Really clean cleaning
Chemical-based cleaning can harm our health and the environment. But you can switch to natural and eco-friendly methods that are just as effective
Words Hattie Parish
THE EXPERT
BATES has been green cleaning for 14 years and is co-founder of The Green Cleaner, a green cleaning introduction agency based in Brighton & Hove. thegreencleaner.co.uk
We’re all striving to reduce single-use plastic in our lives, including cleaning our homes. But have you thought about the environmental impact of the cleaning chemicals themselves? We consider it a given that we need to use harsh ingredients to cut through grime and kill bacteria, but it’s simply not true. And switching to green cleaning has benefits for our own health, too.
‘Studies show links between chemical cleaning and respiratory disease, and even breast cancer,’ says Vicki Bates, co-founder of The Green Cleaner. ‘But it’s small things, too - you might notice how dry or irritated your skin gets after cleaning. A lot of cleaners come to work for us because they’ve noticed the ill-effects of chemical cleaning and don’t want to do it any more.’