If you are like many environmentally conscious shoppers, then you probably use reusable grocery bags. However, as you unpack your new purchases and put them away, you might notice you have a cabinet full of a variety of different cleaners. Indeed, your cabinet could probably be classified as a hazardous waste site.
With cleaners for a variety of surfaces like wood, glass, metal, and carpet, along with several multipurpose cleaners, stain removers, and drain cleaners, it is clear you are ready for any cleaning emergency. But is this really eco friendly?
Do you know what the most difficult challenge of municipal water systems is? It isn t the organic waste that is difficult to deal with. Organic waste settles to the bottom where it is then taken care of by special enzymes. Chemicals are another story. Chemicals must be tedious removed from the water by a series of filtration systems. Other chemical are often added to help neutralize some of the more hazardous chemicals. However, this water isn t even completely purified; it is merely purified enough to be pumped down the river, or into a lake.
The difficulty in removing chemicals has led to close monitoring and regulation of big business and manufacturing facilities. Unfortunately, it is the unmonitored public that pours the most chemical waste down the drain. Think about the millions of people using Drano or other chemical cleaners that end up down the drain. Few people realize the effect of their actions. Most people assume cleaners are safe to use, without realizing the negative impact they can have on the environment. Many cleaners lead to a reduction in plant and algae growth, which reduces natural water oxygenation. This affects the well being of the entire ecosystem.
With proper education, we can learn to keep our home clean without hurting the environment. In fact, there isn t much cleaning that can t be done with environmentally friendly cleaners. Most jobs can be handled with bleach, vinegar, ammonia, alcohol, or simple detergents. Each of these can be used for specific projects. They should not be mixed together!
One major source of chemicals in the water comes from laundry. However, it really only takes a simple detergent to keep clothes clean. Bleach is great for light clothes. Soaking extremely dirty clothes first, and then washing with a simple detergent is generally effective. Most stains will come clean with the use of alcohol. Vinegar can help with grease or oil stains. A tried and true cleaner for glass is made from ammonia and water mixed equally. The best cleaner for wood surfaces is simply a mild oil soap. There is an eco friendly cleaning technique for virtually every mess or stain out there!
There are some environmentally friendly cleaners on the shelves, but most you can easily make yourself. A good rule to follow is: if there are more than seven ingredients in a cleaner, then there is a better alternative out there. Next time you go shopping for cleaning products, remember that it isn t just your reusable shopping bags that help the environment, it is what you fill them with!
Author Resource:
Eliza Reeder writes articles that deal with environmental concerns and eco-friendly living. She encourages everyone to help protect our planet's future by doing things like using reusable bags. You can learn more at http://www.reusablebagsdepot.com
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