Bee Sustainable: How to have a zero-waste kitchen

Written by Julia Gralki. Photo courtesy of Envato Elements.

Cleaning can be so satisfying. Nothing is better than making the bathroom mirror sparkle and seeing the dust off the desk. And if you’ve been cleaning with conventional cleaning products, there is a way you can make cleaning even more satisfying by switching to eco-friendly, zero-waste cleaning supplies.

But why should you care about switching to sustainable cleaning products?

Conventional cleaning products are made of chemicals that pollute water and air after disposal. Their plastic packaging will live in landfills for centuries.

However, there are many zero-waste cleaning products that can be homemade. They aren’t only better for the environment but also for your wallet. Conventional cleaning products also contain artificial fragrances that irritate the nose and throat. Here are a few tips and recipes to discover how to switch to eco-friendly cleaning products.

Waste-free kitchen

Think about the products you use in the kitchen every day. A sponge, brush, paper towels. All of these are usually single-use and quickly replaced. But there are alternatives.

Bamboo dish brushes

You can use bamboo dish brushes to clean your dishes. They last a long time, and they can be composted at the end of their life span. Bamboo brushes are available in different kinds, for example, with a long handle or as a bottle brush.

Metal dustpan and wooden hand broom

A dustpan and hand broom always come in handy. If you are looking to get one, you might want to get a metal dustpan and wooden broom. You can also get them second-hand at an antique store. If you already have a plastic set, don’t worry about replacing it with a more eco-friendly one. Because, after all, we want to keep plastic from the landfills, not add to it.

Cloth rags

To replace paper towels, you can use cloth rags instead. After using them, rinse them with warm water and leave them to dry after quick clean-ups. Pop them in the washing machine after weekly clean-ups.

Reusable cloth

Get rid of dish sponges and replace them with reusable cloths. They are just as efficient and can be used much longer.

Recipes

You will need ingredients such as water, castile soap, washing soda, soda crystals, alcohol and essential oils when cleaning your kitchen. Castile soap is a kind of bar soap that is completely natural and doesn’t contain animal products.

Make your own all-purpose cleaner

This zero-waste all-purpose cleaner can be used on counters, tables and the floor. Making it is easy as all you have to do is combine the ingredients. Like most zero-waste all-purpose cleaners, this one contains a combination of white vinegar, distilled water, alcohol and essential oils. Mix them together, fill them into a spray bottle and shake it well before use.

If you have a marble, granite or stone countertop, don’t use this all-purpose cleaner because the vinegar can damage the material. However, you will find plenty of alternative recipes online.

Make your own dishwashing liquid

An essential cleaning product in the kitchen is dishwashing liquid. While it’s almost impossible to buy dishwashing liquid in anything but plastic, it is very easy to make at home. All you need is some bar soap (for example, castile or olive oil soap), baking soda, water, and essential oils.

Here’s how to make it:

1. Grate the bar soap. If you have a food processor, you can chop the bar into smaller chunks and add them to the food processor.
2. Bring 600ml of water to a boil. Take off the heat and add the soap flakes. Stir until the soap dissolves and let cool.
3. Add 2 teaspoons of baking soda while the mixture is still warm. Then, let it cool down.
4. Transfer into a soap dispenser and shake well. You will also have to shake the dishwashing liquid from time to time.
5. Enjoy your waste-free dishwashing liquid!

When shopping

If you’re not ready to switch entirely to homemade products, you can look for products with certification logos that signal that the product is eco-friendly.

Logos to look out for are the Green Seal, Ecologo or USDA Biobased Product labels, which certify that the products meet specific standards.

Some brands plaster their bottles with words such as “biodegradable” or “non-toxic.” However, these products are likely just as harmful to the environment as most conventional cleaning supplies because the above terms aren’t very closely regulated.

An excellent place to look for eco-friendly products is the organic sector, where you can be certain that cleaning products are made from more natural ingredients than their conventional counterparts.