Do any of the following exclamations apply to you? I get a headache when I clean. I can’t have my son clean the bathroom because it aggravates his asthma. My dog won’t go in the room when our oven is self-cleaning. That stainless steel cleaner from the manufacturer smells nasty. I don’t want my kids to help clean because I don’t want them exposed to all those chemicals.

If you agree with any of these sentiments you have good reason. In the last 50 years, the global production and use of manufactured chemicals has increased substantially. According to the Environmental Protection Agency more than 80,000 new chemicals have been created. Most of the chemicals people are exposed to every day have not been assessed for their impact on human health.

How can you reduce chemicals while cleaning and still sanitize surfaces? It’s easier than you think and no, it does not have to involve inconvenient mixing of home solutions and/or stinky vinegar. You can clean most of your house with just water and clinically proven microfiber. What about disinfecting? Many people think they’ve been disinfecting when in fact they have not been disinfecting. Did you know unless you leave that disinfectant solution (this includes bleach) wet on the surface for at least a full 30 seconds you are not disinfecting? Check the small print on the back of the container as it could be many minutes longer to disinfect depending on the solution. Most people just spray and wipe without waiting long enough. That’s a lot of chemical, not to mention cost, literally down the drain and into our waterways, for no reason!

What’s the
difference between
disinfecting
and
sanitizing?

According to Webster’s Dictionary disinfect means to cleanse and make free from infection, especially by destroying harmful microorganisms. Usually the microorganism is destroyed with a chemical. Eventually the microorganism can mutate rendering the chemical ineffective, thus the need for a stronger chemical. Sanitize, according to Webster’s Dictionary means to make clean or free from germs. You can sanitize a surface by mechanically removing the germs with the proper microfiber and water only. Sanitizing can also be achieved by other means, such as temperature for one example. This can be seen with sanitizers/dishwashers required for public kitchens.

Microfiber is widely available, but to ease your mind about using it with water only to sanitize your surfaces, I recommend the highest quality microfiber. Quality matters here (think of thread count with sheets). Higher quality microfiber is at least one 100th the size of a human hair and has been clinically tested, compared to many microfiber cloths that are only 1/6th the size of a human hair. The more fiber in the cloth the more surface area there is to grab germs. Also when wet microfiber wicks better (the fiber acts like a straw drawing germs up into the cloth).

There are different types of microfiber, so for the best looking results you’ll want a microfiber polishing cloth too (especially for glass and stainless steel). Microfiber mops are great but again, go for the highest quality microfiber mop pads if you want to pick up germs with water only and get the best result. The higher quality will pay for itself quickly. So before you grab that bottle of spray cleaner and a roll of paper towels to clean your windows, mirrors, tables, desks, countertops, etc. consider this: ranging from $.79 to $2.00 per roll, one roll a week means about $52.00 per year conservatively. How many rolls of paper towels do you go through in a week, month or year? Reduce paper towel use by 99% with this method. Use that money saved to invest in a couple of high quality microfiber cloths and mop. Reduce disposables, reuse the higher quality microfiber cloths/pads and make cleaning easy, while teaching your family how to improve their health and the environment.

What about that good clean smell? Are you saying you would miss that good feeling you get when you’re done cleaning and your house smells clean? The truth is “clean” doesn’t have to smell. Our society has been brainwashed to believe the smell of certain chemicals equal clean. If you want that clean smell I recommend a citrus essential oil. For special or extra tough cleaning jobs there are other chemical free methods, including but not limited to, enzymes, but that’s another article. What about mechanically vs. chemically removing germs from your hands? Don’t get me started!

Get rid of that headache when cleaning, get the kids doing those cleaning chores, and bring the dog back into the kitchen. Come clean with the truth about cleaning!

Tammy Walker is a Registered and Licensed Occupational Therapist and a Norwex Consultant. Tammy believes strongly in listening to loud music while cleaning. She thinks cleaning can be relaxing and can give a sense of accomplishment. Tammy can be reached at ottamwalker@msn.com