“I really liked my old house cleaners — till they went ‘green,’ then I had to stop using them. They used vinegar, and I like coming home to the smell of clean.”
I do thoroughly enjoy my coworker, but we are very different people from very different backgrounds. For example, I overheard this conversation she had with one of our clients regarding the difficulty in finding a reliable new house cleaner. It was not my place to say, “Well, actually, your house is just as clean with these natural cleaners and a safer environment for your children,” so I kept my mouth shut and thought instead about how nice it is to be able to hire someone to clean your house.
Another example of our differences was the time I wanted to cut up an incredibly large t-shirt we received from a former client to make into cleaning rags for our conference tables. She assured me that there was enough in our budget to buy cleaning cloths. After trying the huge shirt for its original purpose, it is now in pieces in my kitchen cabinet. Like I said, we are very different people.
While I have plenty of vinegar and baking soda around my house and can easily make my own cleaning products, I have a green-friendly, name-brand cleaner to use as well. I bought the bottle and refills before The Eco Yuppie came into my life. Although I now know better ways to clean, should I completely dispose of my refills and fill the bottle with a new homemade mixture? No, that would be wasteful. I poured the concentrate into the bottle and filled it to the rim with water.
The bottle boosts its “powerful plant-based cleaners” and only lists them as “derived from Coconuts and Palm Kernel Oil and contains other biodegradable eco-sensible cleaners.” The concentrated refill two-pack contains “80% less packaging than 2 pre-filled spray containers.” So maybe this product isn’t the best, most eco-friendly cleaner on the market. It’s better, and I’m not wasting the year-old packaging just because I know of a better solution.
Other cleaning brands focus on their clean power. Method and Seventh Generation are two easily accessible brands that come to mind, but they most certainly do not monopolize the market. These companies are conscious about their ingredients and packaging when creating their products. Recycled and recyclable containers, biodegradable solutions, and even compostable materials are the companies’ focus. On the Method and Seventh Generation websites, you can learn about exactly what is and is not in the bottle. These cleaners are pleasing to the masses because they even smell like clean without the detriment of inhaling ammonia.
Yes, I can happily make my own cleaner and save money while doing so. However, my coworker would never, ever consider it, regardless of any benefit. These [more] eco-friendly products, name brand and alternative, are a great stepping stone for the people who otherwise would never put down their “dirty” cleaners for the sake of sustainability. I’m happy she last purchased a vinegar-based multipurpose cleaner. These little steps are the beginning.
By S. Ameri
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where the hell have you been? i’ve been wasting everything–and wasting AWAY