People’s interest is growing around green cleaning products that have less impact on individual health and the environment than conventional ones.
Many companies now create cleaning products that use more natural ingredients, avoiding harmful chemicals.
In many cases, conventional, nongreen cleaning products for the home and workplace are potentially hazardous. Besides the risk of developing a long-term illness, exposure to cleaning products can trigger asthma, leave burns, or be dangerous if someone were to ingest them.
Green cleaning products should not contain hazardous chemicals, and so they are likely to pose fewer health risks. They are also, typically, much safer and more suitable for use around people with weakened immune systems or health conditions.
Green cleaning products are less hazardous to the environment, too. They do not contain chemicals that cause significant air or water pollution and are often in recyclable or recycled packaging.
According to Clean Water Action, some aspects to consider in safe green cleaning products include:
- biodegradable or not
- nontoxic
- bulk packaging
- recyclable packaging
- packaging from recycled materials
- phosphate-free
- label with full disclosure of all active and inactive ingredients
- natural fragrances
- free of dyes, hypochlorite, and chlorine
There are many recipes for green cleaners that are cheap and versatile. The ingredients are natural and do not cause environmental harm, including not causing indoor air pollution. They are also less likely than nongreen ones to affect a person’s health.
Some natural products that can make good cleaning agents include:
- vinegar
- baking soda
- tea tree oil
- castile soap
