Two of the most important tools homemakers and housekeepers alike use in almost every cleaning situation are paper products and cleaning cloths. Whether it’s wiping down surfaces, cleaning up piles of dirt, or sprucing up items around the home, paper products, and cleaning cloths solve many problems quickly and efficiently. Going green in different in areas of your cleaning routine is very common in today’s world, and this staple tool is no exception. For paper products especially its difficult to manage an eco-friendly approach, but it is possible. In recent years recyclables and varied materials have been on the rise in both popularity and effectiveness. In this article, we go over the latest on green paper, and cloth cleaning products for your home cleaning needs.
Paper
Every year products are tested and reported on in consumer reports all over the country. In the past Non-recycled TP and paper towels have been given high scores in consumer testing. More recently it has been found that some of the recycled brands have caught up in both performance and cost.
When it comes to toilet paper and going green, there are tons of new and different options to consider. TP can be used for petite cleaning in addition to its intended use. The cost is still struggling to compete with traditional non-recycled brands, but the difference is closing fast in the price category. As far as performance, green recycled TP has reports of not being as soft or durable as conventional TP. They do break down easily in your home’s plumbing system.
For the ever popular paper towels recycled and green is going green and can make a big difference in how much waste is generated. Paper towels are much more popular but in national consumer tests cost is still a barrier to popularity. Recycled paper towels still perform very well but no better then national store brands so if you’re looking to go green here it will have to be reliant on your passion for keeping the environment clean.
Cloth
In contrast to the paper product industry, the ability to effectively go green with your cloth cleaning supplies is much easier. In addition to that whenever you can use cloth instead of paper, it will always be more eco-friendly. The textiles like curtains, placemats, washcloths, and towels are all available with green characteristics and are also now easier to find at a lower cost. The major difference between the two is in labeling though. Look for organic labels USDA-certified organic as these textiles must be grown without most synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Organic cotton is an especially green choice because regular cotton is one of the most pesticide-intensive crops.
For cloth supplies, you will want to check on the type of processing. Organic clothes can be processed with adverse chemicals or synthetic dyes. There are certain standards for cloth supplies like the “Oeko-Tex Standard 100” certification which offers assurances that chemicals are restricted in the manufacturing process.
Unfortunately, misleading claims of organic materials are everywhere. As an example, bamboo products may have natural origins, but turning those fibers into fabric isn’t easy by any means. It usually takes chemicals to make bamboo into a usable fabric.
If you want to be more eco-friendly when it comes to caring for your home, it can be as simple as checking the labels. This works best though if you have the right knowledge to back up your investigations. There are many alternative green choices to traditional paper and cloth products for cleaning so keep your eyes open as you select your cleaning products.
