Household chemicals: Aunt Asya’s formula for cleanliness

My mother graduated from a chemistry special school, and all my childhood I listened to stories about the wonderful chemistry in our lives. Experiments and transformations – that’s what I was expecting. Formulas and nerdy lectures is what I got. In a fit of adolescent maximalism I told my teacher once that I can do without chemicals.

“Well, well, try it!”, the chemist sniggered… Sure, household chemicals are not just around, they have become ingrained in our minds as something we simply cannot live without.

By the way, almost the first chemistry experience our children see on TV: happy Aunt Asya arrives and the gray turns white. “Without chemicals, you’ll be eaten by germs and wallow in limescale,” some salespeople who sell those very chemicals tell us.

“You’re allergic? You have asthma, ulcers, you have a small child ,” others ask, “Quickly clean up the household chemicals. Well, let’s try to understand: how to minimize the consumption of powders, gels, sprays, etc., and whether modern man can completely abandon household chemicals?

Swapping regular dirt for three chemically?

By scrubbing a stove bathtub, tile, mirror with a chemical, we remove surface dirt. They’ve been using soap, ash, and just water for centuries.

When we use household chemicals we put other dirt on the surface we’re cleaning but this time it’s more dangerous. All surfaces that we wash or clean in this way accumulate a film of dry surfactant residue. Over time, this dust would be released into the air, and therefore into the lungs.

Agree, we rarely read what it says on the package in small letters. And this is not a harmful activity: thus you can save yourself from many troubles associated with the use of household chemicals.

Tip: Acid “duckling” will be poisoned by chlorine

Two cleaning and disinfecting agents with fundamentally different bases chlorine and acid should not be used simultaneously – chlorine gas emission is dangerous.

So if you clean the sink or toilet with an acid “duck”, and it does not help, in any case do not add for greater efficiency bleach: risk of poisoning!

Chemistry or life?

The use of household chemicals, of course, reduces our time spent on cleaning, washing and taking care of ourselves. Of course, the results can differ from “non-chemical” quite strongly. But it’s worth reflecting: in fact, with the development of technology in our homes will not be less household chemicals – on the contrary, their number and variety is growing every day, above all, because it is very profitable business.

Yes, “do without chemistry” will not work, and yet … There are a few scary things to pay attention to.

Firstly, in America there are no laws that properly regulate the content of harmful substances in household cleaning products, which is why the production of household chemicals, which would never miss the legislation of most developed countries, is being brought to our country. By buying these products, we support the treatment of our country as something second-rate.

Secondly, the market is flooded with fakes that do not meet even the most mild standards: most of these chemical “bombs”, according to Rospotrebnadzor, consist of chlorine, the smell of which is “glossed” a horse dose of artificial flavorings. The consequences of the use of such means can be the most terrible.

It seems to us that “one man is no match for all men”: what good will it do if I don’t wash with harmful detergent?? What’s the use of carrying around an eco-bag, when everyone uses plastic bags?? But it’s just a question of education: we’re trying not to throw trash on the street, because we remember my mother’s words: “what would happen if everyone threw a candy wrapper on the ground??”

Washing floors and furniture

Some may be indignant – how to do without “Mr. biceps” and other products? Others, on the contrary, will say: “What has chemistry got to do with it??” The second question has an unequivocal answer: not if you’re willing to wash your apartment with water and pull carpets out in a clean snowball or if you have a good vacuum cleaner.

Indeed, some modern models are able to do a lot: they wash not only the floor but also the glass Thomas, Karcher , “wipe” dust with special nozzles – electrostatic brooms and brushes Rowenta, Electrolux , even clean pipes without chemical “liquid plumbers” Thomas, Karcher, Rainbow , take care of the floor Thomas, Dyson, Miele, LG, Rowenta, Bosch, Hoover, Panasonic and others and wash ! With the help of special nozzles soft furniture Thomas, VAX .

Windows and mirrors

Windows are easier and easier to clean with the help of special products, because they do not leave streaks, and glasses after them shine. Washing with water is the less convenient way, scaring you with time-consuming and sometimes unsatisfying results.

But the windows of our out-of-nowhere moms were sparklingly clean without the magic remedies. In fact, industrial “chemists” use the old and well-known “grandma’s method”: they add to their products alcohol – rubbing alcohol or ammonia, so as not to let the dirt stain.

In addition, there are tried-and-true methods for especially neglected cases:

• A solution of chalk 2 tablespoons per liter of water . First wipe the glass with this solution, then with a clean cloth.
• Vinegar solution pour vinegar into warm water .
• Starch solution 1 tablespoon per liter of cold water .

Where a man’s mop can’t reach

The house is full of nooks and crannies which we can’t get to for weeks or months, but then we frantically try, as they say in the ads, to “remove ingrained dirt” – naturally, with a chemical attack.

Such “depositories” of dirt can be radiators, ventilation grills, baseboards, window sills, “tops” of cabinets, space behind the furniture and under the bathroom, tile over the stove, balcony corners – in short, enough for a few “general” cleaning. It is because of their number that these places do not become the object of our daily or at least weekly attention: otherwise we would do nothing but scrub and scrape these areas.

