Ever wondered how many harmful chemicals your kitchen could be exposed to? Not only could it be toxic for the food you prepare, but also for the air you and your family breathe. Why not transitioning to a more eco-friendly and healthy lifestyle as your conventional cleaning products go empty? Here are our tips to make you kitchen ecological and our list of must-have ecological cleaning agents.Â
Choose ecological kitchen tools
First of all, make sure your ecological kitchen is fully-equipped. Being eco-friendly can sometimes require a little bit of organisation. But once the hard work is done, you get satisfaction for your ecological efforts very rapidly. When it comes to storing food, try to avoid plastic. Many studies have shown that plastic containers could release toxic substances that could enter our food and our body, even BPA-free plastics. Instead, go for glass containers; healthier and, let’s be honest, classier as well. Don’t you think? And it’s the same if you’re (already) using a reusable water bottle. Try to opt for glass bottles instead of plastic ones. But if you’re often on the go and the glass turns out to be a little too heavy, go for stainless steel.
Stainless steel is also a very durable material you can rely on for your kitchen tools. Although plastic is often cheaper, plastic-made tools can break more easily. And it forces you to buy new tools. Is it really cheaper in the end? Not forgetting the environmental cost of our plastic consumption. Stainless steel kitchen tools are also safer for your health. Plastic tools can melt and release toxic chemicals while cooking. However, quality stainless steel tools don’t contain any harmful materials or agents and can’t melt in your food.
Have you already had a look at the amount of waste you dispose of every day, week or year? Of course, garbage trucks regularly pass to make our dustbins disappear. But if we actually kept all our waste at home, we would certainly all reconsider our consumption patterns. Therefore, one other way to reduce our environmental impact is to replace disposable things by reusable ones. For instance, you can go for microfiber cleaning cloths in place of disposable paper towel. And the same goes for napkins! Why not try to use washable cotton ones? You can also opt for a wooden or bamboo dish brush instead of your usual disposable sponge. Finally, try to buy – or make – beeswax wraps to store you leftovers. Reusable, plastic-free and beautiful!
Go for ecological cleaning agents
What would an ecological kitchen be without ecological cleaning agents? Here again, there are many alternatives to your daily conventional cleaning products. You can of course make your owns. But we all know that it’s easier said than done. Therefore, try to go for ecological dishwashing tablets or powder. This way, you won’t contaminate the water you release when washing your dishes and durable kitchen tools. If you don’t have a dishwasher or if you’re fond of hand dishwashing, be sure to use some eco-friendly detergent on your ecological dish brush. Indeed, ecological cleaning agents don’t contain toxic substances nor petrochemicals. And don’t forget to reduce your water consumption! Nature and your body will thank you for taking care of them.
