With more and more households going “green” the demand for green products is ever-growing, including cleaning supplies. Healthy, green and more effective cleaning products are hitting the shelves almost daily to compete with the traditional ones that we’ve been used to. Before you enter the store to buy your green cleaning supplies, keep these tips in mind of what to look for.
Features to Look For:
Non-toxic. Of course, this is a no-brainer. No household or family wants a kitchen or bathroom cleaner that has toxic fumes, but there are so many of these out there that most don’t even think about it when they reach and put it in their shopping cart. Most of today’s healthy, green cleaning products are non-toxic, so you can use them daily without fear of hurting your children’s (and your) lungs. A few famous brands of non-toxic cleaners are Method® and Seventh Generation®. Also keep in mind that non-toxic products have low, if any, VOC’s or “volatile organic compounds” in them; regular cleaners do.
Biodegradable. This important factor not only is great for your home, but for the environment as well. Many major manufacturers are now producing biodegradable supplies, such as kitchen cleaners, laundry products, furniture cleaners, “multi-surface” cleaners, and many others.
Does not list the following in its ingredients: chlorine bleach, ammonia, phosphates, solvents, formaldehyde, 2-butoxyethanol, NPEs (ethoxylated nonyl phenols), methylene chloride, silica, toluene, NTA (Trisodium nitrilotriacetate), and xylene.
Brands to Look For:
Method®. Founded in 2001, this company was named as the 7th-fastest growing companies in the U.S. in 2006. Method® now has a huge line of cleaning supplies, including cleaning and disinfecting wipes, granite polish (for countertops), antibacterial cleaners (for bathrooms and kitchens), hand sanitizers, fabric softener, green dryer cloths, and much more.
Seventh Generation®. Touted as the leading brand of green cleaning products, their biodegradable line also includes baby diapers, laundry supplies, diaper wipes, dishwashing supplies, and even organic cotton feminine supplies.
Simple Green®. This green biodegradable cleaning product brand has cleaners such as all-purpose cleaners, motorsports cleaner and degreaser, stone cleaner (for granite, marble, quartz countertops), stainless steel cleaner and polish, pet stain and odor removal, deck and fence cleaner, house and siding cleaner, heavy-duty cleaner, car wash, all-purpose wipes, scrubbing pads, heavy-duty BBQ & grill cleaner, lime scale remover, carpet cleaner, and many more.
