TheUltimateGuide ToEco-FriendlyCleaningpebblemag.com

What is Eco-Friendly Cleaning? What Are The Main Issues With Regular Cleaning Products? 11 Eco-Friendly Cleaning Brands You Can Order From Home Green Cleaning Tips, Tricks and Hacks

This ultimate guide to eco-friendly cleaning includes the followingsections:

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The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

Whether you're worried about the mountain of single use plastic used inregular cleaning products or the toxic chemicals they rely on, a switchto eco-friendly cleaning can help you, the planet and often your pocket. At pebble magazine we've seen a huge increase in the number of peoplelike you, who are interested in using greener products, old-fashionedhacks and more natural materials to achieve a more zero waste homeand to be kinder to the planet. So let's get cleaning...

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The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

What is Eco-Friendly Cleaning?1.

Eco-friendly cleaning means adopting a more natural way of cleaning.This could be through:

Using non toxic, cruelty free cleaning ingredientsStopping buying single use plastic bottlesSwapping to refillable or recyclable cleaning productsTrying out old-fashioned cleaning hacks that use naturalingredients like vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, lemon and otherkitchen ingredientsReducing your cleaning waste by stopping using anti-bacterialwipes, kitchen towel and other throwaway materials

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The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

2. What Are The Main Issues With Regular CleaningProducts?

Swapping away from your traditional cleaning products often meansmoving away from plastic, which is important considering mostmainstream bottles are made from single use plastic, they're often notrecycled and anything with a trigger gun can't be recyled anyway.

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Ammonia, bleach and other toxins in cleaning products can havehealth risks in humans but they aren't just an issue for you. When youwash them down the drain they affect our waterways and marine life,causing hormanal disruptions in animals and fish. Phosphates canupset the nutrient balance in nature over time, but imagine the vastamount of cleaning product run off from all our homes each week.There is another way!

OK, price and convienence is important for many, as is quick and easycleaning, but many of the new plant-based, non toxic cleaning brandsdeliver to your home, they're a simple swap so no extra elbow grease isrequired, you won't have as much waste to throw away and they're safefor families, kids and sensitive skin. Wins all round!

The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

3. 11 Eco-Friendly Cleaning Brands You Can Order From Home

Clean Living1.

New eco-cleaning brand, Clean Living, has a comprehensive refillablesystem going on, that uses concentrated pouches of plant basedcleaning mixes and refillable metal bottles to stop you need single useplastic cleaning supplies or having to buy them from a shop. Clean Living’s range is 100% natural, PH neutral, vegan friendly and non-damaging to aquatic life and they cut out the water (99% of cleaningsprays generally) to cut down on carbon emission and transport costs.Order the sachets as you need and return the empty ones to be recycled.

The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

2. Eco-Egg

Have you tried out a laundry egg yet? It's an eco-friendly and reusablealternative to laundry detergent. The Eco-Egg uses natural mineral pellets which activate in the water togently remove dirt and leave your clothes thoroughly cleaned and bestof all one 'egg' can be used in over 200 washes. No mess, no plasticwrapped pods and no chemicals so it's suitable for sensitive skin. Bestof all it's refillable so there's no more lugging heavy laundry powders orplastic boxes home.

3. Homethings

The green cleaning niche is about to get more exciting, as Homethingslaunches in May, offering refillable household eco-cleaningproducts.Homethings have concentrated the cleaning power into non-toxic, effervescent tablets, allowing consumers to refill the same bottleagain and again at home using just tap water at home. Taking inspiration from zero waste pioneers and the circular economy,Homethings send you the tablets through the post and you dilute themat home in refillable bottles, or old bottles you’ve got to hand.They arelaunching with three household cleaning sprays for; All Purpose,Bathroom and Glass + Mirror. Each contains zero toxic ingredients andno hidden nasties.

