Using green products has been the latest trend that is growing in popularity in the past decade and hopefully it’s a trend that is here to stay. There has been an increase in the production and availability of eco-friendly products on the market that can keep us healthy, as well as minimize the impact we have on the environment.
Companies have rapidly adapted to this new trend and have managed to produce cleaning products that do not contain harmful chemicals, replacing them with natural ingredients instead.
We tend to believe that the average cleaning product is a problem only to the environment, however, many health issues can be a consequence of continuous exposure to the harsh chemicals contained in these traditional products.
For example, it has been proven that exposure to household products can tigger asthma exasperation’s, cause chemical burns and are generally extremely dangerous if ingested or inhaled.
Despite companies changing their labels and selling themselves to customers as “green” or “eco-friendly,” it can often be a misleading term and can result in false advertisement that makes customers buy harmful products masked as healthy ones.
In this article, we will help decipher the best products to use by discussing what you should be looking for when picking them out and what should and shouldn’t be written on the label indicating all the ingredients.
The first question is: why go green?
The best possible answer to this question is simply that it reduces health risks for you and your family. These products are more natural and therefore generally healthier than their non-natural counterparts. It is especially important in this historic period to eliminate anything that could compromise your immune system and unfortunately non-green cleaning products can weaken your immune system drastically.
A Norwegian study showed that “…women who worked as professional cleaners suffered the most, incurring as much lung damage as would be expected in someone smoking 20 cigarettes every day.” Clearly, this is bad news, aggravated by the fact that we believe cleaning should aid health rather than hinder it and the very products we use are a silent threat to us.
Another very legitimate answer to why we should all go green, is the fact that by simply switching the products we use into eco-friendly ones, we can help reduce air and water pollution in a drastic manner. Furthermore, eco-friendly cleaning products often can easily be recycled or the packaging itself is made from recycled materials.
Which cleaning products should you buy?
Fortunately, there is a vast selection of cleaning products that are eco-friendly and healthy. However, it is important to keep in mind, as previously stated, that some companies label their products as green, when in reality they are not.
Therefore, when choosing to go green, you should keep an eye out for the following (according to Clean Water Action):
Non-toxic products
Biodegradable products
Phosphate free products
Products that have recyclable containers / container made from recycled materials
Naturally scented products
No added dyes, chlorine or hydrochloride
Products with full disclosure or labelling of “active” and “inert” ingredients
MQGroup Expats eco-friendly suggestions:
Based on the following list provided by Clean Water Action, we have formulated a list of Italian eco-friendly companies that provide excellent and reliable products.
EcoItaly (www.ecoitalystore.com) - EcoItaly is an excellent online store that provides a wide selection of eco-friendly household products.
Eco & Gea Store (www.ecogeastore.com) - Eco & Gea is Rome based store, located in Via Pietro Giordani 26/28, as well as an online store.
Eco and Eco (www.ecoandeco.it) - Eco and Eco is also a greta option for eco-friendly cleaning products.
You can also opt for natural cleaning products if you want to remain 100% eco-friendly. For example, common natural cleaning products are vinegar and baking soda.
References:
Hyperbiotics. “Here's How Toxic Cleaning Products Affect Your Health.” Hyperbiotics, www.hyperbiotics.com/blogs/recent-articles/here-s-how-toxic-cleaning-products-affect-your-health.
“Green Cleaning Products: Benefits and Recipes.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/green-cleaning-products#benefits.
“Green Cleaning Guide.” Clean Water Action, 7 Aug. 2020, www.cleanwateraction.org/features/green-cleaning-guide.
Pulizie Ecologiche, www.ecoitalystore.com/it/Categoria/2136/pulizie-ecologiche.
“Detergenti e Detersivi Ecologici per La Casa.” Sorgente Natura, sorgentenatura.it/c/detergenti-detergenti-ecologici-pulizia-casa.
Ecoandeco, Da. “Prodotti Ecologici e Biologici.” Eco and Eco, 11 Nov. 2020, www.ecoandeco.it/.
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