Bleach is cheap, effective and readily available. It’s likely you have at least two different bleach products in your home for use in your kitchen and bathroom. You’re probably aware that bleach is a highly dangerous chemical. It can cause skin, mouth and eye irritations, and can be especially harmful to those with asthma or breathing difficulties. If you share your home with young children, you should be conscious about where you store bleach – if consumed it can be fatal. As well as the potential dangers bleach can cause you and your family, it’s also one of the least environmentally-friendly cleaning products you can use. There are a myriad of reasons why you shouldn’t use bleach in your home, but it is very inexpensive and easy to get hold of. It’s also extremely effective at killing germs around your house, but did you know there are many other alternatives you can consider using? Here are just a few alternatives to bleach.

1)    Bleaching Mould.

If your home suffers from mould you might be used to tackling the problem with bleach. However, white vinegar mixed with water in a spray bottle will also do the trick in destroying mould.

2)    Tea tree oil.

If you aren’t keen on having your bathroom or kitchen smell of vinegar, try tea tree oil instead. Tea tree oil will dry out and kill the mould without being toxic or harmful to you and your family. Remember, to get rid of mould permanently you need to have the room or area well ventilated. Try getting an extractor fan installed, or open your windows more often.

3)    Vinegar.

You might think of bleach as the ultimate germ buster, but did you know white vinegar has the power to destroy even E. Coli and salmonella? Vinegar can be used to remove hard water stains, unblock drains and tackle limescale. There are a hundred ways to use vinegar as an antibacterial agent in your home – and it can even be cheaper than bleach!

4)    Lemon.

Use a real lemon to clean everything from kitchen surfaces to the inside your microwave and even your bath. The citric acid works as a natural disinfectant, and you’ll be left with a pleasant and fresh scent in your home.

5)    Sunlight.

You may already know that leaving your white washing to dry in direct sunlight can help to keep your clothes looking their best. But do you know why? The ultra-violet rays in sunlight are a natural disinfectant, which means sunlight is not only good for keeping your whites white, but it’s also great to sanitise items that you can put out in your back garden.

6)    Eco-friendly products.

There are many pre-made natural alternatives to bleach that can be bought from your local shops or online. It’s worth doing the research to find the one that’s most effective – go off of customer reviews and feedback before anything else. Be aware that these products can be a little more pricey than what you might pay for bleach, so it’s worth considering how much you and your family are going to get from making the switch to more environmentally-safe products.