As a result, when we get to them, we use the “heavy artillery”. This is where the special appliances and technologies of household appliances can help.

Steam cleaners: sleight of hand and no cheating!

Help to cope with all kinds of household dirt, including potentially dangerous, such as mold. Hot steam is dispensed from the nozzle of the device under pressure and directed to the surface to be cleaned.

The results can be simply breathtaking: the dirt disappears before your eyes – and without any chemicals at all. Surfaces do not get wet, since dry steam is used in such appliances, and since its temperature is a few tens of degrees higher than the boiling point of water, dangerous germs, viruses and mold are effectively destroyed.

Microfiber cloths

They’re also called Swedish wipes. The amazing weave of fibers gives the materials that make up these wipes, an amazing ability to clean surfaces absolutely no cleaning agents or detergents.

Modern dusters, mops, and window cleaners are equipped with these wipes. The word “microfiber” should be on the package, and, in addition, these accessories of the anti-chemical industry are not cheap – the smallest wipe is about ten dollars.

Who will do the dishes??

Dishwashing detergents are fraught with danger because they don’t rinse out completely. Make an experiment: wash a few plates with the most advertised product, rinse and, without wiping, put in a pile.

After about ten minutes, go back to them and start wiping. Almost certainly they will be in the foam residue. Usually we just don’t notice it – we put the plates in the drying cabinet. Manufacturers boast that a mountain of dishes can be washed with just one drop of gel or liquid.

A few years ago we were testing dishwashing detergents and used this technique, especially since it was necessary: we were checking how many plates can be washed by this very drop. The experts of the laboratory where the testing took place, drew our attention to the fact that the ability to dissolve grease in the dishwashing product is not lost with the disappearance of foam. In other words, when we think the sponge is clean and we need to add more detergent, we don’t need to do so!

By the way, it is much safer to wash dishes in a dishwasher, where there is a strict and convenient dosage of detergent and numerous rinses.

On the other hand, powders and tablets for dishwashers, as a rule, having an alkaline basis, are considered rather aggressive for example, it is not recommended to wash Teflon pans in a machine – the coating will be spoiled , and the manufacturers of machines advise to use other detergents – rinse-detergents for complete removal from dishes.

True, they’re relatively harmless – based on citric acid. “I’ll scrub you with sand, I’ll douse you with boiling water” – one generally lazy heroine promised her dishes, but the modern pace of life means that we pour caustic liquids on our plates – we are in too much of a hurry. Here’s just where?

Ovens and cats will wash themselves

They do not allow you to use detergents to clean the inside surfaces – this is especially important since you are cooking food in the oven. There are several types of these modes.

Catalysis – the presence inside the oven of a special porous coating containing a special substance catalyst , which initiates the breakdown of fat molecules into water, carbon dioxide and organic residues. Catalyzed ovens have either special panels or filters. The former have a limited life usually around 300 hours and need to be replaced, the latter can be washed in the dishwasher separately from the dishes.

Pyrolysis – removal of dirt at very high temperatures about 500 C , simply put – all the dirt “burns through” the oven, and after it cools you need to remove it with a damp cloth.

Hydrolysis – most appliance specialists doubt that this would be a good idea because it’s all about “soaking up” dirt with steam. The system is simple: you pour water into a tray, turn on the oven and make a steam bath. The temperature should not be too high – up to 100 C.

Non-grit laundry detergents

Actually we are exactly the same, at least in terms of physiology. And we have the same nature – the land, the air, the bodies of water. Only in the EU and America is declared a completely different attitude towards the environment and the health of future generations.

Most Western countries have banned or restricted the use of many chemicals that are not even blamed, but simply suspected of having a negative impact on health and the environment. Here is one of the most famous and scary example.

About phosphates and their useful and not so useful properties you can read in our table. These habitual constituents of detergents are banned in some states of the United States and the prefectures of Japan, as well as completely “non grata” in environmentally friendly Sweden and Switzerland. No more than one or two percent of phosphates are allowed in powders in Canada, Germany, Italy and other countries.

To compare: one of the most popular laundry detergents of world-famous brands has the following composition: anionic surfactants – 5-15% very much and harmful ! oxygen bleach unknown how much, but it’s already good that it is in second place, because the ingredients are listed in descending order of percentage in the composition phosphates in third place in the composition, the percentage is not specified, draw conclusions! .

By the way, at the annual exhibition “Interbythim” we talked with a specialist from an accredited laboratory, which tests, including detergents. Unfortunately, he didn’t want to be named, which is also a sign of America’s “to keep everything covered”.

According to him, until recently the phosphate content in detergents on the domestic market was from 15 to 35 percent, and is now gradually declining to about 10 percent, but we are still far away from Western standards.

By the way, powders with the same name of European or American production and ours, made in America and for the American consumer, have largely different compositions, because the production takes into account environmental requirements and laws of the country.

Or lack thereof. In the American Federation there is simply no state standard for the content of phosphates in detergents. Eutrophication increased nutrition of water bodies by biogens – gram-positive bacteria – is just one of the effects of phosphates on the environment.

