Are you confused when you are trying to choose the best cleaning products for your home or office? Do you choose by brand name? By what a friend or family member said or is using? By smell? By price? What about if it is green? Does the packaging effect your decision?
There are so many choices these days and how to narrow them down is easier than you may think.
Where we will start is by what you are looking for. If you are looking for a multi purpose cleaner that is known to be effective for cleaning surfaces, then this is a good start. Now let's take it a step further...what surface types are you most often cleaning and needing a multi purpose cleaner for? If you have wood surfaces, granite surfaces and and stainless steel...then you will want to have a cleaner that is safe on all of these surfaces. I know...many people reading this will say: "um, I use a stainless steel cleaner for those surfaces, a wood cleaner for wood and a cleaner designed & recommended by the granite guys who installed my granite." That is great! But if you truly educated yourself a bit further and not always take for granted what people tell you (because adding a cleaner to your purchase of granite isn't just a great add on sale....) then you will be better off in the long run. Why? because sometimes you just don't need 50 different cleaners to store under your kitchen sink until they expire and then you end up throwing out.
So back to the educating yourself. We have decided we need a multi purpose for multi surface. Now, are we wanting something green? are you environmentally conscious? (I am, but my opinion isn't meant to count or sway you into your purchase choice). If you are environmentally conscious the this narrows things down further. Before I head down the confusing road of "green" I will ask you this: Do you have kids or pets?
The scent
(chemical fake perfume toxic smell)
may not be good for these little guys to breathe in. (ok, who am I kidding, this is not good for anyone to breathe anytime and personally wouldn't invite into my home). But again, the choice is yours, I am merely here to help guide you through all of the marketing, pretty packaging, commercials and in-your-face advertising which is meant to keep you confused so you will buy their product. (side note...have you ever really watched a Gain laundry commercial? They sell you on the scent of the product, not if it even cleans your clothes.
So pay attention!)
I was on scent...ok, well, scent can be important but I think paying for a
product that is effective is more important here.
Green products have little to no government standardizing right now and therefore adding "green" or "natural" easily stands out but honestly, read what those words are attached to. Ex: febreeze states 100% natural but if you read carefully, it is referring to their propellant sprayer. There is nothing natural about febreeze. Ok, I'm not here to tear apart companies but rather educate you to read into things more so you make the best choices for you and your family.
Green is another tricky guy to wrap around to squeeze the truth out of. Green right now requires products to "use safe, non-toxic & biodegradable ingredients." This leaves an opening for a lot. Many green cleaners take colouring out or use "safe" synthetic ingredients as substitutes. I know we all don't have loads of time to google search each ingredient to see if it is a good one to have in our homes but if your health and the health of your family & animals are important to you...which I know they are, then you will take some time to do some research.
We have now covered surfaces, scent, green. I think I tend to be biased here because I tend to stop at the green and natural. My cleaning company is based on this and I have always cared about my carbon footprint and how I can reduce it in a way that fits for me, my family & my business. When you are looking for a natural cleaner, there are a lot out there now because we are getting more aware of ingredients used as well as being more effected by all the heavy fragrances being used and steering clear of them. My advice to you is not to be fooled by labels or sayings or marketing or even those who claim they are the most natural because if you did a bit deeper, you will find that some of these guys are also the big guys making these products but using new eco-friendly names.
The more you educate yourself on ingredients, the better off you will be. I am really fortunate to get my double diploma in natural & organic skincare, body care & hair care. (I am not here to write a blog to knock companies only to make my other one shine, I am honestly a fed up consumer & mother who wanted something legitimately healthy in my home and for my clients, for cleaning & bathing and I am blessed to have the time to be able to educate myself regarding ingredients and the proper way to formulate with correct doses. I now use the cleaners I have created, in my cleaning company) Yes, I do sell them. I hope this blog helps you better narrow down your search for the type of cleaners you are looking for. Just remember, natural/eco-friendly/organic/green cleaners; most can be used to clean all types of surfaces. This helps cut down on unnecessary plastics and waste for the environment, it saves you money & saves you space under your sink!
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