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The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

4. Mangle And Wringer

If its funky packaging you want, try the non-toxic products from Mangleand Wringer and go all Downton Abbey. The recipes for their productshave been inherited from long-time housekeeper, Bette Smith, who wentinto service in 1934.Handmade in the Cotswolds, each Mangle &Wringer product is non-toxic, free from fragrance and colour and usesonly food grade ingredients. They all have, at their heart, Bette’s originalrecipe for cold processed soap.Their Pure Laundry Powder is made from100% coconut oil soap and natural minerals, it's become a bestseller asit's free from phosphates, synethetic detergents, fragrances andpreservatives. It's so soft it can still be effective on silk, hand-washingand delicates and reduces the need for fabiric softener.

5. Clothes Doctor

Clothing repair experts, Clothes Doctor, now offer a vegan and cruelty-free Clothing Care range.This eco-friendly cleaning collection, is singleuse plastic free, refillable and made with natural ingredients - all gearedaround keeping your clothes happier for longer (ie at home and not inlandfill).We’re loving the Eco Wash Laundry Set which is engineered forlow temperature machine washing and gentle hand washing (both ofwhich are better for the environment).It includes an Eco WashingDetergent, Eco Wash for Cashmere and Wool (which also contains anatural moth deterrent) and an Eco Wash for Silk and Delicates).Everything is made in the UK to reduce air miles and carbon emissions.

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The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

6. Smol

Direct to your door, eco-friendly laundry and dishwasher capsulebrand, Smol, have created 100% plastic free packaging that’s childsafe.This green challenger brand has been two years in the making, andnow delivers eco-friendly cleaning capsules that are cruelty free, haveno animal derived ingredients, fewer chemicals than supermarketoptions plus they have switched to plastic free packaging.Every packbought, saves 60 grams of plastic compared to regular dishwasher andlaundry brands.The 24 pack of capsules are delivered through yourletterbox in cardboard packaging at intervals that suits your washingneeds, and at often half the price of mainstream brands. We reckonthat’s a win for the planet and for your pocket.

7. Nimble

Nimble is a clear eco-cleaning brand winner, especially for families thatare stuck at home. Aimed at busy parents, its plant-based cleaners uselactic acid as their magic ingredient, cutting through grime, dirt andjust sticky stuff with ease.This plant-based green cleaning company’sSticky Stopper is a family favourite as it’s formulated to move messfirst go, but is also great at disinfecting toys and surfaces gently andthe whole range is safe to use around babies.

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The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

8. Seventh Generation

New to the UK, Seventh Generation, have a range of eco-friendly cleaningproducts that are powered by plants. They have tested and honed theirrange over the last 30 years in the States and are now available inBritain.From laundry detergent to dishwasher tablets, theseconcentrated (to last longer) products avoid all unnecessary chemicalsand contain no synthetic fragrances or dyes, just natural essential oilsand botanical extracts.While all of their packaging is made from 100%recycled materials, their new brown cardboard bottles are made fromrecycled fibres.

9. Ecozone

British cleaning brand Ecozone are all about ridding your home of toxicchemicals so offer up a range of natural detergents, to use indishwashers, on the washing up, in washing machines, floors, ovens,you name it. And many come unscented for sensitive skin.Need tounblock drains or clean your coffee machine? They've got plant basedproducts for that too.

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The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

10. Bio-D

Another great ethical cleaning brand is Bio D, who create no nonsensehypoallergenic cleaning products that don't harm the environment oryour skin.From toilet cleaner to washing powder, they also offer theirlines in bulk options meaning there's less plastic and deliveryemissions from your order or their large scale washing powder comes ina brown paper bag. They're also often available in zero waste stores.

11. Spruce

Launching in May 2020, new eco-friendly and refillable cleaningbrand, Spruce, are waging war on single use platics. Their ethical homecleaning range comes with refillable bottles, concentrated refills,packed in paper and delivered to your door. There's zero waste here.Theireco-cleaning power comes from mostly food grade ingredients that aresafe for humans and for the planet, fully biodegradable, free ofpesticides, parabens, petrochemicals, palm-oil, VOC’s, ammonia,chlorine and many more hidden toxins. Interested? Get on theirwaitlist to be first in line when they launch.

