Blog written by Better Life.
Between dirty dishes, scraps of dough on the floor, sticky countertops, etc., keeping the kitchen clean and germ-free can be a challenging task but a necessary one, nonetheless. Addressing the mess in your kitchen with commercial cleaning products can certainly do the job, but many of them contain ingredients that are not good for us, our pets, and the environment. They carry a load of chemicals that might be more dangerous than the very bacteria they destroy and also contribute to air pollution inside our homes. If you actually want your kitchen to be squeaky clean without toxins lurking around, it's time to switch to natural cleaning products.
Natural cleaners do a great job cleaning your kitchen and keeping it germ-free while protecting your possessions, avoiding allergens and irritants, ensuring family safety, and helping the environment. They also usually cost less than their chemical counterparts.
Do Natural Cleaning Products Work?
There's a kind of bad rap that natural cleaning products have. If people aren't mad at them for not actually being environmentally friendly -aka greenwashing -they are disappointed at the lack of harsh ingredients that their chemical counterparts have that cut through grime and kill germs. The truth is, green cleaning products are not created equally. Just because a product is labeled natural doesn't necessarily mean it has only natural ingredients. There are currently no regulatory guidelines for making a product 'natural,' so the word is left for interpretation. Some manufacturers will change the name of a product without actually changing the ingredients. Secondly, not all types of natural ingredients are non-toxic. For instance, arsenic and urushiol are natural substances, but they are far from being gentle.
One way to identify quality natural cleaning products is to look for terms such as plant-based, naturally-derived, non-toxic, biodegradable, cruelty-free, unscented, and/or eco-friendly. It would also be best to buy from a company that lives up to its value.
That being said, for the most part, natural cleaners really do work by removing dirt and germs and are your healthiest bet. We advise reading product reviews to find out which ones are the best. Most importantly, read the ingredients list to ensure your cleaning product is truly natural.
Benefits of Using Natural Cleaners:
- They contain fewer toxins. Think about it, we spray and apply these cleaners all over our homes, inhaling and touching whatever is in the mixture. Chemical cleaners cause eye irritations, burn skin, hurt lungs, and cause allergic reactions. Switching to natural cleaners reduces your exposure to toxic chemicals that could affect your health.
- They are biodegradable, hence good for the planet.
- Contain fewer allergens
- Plant-based cleaning products are usually cruelty-free
- They are gentler on sensitive skin.
- They tend to conserve resources. Instead of buying multiple cleaning products for cleaning your kitchen, bathroom, toilets, surfaces, windows, etc., a multi-use natural cleaner cuts down on unnecessary cost and space. A good example is our naturally filth-fighting all-purpose cleaner. Simply spray, wipe, and watch as it removes spills, grease, and other everyday messes. You can use it on your floors, tables, walls, countertops, appliances. You name it!
While eco-friendly kitchen products can clean just as well as chemical cleaners, studies show that the latter packs more punch when it comes to killing germs. Another conventional cleaner that green products can't completely match in terms of strength is those that contain chlorine, such as bleach. The green cleaners will require a little more scrubbing to remove grime that chlorine-based products can remove instantly. The solution is to practice prevention. By cleaning regularly, you'll avoid bacteria and dirt build-up. In turn, you won't need harsh chemicals to clean your kitchen as their green counterparts can do the job just fine.
5 Natural Cleaners You Need for Your Kitchen
There are countless natural cleaners available today, and it can be challenging to find the right one for your needs. There's no need to splurge on expensive cleaners to keep your kitchen sparkling clean. You can find the best natural cleaning products right in your home. These everyday items will clean and freshen up just about any surface with a little creativity and elbow grease.
1. Baking Soda
This powdered compound is made from the naturally mined mineral trona, available in plenty. It is a versatile cleaning product with an abrasive property. This makes it ideal for scrubbing surfaces without fear of scratching them. You can sprinkle it directly onto a damp sponge and use it to scrub and scour your countertop, kitchen sink, oven, and water rings. Adding a splash of water to your baking soda also creates a magical paste that you can use to clean and make kitchen appliances sparkle like new.
Additionally, baking soda is a natural deodorizer and a great way to combat bad odors. Just add a layer of this magical powder to the fridge or sprinkle it over the carpet or any other place you want to eliminate odors.
2. Lemon
Lemons are overflowing with natural acid, making them ideal for killing germs, bacteria & mold and cutting grease. Cut one lemon in half and use it to scrub away stains on countertops and other kitchen surfaces. You can also wipe the juice over surfaces like cutting boards and tiles to give them an instant refresh. Aside from their juices, lemon peels are also great cleaning products. They contain limonene, a citrus oil that acts as a powerful degreaser and can also help to disinfect and remove stains.
When paired with other ingredients on this list, such as vinegar, fresh lemon juice makes the perfect floor cleaner and other myriads of surfaces. As a bonus, lemon is a natural deodorizer and will leave your kitchen smelling as clean as it looks.
3. Vinegar
This item plays a huge role in achieving a healthier, clean regime. It's excellent at cutting through grime and grease, thus making it ideal for cleaning kitchen surfaces. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant with antimicrobial properties which can kill germs. As if that wasn't enough, it removes stains on surfaces, sanitizes, deodorizes, and the list goes on. It replaces traditional floor and tile detergents glass cleaners. And, it's a great natural cleaner for nearly every surface, except for soft stones like marble and granite, waxed, cast iron, or aluminum surfaces. In that case, we recommend a gentle cleaner of hot water and dish soap.
Vinegar has a pungent smell, so you may want to mix it with equal parts of water to help dilute it. Since vinegar is acidic, it easily cleans alkaline stains like wine and pet urine. This also means it's not ideal for acidic stains like ketchup.
Lastly, use distilled white vinegar as it doesn't contain any colorings or organic particles.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide
You can use this for disinfecting the kitchen; plus, it's a more environmentally friendly alternative to chlorine bleach. Applications include cleaning and disinfecting kitchen surfaces, including cutting boards and countertops. It also bleaches surfaces and white dishes.
5. Essential Oils
Essential oils are versatile products full of anti-bacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic properties. This means they can kill germs just as powerfully as toxic chemicals found in traditional cleaning supplies. The best part is they smell so darn good. You can use them alone or add a few drops of essential oils to the cleaners mentioned above.
These characteristics make essential oils a great alternative to regular air fresheners and disinfectants, anti-mold detergents, and hardwood floor cleaners. Some great choices for essential oils include lemon, peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary, and lemongrass.
Conclusion
While these products can work wonders on their own, you can mix them to create a powerful all-purpose natural cleaner for virtually any application. At Better Life, we use everyday items to create eco-friendly kitchen products that will manage your everyday messes while being gentle on you and the planet. Ditch the harsh chemicals and let us help you deal with the mess in your kitchen and home at large, naturally using the safest and most effective cleaning products.