Santa Cruz Real Estate News & Information

Homeowners today are always looking for ways to make their houses more eco-friendly. From purchasing energy-efficient appliances to doing things like closing the curtains to help their appliances use less energy. Having an eco-friendly home feels great.

If you’re looking to take things a step further, you can also begin to eliminate hazardous chemicals from your home cleaning and maintenance products. We all know that chemicals are not good for us, but some of the more dangerous ingredients found in traditional cleaning products are known to aggravate allergies and cause hormonal imbalances in your home’s occupants. Try these eco-friendly alternatives to keep your home sparkly clean and ensure the health and wellbeing of your family:

Invest in Some Natural Cleaners

Rather than purchasing green cleaning products, you can make your own at home! Essential items for DIY cleaning products include borax, baking soda, vinegar, castile soap, olive oil, and essential oils like tea tree oil, lavender, or lemongrass oil. Many of these products can be used around the house as a powerful degreaser, bathroom cleaner, silverware cleaner, stain remover, and general all-purpose cleaners.

The upside of making your own cleaners is that you will know exactly what is in them. This helps controls allergies and ensures that you aren’t using any questionable products in your home. Making your own cleaners also gives you the option to reuse spray bottles and containers, which is also extremely eco-friendly.

Research Green Products

If making your own cleaning products is not for you, there is an entire home cleaning industry that is growing at a rapid rate to accommodate the need for natural cleaning products. Many new laundry detergents, dish soaps, stain removers, bathroom cleaners, and kitchen cleaners are designed with the environment in mind. There are several things you should look for when choosing a natural or organic cleaning product.

First, examine the label. Although the product may look “green” if it doesn’t have the appropriate symbols or labels, it may just be an advertising ploy. Some important labels include the Green Seal Certified label, Designed for the Environment U.S. EPA label, the Safer Choice label, and the UL EcoLogo label. All of these labels mean that the products you are purchasing meet certain standards for eco-friendly cleaning products.

Read The Ingredients

Just like we do with our food, reading the ingredients list can help us glean more information about the products we are using in the home. If the back of your cleaner includes ingredients such as ammonia, antibacterial disinfectants, phosphates, petroleum solvents, and fragrances, chances are, they are not green or environmentally-friendly. Many of these ingredients are toxic to humans and are known to actually create strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. As long as you can clearly understand the ingredients, the product is probably safe and natural.

Keeping your home sparkly clean and healthy is easy when you take some time to think about the cleaning products you are using. Switch to organic cleaning products today to help keep your home fresh, clean, and eco-friendly. And for more information on owning a home in Santa Cruz, CA, call 800-226-4717 and speak with the experts at My Santa Cruz Real Estate.