Considering The Switch To Green Cleaning? Here’s Why You Should

We are all now conscious of making small changes in our homes to reduce our negative impact on the planet. Gone are the days of hoarding plastic grocery bags and they are now replaced with reusable cotton totes. Even electric cars are becoming increasingly popular for not just reduced carbon emissions but saving us money in the long run.

But do you know the importance of green cleaning? It’s commonly overlooked as we don’t see a direct impact from ourselves using conventional, chemical products.

Many of London’s top commercial cleaners are now switching to green cleaning after many of us are becoming more aware of our carbon footprint. The below looks at how we can make these changes in the office and at home, but also why it is so important to urge the world to make the switch.

How Do Chemical Cleaners Affect Us?

Have you ever thought about where all your cleaning chemicals end up? Each time your rinse out a sponge or flush bleach, those products have to go somewhere.

Cleaning chemicals end up in water waste plants and although every attempt is made to remove them, the reality is only a small fraction is actually eliminated.

This contaminated water is then released into our ecosystem, in rivers, streams and the ocean. Marine animals spend their lives surrounded by these toxic substances which are ingested.

Some cleaning products never test to see what their impact on marine life is, so it could even be worse than we think.

Not only can this affect their development, health and reproduction, but we consume these contaminated beings.

You may not taste it, but next time you tuck into your favourite seafood dish, you could also be eating chemical cleaners.

Not only can wildlife feel the negative impact of these, but we can be directly affected by chemical cleaners.

Monoethanolamine is a popular ingredient in conventional cleaners, especially laundry detergents. As this chemical is going to be in contact with our clothes and therefore close contact with us, then surely it should be considered safe to humans?

Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Monoethanolamine can be harmful to those with asthma and other breathing problems. For this reason, many schools and businesses have teamed with their commercial cleaners to ban this use of them.

But without prior knowledge, it can be easy for a household to be completely unaware of this and make the wrong purchase, which could lead to catastrophic consequences.

What Exactly Is Green Cleaning?

Green cleaning is getting rid of those chemical cleaners in favour of something more natural and less harmful to our environment.

Homemade cleaning products are on the rise and a quick online search will bring up a myriad of results for every cleaning task (hint; you’re going to need some white wine vinegar, it’s a green cleaner’s best friend!).

If you don’t have the time to create your own home remedies, it is becoming easier to make a conscious effort when shopping in stores or online. Natural products love to boast about their eco-friendly ingredients as they have nothing to hide.

People can be hesitant to make this change, after all, we clean our homes not just for appearance but to keep germs at bay. It is a common misconception that green cleaners don’t kill bacteria and viruses but this isn’t the case.

While you may need to use more of the product, teamed with some more effort, you can achieve the same effects as a conventional chemical cleaner.

This doesn’t have to stop at our cleaning solutions, although it is a great place to start. Green cleaning encompasses every element of your cleaning routine. From swapping your disposable wipes for washable cleaning cloths to buying a refillable plastic bottle to reduce plastic landfill.

Chemical cleaners can be highly corrosive, therefore the plastic they are packaged in needs to be thick and tough enough to withstand the liquid inside. Unfortunately, this means that their packaging often isn’t recyclable.

What Is The Cost Of Green Cleaning?

We won’t lie, green cleaning can be more expensive than conventional cleaners. Many chemical products can be purchased for less than a pound, while their green counterparts can be almost triple that.

However, don’t be discouraged. By purchasing reusable products that can be used plenty of times, you will save money in the long run.

Natural cleaning suppliers often charge a premium because they are not as in demand as chemical cleaners. The more we purchase natural products, the easier it will be for manufacturers to find money-saving solutions and reduce our costs.

If green cleaners are out of your budget at the moment, common household kitchen ingredients are the cheapest way to clean.

The initial purchase of these ingredients may be a bit higher but will last a long time and can be used for more than one purpose.

To find out more about GCC FM’s campaign and help kick-start your green cleaning journey, click here.