Reasons To Switch to Natural Cleaning Agents

(Photo : Precious Plastic Melbourne via Unsplash)

From environmental to health benefits, switching to natural cleaning agents is the best thing you can do. Even the EPA is pushing for more households to embrace greener cleaning products to reduce the effect on the environment and promote healthier lifestyles. If you are still unconvinced, here are some worthy reasons to make the big switch to natural and plant-based cleaning products.

They are less harmful.

If you have infants, kids, and pets around your home, the more reason to switch to natural cleaning products is that accidents happen. According to research, chemical household cleaners account for the highest poison exposure cases for kids age five and younger. 

While you should child-proof your home and keep dangerous materials away, using natural products limits the harm if your child accidentally swallows the product.

Better indoor air quality

You may have noticed that some chemical cleaning agents dry up very quickly. The high chances are that they have volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in them, which evaporate at room temperature leaving chemical smells that may irritate the nose, eyes, and throat or even cause headache and nausea. 

But most natural cleaning products do not have harmful smells. Some manufacturers like L'avant collective seem to have struck a good balance between efficacy and sustainability by leveraging plant-based oils to give a subtle safe scent without any health risks. Therefore switching to natural cleaning products leads to better indoor air quality.

They are biodegradable

Chemical cleaning products cause significant environmental damage because they are not biodegradable. For instance, sodium lauryl sulfate harms aquatic life when released into water bodies, while phthalates have been associated with reproductive health issues in both humans and animals. EPA advises manufacturers to use ecofriendly ingredients such as hydrocarbons, limonene, and glycol esters as they are biodegradable and friendly to the environment.

They conserve resources

There are different chemical cleaners for toilets, floors, sinks, and kitchen areas. But natural cleaning agents are mostly multipurpose use because they are organic, and therefore using natural cleaning agents conserves more resources and saves you more money than chemical cleaners.

Better for those with allergies

The chemicals used in conventional cleaning agents are very strong, and the smells can linger long after you have finished cleaning. If you are sensitive, you may have difficulty using them, especially if you suffer asthma, allergies, and other respiratory problems. Natural cleaning agents rely on plant-based ingredients and oils that are not harmful to your health. Plus, most manufacturers disclose all the ingredients because they are safe.

They don't contribute to drug-resistant bacteria.

Many people quickly assume that antibacterial soaps are better than plain ones, but that is not true. According to research, unnecessary use of antibacterial soaps and other cleaning agents can contribute to bacteria resistance making existing medical treatments ineffective. Using natural cleaning agents from soaps to detergents can maintain your immune system and keep drug-resistant bacteria away.

A KEYNOTE

Always perform your due diligence to find effective natural cleaners.