You worry about your furniture cleaning products being effective, but do you ever question whether or not they’re safe?
Read on to learn more about the issues with conventional furniture cleaning products. You’ll also find recommendations for 7 natural DIY furniture cleaners you can make and start using today.
Conventional furniture cleaning products contain a variety of chemicals and compounds that can be harmful to you and your loved ones. The following are some of the most noteworthy ones you ought to avoid:
Volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs, are gases that are released into the air from various products and processes. Some VOCs are harmful and can cause serious health problems, including chronic respiratory issues and certain types of cancer.
VOCs are often found in aerosol spray cleaning products, as well as dry cleaning chemicals, detergents, upholstery cleaners, and furniture polish. If you use any of the furniture cleaning products in your home regularly, you could be exposing yourself and your loved ones to VOCs without even realizing it.
Perchloroethylene is commonly used in dry cleaning solutions. If you take rugs, blankets, pillows, curtains, or other soft items to be dry cleaned, there’s a chance you and your loved ones are breathing this chemical in when you bring them home.
The fumes given off by perchloroethylene can contribute to short-term issues like dizziness, a loss of appetite, disorientation, fatigue, and nausea. Long-term, they can also cause more serious problems like liver damage and cancer.
Petroleum distillates are often found in conventional furniture polishing products. Petroleum distillates, along with other frequently used ingredients like ammonia and nitrobenzene, can irritate the eyes, skin, lungs, throat, and windpipe. If ingested, they can also cause nausea and vomiting.
Many air freshening products, as well as perfumed sprays used to keep furniture smelling nice, contain formaldehyde.
Formaldehyde has been linked to brain damage and certain types of cancer. It can also be irritating to the skin, throat, and eyes and is highly flammable, so it’s best to avoid cleaners that contain it, especially if you’re particularly sensitive to strong smells.
If you want to reduce your chances of dealing with any of the issues listed above, making your own furniture cleaning products is a great alternative.
Whether you need a product for dusting, cleaning wood, polishing leather, or removing stains from upholstery, there are lots of homemade options you can use, including the 7 listed below:
Baking soda, combined with water, makes an excellent and all-natural upholstery cleaner. It does a great job of removing stubborn stains as well as removing lingering odors from your couches and chairs.
Olive oil is an excellent alternative to conventional furniture polishes. Mixed with castile soap, white vinegar, and essential oils for a fresh scent, this is an easy-to-make furniture polish that is also more cost-effective than many store-bought options.
To clean and refresh leather furniture, try making this simple homemade coconut oil cleaner.
For those who don’t want to use baking soda to remove stubborn upholstery stains, this lemon juice stain remover is a great alternative.
If you’re looking for an all-natural dry carpet cleaning product, this combination of baking soda, cornstarch, and cornmeal is a great choice.
For an easy-to-make and easy-to-use liquid carpet cleaner, try this recipe using baking soda, vinegar, and water.
To give upholstered furniture a soft, pleasant scent, use this all-natural essential oil room spray.
If you’re ready for a cleaner furniture cleaning experience, start swapping out your conventional products for natural DIY versions. Give one (or more) of the recipes outlined above to start cleaning your home in a non-toxic way.