The Ultimate Natural Cleaning Guide - How to Transform Your Home
Do you ever look at the cleaning aisle of your local supermarket and feel overwhelmed? Rows upon rows of colourful plastic bottles, catchy brand names, and words like "extra powerful" and "ultra clean."
But have you ever paused and thought about what’s really inside those bottles?
And more importantly, what they could be doing to your family, pets, and our planet?
This subject is one of our core beliefs and what we live by, so we've created a comprehensive guide to natural cleaning products and what to know, so you can remove the hidden dangers in your home.
One important thing we want to highlight upfront - natural cleaning products are not only safer for your health, they are also very effective at cleaning your home.
What Are Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products?
Eco-friendly cleaning products are made from natural ingredients that are biodegradable, non-toxic, and safe for the environment. We like to add that they're also safe for you and your family, including your pets.
Unlike traditional cleaners that often contain harsh chemicals, eco-friendly options use plant-based formulas, essential oils instead of perfumes, and other natural components to achieve the same level of cleanliness.
Why Choose Eco-Friendly Cleaners Over Traditional Cleaning Products?
When you choose eco-friendly cleaning products you also choose less exposure to harmful chemicals....and these have a direct impact on your personal health, and the health of anyone else in your household.
It also minimises the pollution that goes into our environment.
Basically, you create a safer living space for yourself AND you contribute to a healthier planet ...so there's really no reason not to consider it.
Let’s start with a scenario.
You’ve just finished with the bathroom cleaner.
After popping the kettle on for a much deserved cuppa, you wander back into the room to admire your handy work.
As you enter –a waft of ‘clean’ smells hit you. Bleach. Fragranced toilet bowl cleaner. Synthetic perfumes.
It smells kind of nice but you kind of can’t breathe.
You open the window to let the fresh air in, and leave.
For some the above scenario might be exaggerated, but I think all of us can relate to the smell and the situation overall.
Those “clean” scents that traditional cleaning products emit contribute to your indoor air pollution in your home. They are called VOCs or Volatile Organic Compounds.
Many cleaning products and sprays seem harmless, but they are often formulated with hazardous VOCs.
A 2018 study showed that standard household cleaning supplies can emit as many VOCs as cars, but sorting the less-toxic cleaners from the more-toxic ones is easier said than done.
The Top 4 Benefits of Using Natural Cleaning Products
(...and your Top 4 Reasons for moving away from "Unnatural" Cleaning Products, Today)
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Improved fertility: Traditional cleaners are known to contain chemicals with endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can interfere with the endocrine (or hormone) system in your body.
People with high levels of EDCs (Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals) can have affected sperm, egg and embryo quality and, consequently, a person’s chance of conceiving.
This includes artificial EDCs such as BPA (Bisphenol A), phthalates and parabens. And guess what products contain such chemicals?
We're talking more about that further down, where we've also talked to one of New Zealand's Holistic front-women in this field.
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Reduced risk of allergies, respiratory issues, and skin irritations. Natural cleaning products are free from toxic chemicals that irritate your skin and which you breathe through your airways. A Canadian study showed that young infants (birth to three months) living in homes where household cleaning products were used frequently were more likely to develop childhood wheeze and asthma by the age of 3.
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Environmental Protection: Eco-friendly cleaners are (actually) biodegradable and have a minimal impact on waterways and wildlife.
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Cost-Effective: Many eco-friendly products can be made at home with simple ingredients, saving money in the long run. Plus, natural brands often urge consumers to use less, making them last longer.
How to Identify Genuine Eco-Friendly Cleaning, Dishwashing & Natural Laundry Products
As the green cleaning market is growing, we're seeing a lot not-really-eco brands hankering for a piece of the green pie.
Labels can be misleading –for example “planet loving” could just mean they have changed their packaging to contain recycled paper or to appear compostable. It doesn’t necessarily mean it is not stuffed with harmful, toxic ingredients.
The government has no standards or regulations when it comes to labelling any kind of product as natural, so natural eco friendly cleaning products and all the other buzzwords associated with the term are essentially meaningless when it comes to the actual safety or formulation of household products.
