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Chemical-free cleaning products
Jenny Westdorp, September
2017
There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of a freshly cleaned and tidy home. However, for asthma and allergy sufferers, it’s a double-edged sword, as while cleaning the house reduces the amount of allergens, it can also aggravate symptoms.
The trick to avoiding itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, skin irritations, congestion and possible allergy and asthma attacks is to be careful about the cleaning products you use.
Common chemical culprits found in cleaning products include:
A spray bottle of water mixed with vinegar can safely clean many things around the home.[/caption]
A tablespoon each of bicarb soda and salt mixed into a paste with water is a healthy way to clean wooden and plastic cutting boards. (Don't forget to rinse afterwards.)[/caption]
- Sodium lauryl sulphate
- Formaldehyde
- Ammonia
- D-limonene
- Sodium hydroxide
- Laundry detergents
- Fabric softeners
- All-purpose cleaners
- Disinfectants
- Oven, drain and glass cleaners
A spray bottle of water mixed with vinegar can safely clean many things around the home.[/caption]
Nature to the rescue
The other alternative is to go back to basics and use natural cleaners like soap, vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and water wherever possible. And a little elbow grease never goes astray. You can easily make your own household cleansers that are allergy friendly. Simply invest in some BPA-free plastic spray bottles and small plastic containers. Here’s some ‘recipes’ you can use:All-purpose cleaner
Mix two cups of vinegar and two cups of water to create an all-purpose cleaner and disinfectant. It can be used on most kitchen and bathroom surfaces (besides marble).Scouring cleaner
Mix 3/4 of a cup of baking soda and 1/4 of a cup of water to create a paste for cleaning toilets, sinks, ceramic, tubs, aluminium, silverware, chrome and stainless steel. Alternatively, mix ¼ of a cup of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of liquid detergent and enough white vinegar to make a creamy texture. A squeeze of lemon into the paste will give it a delightfully fresh and clean aroma. (Here are 20 handy ways to use bicarb soda around the house.) [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="690"] A tablespoon each of bicarb soda and salt mixed into a paste with water is a healthy way to clean wooden and plastic cutting boards. (Don't forget to rinse afterwards.)[/caption]
