Most of us want a clean kitchen. But never forget that not all of the cleaning products we use in our La Cañada Flintridge homes are safe for our environment. However, there are now more eco-friendly cleaning products that are easily accessible to make our kitchens sparkle. In fact, with the use of a few simple ingredients most people already have in their cupboards, it is possible to create safe, effective, and natural cleaning products that cost a fraction of store-bought brands but still get you the same results.
There are a good number of reasons to transfer to eco-friendly cleaning products in the kitchen. Harsh chemicals can be very harmful to your skin, eyes, nose, throat, and respiratory system. Plus, they pose a serious threat to any pets or sensitive members of the household. In addition to the negative effects on your health, most, if not all, store-bought cleaning products contain chemicals that can harm the environment as well. Toxic chemicals will slowly inch their way out of our kitchen drains into rivers, lakes, and groundwater, killing vegetation, polluting the soil, and poisoning fish and animals.
Eco-friendly products, on the other hand, contain simple, non-toxic ingredients that are better for the environment. The concern is that not all brands that claim to be “natural” or “organic” are truly eco-friendly. There are only a few federal regulations that define which products can claim to be “natural.” And to top it all off, there are no regulations that require cleaning product manufacturers to list the ingredients in their products on their packaging.
This tells us that the burden is on the informed consumer to either do some research to find the truly eco-friendly brands of cleaning products available or make your own. If truth be told, some of the best eco-friendly cleaning products you can make or buy contain the same simple ingredients: white vinegar and baking soda. Used together, these two pantry staples can tackle almost any mess your kitchen can produce. With the assistance of other standard, versatile cleaning supplies, you can clean your entire kitchen, floor to ceiling, without resorting to the harsh chemicals included in many store-bought brands.
For instance, sealed wood and tile floors can be cleaned and disinfected with just a little white vinegar, some warm water, and a mop or rag. Maybe the smell of vinegar may not be all that pleasant; you can easily add a drop or two of your favorite essential oil to make your kitchen smell great. This is also true for cleaning one of the messiest parts of your kitchen: inside the oven. Getting that burned-on gunk off your oven’s interior can be a difficult task. However, with a little baking soda, water, and some patience, you can use a baking soda paste to remove all that tough grime. For the best result, you will have to allow the baking soda paste to sit overnight before scrubbing.
In a similar way, glass and shiny surfaces can also be cleaned with eco-friendly ingredients. You can mix together some rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, corn starch, and water in a clean spray bottle. Then simply spray and wipe clean with a lint-free or microfiber cloth. Always remember not to use paper towels to clean glass and shiny surfaces since they are not eco-friendly and also tend to leave streaks and bits of paper towel behind.
If making your own cleaning products is not the way you choose to go; there are quite a few eco-friendly options now available. A number of the more popular brands include Mrs. Meyer’s products, Bon Ami cleansers, and Method brand products. These and similar brands guarantee that their products are both safe and effective, not to mention eco-friendly. Many of these brands even contain 100% postconsumer recycled plastics in their packaging.
Regardless of whether you elect to buy or make kitchen cleaning products, it is sure that once you start, you will never go back to harsh chemicals again. It is all about protecting yourself, your home, and doing your part for the environment, too.
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