The House cleaning does not take care of itself. In addition to a lot of manual labour, numerous cleaning agents are usually used. But is it really necessary to use a lot of powerful chemicals to clean your home? to ensure cleanliness or is it also possible to clean in an environmentally friendly way? We have looked at the options for you to clean your home in the best possible way while always keeping an eye on the environment.
Cleaning agents at a glance
The market for cleaning products is huge. Regardless of whether you are looking for Shower cubiclewhich Windowswhether you want to clean the bathroom taps or the kitchen cupboards - there are different cleaners to choose from for almost every purpose.
However, the majority of products sold are primarily designed to be highly effective rather than to protect the environment. But there is another way, because you can actually save a lot of cleaning products without having to compromise on good hygiene.
In the following sections you will find various environmentally friendly cleaning products that are ideal for house cleaning.
Vinegar: An all-rounder among environmentally friendly cleaning agents
In combination with water, vinegar is very suitable as a cleaning agent for cleaning almost the entire home. The particular advantages of vinegar are its wide range of applications and its natural disinfectant effect.
If you want to clean your home with vinegar, you can make your own all-purpose cleaner by diluting the following ingredients:
- 500 ml vinegar (5 %)
- 500 ml water (boiled)
Natural fragrance can be added by adding a few drops of essential oil. However, this is not necessary. Citrus oil in particular should be avoided as it is toxic to many aquatic organisms.
Attention: On natural stone surfaces and silicone joints, vinegar can be used as a Environmentally friendly cleaning agent however, is not recommended as it corrodes the surfaces.
Soda, baking soda and citric acid for homemade cleaning products
Soda is ideal against grease, citric acid works very well against limescale and baking soda is the somewhat gentler counterpart to soda.
The three agents are particularly suitable for the bathroom. In combination with vinegar, they even produce a very strong descaler, which you should only use with caution.
Environmentally friendly cleaning agents available on the market
Not everyone wants to start making their own cleaning products for the home. Fortunately, this is not necessary, as more and more manufacturers are offering environmentally friendly cleaning products alongside conventional cleaners.
When making your choice, pay particular attention to the EU Ecolabel, which is probably also known to many as the EU Flower. The ecolabel is only awarded to cleaning products that have a low impact on soil, water and air pollution.
At the same time, the cleaners must produce little waste, consume low amounts of energy for production and offer a high level of safety for users.
Basically, any kind of fragrance is unnecessary and pollutes the environment. It merely creates a subjective feeling of cleanliness. However, fragrances have no effect on the cleaning effect. Unfortunately, many of the agents used are also harmful to water.
Tip: Look for the Ecocert label on organic cleaning products.
Environmentally friendly cleaning: This is how it works!
There is a lot of truth in the well-known saying "The dose makes the poison". Unfortunately, the consumption of cleaning agents is still far too high. In most cases, however, the same result can be achieved with a lower dosage.
In this way, you protect the environment and save money at the same time, without having to compromise on comfort.
If you want to clean in an environmentally friendly way, it is best to use only a small amount of Cleaning agentsbut clean surfaces primarily with the help of water. This is ideal in the bathroom, for example. You can start by washing the washbasin and taps with warm water and a sponge.
Ideally, you should use washable microfibre cloths for drying and wiping. However, these should be allowed to dry sufficiently after each cleaning process to prevent bacteria and germs from forming a breeding ground.
With regular cleaning, you can largely do without cleaning agents. These are only used for heavy limescale build-up.
Tip: You can gently clean the toilet and pipework with vinegar and citric acid.
Clean crockery in an environmentally friendly way
Many manufacturers of cleaning products specifically emphasise the disinfectant effect of their products. However, disinfecting your own home is unnecessary in most cases. The only exceptions are for immunocompromised and very old people. Otherwise, standard environmentally friendly cleaning agents are sufficient.
However, it is not only disinfectants that are particularly harmful to the environment, but also chemical pipe cleaners, oven sprays and glass ceramic cleaners.
Tip: Do not use toilet blocks. These give off odours and have a harmful effect on the environment, but have little or no cleaning effect.
