Household cleansers are often made with tons of different chemicals, most of which are pointed towards accomplishing one goal in cleaning or another. One example is bleach, or sodium hypochlorite, a potentially deadly chemical which can burn and damage human skin and other tissues.



We also have other harmful chemicals lurking in the cleansers we use. Detergents, such as dish and laundry detergents, can be dangerous to both our human families and to the environment. They can irritate our skin and are made from petroleum byproducts, which are dangerous to the Earth.

You can also find issues with other types of cleaners like surface cleaners with ammonia, and cleaners for specialty items like furniture and metal polishes. Air fresheners can also be culprits. Air fresheners can contain ingredients that can be nerve damaging, and polishes can contain formaldehyde.

So, what can you use in place of all of these harmful chemicals? While you can't stop using cleaning products entirely, you can often find kinder alternatives to the harsh chemicals found in the supermarket aisles by making up your own recipes and taking a cue from mother nature.

Household staples like vinegar and baking soda can often take the place of surface cleaners and bleach, as they have whitening power. To kill bacteria, look for one of the approved Earth friendly spray cleaners to do the job, made by brands like Earth Friendly, Seventh Generation or Ecover.

Many of these brands also make laundry detergents and dish detergents that are free of petroleum and potentially carcinogenic materials. They also avoid phosphates, which are caustic materials that can be very harmful if swallowed. Instead, natural detergents are made from plants and are gentle.

As for polishing your silver and making sure that your furniture is in great shape, there are natural solutions for that as well. Olive oil mixed with white vinegar will shine wood, or lemon oil will work well. Toothpaste can make your silver shiny, and other scrubs can work on other metals.

Green cleaning products are a little harder to come by than the typical chemical cleaning products that are in most homes, but many stores are starting to carry these alternative cleaners. It is becoming easier and easier to care about how you clean your house and to keep your house chemical free.