THESE INGREDIENTS ARE VICIOUS, BUY PRODUCTS WITH:
- No VOC, volatile Organic compounds.
- No Chlorine of Bleaches.
- No Harmful solvents of biocides.
- No caustic alkalis.
- No toxins.
- No carcinogens.
These include: -Nonylphenol ethoxylate, Formaldehyde, Petroleum solvents, Perchloroethylene, Diethylene glycol, Chlorinated phenols, Butyl cellosolve
There is some leniency here with bleach and chlorine. I use these on some very stubborn stains, but then wash them out with other cleaning products.
CLASSIC SAFE CLEANERS:
- Baking soda and vinegar.
- For scrubbing, baking soda with natural dishwashing soap. Add small amounts of borax, cream of tartar and lemon/orange/grapefruit peel if desired.
- Air fresheners: A few drops of your essential oil of choice in a spray bottle.
- 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of water, with the juice for 1 lemon and 1 lime. Good for hard surfaces.
- Borax
- Citrus solvents like DE-Solve It. Great for stubborn grease or glue.
- Steam cleaning.
- Indoor plants. These are a steady, if slow, way of keeping the air a little better.
USE SPARINGLY
- Isopropyl Alcohol – Disinfectant.
- Melamine sponges (Magic eraser) highly effective for crayons, magic markers, grease, but do not inhale the product.
- Kerosene- gets rid of chewing-gum, but it’s pretty harsh.
- Ammonia
THINGS TO WATCH FOR
- Air fresheners that contain formaldehyde
- Anything with an unnatural chemical smell.
- Nonylphenol ethoxylate, or the chemicals listed above.
- Anything labelled: Caution, Corrosive, Danger, Irritant, Poison, or Warning
WHAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF
- Mixing cleaners is very risky and should be avoided. The chemical experts who design them avoid certain combination as there are all sorts of fumes and nasty products produced. Don’t risk a chemical disaster, keep cleaning products separate unless told they are safe to mix.
- Alcohol has intoxicating properties in any reasonable amount. But alcohols reaction with other chemicals is highly unpredictable and potential dangerous. Do not even think of consuming alcohol if you are using cleaning chemicals. There were stories about individuals cleaning their cars on a Saturday afternoon after having a few beers; the alcohol in their blood and the cleaning products they were using caused them to pass out. In a high risk situation this can be dangerous.
Commercial and office cleaning in Sydney is as much an environmental concern as any cleaning task; Green, environmental products should be used whenever possible.
