As we previously mentioned in our blog post ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY DIY CLEANING TIPS FOR THE HOME , making your own cleaning products at home is becoming more and more popular – and it's also really fun! However, there are of course things to think about and take into account when mixing your own cleaning solutions. We list everything you need to know below!
Making your own cleaning products
Advantages:
- Of course, a big and obvious advantage of making your own cleaners is that it's cheap (at least in the short term) and convenient since vinegar, citric acid and bicarbonate are things we usually have in our pantry.
- Ingredients such as vinegar, citric acid and bicarbonate are effective in combination against light grease stains as well as bad smells.
Disadvantages:
- Generally speaking, homemade cleaning products require more time and effort than just buying a cleaning product from the local store.
- Mixing ingredients for cleaning solutions yourself can be a bit tricky, depending on the ingredients you use. Therefore, it is important to be careful when mixing different chemicals.
- Many people find the pungent smell of vinegar to be the reason why they have a hard time with DIY cleaners, which often contain vinegar. Mixing in essential oils can help make the scent more pleasant but can also make it more difficult to balance the concentration of the agent. In such a case, prolonged skin contact or inhalation of vapors should be avoided as much as possible.
Citric acid
As one of the most common food additives and chemicals, citric acid has long been readily available in our homes and stores. Citric acid is an organic acid that is useful in flavoring and preserving foods, as an ingredient in cosmetic products, and—of course—as a component in cleaning products.
Advantages:
- Can act as a solvent for cleaning and degreasing
- Kills bacteria and mold and is effective in removing soap scum, hard water stains, calcium deposits, lime and rust.
- Can neutralize the pungent smell of the vinegar
Disadvantages:
- For those who feel they have sensitive skin, citric acid can irritate the skin and trigger asthma symptoms.
- It is common knowledge that citric acid can be linked to mild reactions such as reduced immune function, allergies and other inhalation problems.
- Inhaling citric acid can cause problems such as coughing, shortness of breath and sore throat. Contact with the eyes may lead to redness and pain.
Vinegar
Advantages:
- Cheap, easy to find in grocery stores and common to have in the pantry at home.
- Can be used on many different surfaces, such as kitchen counters, the inside of the fridge or to clean windows.
- Minimally toxic in small amounts.
Disadvantages:
- The smell can be overwhelming and difficult to inhale.
- Does not act as a disinfectant
- Can damage marble and graphite surfaces
- Is on its own not as effective against more difficult dirt such as grease stains. May need to be supplemented with other ingredients.
More information on how best to mix vinegar with other ingredients to make your own cleaning products .
Baking soda
Baking soda is environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and a great product to use to clean your home. However, there are pros and cons to using bicarbonate for cleaning, as with any other cleaning product.
Advantages:
- Useful for many surfaces in the home, for example as a scouring agent by mixing bicarbonate with water to clean the oven, stove or to remove limescale, dirt or mold in the joints between tiles.
- Safe for children and pets and completely non-toxic.
- Good for getting rid of bad smells. Can also be used to clean stainless steel sinks and appliances.
- Unlike other products, bicarbonate does not require you to use protective gloves or anything else to protect your skin from irritation. It is highly unlikely that bicarbonate would lead to skin irritation.
Disadvantages:
- Bicarbonate can easily leave a residue which may require additional cleaning by rinsing with water or vinegar. Thus, additional effort may be required.
- Important to know the amount of bicarbonate you need for a cleaning spray or paste and how long it should remain. Not as simple as just taking out a bottle of cleaning agent from your cleaning cupboard.
In conclusion, there are generally great advantages to using these cheap and environmentally friendly ingredients to make your own cleaning products. The disadvantages of possible skin irritations or inhalation problems, the extra effort or the need to be extra careful with the concentration, make making your own cleaning products less convenient than buying your cleaning products at your local store. But of course if you like DIY it can be really fun!
It also depends a lot on the situation when you may need the cleaning products. To clean the whole house, from bathroom to kitchen, living room and windows in one day, own cleaning products can be somewhat limited because you can benefit from cleaning materials that are more adapted to each cleaning area. If you are looking for a cleaning product with a high cleaning effect, which is environmentally friendly, cost-effective and based on non-toxic ingredients, Skosh is the product you want!
