Hello everybody! Cleaning our homes we use a lot a strong and very harsh chemicals, none of which are of any health benefit to us, actually most cleaning agents may cause us more harm than good. I have 5 tips that will help you quit plastic products, harsh cleaning agents and unnecessary tools. Don’t worry your home will still be as clean and sanitary as always.
1. Ditch that plastic dish washing brush right away. They contain microplastics and they end up in waste incinerators, or in landfills. In short: they do not do anyone any good. As an alternative, you can find brushes in natural materials instead, like wood or bamboo. My personal favourites are from Redecker, a German brand with an incredible selection, and so does Life Without Plastic. However I got most of my brushes through Danish suppliers Bleschu and Maistic.
2. Look for natural soaps, and sustainable packaging. It is not necessarily easy to give advice regarding dish washing liquids and soaps, because the selections differ so much depending on where you live. I have been so lucky to find a Danish dish washing liquid in a glass container, completely plastic free. In the UK I know Ecover has put up refilling stations for their products, which is also pretty neat.
3. If you need a vacuum, find one that does not require a bag. I found my vacuum cleaner second hand and I absolutely love it. My only demand was that it was supposed to be bagless, not only is it way easier and cheaper, but it will also save you a lot of waste in the process as most vacuum bags are made from synthetic materials.
4. Try making your own cleaning agents. it is not nearly as difficult or hippie-ish at it sounds, but actually it may be really beneficial for you. I made my own cleaning agent from vinegar and orange peels, and it works great on all surfaces. Vinegar actually helps to absorb smells, and its own scent will disintegrate into the air, so it will leave your home clean and scent free (which is much healthier than synthetic perfumes.) Watch how I made my cleaning agent here.
5. Use towels, cloths and napkins made from natural fibers. It is a general rule of mine that all the textiles that I was frequently must be natural materials. Why? because synthetics retain microplastics which will ultimately end up in our oceans, in our environment, in animals and my extension: in ourselves. So make it a rule that stuff you clean with are all natural materials, that way you will be able to wash your textiles guilt free.