Our 4 top tips on how to identify true eco & organic cleaning products:
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Look for products with certifications such as "biodegradable," "non-toxic," or "organic."
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Read labels carefully and choose products with transparent ingredient lists that prioritise natural and plant-based ingredients. If you can’t find a full ingredient list disclosed or it’s written in a way that is not easy to look up, odds are the manufacturer is trying to hide something from you.
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Is someone personally responsible? If a brand is willing to put a face to its name, there’s a good chance they’re trustworthy.
New Zealand beauty brand, Ethique, is a great example of transparency and sustainable business. Founder, Brianne West, has personally fronted the brand at events, online and across social media.
Why did she do that?
Because she has nothing to hide, and lots of wisdom to share.
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Reviews of a company's natural cleaning products online
Check individual products and overall brand commentary on a brand's website - often you can do that straight from the supermarket if the product has a QR code or a website listed on the packaging.
The Role of Essential Oils in the Best Eco-Friendly Cleaners and Sprays
Essential oils like lemon myrtle, eucalyptus, and peppermint serve two very important functions.
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Natural fragrance - they remove the need for perfumes which are synthetic and will build up toxins in your body over time. Especially the Phthalates which we'll touch more on below.
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Anti-bacterial - they posses antibacterial and antifungal properties, making them powerful allies in eco-friendly cleaning.
Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips for Every Room in Your Home
Tips & Cleaning Products for the Kitchen:
The kitchen tends to have more dirt and grease rather than tough stains (the oven excluded), so choose products suited for that. We recommend keeping it simple and natural, as you are surrounded by food and don't want to add unnecessary harsh chemicals that might end up being eaten by your family.
Here's what you need:
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1 good cleaning cloth
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1 natural spray
TIP: For tough stains, leave the cleaning spray solution on for 30 seconds or more and they're easy to wipe off (and also kills more germs as you leave it on the surface for longer).
Bathroom Cleaner Tips:
The bathroom is an easy place to go overboard on chemicals that are not good for you, and dangerous synthetic "nature" fragrances that do more harm than good when breathing them in. Watch the video of Liv here how she cleans her bathroom in less than 5 minutes, including some great tips.
Here's what you need:
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1 Bathroom Spray cleaner
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1 One wipe to clean the toilet (we recommend an old bamboo wipe that's a step or two away from being thrown out)
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1 streak free cloth for sink and mirrors
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1 scrubber for the tub and shower
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1 old toothbrush for grouting cleaning and other hard-to get corners (see videos below)
Watch the video here where the kids' toothbrushes come in handy for bathroom cleaning.
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Spray your cleaner on the mould
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leave for 5-10 mins to work
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Scrub with the toothbrush, it gets into all those little nooks.
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Rinse and go
Mould that's been sitting for a while might require a bit more work.
Living Areas using Natural Ingredients all around:
Dust with a reusable bamboo cloth as the static electricity in the dry wipe will attract the dust. Then use a natural all-purpose cleaner for surfaces.
TIP: you could rinse that same bamboo wipe under a tap and use wet with the natural spray to do a clean after dusting.
While you want this space to sparkle, it's often the most used room, making it even more important to use safe products.
Here's what you need:
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1 sheet of reusable bamboo wipe - dry (and reuse as wet wipe cleaner afterwards)1
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1 natural spray
The Impact of Cleaning Products on Your Health
Some household cleaning products are pretty shady, hiding a cocktail of harmful chemicals under their flashy labels. Here's a couple of the worst offenders:
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Phthalates: Often hiding under "fragrance" on product labels as they make the fragrances last longer, these are bad news and are known to mess with our hormones.
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Perchloroethylene: Found in carpet cleaners; this has been linked to nervous system issues.
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2-butoxyethanol: Present in all-purpose & window cleaners; overexposure can lead to sore throats and kidney problems.
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Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs): Found in laundry detergents and all-purpose cleaners, NPEs can interfere with the hormonal system. They break down into nonylphenols (NPs), which can mimic estrogen.
