Spring cleaning is upon us. Consumers are spoiled for choice with the wide range of cleaning products available in stores. Almost all of them harm the environment when their ingredients end up in wastewater. They also pose a health risk because the substances they contain can trigger allergies or irritate the skin and respiratory tract. Which cleaning products do I actually need, and are there any environmentally friendly cleaners that deliver clean results?

Conventional household cleaners

There is no such thing as an "environmentally friendly cleaning product." Every cleaning job pollutes the wastewater and puts strain on the sewage treatment plant. Commercially available cleaning products consist of water and surfactants. These detergent substances are responsible for foaming, dissolving fatty substances in particular and facilitating the removal of particles. All surfactants in cleaning products must now be completely biodegradable. In addition, they contain solvents such as alcohol, sal ammoniac (ammonia), or glycols, which further improve their grease-cutting power. Ecological cleaning products do not contain preservatives, fragrances, or dyes and are more easily degradable.

In principle, a special cleaner is not required for every application; these four tried-and-tested household cleaning products are sufficient:

• Neutral cleaners have a pH value between 6 and 9, are gentle on materials, low-foaming, and readily biodegradable. They are suitable for floors, windows, and surfaces.
• Scouring powder or a scouring pad for stubborn dirt,
• vinegar cleaners or citric acid for limescale, urine scale, and
• dishwashing liquid for dishes.

In many cases, you can rely entirely on natural cleaning products. Here are a few examples.

Cleaning with old household remedies

Clothing: Soda (sodium carbonate) is available under the name washing soda or "pure soda" and should not be confused with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). To remove grease stains and other dirt from clothes, pre-treat them with a soda solution (about one tablespoon of powder to one liter of water) and then soak them in 10 liters of water. Combined with citric acid, curd soap, and water, soda can also be used to make a simple liquid detergent.

Toilet: Aggressive toilet cleaners are not necessary if you sprinkle a few tablespoons of citric acid powder and a tablespoon of baking soda in the toilet and leave it to work for a few minutes. The citric acid dissolves urine scale and foams in combination with baking soda.

Surfaces: Vienna lime is burnt dolomite (calcium magnesium carbonate) that has been finely ground. It is suitable for sensitive surfaces such as stainless steel, precious metals, metals in general, as well as stove tops, enamel, glass, porcelain, ceramics, and plastics. Citric acid/vinegar and baking soda/baking powder are also suitable for burnt areas on stove tops. Mix both together, apply to the area and leave to take effect. Then wipe away with a damp cloth.

Sink: Baking soda dissolves blockages in the sink and makes it shine.

Descaling: Vinegar essence and citric acid are good for descaling coffee machines and kettles.

Oven door: To clean the oven door on a wood-burning stove, simply put some ash from the oven on a damp cloth and use it to clean the oven door glass and frame. Often, newspaper is all you need. Moisten it with water and the oven door can be cleaned very easily.

Stainless steel: A cut potato can be used to clean stainless steel sinks (and also gently wipe oil paintings) thanks to the starch it contains.

Baking tray: For stubborn dirt on baking trays, sprinkle salt on the baking tray. Then place it in the oven at 50 degrees until the salt turns slightly brown. All encrustations will come off without scraping. Tip out the salt and simply rinse off the residue with water.

Windows: For windows and mirrors, all you need is water, a squeegee, and a chamois leather or a microfiber cloth specially designed for windows to polish them to a streak-free shine.

Tips for environmentally friendly cleaning and killing germs

• Make sure you use the right cleaning tools, then you will often need less cleaning agent than recommended.
• Incidentally, the greatest environmental impact is achieved by using the correct amount of cleaning products, i.e., not using too much. Only use concentrates if you consistently pay attention to the correct dosage.
• For good hygiene, change cleaning cloths in the kitchen frequently and wash them at 60°C. Always allow cleaning cloths to dry thoroughly.
• Use separate cleaning cloths for different areas (e.g., sink, floors, toilet, etc.) so that you do not transfer germs from the bathroom to the kitchen.
• Clean places that are often "forgotten" at regular intervals with water and all-purpose cleaner, e.g., the refrigerator.
• Empty trash cans frequently and wipe them down from time to time.
• Wipe light switches and door handles regularly with water and all-purpose cleaner.
• Do not use disinfectants. Cleaning not only combats harmful bacteria, but also beneficial bacteria. Most disinfectants are also difficult to biodegrade, as they are not stopped by bacteria in sewage treatment plants.