Meet the housecleaning brigade
Daksha Hathi

So many of the wonder cleaning products available in the market are poisonous to plants as well as to pets. The first synthetic detergents came into our lives in 1907. Before then, the world was using soaps for cleaning everything. We forget that detergents are made from petrochemicals, a non-renewable resource, and so many detergents are not good for the environment as they are not easily biodegradable.

Phosphates are used to soften water. They have been banned in Switzerland and most parts of the US. They pollute our water and endanger plants.

Detergents are the culprits that cause domestic accidents through poisoning, more than any other household product. Children are often nosy and sniff and lick up these cleaners, which should be kept locked.

Disinfectants kill the bacteria, which cause infection, but unfortunately they also kill the good bacteria needed to decompose sewage.

Remember that one squirt will do. Most of us use twice as much detergent as we need to. The world has been using pure soap for thousands of years and it is still the best detergent to use. Change over to plain soap and dump synthetic detergents. Remember soap is non-toxic, biodegradable and saves money.

So many detergents are not good for the environment as they are not easily biodegradable. — Photo by the writer

Optical brighteners so lavishly advertised on television as our Great White and Bright friends are not so great. They make our washed clothes appear whiter or brighter by absorbing ultraviolet light and re-emitting blue light. They make our clothes seem whiter but they are not necessarily cleaner! They are also costlier.

Foam boosters add suds but do not improve the cleaning action.

Enzymes attack the grime, soil and stains but could cause allergies.

We must remember that many of the bacteria, which live in the environment, are necessary to protect us against other more harmful organisms. Avoid reckless cleanliness. Use humbler cleaning agents. Remember:

You can drastically reduce the recommended amount of most synthetic detergents by half, without any difference to the cleaning of your clothes. The manufacturers always recommend more usage than is necessary.

Dilute all liquid cleaners when you bring them home from the supermarket, by adding an equal amount of water.

If you wash your dishes with dishwashing liquid, rinse all dishes and cutlery etc. well. The residue left by detergents is more harmful to the cleaner than the oil or grease you are washing off.

Try out these friendlier, humble house cleaning agents.

Washing soda: is a natural water softener and grease cutter. You can add it to your wash, to clean really filthy clothes.

Baking soda is very good as an oven cleaner, chrome polisher, and even a facial cleanser. It can be a useful scouring powder, stain remover and a plaque buster.

Vinegar is cheap and can be used for many household-cleaning jobs.

Salt is a benign scouring powder. It is also mildly antiseptic.

Lemon juice is an effective stain remover.

Pure soap flakes are great for many housing and washing tasks.

Borax: a natural salt, is a safer substitute for chlorine bleach. It can help you to increase the effectiveness of plain soap, to soften water, even control mould and prevent bad smells, whiten clothes.

Vanilla essence can be used to get rid of dirty smells.

Good old flour is also excellent for polishing chrome and silver and other metals.

The next time you go shopping remember to buy these useful, humble but cheap and safe house cleaners.

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