7 Reasons Why You Should Turn To Green Cleaning Solutions

Getting rid of the dirt and grime in everyday life doesn’t mean that the environment around you has to pay the price for it. Here are different ways in which using eco-friendly cleaning products is beneficial.

Making your home into a safer space

The conventional cleaning agents- especially those that are used when getting rid of the stubborn grime and greasy residue, usually contain harsh chemicals. Sure, they will break down the gunk, but at what cost? Toxic fumes being released into the indoor space, the solvents getting released into the environment through runoff when the solutions are being disposed of- these are not aspects that you want to contribute to. For homes with small kids and pets, the situation gets more dire. Due to their size, the kids and pets are more vulnerable since they get more exposure. Turning to the eco-friendly cleaning products minimises the risks involved. For these households, you especially want to use formulations that have been declared safe to use around children and pets.

Protecting your health

Since many of the conventional cleaning agents come with carcinogens, teratogens, neurotoxins, and even endocrine disruptors, opting for the safer green cleaning products will alleviate your concerns. Cases of the incessant coughs, headaches and rashes that are typical with the conventional formulations will be avoided once you shift from the toxic cleaning agents.

Preserving the quality of your indoor air space

It’s ironic that conventional cleaning products are a contributor to indoor air pollution. This is with aspects like the volatile organic compounds that are released. These are associated with a wide range of health problems, including damage to the kidneys, liver, and whole systems including the central nervous system. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released when the products are used, and remain airborne for extended periods, prolonging the risks involved.

Even when working with gloves and ensuring that the area is well-ventilated, the traditional cleaning products can still be risky for persons with sensitivities such as allergies or asthma. Gaseous irritants, including acetone, ammonia, and the VOCs will be hard to avoid when the sponges or rags that they are coming from are in your hand. Using green cleaning products that do not contain these agents makes the process safer for the person carrying out the task. In fact, manufacturers of the eco-friendly products readily disclose their ingredients, giving you more confidence in the formulations being used.

Reducing smog generation

Did you know that VOCs also contribute to smog? Thus, as the noxious gases get released into the air outside, the environmental impact increases. The smog has a wide range of effects, from irritating the nose, eyes and throat, to worsening respiratory problems like asthma. Demographics like the elderly, children, and persons with lung and heart problems are at a greater risk to the effects- and even healthy adults who are engaged in vigorous outdoor activities in areas where smog is prevalent. Certainly, you don’t want to contribute to these effects. Incorporating eco-friendly cleaning products and processes into your building maintenance program takes you off this path.

Helping Mother Nature

When detergents are being washed down the drain, there are chances that some of the ingredients used will not be removed during the wastewater treatment process. These end up making their way into the water bodies, in addition to the runoff from the wastewater that is poured directly outside after one is through with the cleaning. The chemicals in the ingredients are contributing factors to water pollution. Take the phosphates that are found in the detergents, which have been documented to cause a wide range of problems. For instance, they inhibit biodegradation of organic substances. These can then not be eliminated effectively by the private or public wastewater treatment plants. The phosphate-based detergents can also exacerbate eutrophication. This is basically the process through which a water body gets a very high concentration of dissolved nutrients- like calcium, magnesium and phosphates. Why is this a problem? Water that is heavily enriched with the nutrients accelerates the growth of aquatic plant life. These, in turn, use up more oxygen, and there is less available for the aquatic animals- resulting in many of them dying away. Basically, the water gets choked with plants and algae, whose presence deprives the organisms of oxygen necessary for their survival.

The main incentive of using green cleaning products is to protect Mother Nature- and that way we’ll escape her wrath. They are manufactured through sustainable processes, from the sourcing of the raw materials, to the industrial processes that are used. The ingredients are biodegradable, so you won’t have to worry about negatively affecting the ecosystems around you. That way, you get to reduce your carbon footprint, and join global concerted efforts aimed at preserving the environment for our sake and that of future generations.

Score some savings

The increased shift to green cleaning practices has seen more manufacturers get into the space, resulting in more competitive pricing for the products- even when compared to the conventional formulations. Coupled with the wider range of applications, as the eco-friendly formulations tend to be used on more types of surfaces, each unit purchased gets to give you more value. Thus, you make savings in the long run.

Peace of mind

Manufacturers of green cleaning products go out of their way to ensure that you know what is in their products. For the conventional products, it’s usually just a small portion of the ingredients that gets listed. However, in a bid to appeal to a broader audience, the manufacturers of the eco-friendly cleaning formulations tend to put it all out there- giving you more confidence in their products. What’s more, they go the extra step when it comes to social responsibility, giving back a portion of their profits to companies and organisations that are furthering environmental, educational and social change. As such, when you buy local cleaning products from these companies, you will be indirectly contributing to these concerted efforts, and reducing your carbon footprint.

7 Reasons Why You Should Turn To Green Cleaning Solutions