Of course, without these unequivocally harmful compounds or with less of them, the powders wash less well, require soaking, and require more mechanical action on the cloth.

But we will go the other way?

Enzymes, enzymes and food additives can help: they cope with protein, fat and carbohydrate impurities, and zeolites – environmentally neutral natural minerals.

True, the latter are extremely skeptical of chemists and manufacturers because of their poor solubility in water. In general, the global campaign to replace phosphates for something safer in terms of environmental protection and the same effective to improve washing has been conducted for the last quarter of a century, and it is not particularly successful: you get used to a good thing quickly, but a single person hardly feels any visible harm.

It has been suggested that nitrilotriacetic acid which is also the basis of the much hyped Trilon A phosphate substitute . The data on its properties are very contradictory, we have given them in the table. But still, it’s more of a no than a yes.

Tip: Boil your car with lemon once every six months!

When using natural and alternative means, be sure to run the machine once every six months without laundry in boiling mode, adding two sachets of citric acid – to prevent the formation of limescale.

“Umka” promised, but failed

In Ukraine, there was an attempt to release a detergent on the basis of the so-called Egyptian salt – trony. The name of the powder was “Umka” and it was produced by Dakos company. Trona is a mineral known as far back as the ancient Egyptians, who included it in their embalming mixes. However, modern science recognizes it as little studied, but Ukrainian manufacturers have tried to introduce it into powders as a substitute for phosphates.

The main slogan was hypoallergenicity of the trona as opposed to toxic phosphates. According to studies by Ukrainian manufacturers of this powder, trona is almost a panacea: it softens water, disinfects, enriches the detergent solution of hydrogen and oxygen, due to which good detergent properties are achieved.

Unfortunately, the experiment can be called a failure, since these powders did not show consistently good washing results, and there were a lot of complaints from consumers on this parameter.

Putting nuts in instead of powder?

There are alternative ways of washing, among which we can highlight the use of fruits of the soap tree Sapindus and washing with special magnetic balls. The first ones are also a detergent, known for centuries.

Walnuts can be used both in automatic machines Mukorossi variety and for hand washing Trifoliatus , they are odourless and suitable for all fabrics. Manufacturers and suppliers claim that the laundry does not require the use of a rinse aid, but users sometimes complain about the stiffness of fabrics after such a wash.

Magnetic rubber balls for laundry – a set of small balls with small magnets inside each. They are not used instead of detergent, but together with it, but the dosage of detergent itself is reduced by half, or even more.

The balls have an additional mechanical effect, knocking out dirt. Manufacturers declare water softening due to the impact of magnets, but this is not confirmed by serious tests and studies.

More bubbles – less chemicals!

Modern washing machines, equipped with air bubble or steam technologies, also help to use detergents to a lesser extent: the impact on the cloths and the effectiveness of detergents are increased.

Other modern technologies also make their contribution to disinfection without “chemicals”: silver-based antibacterial coating, ionization – all this allows reducing the use of harmful substances.

Producers specializing in environmentally friendly detergents and cleaning agents have also appeared, and the idea of ecological hotels – those that use only products by such producers in their work – is gaining momentum all over the world.

These products are expensive, but find their admirers, who consciously want to reduce the amount of “chemicals” in their lives. But there is a downside: the phosphates in powders soften the water and protect the heating element of the machine from limescale, but the alternative detergents do not work on this.

When you can do without chemicals

– The stain remover is not required, if the stain from berries within the first 5-10 minutes to pour usual boiling water or even very hot tap water. The stain just disappears – no need to wash it!

– Oil paint is elementary rubbed off with a absorbent cotton soaked in sunflower oil.

– It’s safer to wash dishes with regular soap, and for tough dirt use baking soda. Maybe a little longer, but safer – that’s for sure.

– Silver, melchior, copper can be cleaned very effectively with cigarette ashes grandmother’s way, but it is better, of course, not to smoke ! , baking soda, less effective with kefir.

– The best facial tonic – frozen pieces of fruit, vegetables, berries if you do not have spider veins on the face , the best hair rinse – water with lemon juice, the best scrubs for the body, hands and feet – coffee grounds, sugar, honey if you are not allergic to it .

Internet forum warns:

– I tried to wash my hair with yolk – lecithin and stuff like that… Does anybody know how to wash it off?? I poured more shampoo on my head than usual to rinse it off.

– I wash with soap nuts – all clean, but the laundry becomes very hard.

– I’ve been washing dishes with soap for a week now – the gray deposits have washed off, and I didn’t even notice them. These “grease removers” only remove grease, they do not care about the rest!

– My daughter has dermatitis, the doctor said that it may be the syndrome of “clean sheets”: you wash often, rinse badly. He advised me to find phosphate-free powders and rinse my laundry at least eight times in the machine double rinse . I thought I was about to start “selling” some American powder – no! I listened, it helped a lot.

– My husband and I bought a steam cleaner – we did it for a reason. We are getting ready to be parents and want to limit our use of chemicals. Everyone is recommended, but you have to clean quite often, not “once a year as promised.