Choosing safer, non-toxic household chemicals
They’re cheap to purchase and readily available, but did you know every day hazardous household chemicals can harm the environment, our waterways, and our families, community and pets?
Reduce the hazardous chemicals in your home and garden by choosing safer, non-toxic options.
Buying chemicals
Be a smart consumer by:
- rethinking your purchases of hazardous household chemicals – choose the least hazardous product
- understanding what you are purchasing by asking the retailer or manufacturer and checking warnings on the label
- finding out how you can dispose of any leftover product that you don't use
- only purchasing what you need
- asking family and friends if they need what you have left over.
Cleaning without chemicals
You can clean at home using natural ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, and soap.
Buying fewer or no cleaning products will save you money, make your home and the environment safer, and produce less waste and containers for recycling!
If you’re not ready to go totally natural, purchase non-toxic cleaning products over chemicals. An internet search will help you find the variety of companies specialising in chemical free cleaning products.
Another great natural cleaning aid is fibre cloths. Dampen them to lift off dirt, grease, and dust without the need for cleaning chemicals. A variety of companies specialise in them, noting that some are more effective than others and web reviews could be helpful with recommendations.
Here are some tips for common cleaning.
- All-purpose cleaner: Mix white vinegar with water in a spray bottle for cleaning surfaces, mirrors, and windows.
- Scrubbing: Use baking soda as a gentle abrasive for scrubbing sinks, tubs, and countertops.
- Heavy-duty scrubbing: Combine lemon juice and baking soda for a powerful scrub.
- Floors: Use a mixture of water and white vinegar for cleaning floors.
- Windows: Clean windows with a mixture of vinegar and newspaper – or get a great result with fibre cloths (one for cleaning and one for polishing).
- Kitchen cleaning: Baking soda is a great kitchen cleaner.
- Bathroom scrub: Use a mix of baking soda and salt for bathroom scrubbing.
Going green in your garden!
Ditch the hazardous chemicals and embrace natural alternatives for a healthier, more vibrant garden.
- Pesticides: Swap out chemical pesticides for neem oil or insecticidal soap.
- Fertilisers: Use compost and organic mulch instead of synthetic fertilisers.
- Weed control: Try natural weed killers like vinegar, hot water or manual weeding.
Visit these websites for tips on how to avoid chemicals in the garden:
- Herbicides and other weed controls - Gardening Australia
- Pest remedies - Gardening Australia
- Integrated pest management - Gardening Australia.
Your garden will thank you, and so will the planet!
Using acrylic paints
Use water-based paints or decking oil to reduce the need for turpentine or other thinners and cleaning products.
