How to Switch to Eco Cleaning for Your Home

Cleaning your home can already be a chore, but with the knowledge that your current household cleaning products could be damaging the environment, a common chore becomes completely unsustainable. 

The good news is that making the switch to eco-friendly cleaning products in Australia is easier than you think, keeps your home sparkling and is much kinder to Mother Earth. 

Here’s how it works: 

What are the Standard Cleaning Products? 

Standard home cleaning products commonly include such things as: 

• Bleach,
• Baking soda,
• Ammonia, 
• and various detergents. 

These products, whilst effective, all contain extremely potent chemicals that are not only dangerous to the environment, but are also hazardous to people and animals as well. 

Bleach, for example, contains chlorine, which can release harmful airborne particles, which can be dangerous to those who are vulnerable, like small children, pets or even the elderly. When using bleach, you need to make sure that the surrounding area is well-ventilated, which can be tough in small bathrooms. 

Baking soda, while less harmful than bleach, still carries environmental consequences, particularly in terms of its mining and processing, which leads to habitat destruction and increased CO2 emissions for transport. 

These traditional cleaning agents, while powerful, often contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment as well as to us. We just don’t think about it. In contrast, eco-friendly cleaning products are designed to minimise environmental impact by using biodegradable ingredients and sustainable manufacturing practices, making them a more environmentally conscious choice, and safer for others when cleaning your household. 

Why Is It Important To Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products Instead Of Standard Cleaning Products?

Using eco-friendly cleaning products such as eco-cleaning tablets or reusable cleaning bottles, is crucial for nurturing a more sustainable lifestyle and reducing environmental harm. One of the main reasons for this is that eco-friendly cleaning products are made from biodegradable, plant-based ingredients that are less likely to cause environmental damage when sourced and don’t produce harmful toxins when used, such as airborne particles or dangerous runoff when flushed down the toilet or going through your drains. 

In fact, they are designed to minimise water pollution, reduce the emission of harmful substances, and often come in recyclable or reduced packaging, further decreasing waste. Adopting eco-friendly cleaning solutions is a real tangible step towards sustainability, as it reduces your ecological footprint by supporting cleaner manufacturing practices and promoting the conservation of natural resources. 

By choosing these greener alternatives for your cleaning supplies, you can do your part to help contribute to a healthier planet with a small step. It's not just about WHEN you clean, it's HOW you clean that makes the real difference. 

How to Switch in 3 Easy Steps

Now we’ve got all the benefits of switching to eco-friendly cleaning products, here’s a guide to making the swap:  

1. Think About What You Need

What parts of the house need cleaning the most? Is it areas with high foot traffic, laundry once a week, a large kitchen, or maybe the typical but necessary bathroom deep-clean? Search for the eco-friendly products you need to clean and start from there.  

2. Switch One at a Time

When it comes to making the switch, you don’t have to swap out everything at once. Rather than feeling completely overwhelmed by wanting to eliminate ALL the products in your home, focus on making ONE change at a time.

For example, you could start with something like your bathroom floor cleaner. Wait until it’s empty, put the bottle in the recycling, and get yourself a floor eco-cleaning tablet and reusable bottle. 

The great thing is that all you need is water. The eco-turtle tablet simply dissolves and is ready to use to leave the bathroom floor clean and smelling fresh, with no toxins. 

3. Review, Repeat and Expand

Not every green cleaning product you try will be a total hit. For example, you may buy a multipurpose cleaner that isn’t what you’re looking for. That’s okay!

Use these swaps as a learning process and make choices in the future based on what did and didn’t work well in the past. It's about finding what works the best for you, and then expanding your range of eco-friendly cleaning products. Soon you’ll have one for every cleaning job in the house, easy as! 

How To Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products?

Using eco-friendly cleaning products effectively involves a bit more than just selecting your green alternatives; it's about adopting a holistic approach to cleaning. Start by reading labels to choose products with natural, biodegradable ingredients. Concentrated forms can reduce packaging waste and allow you to dilute the amount you need, minimising chemical use.

Embrace reusable cloths and scrubbers instead of disposable wipes to cut down on waste. Consider the full lifecycle of products, opting for those with sustainable packaging and ethical manufacturing practices to ensure your cleaning routine is truly eco-friendly.

The Environmental Benefits of Eco Cleaning with Urban Ethos

Now that you’re in the process of making the switch to a greener way of cleaning, it is time to look forward to the benefits: 

• A more sustainable lifestyle
• Fantastic cleaning results
• Less harmful to people and pets
• Can be more cost-effective in the long run (make sure to keep using those reusable cleaning bottles) 

It also helps to check that the green cleaning products you use are Ecocert 

Certified, so you can make sure that they are officially the real deal. At Urban Ethos, we want to ensure that our customers are investing in the right product by obtaining credentials that are as rigorous as possible.