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The rising popularity of home-made cleaning solutions
10th of June 2016 Article by Richard Crawford
UK oven cleaning specialist Richard Crawford believes people are now far more aware of environmentally-friendly cleaning chemicals and are even turning to making their own.
We recently celebrated both World Health Day and National Cleaning Day in the UK. This works out quite well, as the two are very much related. A clean living environment is our first line of defence against disease. For a number of reasons, thousands of individuals are turning to homemade cleaning solutions for use in their homes and businesses, signalling a new age and new priorities in the world of cleaning.
Environmentally-friendly products are on trend. People are becoming more aware of the environment they live in, and how their choices impact the world around them. They are also becoming savvy to the chemicals found in traditional cleaning products and are seeking to eliminate these toxic elements from their lives for the betterment of their health and safety.
More than ever before, people are interested in what they are ingesting and what chemicals they are using on a daily basis. The trend is toward organic, and for this reason, people are becoming more wary of unpronounceable chemicals found in an ingredients list.
We regularly see chemicals such as phthalates (found in fragranced household products such as air fresheners and even toilet paper), triclosan (found in liquid detergents and hand soaps labelled 'antibacterial') and perchloroethylene (used in dry cleaning) linked to adverse health conditions.
As most consumers do not have an academic knowledge of chemistry and how these chemicals might affect them, they are understandably cautious. After all, the average household uses hundreds of chemicals every day in the kitchen, the bathroom and around the home. Many people are looking for natural alternatives, which we hope won't come with the rumoured health detriments associated with certain chemical cleaning solutions.
As a society, we are regularly bombarded with news articles about how ingredients in our cleaning products might aggravate, or even cause, a number of illnesses and conditions. According to one news article, people who use air fresheners regularly may be at double the risk of getting breast cancer. Reportedly, using mould and mildew removers more than once a week may also double the risk. We've also been told that certain products may give us a hormonal imbalance.
Regardless of whether or not these studies are replicated or corroborated, these daunting statistics and headlines tend to sway the average member of the public toward more natural alternatives. After all, if you can create a product with your own hands, you instinctively feel safer and more in control.
It isn't only individuals who are feeling the pull of greener products. Green cleaning is also on the rise in the commercial sector, where powders and bleaches are being steadily replaced by alternatives such as salt-based steam. Large corporations have switched over to more environmentally friendly choices. The private and public sectors are investing more and more money into eco-friendly cleaning services.
The attraction toward many toward home-made cleaning products is that they can be composed of ingredients already found in the kitchen, such as baking soda and vinegar. In fact these two ingredients seem to form the basis of most home-made cleaning products and the results appear to be effective. For those who miss the crisp lemon or pine scents offered by store-bought cleaning agents, essential oils such as tea tree can be used.
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