Cleaning Without Chemicals: Toxin-Free Cleaning for Every Home

It likely comes as no surprise to hear that the average cleaning cupboard is chocked full of both toxic chemicals and plastics. In fact, many ‘gentle’ cleaners are still usingharmful toxins that are damaging to our health and the environment. 

But how can you possibly get your scummy bathtub clean without your old trusty bleach and foamy chemical cleaners? Well, actually, much easier than you might think. 

While marketers of big cleaning brands have done a great job of convincing us that chemical cleaners are the only thing that can ‘properly’ kill bacteria on your surfaces, the fact is, that’s just simply not true. 

Ready to ditch the plastic bottles of chemicals and adopt a toxin-free cleaning routine? Follow along to kickstart your upgrade and say goodbye to cleaning with chemicals for good.

Sparkling Kitchen

First things first, let’s start in everyone’s favourite room of the house - the kitchen. 

Unsurprisingly, the kitchen is one of the largest culprits for both chemical use and unnecessary waste. This is largely due to the sheer amount of time we spent preparing meals, eating those delicious meals, and cleaning up. 

When it comes down to it, there are 3 main chores in the kitchen that stack up the chemicals and waste.

1. Dishes

Washing up liquid is packed full of chemicals and almost always bottled in plastic. To transform your washing up routine, choose solid alternatives such as ourdish and laundry block. 

This block ticks off many cleaning needs (keep reading for more) and contributes absolutely zero plastic to the landfill! To use it, simply wet your dish brush and rub along the surface to wash up dishes in a flash. 

Got a sink full of dishes to wash up? Fill up your sink with soapy hot water by using the dish soap cage and stirring up some suds. Return your block to dry for next time to get prolonged use out of every bar. 

See how Ellie uses our famous Dish & Laundry Block here:

More of a dishwashing liquid person?! Check out the Resparkle refillable cleaning range, simply mix the compostable powder sachet with water in a reusable bottle and vooolah you have a dishwashing liquid without the plastic waste!

Trade-in your plastic dish brushes and scrubbers for sustainable,zero-waste alternatives that you can use for pots and pans, glasses, and even bottles. Prefer a dishcloth to do your dirty work? Try thecellulose dishcloth for your dishes and surfaces. Wash and reuse and when it reaches the end of its life, simply pop it in the compost bin! 

2. Surface Cleaning

Instead of wiping your counters with paper towel and toxin-filled surface cleaner, upgrade your tools for a fresh new routine. 

The No Nasties‘not so paper towel’ 12 pack is your new best friend! Instead of throwing away sheet after sheet, these handy cloths are machine washable for endless use. 

Cut out the chemical middle man by creating your own bacteria-busting surface spray by shaving a bit of your Go For Zero dish block into a glass bottle (see video above). Add hot, distilled water until you reach a ratio of 1 part soap to 50 parts water. Let the soap flakes dissolve in the hot water and give it a shake before each use to get the best cleaning power out of every spritz.

Now you’ve got a plastic-free, toxin-free cleaner for just pennies a bottle!

Another natural surface cleaning option is the Resparkle all-purpose spray. Clean your entire home, including: kitchens, bathrooms, marble, timber, granite, and more! What's even better is that this grime-cutting formula is guaranteed to clean with ease without irritating your skin. Simply add the powder from the compostable sachet to water in a reusable bottle. No more paying for water!

3. Rubbish

We all know that soft-plastics are a pain in the you know what, but when it comes to the rubbish bin, that tends to feel like our only option. 

Fortunately, there are other options (of course)! Instead of store-bought plastic bin bags, trade-in your liner for a compostable bag. TheBioTuff bin bags come in a variety of sizes to fit any size bin and are fully composable for much faster and more earth-friendly decomposing. 

Feeling a bit crafty? Try making your ownbin bags out of old newspapers and skip the bag altogether! 

Lovely Laundry

Next up on our chemical tour through the average Australian household is the laundry room. 

Smelly detergent, fabric softener, and bleach-based stain remover are all on their way out! As per any liquid cleaners, all of these options are packaged in plastics that consume a massive amount of energy to recycle. 

So what’s the solution? You guessed it - solid bars to the rescue! 

Remember that handy dish and laundry block from the kitchen? Well, it’s about to be your best friend in the laundry room too. Shave 1 teaspoon of the block using your grater right into the soap section of your washing machine and your set! Use the hot or cold setting and experience clean, fresh laundry every time. 

Got a stain that just won’t budge? Pick up aGo For Zero stain stick and watch it disappear. Dampen your stick and the garment as soon as possible after staining and gently rub away any evidence of the spill. Rinse residue as normal and pop in the wash to finish it off!

Bathroom Boss

Last but not least, it’s time to attack the bathroom grime. 

Fortunately, if you’ve already adopted the swaps for your kitchen, you already have most of what you need to tackle the bathroom.

Remember that handy surface spray you made earlier? Bring it into the bathroom along with your ‘not so paper towel’ to clean any bathroom surface! 

Need a little extra power for the bath and shower? Conjur up a cleaning gel with1 part soap and 5 parts water. Let the hot water dissolve the flakes and use this thick paste to scrub away at any tough to clean surface. We told you that block had heaps of purposes! 

Still using a plastic brush to clean your toilet bowl? Go plastic-free with an eco-maxsustainable toilet brush and holder. Your bathroom will be stylish and zero-waste without any fuss.

Don't forget about the ones that do majority of the hard work (your hands!). We found it difficult to find a plastic-free liquid hand wash for areas of the home that don't always want to share a bar of soap (hello kitchen and guest bathrooms). Check out this refillable antibacterial foaming hand wash. You can pair it with a sleek looking glass bottle or use one you already have! The refill sachets are home compostable too. *woot woot*.

Toxin-Free Cleaning Without Compromise

If you’ve been wondering how to clean without chemicals, we hope this article cleared it all up! From going chemical-free in the bathroom to ditching plastics and waste in the kitchen, we’re confident your home will be a hub for toxin-free cleaning in no time.

Ready to make the change in your home?Shop our selection of cleaning products for all of your zero-waste and toxin-free cleaning needs today!