Your Guide To Going Green In 2020
Going back to nature and living how our ancestors live is quite a revolutionary idea in the digital era. On the other hand, studies proved the positive effects of organic living which made “going green” a trend for many years.
People began to see the importance of using organic cleaning supplies and realise its long-term advantages and economic benefits. Cleaning supplies can be found in your own kitchen and the idea of not leaving the house to get cleaning materials is very promising. Adriana Aziz Operations Manager at Maidforyou recommends the following for going green in 2020.
Top 3 Natural Cleaning Products
1. Vinegar
Vinegar has natural acidity which is suitable for removing grease, odours, stains and dirt reduction. White vinegar is the best cleaner because it is strong and acidic.
2. Baking soda
Baking soda absorbs bad odour. It is useful to have around as it is also an effective fire extinguisher because it cuts off the oxygen that fuels the fire.
3. Citrus
Citrus has a natural solvent property that cuts through grease and dirt which makes your home smells fresh again. Citrus extracts can also be used to remove stains and dirt.
You will also need essential cleaning materials:
Microfiber cloth
Spray mop
Brushes
Pumice stone
Buckets
Trash bags
Vacuum
Gloves
If you can’t read the label, don’t buy it!
“Nontoxic”, “eco-friendly” and “environmentally-friendly” are the most common labels that we tend to look for when buying cleaning products. You should also consider looking for specific ingredients to achieve the best cleaning effect such as alcohol grain, borax and petroleum-free.
Here are top picks for best cleaning products:
Simple Baking Soda
Mrs Meyers
ECO-ME
Biome
What to do first?
Test
Test the cleaning solution first. Not all surfaces react in the same way. Some homemade cleaning solutions can aggravate surfaces which damages the aesthetics.
Wear gloves
Think of safety first. Always wear gloves when mixing solutions and while cleaning. Allow proper ventilation to get rid of the smell quickly.
Proper Storage is a must!
Keep the cleaning solutions in a safe place. Make sure to label the containers before putting them away.
No to untested combinations
Combining cleaning products such as bleach and ammonia are toxic. Never experiment!
Natural Cleaning Ideas:
Vinegar for cleaning the dishwasher.
Avoid the build-up of food debris, grease and soap scum in your dishwasher by cleaning with vinegar. Place a cup of vinegar in the dishwasher rack. Run the dishwasher with hot water cycle to remove the grease, gunk and food debris. The hot water sterilises the dishwasher and drain and also get rid of the bad smell. It is also recommended to keep the disposal drainage clean to avoid contamination. Cleaning the dishwasher and drain once a month can help improve its efficiency and can keep the dish clean and fresh.
Lemon to eliminate bad odours.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade and make your home smell fresh again!
Lemon is a natural air freshener. The acidity of lemon makes it an effective bad odour eliminator. Chop the peel of lemon and place it in an ice cube tray. Pour 1 and ½ cup of white vinegar on top of the lemon peel and freeze it. Remove the frozen peel from ice tray and place in a plastic freezer bag. Place the freezer bag in the tray to get rid of the garbage smell. You can also place inside the fridge, microwave, bathrooms and even inside your room.
Use baking soda and vinegar to clean the toilet.
Sprinkle baking soda to the toilet and let soak for at least an hour. Pour ½ cup of white vinegar to flush all the dirt and get rid of the foul odour. No need to scrub unless the toilet is filthy. Let baking soda and vinegar do the wonders.
Moreover, you should also pay attention to parts of the house or house items that are often overlooked when cleaning such as:
Underneath the carpet, beds, furniture and appliances
Door frames
Light switches, doorknobs and handles
Top of appliances
Ceiling corners and baseboards
Indoor plants
Coffeemaker
Cleaning tools
Start green cleaning today!
It protects your health and makes the house safer. It doesn’t pose harm to your family and pets and you don’t have to worry about your children’s safety.
It keeps the air in your safe and clean. Commercialised cleaning products have Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) which lingers in the after use and pose a severe threat to your health.
Natural cleaning products are cheap and easy to use. You can find most of them in your kitchen and most procedures are done by dilution. Pretty easy, right?
Lastly, if you opt to use natural cleaning products, there is safety assurance. You are aware of the products that you are using and you are in control of how it is used.