Mining is to thank for that cleanly scrubbed benchtop in your kitchen. It is responsible for the soft fabric of your clothes, the glistening panes of your shower glass, and the cleanliness of your swimming pool. Chlorine, Phosphorus, Silicon and Iodine are just a few of the minerals used in your cleaning products.

Chlorine is used to disinfect water and as a bleaching agent. It is often used in cleaning products.  Most household detergents contain high levels of phosphorus or phosphates. Phosphates are builders which decrease the hardness of water allowing the detergent to wash clothes, dishes and cars better. Iodine is used, generally, as an antiseptic or disinfecting agent. Silicone solutions can be used in polishing waxes, automotive soaps, leather treatment products, glass and panel cleaners. It allows effects such as shine, water repellence and high durability.

These relatively common minerals are often combined with dozens of toxic ingredients, upping the number of chemicals we put onto surfaces in our home and onto our skin (and thus into our bloodstream), as well as into the air we breathe, every day. Fragrance, sodium borate, ammonium, glycol ethers, sodium laureth sulfates, formaldehyde and artificial colours/dyes all have an extremely negative impact on our environment, particularly sea life. These chemicals are only partly removed by wastewater treatment plants, don’t readily break down, are persistent in the environment and toxic to aquatic life.

Although the minerals mentioned above are not scarce, they are non-renewable and the mining process is never good for the environment. Making cleaning products at home is not complicated and stops the release of unnecessary, toxic chemicals into our waterways.

Try using DIY cleaning products around the office and at home. They get the job done just as effectively with just a handful of safe, food-grade ingredients.

Here’s a simple recipe to start with:

For mild cleaning, mix 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 4 to 8 cups hot water in a spray bottle. You can substitute 2 teaspoons of borax for the baking soda. Add a few drops of essential oil to any mixture to give it a fresh scent.

You can find recipes for laundry detergent, glass cleaner, brass cleaner, carpet deodoriser, floor cleaner, oven cleaner, air freshener, toilet cleaner, washing-up liquid … the list goes on.