Floor cleaning and polishing can be a difficult task that often requires the use of abrasive and harsh cleaners or polishers. The job of cleaning a floor is rarely glamorous, and typically requires time spent scrubbing away on your hands and knees. There are hundreds of different floor cleaners on the market and while they all may work effectively at getting the job done, some are probably too harsh for your body, the environment and your floor.
Many floor cleaners contain chemicals that are used to dig dirt out of the floor and leave it with a polished finish. They might work alright and appear to get the job done well, but over time the chemicals will likely cause more damage to your precious hardwood or linoleum. After several uses, the chemicals will probably start to strip down any finish or smoothness to the floor and give it a dull, cracked, dried out look. The floor is probably just as damaged as it begins to look. You’ll wind up convincing yourself that it’s time for new flooring, and you’ll use the same chemicals on the brand new floor all over again.
Organic, all natural floor cleaners can be made yourself or purchased at health food stores or independent organic retailers. Some common household ingredients that effectively clean floors without causing potential or future damage include vinegar, vodka and mineral oil. Vinegar is excellent for getting the dirt off the floor and soaking it up, and the vodka and mineral oil are great at sealing the wood and keeping it solid. These ingredients are better for you and your family, especially those who suffer from allergies or asthma.
Not only are they safer to use in your home, but they are safer to dispose of as well. When you’re done cleaning your floors, you’ll probably dump the mop water mixed with cleaner into the sink, right? And where does it go? It goes through your plumbing and contributes to corrosion, into the sewage and into the lakes and streams where the wildlife lives. Fish will be drinking and living in the remnants of your hardwood floor. Some of this water will be filtered through and pour right back out of your faucet, so there’s a small chance you may wind up drinking some hardwood polish as well.
Using an organic floor cleaner, particularly making one of your own, is significantly less expensive than commercial hazardous products. You can clean with vinegar and polish with mineral oil or beeswax, three extremely inexpensive ingredients that are available in bulk quantities. If you’re not comfortable creating your own, there are plenty of brands that make organic floor cleaners, and they’re typically less expensive or at least a larger quantity for your money.
There is no reason to spend unnecessary amounts of money on products that will irritate your skin and eyes, contaminate the water you drink and damage the earth you populate. A few extra conscious efforts will improve the world around you and noticeably change your life as well.
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