Green Alternatives for Bleach

You always hear about people trying to be more “green” today by doing simple little changes in their daily lives. Whether it be using more natural cleaning products or recycling their old items, no matter what you do there are always ways to be more “green.”

I personally have tried to eliminate as many toxic chemicals as I can from our home, with young children around I want to give them the best environment possible. The one thing I never even thought about changing was the use of bleach, both in my cleaning routine as well as my laundry routine.

We all like that fresh clean scent of bleach, it tells us that our clothes are the cleanest they can be and disinfected from any germs they might have come in contact with, not to mention bleach really makes our whites bright and white. What you might not have realized though is bleach can be very dangerous to human health and the environment.

Did you realize that the main component of bleach is chlorine? Yes Chlorine, the same agent that was first used in chemical warfare back in WWI and to think we are not only cleaning our homes with this toxic chemical but we are washing out clothing in it. I have a safe non-toxic alternative for you though so go ahead and toss that bottle of bleach and join me on a “Green Revolution.”

Baking soda and vinegar work together in the same way Chlorine does in your bleach solution, the only difference is it’s not harmful. Other than tasting horrible if you ingest baking soda or vinegar you will suffer no ill side effects. I’d like to see you say the same thing about swallowing bleach! In fact, if you swallow bleach you are told to contact medical help and poison control immediately because it can be fatal even in the smallest amounts. Again, I ask you is this really a product you want to keep in a home around pets and children?

Baking soda and vinegar do not just clean as well as bleach they clean better than bleach, you will have whiter whites and cleaner surfaces throughout your home and it will cost you a fraction of the price tag you pay for bleach. For your laundry simple add 2 tablespoons of baking soda and ¼ cup of vinegar and you will have a cleaning machine working on those grimy clothes. Go ahead and make the switch today — live healthier and safer.