The list goes on with other synthetic fragrances, phosphates, chlorine, and ammonia (well known in your glass cleaner).
Cleaning is meant to protect us and those that we love, but sometimes the very products meant to keep our homes clean can pose risks like eye irritation, respiratory problems, and allergic reactions.
In fact, a recent study in Canada examined the effect of exposing children to different types of household cleaners during their first 3 months of life. This included dishwashing and laundry detergents, cleaners, disinfectants, polishes, and air fresheners.
The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and found that young infants (birth to three months) living in homes where household cleaning products were used frequently were more likely to develop childhood wheeze and asthma by the age of 3.
Asthma is the most common chronic childhood disease and is the primary reason why children miss school or end up in hospital.
The Handmaid's Tale might not be completely unrealistic
According to environmental experts, we use approximately 62 chemicals that are considered toxic in our homes, every single day.
We are exposed to these chemicals in our daily routine - everything from synthetic fragrances (cleaners, hand wash and scented candles) to the harmful fumes in oven cleaners and mould removers.
We talked to one of New Zealand's leading holistic health directors, Loula George from Mother-Well in Auckland, who on a daily basis helps couples with fertility issues. One of her first pieces of advise for new couples coming in, is to review all their cleaning and laundry products.
"Cleaning products can contain chemicals that are endocrine disruptors which can mimic our own hormones and cause dysregulation of the hormonal system. They can also accumulate in our fat cells and affect our detoxification pathways." Loula says.
"They come to me for fertility support and in the process have an opportunity to learn about how their environment and the sorts of chemicals they may be inadvertently exposed to can affect their fertility and the health of their potential child." Loula adds.
She emphasises that "everything they do now can affect the next generation and even the one after that."
For once we are not just talking about the health of the planet, but actually the health of us, the people.
Research tell us that in infrequent and small doses, these chemicals are relatively harmless. However when exposed over and over - they start to become a serious risk.
If you keep close contact with products that contain toxic chemicals over many years you add to something called the body’s “toxic burden” - the number of chemicals stored in your body’s tissue.
Symptoms of toxic burden begin to surface when we reach our personal limit of accumulated toxins – and our body can’t work fast to enough to get rid of them.
Where to Buy Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products Online
You can find numerous online stores that specialise in eco-friendly cleaning products Australia and in New Zealand, offering a wide range of options from kitchen cleaning products, bathroom cleaning products to laundry detergents.
All environmentally friendly too.
Look for reputable brands that prioritise sustainability and natural ingredients.
Making the Switch: How to Transition to a Green Cleaning Routine
Even a small step, is an improvement. We suggest starting by replacing one or two conventional products with eco-friendly alternatives and once you feel you've got that new routine down you gradually expand your green cleaning arsenal.
Most important of all, keep making informed choices.
And as we like to say here at Good Change, just be better than yesterday.
START NOW - MAKE A SWITCH ON ONE OF YOUR CLEANING PRODUCTS:
Reusable Bamboo Towels
Stylish, functional and sustainable - these replace paper towels and blue plastic wipes. An absolute must have for your home.
Award-winning Glass Bottles & Refill Tablets
One of our topsellers is the Bottle For Good starter box. Get a beautiful bottle for each of your three main rooms - you can even keep it sitting out on display for ease of use.
Easy Breezy Cleaning Kit
All our favourites cleaning products bundled together in this great value kit. Everything you need to get started with cleaning in style!
Key Takeaways for Your Switch To Natural Cleaning Products:
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Eco-friendly cleaning products are made from natural, non-toxic ingredients.
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They offer health and environmental benefits over traditional cleaners.
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Essential oils play a key role in natural cleaning due to their antibacterial properties
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Transitioning to a green cleaning routine involves making informed choices and gradual changes.
Sometimes the eco alternative doesn’t pack the same punch as pure bleach when you pour it down the toilet. But let’s weigh it up.
When you choose a natural product, you’re not only taking better care of your home and your family. Your choice has much greater positive impacts on our environment too. The benefits of eco cleaning products far outweigh the traditional products.
By making the switch, you not only protect the environment but also ensure a safe home environment for your family.
