Alternatives to bleach are a great way to reduce your exposure to chemicals and make your home safer and Eco-friendlier. But don’t worry, using a bleach alternative doesn’t mean you have to settle for less in terms of effects. Give it a go, it definitely won’t hurt you and can help you (and the planet) quite a bit! But here, let me tell you about a few alternatives to bleach you may choose to try.
One of the easiest alternatives to bleach you’ll ever find, commercial Eco bleach is basically a much healthier, earth-friendlier version of your standard household bleach. You’ll find it in a supermarket or specialized store (depending on the country) and that’s it! Pretty easy, isn’t it?
This well known double duty product used to be favored by our grannies and is gaining popularity once again despite the ever-growing chemical industry! But what’s so great about it? Well, you see, white vinegar is not only the most natural, non toxic stain remover but a great sanitizer, too! Apply it onto the stained fabric and watch the stain disappear, pour into your shower and leave overnight to dissolve and easily remove even the worst lime scale buildup or rust marks or mix with water and baking soda to get a not particularly great-smelling but definitely efficient detergent for your tiles.
Interested in learning more about other bleach alternatives? Well, how about you give baking soda a try? This common household product will make your whites even whiter and all you have to do is add some of it to your detergent. So simple and inexpensive!
It’s safe enough to use on clothes, removes mold and mildew and can be mixed with water to create a universal cleaning solution – do you need any other reason to give it a try? Well, in case you do, here’s one you won’t be able to resist – it’s budget-friendly too! Borax used to be an important ingredient in household bleach and although it’s not used this way anymore, you’ll still find it in whitening tooth pastes and a range of other household products.
This alternative to bleach might be the least natural but is sure much safer and Eco-friendly than conventional chlorine-based bleach. You can use it to streak your hair, apply it on your hands (patch test goes without saying) to make hairs appear lighter or add one cup to a full load of whites to make them bright and shiny again. Dilute it with water to get a cheap, Eco-friendly sanitizer for your kitchen and bathroom and you’ll never have to suffer headaches caused by toxic fumes again.
Speaking about ways to lighten up both unwanted hair and white laundry – why not use the sun? It’s absolutely free and will not only brighten your laundry (white only, colors will fade) but kill microbes as well. You can also comb lemon juice through your hair and let it sun-dry for a subtle streaked look.
Speaking about lemon juice, did you know you can use it alone to achieve stain-free…well pretty much anything! It will remove stains from your nails and skin, help you get grease stains out of your clothes and, if your skin is not too sensitive, it can even be used to bleach over-pigmented spots! It’s also a very commonly mentioned ingredient of many DIY detergents and laundry products you’ll sure find very useful.
Can you name any bleach alternatives, Eco bleach products you have a good experience with or simply products that can be mixed with others for brightening effect, stain removal and disinfection?