Cleaning the house without detergents - pros and cons + useful life hacks
Content:
Doctors never cease to remind housewives about how harmful household chemicals are. But will cleaning without detergents help you achieve 100% cleanliness and shine in your home? Get rid of bacteria and mold? Clean old stains on furniture, clothes and kitchen utensils? After all, “grandmother’s” recipes include a limited list of components that have cleaning properties. Let's figure out whether it's worth giving up chemical detergents for cleaning.
Cleaning without detergents - pros
The use of aggressive household chemicals is gradually being abandoned in many civilized countries: Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Japan and others. Conventional powders, gels and solutions are being replaced by “eco” ones. And in families with low incomes they use simple products:
- salt,
- soda,
- vinegar,
- citric acid,
- hydrogen peroxide,
- mustard.
Argument 1. Security
Cleaning without chemicals does not cause discomfort to people with allergies, asthma, or heart pathologies. And in general, it helps maintain health in the long term.
Typically, household chemicals contain the following harmful compounds:
- Phosphates
Found in most washing powders in Russia. They cause skin irritation, can accumulate in the body and provoke the development of tumors. Also, phosphates from drainage enter the soil and harm the environment. They significantly worsen the quality of drinking water in cities.
- Surfactant
They are part of almost all washing liquids, even soap. They disrupt the protective hydrolipid layer of the skin, and when accumulated in the body, they provoke endocrine disorders.
- Chlorine
Present in some bleach and disinfectant solutions. Dangerous for the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
Detergents may also contain other harmful compounds: formaldehyde, phenols, cresols, 2-Butoexitanol, ammonia, synthetic dyes and fragrances. Therefore, many people refuse household chemicals for cleaning their homes.
Argument 2. Saving money
Household chemicals “eat up” a significant part of the family budget. Highly specialized products are especially expensive:
- for cleaning carpets;
- for car interior;
- for washing plumbing fixtures;
- for whitening.
“Grandma’s” recipes, on the contrary, help save money. Most cleaning products can be found in every home.
Argument 3. No pungent odors
Most store-bought cleaners smell strong and “chemical.” It is especially difficult for sensitive people, children, and allergy sufferers.
Cleaning without detergents does not cause such discomfort - it only leaves a feeling of freshness.
Cleaning without detergents - arguments against
Alas, household chemicals cannot be completely replaced by traditional methods. Especially if the house is rarely cleaned.
Argument 1. Low efficiency
Many contaminants cannot be dealt with only with the help of water and folk remedies. If you don't use household chemicals, the house will simply be dirty.
For example, a salt solution cannot completely bleach fabric or remove old drink stains. And baking soda is unlikely to cope with a month's layer of grease on the stove.
Argument 2. Lack of 100% protection against bacteria and mold
Components that effectively cope with pathogenic microorganisms are added to household chemicals. But if you don’t use detergents when cleaning, you risk creating only visible order.
But bacteria can provoke dangerous intestinal diseases and weaken human immunity. And fungi often become the culprits of skin and hair problems.
Argument 3. Wrong choice of alternative
When cleaning, housewives often replace detergents with vinegar, ammonia or citric acid. However, these are quite caustic substances.
When used without gloves, the skin on your hands suffers greatly. And inhaling fumes harms the respiratory system. Finally, vinegar can easily damage delicate furniture materials (wood, leather).
conclusions
So, cleaning without detergents has both advantages and disadvantages. It is ideal as an everyday event. For example, without detergents, you can clean the table, stove, shelves and other objects daily. But once a month, it is better to carry out general cleaning using household chemicals to “kill” bacteria, fungi and deal with old dirt. The main thing is to carefully read the ingredients of the products and choose less aggressive ones.