A guide to identifying and creating eco-friendly detergents with low environmental impact
We all want a shiny, clean and always tidy home. But often, to achieve these results, we rely on products that are very bad for the environment. In recent times there is more and more talk of pollution from detergents, more serious than that produced by cars. Paints, soaps and perfumes are especially dangerous for our seas. Detergents pollute due to their composition which is not ecological at all and due to the presence of petroleum derivatives in their formulation. The toxic waste from aggressive chemical detergents that we use in our homes (such as sprays, deodorants, anti-limescale, bleaches, etc.) contaminate the soil, water and the atmosphere: they represent a real threat to the global ecosystem! Furthermore, our skin absorbs the substances with which it comes into contact very easily: the chemical components of the products we use for home hygiene can alter our immune system causing allergies, intolerances and often even asthma.
You want to be part of the change and save our Planet, while safeguarding your health
Start with small gestures, with your daily choices. For example, always read carefully the labels of the products you buy, directing your choice towards ecological detergents made with natural raw materials . There are also the classic grandmother’s remedies , super effective and perfect for excellent results in terms of cleaning and hygiene of the house. We reveal a little secret: to get a shiny white laundry it is not mandatory to use chemical whiteners. With baking soda or vinegar you can achieve the same result!
In this article you will find some useful tips for cleaning the house with ecological products . In addition, we will reveal some recipes for the self-production of super effective detergents !
- What are the biological and ecological products for the home
- The advantages of detergents on tap
- Bicarbonate
- Vinegar
- Lemon
- Microfiber cloths
- The self-production of ecological detergents
- Detergent for the most stubborn dirt
- Cleaning paste for sanitized carpets
- Cleaner for a shiny bathroom
- Shining glass for a bright home
- Restructuring for parquet
What are the organic and ecological products for the home
You have therefore decided to buy ecological and organic products for your home. But how to recognize them on the shelves of the points of sale
Check the packaging and look for the Ecolabel symbol , that is a daisy with the circle of the European Union: it is the symbol that guarantees very high ecological standards, differentiating them from traditional detergents. The European Ecolabel symbol marks products with a lower environmental impact . In supermarkets you will find biodegradable products that respect the PH of the skin .
Remember to always check the wording, within which lies the real difference between aggressive products and organic products. An important item is the INCI , acronym of International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, that is the list of ingredients present in the product. Watch out for surfactants , which are indicated in the package with the following words:
- Sodium laureth sulfate
- Magnesium Laureth sulfate
- MEA Laureth Sulfate
- Amonium laureth sulfate
- SLES
You have found one of these names on the label
If faced with a chemical product that is aggressive for the environment and often for the skin, even with a percentage of less than 5%. Aim for products with plant-based surfactants , such as:
- Coco Glucoside & Gliceryl Oleate
- Lauryl Glucoside
- Cocamidopropyl Betaina
- Esterquat
- Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Ecological detergents also contain natural fragrances , essential oils and, as far as organic detergents are concerned, ingredients deriving from organic farming. The advantages of detergents on tap
What are detergents on tap
Let’s talk about a “pay per use” distribution method. Practically, by means of special distributors, you have the possibility to choose the exact amount of detergent you need for your home. The advantages are many: first of all you will save up to 40%, having eliminated the costs of marketing and distribution. They are also more sustainable! Let’s see three key points that will convince you to choose this type of purchase:
- you can always use the same package, therefore you will contribute to producing less waste;
- detergents on tap allow you to save electricity and raw materials needed to produce plastic packages;
- you will oppose the culture of waste.
