You wanna know how to clean zero waste ? We introduce three simple ingredients for a healthy you and a clean environment.
Let’s face it, many of our household cleaning products may be doing more harm than good. Yes, our floors and countertop surfaces may be sparkling, but we need to also bear in mind the adverse impacts their chemical components have on our health and that of the environment.
For instance, the University of Bergen in Norway warns that several cleaning products irritate our eyes or throats, and can even trigger headaches or chronic respiratory issues.
Environmentally, with thousands of chemicals from these cleaning products washing into our rivers, lakes and oceans, we run the risk of them inevitably entering our food chain. Similarly, the quality of our air becomes affected due to the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in these products. And let’s not forget their packaging. Most of these products are not housed in recyclable materials. Therefore, when cleaning bottles, containers etc. wind up in our landfills, they pose the risk of becoming hazardous.
So, let’s zero in (no pun) on why you’re here.
You care about the environment and the future of our planet. You want to make fundamental changes to your daily practices – (specifically, the everyday activity of house cleaning) – which would redound to sustainability for generations to come.
To help you on your way on how to clean zero waste, we’re going to spotlight three commonplace, affordable, safe and eco-friendly products which we think should not only replace your existing chemical-based products…but which would soon become your best cleaning friends!
Clean zero – Bring on the baking soda
Baking soda – or sodium bicarbonate – is perhaps the most versatile product in your pantry. Baking soda’s uses range from being a necessary ingredient when baking some of grandma’s yummiest cookies, to that special ingredient which could whiten your teeth and freshen your breath, to an odour-buster….to (you guessed it) being an absolutely fabulous cleaning alternative!
As mentioned, the solutions baking soda can provide to your cleaning needs around your home are endless. To paint the picture and emphasise how great this product is, we will highlight three key areas:
Toilets in need of a clean ?
Yip, you read that right! The next time you want to give your toilet a good scrubbing, try this combination:
- ½ cup of Baking Soda
- ½ cup of Borax
- 1 cup of vinegar
Pour the vinegar first into the toilet. Follow this up by sprinkling the baking soda/borax combination. Allow these ingredients to stay (and work their magic) for approximately 20 minutes. Then, grab your scrubber, clean your toilet, and voila! Observe the new clean.
Water Stains in your shower?
This one will pleasantly surprise you. If the tiles in your shower have small brownish stains, I’m sure you’re eager to erase them.
Here’s a beautiful trick: sprinkle baking soda over the stains, then using a handheld scrubber (which can be doused with some warm water), you can attack those stains, which usually vanish in moments! Also, as we’re talking ‘showers’, some people have had luck using baking soda to get rid of grout!
Bye Bye Carpet Stains
There’s perhaps no one with a carpet who hasn’t run into this problem at some point in their lives: a stain which pretty much has become an eyesore. No need to worry nor panic. Simply apply some baking soda directly to the unsightly spot. Let it sit for a few moments. Then, mix together a solution of 1 cup of warm water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Pour this over the baking soda covered stain. Using a cloth, start cleaning the stain from the edges, and work your way inward. When you’re through, let the carpet dry off.
Before we move along, we’ll leave you with a few more areas where baking soda will come in handy! You can use this product to clean zero waste in the following areas:
- De-clog your drains.
- Eliminate bad odours around your home.
- Make your stainless steel appliances shine!
- Clean your ovens and stovetops
- And much more
Vinegar for a bright future
Three-bean salads. Cutting the freshness of seafood. Turning cucumbers into delicious pickles. Yip those are three of my favourite uses of vinegar in the kitchen, but like it’s baking soda counterpart, vinegar also can play a vital role in whipping your home into sparkling shape.
Standard white vinegar is an aqueous solution (i.e. a solution which is solvent in water) which contains 4 – 7 % acetic acid and 93 – 96 % water. It has been noted as one of the mildest acids to manufacture. For this reason vinegar has also been utilised as a cleaning agent for a very long time.
Here are some vinegar-solutions you can try out today:
Look at that Kitchen!
There are certain things which are fixtures in your kitchen, such as your refrigerator, your countertops and your microwave oven. Ditch the toxic products the next time you need to give any of these a clean. Using a cloth dampened with vinegar you can wipe those appliances and countertops clean!
Make your Tiles Smile!
Try this today: a ½ cup of vinegar mixed in with a gallon of warm water in a (mop) bucket. This solution can be used to mop the flooring of your home. Once through, simply allow your tiles to air dry. Tip: you can also use this solution on the tiles of your bathroom!
Sleep Soundly!
Our mattresses are a trap for dust mites and mildew among other unwelcome guests. As a combat for this, Better Homes & Gardens recommends that you “mix distilled white vinegar, a little rubbing alcohol, and some tea tree oil in a spray bottle…and lightly spritz on your mattress.”
If the smell of vinegar is off-putting for you, you can infuse with some citric acid which can be found in lemon or lime juice!
Speaking of how to clean zero waste with lemons and limes…
Citric Acid – a zero waste cleaner
This natural product may be familiar to many of us. We’ll keep this point fairly simple and share this quick recipe from the experts:
If you want a mild, non-toxic cleaner, you can try combining 1 teaspoon of citric acid with 1 cup of water. For a stronger solution, combine 2 ½ teaspoons with the same amount of water.
Citric Acid solution is an excellent option when cleaning your:
- Dishes including your coffee pot
- Dishwashers
- Toilet Bowls (if fact, all three products mentioned in this blog are excellent for cleaning your toilet bowls!)
- Countertops
- Floors
- The list goes on!
How to clean zero waste in an easy way
We reiterate, kudos to you for wanting to learn more about zero waste cleaning.
The world needs more conscientious minds like you! It would also be remiss of us if we didn’t give a round of applause to a company that has made it their mission to promote zero-waste cleaning and make it easy for you to do so – Moanah.
Feel free to check out if you are strapped for time and need a company that will handle the sustainable, zero waste cleaning for you. Discover their refillable products and amazing ways in which the team at Moanah is striving to help sustain our planet!
Consumers aren’t the ones that need to start being zero waste when it comes to cleaning, it should be the industry that only offers zero waste cleaning products.
Felix Kleinhenz, Founder & CEO – Moanah
