The Pros and Cons of Using Eco Friendly Cleaning Products

Eco friendly cleaning products provide a viable alternative to the many standard products on the market. Eco-friendly products differ from standard products in terms of ingredients, biodegradability and safety. When used properly with the adequate precautions, standard cleaning products are safe, but of greater concern are pets and small children who could accidentally come into harmful contact with them. Safety issues alone make eco-friendly products a better choice, and there are other advantages as well. However, there are some disadvantages to using eco-friendly cleaning products even though they are better for the environment. 

Advantages of Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products: Safety

Standard cleaning products for porcelain, linoleum, carpet, wood and other household surfaces often include toxic ingredients like ammonia, NPEs, methyl chloride, silica and many others. While the dangers of these ingredients are well known to regulatory agencies and, in some cases, the public, they are still in common use. Most standard cleaning products don't list what's in them on the bottle. That's largely why many of them are incredibly toxic. Eco-friendly cleaning products, by contrast, include such ingredients as purified water, lactic acid, citric acid and enzymes. Homemade cleaning products like baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, borax and castile soap are also very environmentally friendly and relatively harmless.

Biodegradability

In addition to being safe to use around young children and pets, eco-friendly cleaning products are also biodegradable. Chemicals found in standard products are not. They eventually find their way into sewer runoff and the ground or can be inhaled or unintentionally absorbed into the skin. Whereas natural products break down and do not harm ecosystems, water or soil, chemical-laden products continue to wreak havoc on the environment even after they have been washed down the drain. 

No Irritation

While the strong smell of vinegar may put off some people, all in all, cleaners with eco-friendly ingredients do not irritate the senses, skin or respiratory system. In fact, many feature essential oils and other natural aromatic substances that make cleaning a pleasant experience rather than one that fills the air with a noxious smell. Eco-friendly products are also far less likely to aggravate allergies, respiratory conditions like asthma, or cause skin reactions.

Disadvantages: Costs

There are a couple of notable disadvantages to using eco-friendly products for cleaning. Of these, cost is probably the biggest reason people continue to stick with the standard products. Products that utilize safe, natural ingredients almost always cost more than those featuring mass-produced chemicals. Still, prices are gradually coming down as new manufacturers spring up to fill the demand consumers have for safer cleaning agents. Another way to cut costs is to make your own cleaning products. They are easy to mix and provide many of the same antiseptic, sterilizing and grease-cutting properties as chemical-filled products. 

Effectiveness

Anyone who's experienced a clogged tub drain will probably agree that chemical drain cleaners typically work better than baking soda, vinegar and hot water. This outlines the other major disadvantage of eco-friendly cleaning products: effectiveness. As toxic as chemicals are, they are designed to cut through stains, grease, clogs and other substances befouling a home, and they generally do a very good job. However, routine preventative cleaning with natural products nets a greater benefit than periodic use of chemical cleaners. It may require more elbow grease, but it's better for the home and better for the environment.