Baking Soda
This is the key basic ingredient, perfect for optimally cleaning your home. Bicarbonate has a cleansing, disinfecting and deodorizing action . You can use it diluted in water in a spray bottle, or you can sprinkle it on the bathroom fixtures by adding a little vinegar. You want to whiten whites
Baking soda will be perfect for this purpose. By adding a few drops of lemon juice, it will become an excellent anti-limescale if necessaryfor your washing machine. Baking soda and lemon can also be used to whiten teeth. Finally, you will even be able to fight the odors that persist inside your refrigerator. It is a super product with multiple cleaning powers! Vinegar
Your second ally will surely be vinegar, which is undoubtedly a good cleanser: vinegar can dissolve very different molecules and for this reason it is considered a super cleanser. But be careful: do not use vinegar on some types of surfaces, such as floors and tops in marble, travertine and other stone materials, and on oiled parquet. Vinegar, on the other hand, is perfect for washing dishes by hand. A little trick: mix the vinegar with a little salt and your pots will look almost new! Lemon
Lemon is perfect for degreasing and perfuming the kitchen worktop, for cleaning metals such as copper and brass, for whitening clothes in the washing machine, for fighting bad odorsdishwasher and for cleaning teapots and coffee pots. Cleans without damaging and without leaving marks. Thanks to its detergent and antibacterial properties, it is really possible to use it at 360 degrees, with excellent results! By itself it can even replace 4 products used to clean the house: descaler, descaler, rinse aid and softener. You want to prepare a good detergent
Dissolve 150-200 grams of anhydrous citric acid in 1 liter of water, preferably distilled. Microfibre cloths
Together with these ecological detergents and natural products, we recommend the use of microfibre clothsequipped with “claws”: they allow you to collect more dirt and are the perfect ecological choice for your cleaning. You can use them both when dry, to dust without detergents, and when wet with the addition of vinegar, so as to thoroughly clean the surfaces. Microfibre cloths can be found in all supermarkets, in the sponge department. The self-production of ecological detergents
When you clean the house with chemical detergents, traces of these elements often remain on the surfaces, which can cause allergies and irritation. We reveal three basic ingredients to clean your home in an ecological way: baking soda , white vinegar (or lemon juice ) and Marseille soap(pure, without fragrances or preservatives). These, in fact, are the strongest degreasing agents that nature makes available to us. Combining them in specific doses or adding them to oils or ecological dish detergents, you can create many degreasing, polishing, descaling products, etc.
Below you will find some simple recipes to try at home , to be able to achieve a successful cleaning, eliminating the toxic residues of chemical detergents. Detergent for the most stubborn dirt Perfect for : countertops, tiles or floors (such as in the kitchen). Ingredients to find:
- 2 tablespoons of Marseille soap in flakes;
- 30 g of soda;
- 200 ml of white vinegar;
- 10 drops of lemon, mint or tea tree essential oil.
Procedure: after mixing the ingredients well, pour the mixture into a bucket / container with very hot water. Proceed to cleaning. It is not necessary to rinse. Cleaning paste for sanitized carpets Perfect for: carpets, rugs, etc. Ingredients to find :
- 200 g of bicarbonate;
- 60 g of Marseille soap flakes;
- 20 drops of lavender or lemon essential oil;
- 8 drops of rosemary essential oil;
- 100 ml of white vinegar;
- 400 ml of very hot water.
Procedure: First, vacuum the surface in question. Make a slurry using all the ingredients. Once they are well blended, apply the mixture to the carpet using a sponge. Let it dry for about 1 hour and a half and then vacuum again to remove the dried pasta. Cleaner for a shiny bathroom Perfect for : bathroom fixtures; Ingredients to find:
- 50 g of bicarbonate;
- 60 g of Marseille soap flakes;
- 200 ml of white vinegar;
- 10 drops of tea tree essential oil.
Procedure : amalgam of bicarbonate, soap and tea tree. Combine the vinegar and, while still bubbly, use a sponge to apply the mixture to the bathroom fixtures. Pass it all over the taps too (not if it is brass or gold colored) and then rinse thoroughly. Shining glass for a bright home Perfect for : mirrors and glass. Ingredients to find:
- 100 ml white vinegar,
- 4 drops of liquid and ecological dish detergent.
Procedure : mix the ingredients and add them to a liter of hot water. Pour everything into a clean spray bottle and proceed with cleaning the windows. No need to rinse. Restructuring for parquet Perfect for: polishing and reviving damaged parquet floors. Ingredients to find :
- 25 ml of almond oil,
- 25 ml of linseed oil,
- 4 drops of pure vanilla essence (optional).
Procedure : mix all the ingredients and apply the mixture with a soft cloth on the clean and dry parquet. Let it dry, then pass a woolen cloth to polish and remove any streaks.
