So, we eat organic food, use herbal cosmetics, wear natural fabric and
desist from mindless use of single use plastic. But, what about the synthetic cleaning liquids
and powders we use at home that pump in a cocktail of chemicals into the
environment.
With due credits to my teachers and social scientists (who aren’t in social media) Dr. Sultan Ahmed Ismail, veteran environmentalist and director of Eco science Research Foundation, he was the one who coined the term 'Vermicompost', fondly known as the "Father of worms".
Inspiration for bioenzymes was derived from Dr. Rosukun Poompanvong from
Thailand who developed the concept of Bioenzyme, also recognized for the
remarkable work in organic farming in Thailand's Organic farming movement by
FAO.
Severe effects of chemical laden products:
With strong artificial colours/ fragrances, heavy bleaching agents, ammonia, acids, pesticides, harmful petrochemical derivatives and other notorious chemicals into the environment. Studies have also shown that exposure to these chemicals could impact the skin, mucus membranes, soft tissue, internal organs and even the unborn; some of them being carcinogenic too. Let's be wary of products that claim to give instantaneous cleansing effects, as they are likely to be loaded with these chemicals. Read the label!
Easy to use!
Branded organic cleaning products such as washing powders, detergents, dish washing powders and vegetable oil-based soaps might be expensive for some; with a bit more pre planning and stock prep the organic alternatives could do the job just as well with time and patience.
For instance, an organic arsenal of vinegar, lime juice, baking soda,
soap nut solution, essential oil, neem oil, and salt for household cleaning
operations; they are not outrageously expensive either. Adding charcoal works
good too but if you don’t have wood ash/ charcoal, you can simply add more
baking soda to the cleansing mixture. Likewise, activated microorganisms
(Nature’s good microbes) and it’s enzymes do a great job when used in cleaning
toilets, floors, utensils or even clothes.
When we prepare and stock these organic cleaning agents in easy-to-use spray cans
and containers, they become very handy to use on an everyday basis. These organic substances are effective as cleaning agents, because it is in
their nature to act on grime, grease and germs.
The effective alternatives!
- Vinegar has naturally occurring acetic acid, giving it an
antibacterial effect and helping it dissolve grease and deposits
- Bioenzyme/ fermented fruit liquids, a multi-purpose cleaner
- Citric acid in fresh lemon juice inhibits fungal growth, works against
oily residues, removes stains and has a natural whitening / bleaching action
- Wood ash and charcoal have adsorbent properties, which make them
effective cleaning agents
- Essential oils, known to repel small insects, ants, cockroaches at home (though it doesn't kill them)
- Salt disinfects and its abrasive action aids in scrubbing
- Baking soda absorbs smells, reacts with fatty acids to form natural
detergents and has an abrasive nature making it effective as a cleanser
- Soap nut contains saponin, a natural surfactant that makes it remove dirt and grease
- Shikakai, Acacia leaves , Tamarind tree leaves, Neem leaves and pods extract,
helps in washing vegetables and fruits to neutralize pesticide residues on them
(We had published papers on the same Effective removal of organophosphorus pesticide residues in tomatoes using natural extracts, Assessing the effect of chitosan on pesticide removal in grape juice during clarification by gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, Removal of pesticides from strawberries using plant extracts and assessed by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry )
- Coconut coir, nurai peerkangai naar/ dried ridge gourd loaf as
cleaning materials
Usages:
Clothes: Dried
and powdered soap nut powder or liquid with or without bioenzyme + essential
oil makes for good washing powder
Latrine/toilet bowl: Bioenzyme/ undiluted vinegar (my previous post on Bio Enzyme- A Natural Multi- purpose Cleaner)
Stainless steel vessels: Mix one part each of soap nut powder and wood ash with a quarter
part of baking soda. If ash can't be sourced, increase the proportion of baking
soda. Refuse of bioenzyme
Clogged drains: Three
tbsp each of baking soda and vinegar, pour down the drain. Leave it overnight
and use a plunger to release the block
Ceramic ware: One
spoon of lime juice/vinegar for a cup of water
Tiles/floor: Vinegar or bioenzyme in (preferably warm) water. Adding eucalyptus/neem oil/lemon grass oil to this mixture gives fragrance and deters germs too
Mirror: Spray
water with 10 per cent vinegar and wipe with a newspaper
Glass: Lemon
juice for stains and lemon juice/vinegar in water for general cleaning
Wood: Wipe
with a rag touched with lemon grass oil or coconut oil
Brass, Copper: Tamarind
with salt
Refrigerator, stove top: Wipe with a cloth dipped in baking soda solution in water, after
squeezing the cloth; wet cloth with water with few drops of essential oil and
wipe again.
Body & Skin care: Shikkakai+ soapnut powder or solution with herbal mixture of rose petals, fenugreek seeds, hibiscus petals, etc.
(Have tried and tested some affordable small business brands for bath powder, hair care powder Yamiherbals and herbal soaps from Ecoslice )
Pesticides off Fruits & Veggies: Soak any combination of leaves extract (~50 mL) or diluted lime juice/ vinegar/ Bioenzyme (~100mL) per kilogram of any single variety of fruit or veggie.
(Note: Don't reuse the soaked water to re-soak another set of fruits and vegetables as the intensity of the solution is decreased)
These are some of the tried and lab tested methods we have been following since around 5 years. That said, sustainability need not always be about looking forward, grasping towards new technologies that may or may not save the day. Innovation is important, and will play an important role in defining our future. But sometimes we need to look backwards; making household cleaning products would be nothing new to our forebears: only a few generations ago, this was the norm. Re-learning skills that have largely been lost is also an important method for forging a better, more ethical, and sustainable future.
Happy green lighting ahead!
MJ
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