When I first considered transitioning to natural cleaners, I was skeptical of their ability to truly kill germs and keep my house fresh and sanitary. I was raised in a bleach-loving household (I love you, Mom!) and for a long time, didn't feel my dorm rooms or apartments were clean unless I was reeling from bleach fumes. Research has made for some interesting reading and consideration in convincing me that for most cleaning issues, natural is the way to go. That being said, I do keep a diluted bleach solution around for emergency occasions, but they have been few and far between these last seven months.
I won't spend forever discussing the chemical science to explain how natural cleaners work, but I will pop some links in that you can peruse at your own leisure. Here's the bottom line for me-anything that makes me have a four-day migraine and makes me feel completely nauseous and gives me a killer skin irritation is something I don't want to use often.
Even though I love cleaning with vinegar and essential oils, I sometimes feel like I need a heavier dose of germ-killing power. This is where I pull out the hydrogen peroxide. It is cheap (.89 cents regular price at Target), and you can kill germs with a quick spray. I will usually add some to my all-purpose cleaning sprays I make (recipes to come soon for these), and I keep a bottle with a spray top screwed on in my cleaning basket. When I wipe down my counters, especially after having raw meat out, I just spray it on, then wipe it down. Voila-every bit as effective as bleach, cheaper, and much less toxic. Vinegar alone cannot kill E. Coli and Staph bacteria, so use HP when you are cleaning. I would keep this away from kids, as internal ingestion is not advised, but I would rather deal with kids having consumed hydrogen peroxide than bleach. So, if you, like me, are sometimes worried that the bathroom needs an extra kick of cleaning power, or that the counter needs to be germ-blitzed, get some good old HP! A side note: Keep the HP in a dark bottle (just put a spray nozzle on the brown bottle), to inhibit light from breaking down the chemical composition and reducing the effectiveness.
I am not an expert at the use of essential oils, but I do believe that natural sources can be very effective at fighting germs and infections. We live in a culture where mass-marketing has told us that the only way to be clean is to pump our bodies full of detergents and chemical compounds that are more often than not extremely harmful. Companies will always encourage you to buy their product because it is "safer" for you. My personal experience is that it is not safer, and that most products are not worth the $5-$10 you pay for them. It is worth investigating other options. Certain essential oils like cinnamon oil, lemon oil, lavender oil, tea tree oil and melaleuca have been shown to have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Use them at your own will and discretion. Take some time to research them and buy high-quality products. I like the idea of filling my home with natural fragrance and ingredients rather than cleaning with bleach and then spraying chemical-filled Febreeze to cover the smell.
Here are some interesting reading links to check out regarding the effectiveness of natural cleaners. Peruse at your own will. Make your own choices. But I have been cleaning effectively with natural, homemade products and have yet to encounter any issues!
Antibacterial Properties of Essential Oils
White Vinegar as a Disinfectant
Hydrogen Peroxide as a Disinfectant
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