The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

4. 10 Green Cleaning Tips, Tricks and Hacks

Reuse those old toothbrushes1.

Think twice before ditching old tooth and nail brushes. They can come invery handy when you're trying to clean awkward areas.It’s good to have afew spare for cleaning things like the inside of water bottle dispensers,the edging on the soles of shoes and shower tracks. Just don’t mix themup!

2. Kick kitchen towel to the curb

Did you know kitchen towel can’t be recycled? It’s often made ofvaluable virgin wood pulp, uses masses of toxic chemicals to bebleached and processed and it comes in plastic packaging. So what canyou do?For green cleaning, swap to a reusable kitchen towel (yes itexists), that are made from bamboo or other ‘unpaper’ materials, thatcan be washed and reused many many times. We like Eco Egg’s BambooTowels.

3. Reuse old plastic bottles

Reuse your plastic bottlesWhile it’s more difficult, granted at themoment, but can you keep and reuse old plastic bottles for refills fromyour zero waste shops or to use for other cleaning refills?You can alsoturn plastic bottles into seed containers and mini greenhouses if you’rekicking off growing any fruit or veg this spring.

The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

5. Use Plants To Get Rid of Pests

Like us, there are some smells insects and small animals can’t standand a strategic placing of plants can help you get rid of them, withouthaving to turn to chemicals as you're green cleaning your home. Spidersdon’t like citronella oil, so add a few drops to any essential oil burnerswhere you have a spider issue or burn some citronella scented candleslike these ones.Mice on the other hand, really don’t like peppermint orspearmint. Install a few herb pots with mint where you’ve got a miceproblem or add some drops of peppermint essential oil (20-30) tocotton wool balls and insert them into the holes and cracks wherethey’re getting in.

6. The Best Tumble Dryer Hack

You don’t need anything for this green clean hack apart from a towel. Ifyou’re drying clothes in the tumble dryer, it uses a huge amount ofenergy, it takes hours and isn’t cheap to run. You can shorten the time ittakes to dry your clothes, by adding a dry towel when you start. Take itout after 15 minutes and you’ll find it will have soaked up the excesswater and your clothes will dry much more quickly. Saving you time,money and energy.

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The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

7. How To Clean Windows With Vinegar

That’s right we’re going back to one of those multi-purpose eco-friendlycleaning essentials, white vinegar. White vinegar cuts through all thegrease and grime that builds up on glass, so there’s no need to go andbuy expensive and chemical filled cleaning products. 1. Mix up a simple white vinegar solution with 50/50 hot water andvinegar. 2. Use newspaper or a damp sponge to coat the windows in the solution.3. Use a wet squeegee to wipe your windows sparkling clean.

8. Stop Smelly Bins

Here’s yet another use for the green cleaner’s best friend, baking soda.No one likes it when bins give off a weird pong so cut it off at source. Sprinkle baking soda into the bottom of your bin where it will soak upany odours and stop them spreading.

The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly Cleaning

9. Get Sticky Labels Off Jars

If you’re like us and obsessed with getting dried foods into repurposedglass jars, you’ll have come across the same problem - those stickylabels just don’t want to come off. And when they do, they leave behind aresidue - not the look your new zero waste pantry is going for. We’reloving this DIY sticky goo remover recipe. 1. Mix together baking soda and coconut oil (50/50 mix) so you've got athick paste.2. Apply it to the stick label or residue and rub it with a warm rag untilthe residue comes off.3. Fill and display your jars to your heart's content.

10. Invest in Baking Soda

Baking soda is one of the must-have multi-purpose ingredients for anygreen cleaning. You can use it to brighten your toilet bowl. Put a cup of into the toiletbowl and leave for at least an hour. Add the same amount of whitevinegar and leave for another while, before flushing. Any nasty stainsand discoloration should get washed away. Or use baking soda for getting rid of pongs in your fridge. Put an openedbox of baking soda at the back of your fridge - and just keep it there. Itwill soak up all the bad smells and all you need to do is change it everythree months.

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