I just came across this study, which finds that ‘natural,’ homemade cleaning products do not, in most cases, clean as well as mainstream commercial ones, but that used together (in separate steps; the study did not look at concoctions) do a reasonably good job. I’ll note that my hero, vinegar, scored in the “most effective” category for reduction of microbial contamination.
I think it’s important to tell the truth about natural cleaners. Commercial detergents generally work better–or at least faster–and most of us use them because they do. They usually work in one step, without requiring rinsing or much scrubbing, and of course they are ubiquitous.
They also come with a price. So we have to ask ourselves, I think, which price we’re most willing to pay: sore elbows and ten extra minutes for rinsing, or environmental degradation?
Maybe we also need to look at our addiction to power and speed. Isn’t part of the principle of simplicity the willingness to slow down and honor the processes of our lives? Could we learn to cherish the simple act of mixing together a batch of vinegar and lemon juice, to enjoy the scent of lavender wafting up from the tub we’re leaning over, scrubbing our frustrations away?
