Why switch to natural cleaning in 2024?
Sara Idenfors
Every day, we are exposed to harmful chemicals, such as pollutants, preservatives, or various additives.
For example, there are studies indicating that an average person applies between 85 and 168 different chemicals to their skin every day. Research also demonstrates links between diseases and toxins. Chemicals and environmental toxins can disrupt hormone balance and fertility as well as the immune system.
There are, however, very many experts and studies, just as there are many different theories about what is harmful and what is not. It is clear, though, that there is every reason to be informed about chemicals and read up.
A study to download can be found here:
https://www.researchgate.net/signup.SignUpInstitution.html
Chemicals are difficult, and even researchers do not agree on every point. In addition, “everything” is chemical. Simple things such as ordinary water and table salt are also chemicals. Dihydrogen oxide sounds very chemical, but it is ordinary water; sodium chloride NaCl is ordinary table salt; if we are not informed, even this can sound frightening. Remember that anything can be overdosed—even water can be too much for the human body if consumed too quickly in too large an amount.
Natural is good, but remember that too much and too strong can also be “dangerous.” It is very common to have allergic reactions even to natural things. A horse or a peanut can make an allergy sufferer very ill, even though a horse is very natural.
EEssential oils contain terpenes, hydrocarbon compounds that are a major component of essential oils, which For example, oils from orange peel or pine. When terpenes react with oxygen in the air, antimicrobial substances are formed, and this form is highly allergenic to humans.
That is why it is important to read up and think carefully. A good rule of thumb is to choose the simplest option possible. If there is one alternative with a long and complicated ingredient list and another with fewer and simpler ingredients, it is usually better to choose the simpler one. Do not overdose anything, and read up.
We cannot possibly avoid all unnecessary chemicals, but through simple measures and in stages, we can reduce the number of unnecessary chemicals by reading up and changing how we clean at home, for example. Cleaning is a good and fairly easy area to change.
Here are some simple tips on how to reduce the chemicals you use when cleaning at home.
Soft soap is a type of soap that contains simple, readily biodegradable surfactants. Surfactants are needed to break up and remove dirt and grease. Imagine that you have a plate on which you have eaten sausage and macaroni. You know how the surface of the plate feels then! Greasy and dirty. If you only rinse or wipe the plate, it will still feel greasy and dirty. If, on the other hand, you use a little dish soap and warm water, the plate quickly becomes clean again and the grease disappears—that is what a surfactant does!
The same effect is achieved when you have a little soft soap in the cleaning bucket or on a scrubbing sponge; the greasy dirt dissolves. You can remove all greasy dirt and all dirt originating from people, animals, or nature with soft soap, warm water, and a brush/cloth/sponge.
When you think about it, a great deal of dirt falls into this category—most of it, in fact.
Exceptions include limescale and rust oxidation, and deposits from metals; to remove these, you instead need something acidic such as vinegar, white vinegar, or citric acid, but it doesn't need to be more complicated than that.
What you don't need is, for example, air freshener—think about it for a moment! Does it really purify the air if you add perfume?
- No, of course it doesn't!
Instead of spraying “air freshener” in the rooms, think about it: what is it that makes you feel you need such a product?
Something is causing the bad odor you want to get rid of. Instead, choose to find the source and clean it away. Clean does not smell and covering up bad odors with perfumes is not a solution.
Fabric softener, stain remover, drain cleaner, oven cleaner are other examples of products that can be replaced with simple natural products.
None of this is a complete solution for eliminating unnecessary chemicals from everyday life, BUT it is part of reducing the number of unnecessary chemicals in everyday life and a very good start to significantly cutting down on chemicals.
To ensure that your kitchen surfaces are truly clean and free of any remaining bacteria, our kitchen soap is completely fragrance-free, so it does not mask any potential unpleasant odors. It is therefore particularly suitable for cleaning kitchen counters, refrigerators, cutting boards, and sinks. Cleaning with unscented products without strong chemicals is especially important in the kitchen, where you prepare, handle, and store food.
You can find the Soapa kitchen cleaning kit here.
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Questions and Answers
Why is it important to avoid strong chemicals in the home?
Strong chemicals can negatively affect our health by disrupting hormone balance, fertility, and the immune system. Using natural and simple products reduces the risk of these health effects.
How can soap be used as a natural cleaning agent?
Soap contains readily biodegradable surfactants that effectively break down dirt and grease. It can be used in a mop bucket or with a scrubbing sponge to clean surfaces and household items in an environmentally friendly way.
What alternatives are there to common chemical-based cleaning products?
Instead of chemical-based products such as air fresheners, fabric softeners, stain removers, and drain unblockers, you can use natural products such as vinegar, acetic acid, citric acid, and unscented soap. These are effective and safe alternatives for cleaning with fewer chemicals.
Explore Soapa products and clean naturally and without toxins!