gunner43, I too have been using microfibre cloths for years, but now it seems like they are also bad for the environment as they are synthetic and release microscopic particles (microfibres) when used and washed. Can't seem to win.

So far in the kitchen we are all organic, I've been making a orange peel and vinegar surface spray for years and love it. A natural loofa and stainless steel scourer for the sink and I buy a very natural dish soap made in Australia.

The shower is just cleaned down every week or so with a microfibre cloth (no cleaners needed!!). But yes I agree about the micro shedding of plastic fibres from these fabrics. Maybe I'll try my loofa on the shower walls instead of my legs!

A clove oil spray is used for mould and I make a nice essential oil air freshener for the toilet.

Cleaning the Toilet I still use bleach. Any suggestions for alternatives would be great.

I believe having a toxic free home is so important. In this modern world we are exposed to so much crap each day. So it's so refreshing to come home to 'clean' toxic free house!

Lots of studies have linked behavioural problems (autism/ADHD ect) in children to toxic loads in their body. From food and their environment! Fragrance is a huge no-no, having similar affects to the bodies hormones just like plastic does!! With so much disease and cancer in our generation we have no choice but to look around us and illuminate toxic chemicals.

The question is a bit misleading - all compounds are chemicals (bicarb is sodium bicarbonate NaHCO3) and some organic compounds are worse for your health than mineral compounds as they can interfere with hormones and your body's function.

It's good to use cleaning chemicals that won't harm the environment where you can, but sometimes they just don't work. Cleaning an oven for example is very difficult with the weaker 'natural' products - not to mention very expensive. The harsh oven cleaners makes it so much easier and work well.

Same goes for when you're cleaning things that have been stained with stuff like paint, silicone, glues, dies, etc.

Check out Koh (Ecoworx).

Despite it being an MLM business, i've been using Norwex microfibre for four years. There is argument about the microfibre 'shedding' in the washing machine, but its so minor, in comparison to the massive environmental impact paper towels, chemicals, artificial cleaners, disposable sponges have by comparison. And towels, linen they all shed fibres when washing. I could imagine the number of paper towels or sponges I would have used instead of my cloths Ive been using and washing over 4 years and the difference is significant.

I have been using Vinegar for years for washing windows, cleaning hardwood floors wiping down bench tops, a great fly deterrent, cleaning toilets. The high acidity breaks down fats. Mix with bicarb as an oven cleaner. Use a weak dilution, around 1 cup to half a bucket of hot water for floors, same for windows. Good for smelly drains also.

I use with a sponge cloth. And it's cheap.

I also only use vinegar & bicarb for cleaning with an old cotton or linen tea towel or face cloth. Olive oil & lemon juice for cleaning leather. Bee's wax for furniture, smells wonderful too. I grate velvet soap & dissolve in hot water with some eucalyptus oil for washing, adding a handful of bicarb to the wash & vinegar in the rinse with lavender oil. I add a few drops of clove oil to warm water to kill & prevent mould, keep it in a labelled glass spray bottle.

There are way too many petrochemicals in our homes in the form of benchtops, cupboard linings, synthetic carpet & floor boards, plastic containers, polyester clothing & upholstery, TV cabinets, computers, car interiors, etc, etc, the list is endless. Any wonder our younger generations are suffering so many allergies. The toxins given off by all the man created polymers is poisoning us & the planet. We have become too lazy or ignorant to be bothered even thinking about the consequences of the choices we make.

Banning supermarket bags are a start. Why not go back to a cardboard box like we used to do? Or brown paper bags?? Both re-usable & compostable.

I'll get off my soapbox now. Thank you for considering what you buy & use for all our sake.

I'm with you Joany. KOH works and I also love products from the Australian eucalyptus oil company (available Online)

Sorry to disillusion
everyone, but “organics” are chemicals too. Vinegar is just
diluted acetic acid, an organic compound with the chemical formula
CH₃COOH. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, a chemical compound
with the formula NaHCO₃. Eucalyptus oil is C10H18O, and even a few
millititres of undiluted oil can be fatal.

It’s erroneous to
assume that “organics” are good while “chemicals” are bad.
The trick is to look carefully at the concentration of the active
ingredient of whatever product you’re using to determine its
effectiveness and toxicity.

I am not disillusioned, as you suggest. If you can eat it or drink it it is safe to clean with it.

Yes everything has a chemical formula. So do we as humans. COMMON SENSE needs to be used. Of course there are natural products that are poisonous to humans so we don't eat them. As per your Eucalyptus oil example, we do not drink it. But it is excellent for cleaning, disinfecting, washing - clothes, etc in small dilute quantities. Vinegar is made the same as wine or cider, by fermenting fruit. So it is safe to use. These are not manufactured petrochemicals that do no one but the giant oil companies any good. Products that are grown organically only use earth friendly fertilisers.

Houzz - you can obtain no useful information from this survey since as Sharon and info867262 have pointed out, all you have asked is 'Chemical or chemical products'. Can you please employ someone who was awake in their high school science lessons to edit this material before it goes on line? A Year 11 chemistry student would probably be quite cheap . . .

Many of the things that kill us (viruses, bacteria) are 100% organic, all natural . . .

The fascinating thing as others have pointed out is that all cleaners are chemicals. You would think that harsh oven cleaner is the worst thing for the environment, but actually it's just sodium hydroxide. Rinse out your cloth with vinegar and you end up with water and sodium acetate (and heat so do it in the sink).

This is an interesting thread - whilst I agree that the distinction between "chemical" and "non - chemical" may not be the most useful one (for the reason pointed out above) - maybe a more useful discussion is about harmful and less harmful cleaning substances, whether to the environment or people. I suffer from something called MCS ( multiple chemical sensitivities, it's a diagnosis) and have come to realise that in my case at least it's not chemicals per se that make me sick, but rather certain smells. For example I cannot have the "Earth choice" (a natural") brand floor cleaner used in my house without suffering a few days of sore eyes, nasal congestion, fatigue, foggy brain and sinus headaches - it is truly debilitating, and the cause is the fragrance. If I use the same brand of "Naked" ( no scent) dish cleaner diluted on the floor instead, I am fine. I think everyone with MCS is different but this is working for me.

I use Zero Eco Cleaner!
Zero Hazard, Safe for the environment.
Safe for pets, safe for the family. A natural solution with similar results to a chemical cleaner.

https://zeroeco.com.au/shop/household/gecko-universal-household-cleaner-750ml-trigger-spray/

Zero eco is powerful and organic because it is an amino acid. So it is natural.

Curious to hear how people's perspectives have shifted over the years. Have you made the switch to organic, stayed loyal to conventional cleaners, or perhaps found a happy middle ground?

Stumbling upon this thread and I'm amazed to see it's been five years since this discussion started! Personally, I've found myself leaning more towards organic options lately, mainly for health reasons and also because of increasing concerns about the environmental impact of chemical-based products. I've found that many natural solutions work just as well as their chemical counterparts and sometimes even better!

For those who are using organic or DIY cleaning solutions, you might find Custom Reclosable Bags from https://www.interplas.com/reclosable-bags/custom-reclosable-bags handy for storing your homemade cleaning agents. These bags are reusable and can be customized to fit your specific needs, making it easier to manage and measure your cleaning supplies.

Hey there! When it comes to cleaning products, I'm all about finding what works best while also considering health and environmental impacts. Organic options definitely have their appeal, but sometimes you just need the heavy-duty stuff. It's all about balance! By the way, if you're ever in Lund and need Flyttstädning i Lund, it's worth exploring eco-friendly options there too!