Natural cleaning for your kitchen

Our world pretty much circles around this hub of the home; the kitchen. It’s where we create nutritious meals for our families, entertain our friends, or accidentally burn the rice….again.

For such an integral space, it’s important to make sure we use effective natural cleaning products around food prep. As conventional cleaning products can have hidden agents that impact our health in negative ways.

A recent study has demonstrated that the regular use of some cleaning products can impact our long-term lung health. Whether it’s the long list of strange ingredients that all seem to end in ‘oxide’, ‘ethylene’ or ‘chlorite’ or the strong citrus-like smell that lingers through your house. Household cleaning products don’t always give off a friendly vibe. So, what can we use?

image via @simplyclean

Dishwashing:

Simply Clean’s Dishwashing Liquid is a concentrated formula, boosted by the natural antibacterial and anti fungal power of pure Australian lemon myrtle oil, a natural alternative to the mysterious ‘fragrances’  often found in cleaning products.

Looking for an eco-friendly scrubbing brush? EcoCoconut use quality coconut fibres to make natural scrubbing utensil. Available in dish brush, bottle brush and scourer.

Floors

Dr. Bronners 18 in 1 Pure-Castille Soaps are good for just about any cleaning task. Face, body, hair & food, dishes, laundry, mopping, pets—natural cleaning for your house and body with no synthetic preservatives, detergents or foaming agents—none. Dilute it well and you can use it in a multitude of ways!

image via @ecostore

Counters

Eco Store Multi-Purpose cleaning spray: Effective antibacterial cleaner that makes short work of oil, food, dust and dirt on hard household surfaces, including bench tops, appliances and walls. Proven to kill common household germs and bacteria such as salmonella, e.coli, staphylococcus and enterococcus. Made totally from plant-based ingredients, and is suitable for septic tanks, there’s no reason not to make the switch!

Mould

Mould can be a tricky bugger to be completely rid of, so it’s important to consistently check and remove mould when it appears in places such as fridge seals, or in dishwashers. Despite what we may think, do not use chlorine bleach. This is the typical solution for tackling mould in the home but it comes with problems of its own. The jury is out on whether bleach kills all mould or just bleaches the colour away. Bleach can irritate your nose and throat and can make some people feel nauseous. It definitely affects people with respiratory health conditions. Bleach also corrodes your tapware and grout, which makes the surface more porous to further attacks. 

There’s a lot to learn when it comes to making the switch to non-toxic cleaning, but opting for plant-based, certified organic or biodegradable formula is ideal for minimising our environmental impact. Bonus: many products come in recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging too!