Now that the festive season has all but past it's time to take down the decorations, pack away the fairy lights and give the home a good old clean. Rather than exchanging dust and grime for a chemical cover why not clean your home with products that are safe. A recent EU study by Greenpeace found that house dust in EU homes was highly contaminated with hazardous chemicals.


Petroleum free, toxic free and biodegradable ingredients are what you should look out for. Here are a few natural and organic (yes you can get them!) cleaners you can swap those intoxicating products with.


Cleaners


Floor soap with natural linseed oil cleans floors very effectively and will also protect all non-treated floors like lino and tiles. Ecover have a Multi Surface Cleaner for laminated and varnished floors.


Natural toilet cleaners really do work. Ecover's have a naturally fresh pine scent that keeps my throne sparking. Alma Win also do a brilliant concentrate worth trying.


Bentley Organic's Kitchen & Surface Cleaner is certified organic by the Soil Association, which means it contains no harmful chemicals. Better still it kills 99.9% of household germs.


Cleaning Tools


A dish brush made from wood and natural bristles to wash the dishes with. You can get replaceable heads to avoid waste by throwing away the handle.


A glass polishing cloth is a great alternative to paper towels and all you need is a little water (no chemicals) to remove grease streaks from windows.


Organic cotton antibacterial surface wipes are good for outdoor use ie when camping as they contain bacteria killing agents but are also biodegradable and made from sustainable organic cotton.