It’s no secret anymore: the run-of-the-mill household products we buy at supermarkets or discount stores are , for the most part , corrosive, irritating, and harmful to our health, our children’s health, and the environment. Not to mention the risks of household accidents related to the ingestion of hazardous products such as bleach or caustic substances. The various lockdowns have also contributed to a rise in accidents involving exposure to various irritants in France, as the COVID-19 pandemic caused sales of disinfectant cleaning products to skyrocket.
Volatile Organic Compounds in Our Homes
Using these types of cleaning products also affects air quality. In fact, common household products contain volatile substances (known as VOCs). On that note, did you know that indoor air is, on average, 5 to 7 times more polluted than outdoor air? This is due to the accumulation of these organic compounds, which are also found in paints, new furniture, and cooking fumes. A study byADEME shows that 91% of the household products tested emit formaldehyde, a substance recognized as a carcinogen by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). Unfortunately, identifying and eliminating these unwanted substances is a complex task. The list of ingredients in consumer products is difficult to decipher, and the names of hazardous ingredients are largely unknown to the general public. Similarly, manufacturers are getting increasingly creative in convincing consumers of the safety of their products by highlighting terms such as “natural,” “gentle,” or similar in their advertisements.
Devastating effects on young people's health
What consumer groups such as UFC-QUE CHOSIR fear most of all is the “cocktail effect.” Indeed, we currently do not know the short- and medium-term effects of mixtures of these chemical components on our health and that of children.After cleaning the house, these chemicals end up in household wastewater. They then cause not only air pollution but also water and soil pollution, which is catastrophic for the environment and, more specifically, for the health of our children, our land, our rivers, and our oceans.
If you can do the more, you can do the less…
However, when it comes to disinfecting, cleaning, and making things shine, there’s a wide variety of natural products that contain neither endocrine disruptors nor chemicals. If you take the time to learn about green cleaning, you’ll realizethat it’s easy to make your own eco-friendly household products. What’s more, adopting green cleaning habits can lead to significant savings over the course of a year!
In fact, the fewer ingredients you use to make your household products, the better your indoor air quality will be! With just 4 or 5 basic ingredients—like baking soda, Marseille soap, white vinegar, or a bottle of essential oils—and a few good basic recipes, you can already make laundry detergent, dish soap, a window cleaner, and even a cleaner for all the floors in your home. These products are easy to find (and even in bulk if you prefer) at most organic stores or supermarkets. So say goodbye to bleach, phosphates, and terpenes, and give the recipes below a try!In short, to tackle a big cleaning project, just follow our grandmothers’ example and keep things as simple as possible: Less is always more…
Homemade laundry detergent—it's a breeze
Do you dream of a laundry detergent that’s effective and leaves your clothes with a subtle fragrance? Here’s a recipe from the book *Labo zéro conso*, published by Eyrolles.
Ingredients (for a 2-liter container): 15 drops of essential oil of your choice (spike lavender, lavandin, tea tree, etc.), 50 grams of grated Marseille soap (or Marseille soap shavings—preferably made with olive oil), 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1,750 ml of water.
Bring the water to a boil. In a large metal or glass bowl, gently mix the boiling water with the soap shavings and baking soda. Let it cool (the mixture will solidify). Then blend the mixture with an immersion blender and pour the laundry detergent into an empty container. Add a few drops of essential oil, close the cap, and shake the detergent for a few seconds. Use one small glass of this homemade detergent for a full load of laundry. Shake the container before each use.
White clay—the all-purpose cleaner!
A true all-purpose cleaner that degreases, polishes, and adds shine, clay stone can be used on all surfaces for easy, minimalist, and eco-friendly cleaning. No, this isn’t just another marketing gimmick—you’ll see that cleaning and scrubbing everything with a single natural product is entirely possible and so easy!
Drying time: 2 days
Ingredients for a 35 cl jar:· 100 g white clay,· 50 g black soap,· 50 g baking soda,· 35 drops of lemon or tea tree essential oil,· 60 g water.
In a bowl designed for this purpose, mix all the ingredients together to form a thick paste. Pour the paste into a glass jar with a lid, seal it tightly, and let it harden at room temperature for about 2 days. The mixture will thicken and dry out slightly. To apply the clay bar, simply work it into a lather with a damp sponge or cloth, then apply it to the surface you wish to clean. Once you’re done, rinse the surface with water and wipe it down with a dry cloth if necessary.
Note: The clay stone can be used to clean your bathtub, tiles, bathroom grout, plastic patio furniture, as well as metals such as silverware, stainless steel, and all faucets. With a brush, you can also use it to clean the soles of your sneakers!