Green Cleaning Products Washington DC

While there still aren’t products out there to make housework less detestable, there are products that make housework more healthy. We’re talking green (non-toxic, biodegradable) cleaners. On the Free To Be You & Me track “Housework” (taking you back to 1972 here), Carol Channing chanted, “Your mommy hates housework, Your daddy hates housework, I hate housework too. And when you grow up, so will you.”

Why use green cleaners? Because chemicals in conventional household cleaners—ammonia, chlorine bleach, aerosols and petroleum distillates—lead to health hazards. Negative effects include headaches, flu-like symptoms and possibly cancer.

Children and pets are vulnerable to chemical toxins because they crawl or lie on the floor and tend to put everything within reach into their mouths. Also, studies show many chemical cleaners can trigger asthma. These are great reasons to go green, even if you don’t have little people or furry friends sharing your living space. Exposure to household chemicals accounts for a significant percentage of Poison Center calls, not to mention that discarded products wind up in our waterways where they threaten fish and wildlife.

The Clorox Green Works line is an easy place to start greening up your cleaners. No specialty shopping trips needed, the price is right (under $10 for a 64 oz. bottle of all purpose cleaner) and reviewers like Good House Keeping give the line a thumbs up. Also widely available: Seventh Generation cleaners. Seventh Generation offers cleaners for every kind of dirt. Need a fresher carpet? The Carpet Spot & Stain Remover uses hydrogen peroxide (the same stuff you use to clean your teeth and disinfect a cut) as the stain removal agent.

While grocery store brand Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day stops shy of a chemical-free claim (“Honestly, this is an impossible claim to make. Water is a chemical, air is a chemical, essential oils are chemicals, and the world as we know it is a configuration of various carbon chains,” says the Web site), the company promises it’s “Aromatherapeutic” cleaners are safe to use in the presence of children, pets and expectant moms. Shop by scent (including basil, lemon verbena and geranium) or task; the dish soap is a sure bet with grease-busting action and runs about $4 for 16 oz.

But do they actually disinfect? There is some discussion around this subject — after all, the whole point of cleaning is to remove the dirt, funk and germy nastiness. But, like good ol’ soap and water versus fancy-shmancy antibacterial soap, a little elbow grease gets the job done. Method is one company that’s worked to meet both environmental standards and clean standards. “Efficacy” tops the company’s “What we’re for” list and, while they don’t offer disinfectant, they do have this to say: “If method ever did an antimicrobial product, then we would make sure tha...