ingredients have been fully tested for their health and environmental effects. That means there’s still a lot we don’t know. But where we do know that a toxic chemical ingredient can cause serious health effects, it’s important to take action and make changes.” 1
Among the hazards of many cleaning products, the ingredients have been shown to contain carcinogens and have therefore been linked as a contributing factor to the rise in cancer cases since World War Two. Other ingredients have been found to have a cumulative effect on health, even if the initial and subsequent exposures are minimal, leading to allergies and disease, particularly asthma, liver disease and kidney damage.
Ingredients of these cleaning products have also proven harmful to reproduction, affecting both the female and the male reproductive systems and can affect the unborn foetus, especially during susceptible stages of development.
Such products are contaminants to the environment, contributing to water pollution and ingestion by aquatic life, in turn leading to detrimental effects for the animals feeding off that sea life in an ever-damaging cycle.
Eliminating these products means better health for you and your family as well as improving the environment through the encouragement of cleaner water, cleaner air and a reduction in energy costs through decreased demand for the production of hazardous products.
DIY Cleaning Products
Health and environmentally-conscious cleaning products are easy to make with readily available ingredients and are often just as effective to use. Here are a few options:
Kitchen Bacteria
Pour white vinegar into a spray bottle and use on bench-tops, cupboards, refrigerator, stove and microwave. The acid in the vinegar kills most bacteria, removes and keeps mould at bay and removes odour and stains.
General Kitchen Cleaning
Use a microfibre cloth or mit, with a little water to wipe down bench-tops, cupboards, tiles, glass and whitegoods. Also use to polish taps, sinks and draining boards.
Note: a microfibre cloth or mit can be purchased from a supermarket or related dealer. Alternatively, make your own from relatively dense polar fleece fabric, available from any fabric store, or recycle from an old polar fleece top.
A microfibre mop, used with a spray of water, is effective for kitchen floors and any tiled or hardwood floors.
Grease Cutter
Vinegar cuts grease and is effective when added to dish washing water. Add a quarter of a cup to your sink load.
Oven Door Cleaner
Clean grease from the inside of an oven door by spraying with white vinegar. Leave to soak for 15 minutes. Wipe clean.
Oven Cleaner
Make a thick paste with baking soda, water and a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid or liquid soap. Rub into the oven and clean with a nylon scouring pad. Rinse off with water and sponge.
Microwave Cleaner
Place a bowl containing 2 cups of water and ½ cup of white vinegar into the microwave and heat on High for 4 minutes, or until boiling. Leave the door closed for five minutes to allow the steam to loosen the grime. Open and wipe clean.
Cream Cleanser / Scourer
Combine ¼ cup of baking soda to a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid. Add white vinegar and mix until thick and creamy. Use on bath-tub rings, soap scum, tiles, bench-top stains and more.
Air Freshener
Pour white vinegar into a spray bottle and spray into the air. Both the odours and the vinegar smell will evaporate. Add a few drops of essential oil to the vinegar, if preferred.
Bathroom Mould
Vinegar has been shown to kill over 80 percent of mould. Pour white vinegar into a spray bottle. Scrub mould areas with water and a scrubbing brush. Spray vinegar onto any remaining mould areas. Rub in with a brush, where necessary, and leave to dry. Repeat the process until all the mould is gone.
The vinegar smell will dissipate within a few hours, depending on how much was used. If you can’t tolerate this smell, add a few drops of an essential oil to the spray bottle.
A paste or solution made from salt and white vinegar removes stubborn mould. Scrub offending areas first, then with a clean cloth, dip it in the mixture and rub into the remaining stain.
General Bathroom Cleaning
Use a microfibre cleaning cloth or mit with a little water to remove soap scum from tiles, basin and shower. (See ‘Note’ under ‘General Kitchen Cleaning’ to purchase or make your own.)
This is also effective for mirrors and glass. Follow through with a cotton cloth to avoid streaking.
The bathroom can also be cleaned with a sponge or brush and a little liquid soap diluted in water.
Dusting
Use a dry microfibre cleaning cloth or mit to dust furniture, glass and electronic screens. (See ‘Note’ under ‘General Kitchen Cleaning’ to purchase or make your own.)
Mould and Mildew on Curtains and Fabrics
Place fabric into the washing machine and add two cups of white vinegar, along with your normal detergent. Wash in a full cycle and hang in the sun to dry as heat also kills mould.
Fabric Stain Remover
To make a pre-wash, fabric stain remover, mix 160ml of water in a spray bottle with 20 ml glycerin and 20 ml liquid dishwashing liquid. Spray stains and place in washing machine to wash as normal.
Glass and Mirrors
Use a microfibre cloth, as described under ‘General Bathroom Cleaning’ or use
vinegar. Pour vinegar into a spray bottle, spray windows and wipe over with a cloth.
Wood Heater Glass Door
Remove black stains from glass doors of wood-burning heaters by spraying with a solution of 50/50 vinegar and water. Wipe clean.
Soften Paintbrushes
Soak brushes in hot vinegar. Rinse.
Paint Splatters on Windows
Spray with vinegar to loosen the paint. Wipe down.
Crayon Marks
To remove crayon marks from painted walls, rub with a little toothpaste and a damp cloth.
Scuff Marks
To remove scuff marks on floors and doors, rub with a little toothpaste and a damp cloth.
Carpet Deodoriser
Sprinkle carpet with baking soda. Leave for at least 15 minutes before vacuuming.
Baking soda can also be used to remove odours in fridges, closets and other areas. Place baking soda in a small bowl and leave to absorb the smells.
Resources
An interactive site, listing chemicals and effects. Enter chemical name to search.
Labour Environmental Alliance Society, Toxic Free Canada Archives
Sources
