Alternative healthcare company Alphagreen takes you through several simple, easy ways to green up your household cleaning regime…

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Decreasing the number of chemicals you use to clean your home will help protect the planet and help save you money.

As we adjust to living with Covid-19, more of us are now having to spend an increased amount of time in our homes, and so, we are cleaning more than ever.

Here are some top tips to get rid of those toxic cleaning products and replace them with some eco-friendly alternatives.

There really is no need to have a different cleaning product for each job. There are some fantastic multi-purpose eco cleaning products and one product can give you great results on a variety of surfaces and fabrics.

For example, try to find one that can lift stains and remove odour. It is standard in many households to have a stain remover for clothes, then one for the sofa, and another for carpets – this is not an eco-friendly practice.

One of the worst cleaning products used is an air freshener. They tend to come in aerosol cans and are high in toxicity. Instead, use a stain remover that also contains odour busting properties. This means it can also be used to freshen up trainers, pet beds, sofas, mattresses, and many other items.

When it comes to that time when you need to replace your toothbrush, think twice about chucking it in the bin.

Toothbrushes make fantastic cleaning tools for reaching those tight, awkward areas. They are particularly useful for scrubbing around taps and tile grouting.

However, be careful to keep the old cleaning toothbrushes away from your toiletries – you do not want to mix them up accidentally.

Before throwing out your weekly newspapers in the cycling bin, use them to polish glass and mirror surfaces.

Simply spray a bit of white vinegar on the window and rub it down with your Sunday paper. It can leave better results than those wasteful paper towels.

Once finished, you can recycle the newspaper as initially planned.

Although we should all be trying to limit our use of plastic, for the plastic bottles you have not managed to replace with a more eco-friendly alternative, you can reuse.

Try to find zero waste shops that offer refill services. You may not want to drink out of an old plastic bottle, but there is nothing wrong with filling it with washing up liquid or washing powder.

One of the main hazards for the cleaning fanatic is sore hands.

Keep your self-care eco-friendly by opting for organic hand creams containing CBD. So whether you apply CBD topicals or consume CBD gummies, CBD can help keep your hands well caredfor so you can enjoy a clean house in comfort – there is nothing worse than dry, sore hands.   

If you are not a fan of homemade cleaning products, there are some green options on the market.

Be sure to check that the green cleaners you buy have an eco-label and state what makes them green on the packaging.

It is not good enough for the products to claim to be “all-natural” or “eco-friendly” without saying how. Be careful not to buy into greenwashing.

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