Cleaning Products

I expect you have, like me, not wanted to know all the nasty details about the harm chemicals are doing to ourselves let alone the environment. There are so many different products available and far more than our parents and grandparents would have ever thought of using.

We have tried to cut out these cleaning products and have switched to homemade using less harsh ingredients. With homemade products you can tailor the strength and smell to your own preference. You can also reuse the containers.

We have used Ecover and Method in the past but I've heard that people are now concerned as SC Johnson have bought them.

Regular cleaning will also reduce the need to use stronger cleaning products.

Deal with spillages and stains straight away. On clothes a bar of castile soap works well to treat the stain before washing.

When replacing brushes, scourers and cloths avoid plastics and chemically dyed materials. There are so many products on the market now using natural, non toxic and biodegradable materials.

I'm pleased with our wooden handled dishwashing brush the replaceable heads last far longer than any of my previous plastic brushes I've had.

Reusable paper towels, bamboo sheets can be cleaned and reused and then added to the compost bin.

Natural ingredients such as ivy leaves or conkers can be used to wash clothes.

Avoid buying items that need to be dry cleaned.

Replace cleaning products with products made from natural ingredients. There are some recipes to try here