Eco Friendly Living | Living A Greener Life

These days we are all extremely conscious of our environmental footprint and of the affect our actions or inactions can have on the environments. This can been seen in so many walks of life, whether it is using a bag-for-life on your visits to the supermarket, from the choice of fuel to heat you home and of course when it comes to how we travel to and from work and other destinations.

But have you ever stopped to consider what effect your household cleaning has on the environment? In times gone by – indeed until very recently – most domestic cleaning materials were formulated with the use of harsh, non biodegradable chemicals, which did nothing to alleviate the pressure on the environment. With growing awareness of the severity of the problem, however, manufacturers are now coming up with eco friendly solutions for household cleaning and, with the assistance of cleaning specialst Proclean Domestic Cleaning Glasgow, we will examine some of them below, as well as providing some tips for old fashioned cleaning remedies which work and which are safe for the environment.

Happily, thanks to major advances in technology, you can now find a range of eco friendly cleaning products in most supermarkets, and as awareness grows, the range of products out there is likely to expand as well. One well known brand is Ecover. This range includes a selection of environmentally sound cleaning products, from all purpose cleaners to washing up liquid. The beauty of these items is that they are familiar to most homeowners – you simply swap the old- fashioned product you have been using for years for the equivalent item from the Ecover range – or a similar manufacturer – and you have made the first small step to making your home that little bit more environmentally friendly.

When it comes to carpet cleaning, there are also environmentally sound options available, says Proclean’s sister company, Proclean Carpet Cleaning Glasgow. The carpet cleaning industry has traditionally relied on the use of aggressive cleaning agents, many derived as a by-product of petroleum, to provide solutions to a range of cleaning problems. Now those of us who are concerned about the environment no longer need to rely on these products, choosing instead more environmentally sound cleaning processes and materials. One technique which is worthy of note is the dry carpet cleaning process. There are a number of exponents of this carpet cleaning method but one which merits closer examination is the Host cleaning system, developed by Host Von Schrader of the USA. When it comes to its environmental attributes, the Host System scores well on two main areas. First, because it is a dry cleaning system, there is very little water used, if any, as part of the cleaning process. Traditional carpet cleaning – steam cleaning – uses lots of water which also has to be heated to a very high temperature. Not only does this mean that traditional cleaning wastes a lot of energy and water, but there is also the problem associated with the safe disposal of that water, mixed with cleaning agents, after the carpet cleaning has been carried out.

With the Host system there are no such issues. Little or no water is used in the cleaning process. Any water which is used does not have to be heated, so there is no waste of power involved. Cleaning is carried out with the use of organic material. This can be disposed of safely and conveniently after cleaning – in fact it can even be composted. The environmental credentials of the Host cleaning system have been independently recognised – it was the first dry carpet cleaning process to be independently certified as safe both for humans and the environment by Green Seal. For more information on what is involved in Green Seal certification please click here.

So, according to Proclean Carpet Cleaning Glasgow it is pretty clear if you want to have your carpets cleaned in an environmentally sound manner, then you should opt for the Host process.

But what do you do if you are on a bit of a budget but would still like to clean in an environmentally sound manner? While it is right and proper that we extol the virtues of eco friendly brands such as Ecover, there is no denying that they can be that bit more expensive than conventional cleaning products. Well, why not make your own? It is not as fanciful or as far-fetched as it may sound. There are a number of basic “stock” ingredients which you will require, but once you have them you will be able to tackle a number of cleaning tasks in a safe, environmentally sound way. So, what do you need? The answer is quite simple. Get hold of some bicarbonate of soda, a few lemons and some vinegar and you have the basis of the items you need to make your own cleaning products. But how do you use these everyday items for cleaning? If you are in any doubt, just go online and you will find lots of information on the best way to clean with home-made remedies. For instance, you can use a mixture of vinegar and water to clean glassware or indeed windows to a sparkling finish. Or add a little vinegar to the dishwasher for the brightest, shiniest glasses ever. A mixture of bicarbonate of soda and lemon juice is also great for cleaning dull finishes on stainless steel or chrome. The list goes on….

We will feature lots more handy hints for making or using your own cleaning products as time goes on.

Another simple, fantastic way to clean in a more environmentally sound fashion is by using multi- purpose cleaning cloths – especially microfibre cloths. Microfibre cloths are made up of vast lengths of yarn which are especially woven to trap dirt and grime within their fibres. So, in what way are they environmentally friendly? Well, for one thing they can be used hundreds of times over before they need to be replaced. Secondly you can clean many surfaces using microfibre cloths and nothing more than a little water – that’s right, no cleaning chemicals or agents at all – the ultimate in eco friendly cleaning! It’s true that in some situations you will need to use a cleaning agent as well, but in many instances a dry microfibre cloth will be enough on its own.

There is little point in trying to make your home more environmentally friendly in terms of cleaning if you do not at least try to follow that through in terms of the rest of your home. One of the easiest to implement suggestions we have heard of concerns those perennial favourite home accessories – scented candles. Did you know that most scented candles are in fact made from paraffin wax which is derived from petroleum? Not very environmentally sound! Try substituting these for soy or vegetable wax candles by good brands like Yankee candles or True Grace candles. Every little bit helps!