For many socially conscious people going green has come home in a big way. Cutting back on the use of energy by raising the thermostat and using fans instead of air conditioning are just the beginning. Now people are looking at how to keep their internal environment clean without straining the ecology of the world quite so much. How does a person choose greener household cleaning products responsibly and still achieve the level of cleanliness modern people expect?
The first thing about going green in cleaning products is to remember that a tree is killed to make paper. If the product is made of the so-called disposable product of paper, it is probably not green. Paper towels are very handy to use in cleaning, but each sheet that goes into the trash is a part of a tree being wasted instead of making fresh air. Cloth that can be cleaned and reused a thousand times is a much more environmentally friendly way to go. Many stores carry bundles of undyed cloths called shop rags that can be used for wiping and drying spills just as easily as paper and have the added advantage of not tearing up in the user’s hands.
Cleaning products that are sprayed on to clean counters and such in the kitchen are actually just soapy water with coloring in them. Many products are available now that are indeed just soapy water but without the dyes or extra added ingredients such as scents that can make these products less than friendly to the ecology. Check the labels when buying products for cleaning and buy the ones that include ingredients that are readily understandable: soap, water etc. Chances are that if the ingredient is unfamiliar it is not environmentally sound.
In making your home clean and environmentally friendly remember that the basic rule of thumb is common sense. If an item is disposable, it’s not a good choice, and if a product has very many ingredients, it is probably not the one to choose. This is our home: take care of it.