To celebrate Sustainability Month, members of our FortWhyte team will be providing tips on how you can incorporate sustainability into your everyday activities.
by Dana Forster
HOSPITALITY AND GROUP SERVICES MANAGER
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If you take a moment to really look at some of the household cleaners you have at home, you are likely to find a few not-so-friendly words on the labels -- like 'corrosive', 'flammable', 'carcinogens', and 'neurotoxins'. This little exercise might leave you asking, "Isn't there a way to clean my home that doesn't require a warning label?"
Here are five great reasons to make the switch to more natural cleaning products that will do your family -- and the planet -- a service:
1. Less Household Chemicals
Many cleaners release chemicals and leave surface residue with each use. When you make the switch to natural products, everyone in your household will benefit from no longer touching and coming into contact with harsh chemicals.
2. Clean Up Your Indoor Air
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released with the use and storage of many conventional products, and can linger in the air long after use. Breathe easier knowing that this is not a problem with natural cleaning products.
3. Help The Planet
When you choose to use green cleaning products, you are making a choice to protect our environment. The majority of green cleaning products are made using sustainable manufacturing practices and are made of naturally derived, non-toxic, and biodegradable ingredients that don't do harm to the planet.
4. Save Some Money
Save money by opting for eco-friendly all-purpose cleaners that do multiple jobs, or by making some your own with products you already have in your house. For example, white vinegar can easily replace mold and mildew removers, window cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, and more.
5. Knowledge Is Power
At the store, look for certified green products with the Green Seal or EcoLogo mark on the label whenever possible. And check with the manufacturer for a complete list of ingredients in any cleaners you use. If they won't tell you what's in it, don't buy it. Or, better yet, make your own!
The good news is making the switch to green cleaning is easy! Here are a few of my favourite DIY cleaning recipes:
Disinfectant Multi-surface Cleaner:
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
Vinegar is effective cleaner for combating soap scum, alkaline mineral deposits, inhibiting mold, and more. It’s also an effective disinfectant that kills viruses and bacteria and works wonders on glass and mirrors.
Castile Soap Spray:
- 1 cup distilled water
- 1 tbsp unscented castile soap
This soap spray is great because you can easily clean multiple surfaces with it from fabric to fixtures.
Clean Everything Citrus Spray:
- juice of 1 lemon
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 cup water
This cleaner with its safe, eco-friendly, and cost-effective ingredients that clean and disinfect naturally can be used virtually anywhere in your home from the bathroom to the kitchen to the windows.
Lavender Fabric Softener:
- 1 tsp. of French lavender essential oil
- 2 cups of distilled white vinegar
Ecofriendly Cream Cleanser:
- 1/2 cup liquid Castile soap
- 3/4 cup baking soda
- 1 tbsp. liquid glycerin
- 12 drops tea tree essential oil
- 12 drops lavender essential oil
This is a gentle cream cleanser with all-natural, non-toxic ingredients perfect for scrubbing a toilet, tub or sink.
Happy Sustainability Month! Be sure to #GetSustainable and check out events and activities by visiting the Sustainability Month events calendar.