The environment needs our help and one of the easier ways we can all chip in is with the cleaners we choose for our household chores.
Picking eco friendly cleaners and removing toxic ones goes a long way towards creating a more livable house with clean, fresh air.
By reducing your homes toxic burden on the environment you will be improving your quality of life.
Cleaner air in the home helps improve sleep, concentration and even makes babies less fussy.
By following these 7 simple tips you can help the earth while helping yourself and your family as well.
1.
Remove toxic products.
Pest sprays, oven cleaners and even some waxes and polishes contain the kinds of poisons that can escape from their containers and then drift throughout your home.
If you're not sure as to the products toxicity, check for the label for; poison, danger, warning, caution or the skull and cross bones symbol.
Collect these products and dispose of them properly.
Throwing them in the trash can isn't good enough.
If you're not sure about hazardous waste disposal in your area, contact your local recycling center for more information.
2.
Choose eco friendly cleaners as replacements for your toxic ones.
Biodegradable substitutes offer a healthy alternative which can protect you, your family and the environment.
Eco friendly cleaners will be nontoxic.
Their packaging will be recycled and often times will come in concentrated form, this means less packaging for shipping and less expense for you.
3.
Check the labels.
Eco friendly cleaners will come with endorsements from organizations that create and maintain standards for such products.
GreenSeal and GreenGuard are two of the more reliable organizations patrolling the quality of eco friendly cleaners, if their name is on the label you can be sure of quality.
4.
Replace your chlorine bleach.
Chlorine bleach can create cancer causing chemicals in waste water.
Although there is no exact replacement for bleach, there are eco friendly products that work.
5.
Use non-petroleum based products.
Choose eco friendly cleaners that come from renewable sources and use natural scents like lemon and orange oils.
The pH balance is also important; neutral pH levels are safer for the environment.
7 is considered a neutral pH balance in eco friendly cleaners.
6.
Choose non-aerosol packaging.
Not only can aerosols produce an uncontrolled spray and the risk of explosion, but a non-aerosol will often provide you a more cost efficient eco friendly cleaner.
7.
To help with the quality of your indoor air, don't forget the benefits of plants.
House plants not only convert carbon dioxide to oxygen but also trap and absorb many pollutants.
Bamboo Palm, Chinese Evergreen and English Ivy are just some of the better indoor plants for air quality.
And don't forget to use your senses, the same way you can tell when food has gone bad, you can tell if toxic chemicals may be leaking from their containers.
Eco friendly cleaners will create a safer home for you and a safer planet for us all.