Ingredients in Natural Cleaners

Natural cleaners have a lot of advantages, and reduced toxic exposure is an important one. Many commercial brands of common household cleaners contain dangerous chemicals. Some of these chemicals do not even have to be listed on the label.

Air fresheners, hand soaps, dish soaps, laundry soaps, window cleaners, stain removers, and many other household cleaning products contain toxic chemicals like phthalates, triclosan, and 2-butooxyethanol.

These chemicals have well-established track records of causing a variety of health problems, including infertility and immune system disorders. They can also cause immediate problems, especially respiratory trouble for people with allergies, asthma, sinusitis, and bronchitis.

Natural cleaning products are safer alternatives made with simple, but effective, natural ingredients. Switching to a less toxic cleaner makes your home healthier, and it also decreases contamination of the environment through less toxic waste water, less toxic product manufacturing processes, and reduced packaging.

Best natural cleaners are made with readily available, safe, and low-toxicity ingredients. Whether you make your own from scratch or buy a ready-made product, most alternative cleaning products will contain one or more of these ingredients:

• Natural soaps are made from a plant or animal fat, water, lye, and natural fragrances. Natural soap provides the suds for cleaning products like dish and laundry soap.
• Washing soda, also known as sodium carbonate decahydrate, is a mineral powder with strong grease cutting properties.
• Borax is another naturally occurring mineral with grease cutting and whitening power.
• Baking soda, found in any grocery store, absorbs odors, freshens air and clothing, and works well for cutting through some kinds of grime.

• White vinegar is a mild acid strong enough for cutting through calcium build-up on tiles and plumbing fixtures. It also makes a good glass cleaner.
• Lemons cut grease and add a pleasing, fresh scent to natural cleaning products.
• Salt acts as an abrasive, changes the chemical properties of other cleaning product ingredients, and it is anti-microbial.

One of the simplest natural cleaning solutions is using baking soda for cleaning the oven. Dampen a cold oven with a spray bottle of water, sprinkle a layer of baking soda on the surface until it is completely covered, wait for about three to four hours, and wipe all surfaces down with a large sponge and plenty of warm water.

It is also simple to make your own scouring powder. Thoroughly mix two parts baking soda to one part each of salt and borax. Store the mixture in an air-tight jar and use it for scouring sinks, tub, and shower stalls.

Unhealthy air fresheners can be replaced by simmering two quarts of water in a shallow sauce pan. Add one, or a combination, of any of the following herbs: Sliced lemons, rosemary, thyme, vanilla, sliced fresh ginger root, or eucalyptus leaves. Simmer on low heat without a cover and the herbs will freshen your kitchen and nearby rooms with their refreshing scent. Check our website for more information.

Commercially made natural cleaning products are usually made with many of the same, simple ingredients. While they are a little more expensive than making your own from scratch, they are convenient, save time, and make your home healthier.