The home can be a toxic waste dump and cleaning products are especially responsible for creating air that is often up to ten times less clean than the air outside your front door. Floor and furniture polish contain phenol, diethylene, glycoland and other toxic compounds. Glass cleaners have ammonia, metal cleaners have phosphoric and sulfuric acid and oven cleaners contain lye. Air fresheners also contain phenol, cresol and formaldehyde. The list goes on.

The health risks of using chemically-based products include allergies, cancer, migraines and nausea. Only 7% of the three thousand chemicals produced in amounts of one million pounds a year have been fully tested. Manufacturers of cleaning compounds do not have to disclose what is in them. This means you may want to turn to more environmentally safe cleaning alternatives.

There are natural ingredients that you probably have in your fridge and cupboards which clean just as well as store-bought chemically based cleaners, and are much friendlier to the environment, not to mention your children and pets.

Vinegar, lemon and baking soda are three ingredients which separately or combined will have your house cleaned in a jiffy, smelling wonderful, and are all non-toxic.

Vinegar

This is an all-purpose cleaner. Mix a solution of one part vinegar to one part water to create a natural disinfectant and deodorizer. It is cheap and safe to use on most surfaces, however never use it on marble or on tiling as it eats away at the grout.

In the bathroom you can use it to clean the bathtub, toilet, sink and counter tops. Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings. It will remove scum and hard water stains on fixtures as it is naturally acidic.

In the kitchen it can be used on stovetops, appliances, countertops and the floor and in the laundry it is a natural fabric softener. If you add half a cup to the rinse cycle, it has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively.

Lemon Juice

This will dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits. It will also give a wonderful sheen to brass and copper. If you mix it with baking soda and vinegar it creates a general cleaning paste.

Mix one cup of olive oil with half a cup of lemon juice and you have a great furniture polish for hardwood furniture. A whole lemon peel in the garbage deposit freshens drains and kitchens.

Baking Soda

This is used to scrub surfaces in the same way as abrasive cleaners and is a natural deodorizer. A box placed in the fridge or freezer will absorb all odors.

In Thailand, there is a tendency to overuse chemically-based products in the home. These can not only affect the environment as a whole, with runoff into drainage systems and air pollution, but create health risks for you and your family. Natural alternatives clean just as well, are cheap, and create a much better living environment. Why not raid your cupboards and give them a try?

This article is provided courtesy of Phuket Villas & Homes as part of the company’s corporate responsibility programme.

Posted under Health, Lifestyle, Property News