How to Avoid Chemicals in Your Home

Whether you want to clean your toilet, kitchen, furniture, floor or an appliance, the commercial cleaning products seem like the only option you may have. People assume that these branded products are effective and powerful, but do you know how many chemicals are used in their formulation and how harmful these chemicals can be? Studies have found that these chemicals pollute the indoor environment and are responsible for various health issues like liver and kidney problems, respiratory issues, irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, throat, etc.That is why you should avoid chemicals in your home and opt for safe alternatives. Even if you are hiring professionals who perform end of lease cleaning in Melbourne, make sure that they follow eco-friendly cleaning. Here are a few ways to clean your home without using these chemicals.

Avoid Chemical-Based Bathroom and Toilet Cleaners

When it comes to bathroom and toilet cleaning, people usually opt for commercial bathroom cleaners. These products can get the job done easily by eliminating dirt and foul smell. However, people do not realise that most of these products contain harmful chemicals. Bathroom cleaners comprise toxic chemicals like sodium hypochlorite (bleach), sodium hydroxide, or phosphoric acid. These chemicals can irritate your lungs and burn your eyes and skin. Such products also have ammonia and chlorine that can cause respiratory issues, particularly in elders. Thus, you should avoid them as much as possible and opt for natural alternatives. If you want to stay away from such chemicals, then opt for natural products like vinegar and baking soda for cleaning. Here is how you can use them.

• Take borax, baking soda, and kosher salt (1 cup each) and mix it well.
• Then sprinkle the mixture on the area to be cleaned and wait for some time.
• Then scrub the area with a sponge, and wash it properly.

• Take baking soda or borax (1/4 cup) and sprinkle it inside the toilet.
• Then spray vinegar (1 cup) on the surface and rub the area with a toilet brush.
• Finally, flush the toilet.

Avoid Chemical-Based Carpet Cleaners

Sparkling clean carpets can singlehandedly enhance the beauty of your living room or bedroom. But, you need to make sure that the carpet is not only looking clean but is also safe and germ-free. The market is flooded with different brands of carpet cleaners and people opt for them without having any second thoughts. However, most of the people overlook the fact that these products contain several harmful chemicals, including Perchloroethylene chemical  (commonly known as PERC). This chemical is also found in dry-cleaning solutions and upholstery cleaners. If you get exposed to this chemical, it can irritate your eyes, upper respiratory tract and cause kidney dysfunction. It can also lead to neurological effects like behavioural changes and reversible mood, dizziness, sleepiness, headache, etc. Carpet cleaning can be a daunting task because it requires a little know-how and right tools. Thus it is advisable to hire experts who provide end of lease cleaning in Melbourne. If you want to clean it yourself, consider the following tips.

• For basic cleaning, use plain hot water in a steam cleaner.
• Use liquid castile soap and water to remove stain and dirt. Do not forget to absorb as much moisture as possible after cleaning it.
• Use baking soda, vinegar or mixture of lemon and water to deodorise the carpet.
• Use baking soda, a mixture of vinegar and water or hydrogen peroxide for spot cleaning.

Avoid Chemicals in Oven Cleaners

It is no secret that a dirty oven can produce more smoke, change the flavour of the food, and reduce the efficiency of the appliance. However, not many people are aware of the fact that you should not opt for commercial oven cleaners. This is because such products are loaded with several harmful chemicals, including Sodium Hydroxide. You can also find this chemical in drain openers, and people use these products a lot. Also known as lye, this particular chemical is extremely corrosive. If Sodium Hydroxide gets in your eyes or touches your skin, it can lead to severe burns. Another way to get exposed to this chemical is inhalation. If you inhale it, you can have a sore throat that lasts for several days. Although you should hire professionals who perform end of lease cleaning in Melbourne, it is also possible to clean it on your own using natural products like baking soda and vinegar. Follow this process:

• Remove the racks and thermometer to empty the oven.
• Make a baking soda paste and apply it on the interior surface properly.
• Leave it overnight so that it can settle down.
• Meanwhile, clean the racks in warm soapy water.
• Next day, take a wet cloth to wipe off the surface.
• Then spray vinegar on the surface and give it a final wipe.
• Replace the racks and you are done.

