Eco-friendly cleaning guide: microfibre cloths and gadgets
Emily Peck gets stuck into part two of the eco-cleaning debate and puts cloths and gadgets to the test
Cleaning products are something we use nearly every day and in doing so we invite potentially dangerous chemicals into our homes. Overall these products will not be doing our health or the environment much good, so it’s worth considering the alternative options that are on the market.
The following products base their ethic on the belief that a little bit of water and elbow grease can be as effective as chemical solutions. What I definitely noticed, especially when taking a bath, is that by eliminating harmful chemicals there’s no unpleasant chemical residue left behind.
Why not try some of these products out and see if they work for you - here’s a selection of a few on offer.
E-cloth
Range: Colour coded microfibre cloths for cleaning a variety of hard surfaces in the home.
Eco credentials: The microfibre cloths do not contain any chemicals and can be washed at least 300 times.
Price: £16.99 for a starter pack.
Efficiency: Perfect for stainless steel and glass surfaces such as light switches or oven hobs. The bathroom cloths take a bit of getting used to, but stick with it and you could get hooked!
Website: www.e-cloth.com
Enjo
Range: Ample range of cleaning mits and microfibre cloths for around the home. Includes floor mops and dusters too.
Eco credentials: Made from polyester, a readily available waste product from the gasoline production, the microfibre cloths do not contain chemicals or use them to clean. The product is delivered by a personal representative, with no unnecessary packaging. Not tested on animals.
Price: From £19 for a cleaning mit.
Efficiency: These really do work on a everyday basis and when you’ve dried the surfaces you can get that ‘hotel clean’ dry sparkle. Just don’t get tempted to get out the chemicals when you find you’ve run out of elbow grease.
Website: www.enjo.org.uk
Domotec
Range: ‘Ultra Steam Cleaner’ uses the power of dry steam at 150°C to kill germs and sanitise.
Eco credentials: Although this is a plug-in product, which therefore uses energy, steam cleaning eliminates the need for cleaning chemicals. The parts are recyclable.
Price: £249.95.
Efficiency: It’s a powerful machine that does the hard work for you, tackling limescale and dirt marks in hard to reach corners. If you change the nozzle, you can use it to clean the toilet bowl too.
Website: www.domotec.uk.com
Sonic Scrubber
Range: This works like an electric toothbrush to dislodge dirt and limescale that forms in hard to clean areas in the kitchen or bathroom.
Eco credentials: A good option if you use rechargeable batteries, (Moixa Energy USBCELL AA Rechargeable Batteries - £10.95 for a pack of two, John Lewis). This tool can cut your cleaning time in half. You’ll need separate models if you want to use it in the bathroom and kitchen.
Price: £14.99.
Efficiency: Good on cookers in the kitchen or for cleaning tile grout in the bathroom. But you’ll find it’s more effective when chemicals are used with it.
Website: http://www.lakeland.co.uk/
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