Tips For Finding the Best Products For Your Home Cleaning and Organization Needs
Investing in the correct cleaning and organizing products for your home will save you time, money, and effort. Here are our tips for finding the best products to meet your home cleaning and organization requirements:
Ingredients
Look for formulas with safe, green ingredients. Doing so will help ensure your cleaning products don’t create a toxic mess in your home.
1. Check the Ingredients
If you want to avoid toxic chemicals when cleaning your home, it’s essential to understand what ingredients the cleaners you use contain. Although many cleaners advertise as “natural” or “nontoxic,” manufacturers often fail to list all their ingredients on their packaging, making it difficult for consumers to make informed decisions about which cleaners are suitable.
Common household cleaners contain bleaching agents, enzymes, abrasives, acids and disinfectants. Bleaching agents help remove stains and lighten dark colors while acidic cleaners dissolve dirt, grime and other materials. Other common ingredients in cleaners include abrasives which scratch away dust particles; fragrances; dyes and preservatives.
Cleaning products containing hazardous ingredients can be especially hazardous for those with respiratory issues or skin allergies. Thankfully, more companies are providing more information about their cleaning products than ever before.
Some companies provide full ingredient lists on their websites or through customer service. Others only list ingredients which have been confirmed safe by an approved third-party profiler such as the Environmental Working Group or CleanGredients database (see below).
When researching eco-friendly cleaning products, there are various certifications to choose from. Some of the most renowned are Cradle to Cradle, USDA BioPreferred, EPA Safer Choice and Leaping Bunny.
To select the ideal cleaning products for your family’s needs and keep your home free from toxic chemicals, opt for natural, eco-friendly options certified as nontoxic by an accredited independent reviewer. This is a great way to find what works best in each situation while keeping everything around you safe from hazardous toxins.
Most cleaning products come in liquid, powder or paste forms, depending on the surface you need to clean and your preferences. For instance, if you want an all-purpose spray that works great on glass, plastic and countertops, look for one with a water-based formula.
For an eco-friendly cleaner that works without harming the environment, there are plenty of natural options available in refillable or disposable containers. Some companies, like Green Clean, even go so far as to use a biodegradable bottle for their cleaners.
2. Check the Safety
When looking for an efficient way to clean and organize your home, safety should always come first. That means reading product labels carefully, testing a product’s safety prior to using it, and only using cleaning chemicals approved by your healthcare provider.
Additionally, make sure the product has been certified by an accredited organization. These organizations assess a product’s chemical safety and environmental performance to guarantee it meets certain health and environmental requirements.
To learn more, read the product’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). This document contains important information about the chemical and its potential hazards. You may even search online for an SDS specific to a given chemical.
It’s essential to never mix different chemicals if possible, as mixing them incorrectly could have toxic results. The best way to prevent this from happening is to store your chemicals separately in a designated storage space.
To make sure you get exactly what you want, read the label carefully and invest time learning about its features. The most crucial aspect should be a clearly written warning that highlights any safety risks and how best to mitigate them. It should also provide instructions on proper storage conditions as well as what steps should be taken if an emergency arises.