Clean your home and yourself without polluting the environment.

Most commercially available cleaning products contain chemicals not found in nature. Many of them are harmless, but some are not, and it’s important to know the difference so you can choose accordingly.

Hazardous chemicals can negatively affect both human health and the environment. When buying commercial cleaners, avoid chlorine and phosphates. Both can contaminate local freshwater supplies, impacting on soil and aquatic ecosystems. Manufacturers often use chlorine bleach to whiten paper pulp, such as in toilet paper and paper towel, during production. It’s also often found in liquid cleaners. Phosphates are most commonly found in laundry detergents, dishwashing detergents and tile or porcelain cleaners.

They don’t make cleaning products like they used to

Before the arrival of commercial cleaning products, our ancestors got by just fine with traditional cleaners such as bi-carb soda, lemon, white vinegar, pure soap and plain old hot water.

Bi-carb soda is a lightly abrasive general-purpose cleaner. It can be used for odours, white surfaces, removing grease from fabrics and cleaning pots or pans.

White vinegar is mildly antiseptic and good for dissolving grease. This makes it great for cleaning glass, toilets and floors.

Pure soap is 100 per cent biodegradable, making it perfect for washing dishes and cleaning clothes.

Lemon dissolves soap scum and hard water deposits. It’s also great at making things shine, so use it on brass, copper and sinks.

Hot water is good for everything, but particularly so for washing dishes and floors as it melts hard to dislodge fats.