Four Green Cleaning Tips for an Eco-friendly Home
A lot of Filipinos have been raised in households that relied on traditional chemical-based cleaning solutions. If you've recently made the switch to a sustainable lifestyle, you'll be happy to hear that the use of eco-friendly products can be extended to sanitation.
Apart from being sustainable, using products made from natural ingredients also creates a safe and healthy environment for kids. Thus, it's a win for both you and planet earth!, Read on for a rundown of eco-friendly tips that'll help you maintain a mess-free and organized home.
Cleaning the Dishes
The habit of bringing a tumbler, a metal straw, and a set of reusable cutlery when heading out is an excellent way of practicing sustainability. You can take it a step further by using dish soap with a biodegradable formula like Dish Drops™.
This concentrated dishwashing liquid can help you remove hardened food residue and layers of greasy film. Its citrus scent can also prevent utensils and food containers from developing a foul odor. Just dilute 1 part with up to 5 parts of water and you're good to go.
Does frequent dishwashing make your hands feel rough and dry? This dermatologist-tested soap contains shiso and aloe vera extracts, which makes it gentle on the skin. Most importantly, Dish Drops™ bears the US EPA Safer Choice Label, a mark given to products that have passed a stringent safety standard for environmental and human health.
Washing Your Clothes
Doing laundry for the entire family can be tough, especially if some members are prone to skin irritation that can sometimes be triggered by the harsh chemicals in detergents. If you consistently face this problem, check out SA8™ Premium, a detergent with an allergy and dermatologist-tested formula, which makes it perfect for sensitive skin.
Instead of plastic microbeads, it uses the power of water-soluble crystals to help you scrub away all the deep-seated dirt. Are you worried about getting rust on zippers, studs, and eyelets? This concentrated detergent's corrosion inhibitor content protects the metal components of your clothing.
SA8™ Premium sports the US EPA Safer Choice Label, a seal that identifies goods made with ingredients that are safer for your family, pets, and the environment. For instance, this item has a biodegradable formula. Its packaging is completely recyclable as well and has been made from 25% recycled materials. Plus, soy ink was used to print the labels to minimize the damage on paper making it easier to recycle.
The Wonders of Baking Soda
You've encountered this ingredient while making cookies and cupcakes for merienda. But did you know that it's great for tidying up as well? Take a look at its other awesome household uses below.
- Dirty Marble Countertop - Don't want abrasive cleaners to harm the marble? Try this natural remedy. Form a paste by mixing 2 tablespoons of baking soda with a bit of water.
Then, apply the mixture onto the surface and rub it with a microfiber cloth. Thoroughly rinse with water once you're done. Lastly, wipe it dry with a towel to ensure that all drops of the paste have been removed.
- Burnt and Stained Cookware - The blackened interior of a scorched pot or pan can be tough to clean. Luckily, this trick can help you with that. Fill the pot with 1 liter of water or an amount that's enough to cover the burned section. Bring it to a boil over medium heat.
After this, put 2 spoonfuls of baking soda into the water and mix it well. Allow this to simmer for a while. Let the water cool and sit in your cookware for a few hours. Then, proceed to scrub with a sponge. Once you are done, throw the mixture away and rinse with warm water.
As for stains, spread a layer of baking soda over the affected area. Next, add a few pinches of sea salt, and spray vinegar on top. Then, start scrubbing and rinse away with water afterward.
- Clogged Kitchen Sink - Get a cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of water. Combine these two in a bowl, then pour it down the drain. Next, pour a cup of white vinegar as well. The resulting fizz should soften the clog, which is often caused by solidified grease and oil.
After five minutes, flush it down with boiling water. If you haven't cleaned the drain in a while, you may have to repeat the process to achieve the desired result.
Using Vinegar for Laundry
Distilled white vinegar is another common pantry item that you can use for cleaning purposes. This section will walk you through the benefits of using this liquid for your clothes.
- Fabric Conditioner Substitute - Are you allergic to heavily scented fabric softeners? You can still have soft garments minus the sneezing and runny nose by using vinegar as a replacement. Do this by putting half a cup of white vinegar in the fabric conditioner dispenser before starting the final rinse cycle. If you want a mild scent, mix in a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the vinegar before pouring it in.
- Stain Removal - This humble kitchen item can also help you get rid of stubborn stains. If you're having trouble clearing away sweat stains from shirt sleeves, place distilled vinegar over the discoloration and rub rock salt into it. Fine-grained salt will do if that's what's available. Lastly, lay the shirt out in the sun until the discoloration lightens, then wash it.
This works on blood stains as well. To increase the chance of getting it off, try to remove it as soon as the mess occurs. Pour distilled vinegar on the affected area and let it soak for fifteen minutes. Rinse with cold water right after and repeat the procedure if necessary. Wash the garment as soon as you're done.
- Washing Machine Cleanser - If your washing machine has lots of accumulated soap and lint, put some warm water in it and one cup of vinegar. After doing this, run it with no clothing inside. You'll end up with a cleaner batch of laundry when you use it again.
Green cleaning promotes a safer home for your family. You can lessen your dependence on conventional home cleaners by using a combination of commercial eco-friendly products and common household items.