Avoid Chemicals in Air Fresheners

The Melbourne market is flooded with different types of air fresheners, and people love to buy them and use them in their homes. The sweet and fresh fragrance of flowers or lemon gives a nice feeling. However, you must know that these air fresheners are loaded with harmful chemicals. The most dominant volatile organic compounds found in air fresheners are acetone, d-limonene, ethanol, acetate, and pinene. Depending on your sensitivity and exposure, toxic VOCs can cause a wide range of health issues including nose, eye and throat irritation, headaches and nausea, and even harm the kidney, liver and the central nervous system. Thus, you should opt for natural ways to improve the air quality of your home. There are some excellent natural alternatives to chemical air fresheners. Let’s have a look:

• When the weather allows you, open your windows and allow the breeze to freshen up your indoor environment.
• During cooler months, fill your saucepan with simmering water and add a few cinnamon sticks in it.
• Use essential oil like mint, orange, blue spruce, lemon and lavender while cleaning your home.
• Purchase a good quality air purifier and use it in areas like the basement, storeroom etc.

Avoid Chemicals in Dishwashing Detergents

The commercial dishwashing detergents seem like the obvious choice to clean your dirty dishes – whether you are cleaning them with your hands or using a dishwasher! However, not many are aware of the fact that these dishwashing detergents are loaded with harmful chemicals like Phosphates, Triclosan, Chlorine, Ammonia, Formaldehyde, DEA (diethanolamine), TEA (triethanolamine) and many more. Even if you wash them properly in water, some residue of the detergent remains on the surface, and when you consume food in these dishes, you allow these chemicals to enter your body. They may irritate your mouth and throat and become responsible for nausea. There is an easy way to replace these chemically loaded products with something effective and natural. Follow these steps and prepare a homemade dishwashing detergent or use antibacterial cleaning products.

• Take one cup of water and boil it.
• Then add washing soda (1/3 cup) in the water and stir it so that it is completely dissolved.
• Cool the mixture to room temperature and then add Castile soap (1 cup) and glycerin (1/2 tbsp.) in it. Mix it well.
• Store the prepared mixture in a glass bottle.
• Add two tablespoons in a large sink of water to clean the dishes.

 Avoid Chemicals in Windows Cleaners

When it comes to window cleaning, people always opt for commercial window cleaners. In case you don’t know, these cleaners have many harmful chemicals, such as Ammonia, Phthalates and Butyl Cellosolve / Glycol Ether. These chemicals can irritate eyes, skin, throat and lungs. It also damages the mucus membrane and the airways. If any ammonia-based cleaner gets mixed with bleach, it can produce poisonous chloramine gas. People use these chemically loaded cleaners to clean their windows without knowing their adverse effect on health. That is why it is advisable to use eco-friendly alternatives. If you are opting for professionals who perform end of lease cleaning in Melbourne, make sure they follow green cleaning. There are a few better alternative ways to clean windows that are not only safe but also cost-effective.

• Vinegar: Prepare a mixture of liquid soap (1/2 teaspoon) white vinegar (1/4 cup) and water (2 cups) and pour it in a spray bottle. This solution will remove all the residue. Spray on the surface and wipe off using a squeegee or lint-free cloth.
• Lemon: A perfect combination of a scrubber and a cleaner! Cut a lemon into half, remove all seeds and squeeze it. Then gently press the inside skin directly to the window surface and rub it around smudges. Apply in small areas and immediately wipe off with a dry cloth.
• Rubbing Alcohol: This method is not recommended for the larger area as it would be costly and time-consuming. Apply it on the surface and wipe it with a cloth.

Commercial cleaning products may seem like the easiest and quickest way to clean your home, but it can be dangerous. The harmful chemicals present in them can affect your well-being in the long run. Thus, it is advisable to opt for natural alternatives as mentioned above and keep your home clean and healthy.