Do antibacterial products clean ‘better’ than ordinary soap?

Let's be honest, bacteria have a bad reputation and probably need help with rebranding - or perhaps a new publicist. The truth is that we're surrounded by trillions of microorganisms that coexist with us in a symbiotic relationship. This includes bacteria that live on our skin and in our bodies. Not only are the majority of microbes harmless, but they are also essential as they aid in breaking down food in our gut and more importantly, protect our bodies from getting invaded by harmful pathogens. Recently, several studies suggested that the rise of chronic illnesses, autoimmune diseases, and allergies can be attributed to our need to constantly clean with harmful chemicals and pesticides. 

Soap and non-toxic surfactants (a fancy term for soap) used in our non-toxic cleaning products are more effective as they actually break down the cell membrane of harmful bacteria. Helping you to physically remove germs and bacteria from the surfaces you are trying to clean. Mind blowing fact: You can spend hours wiping down your kitchen surfaces with harsh antibacterial chemicals, but in the end, it is a pointless exercise as the bacteria will simply recolonise and repopulate from a single cell, just 20-minutes  later. 

While most people are now aware that cleaning products may be damaging our health, some may fear that non-toxic cleaning products might be less effective than the strong chemicals they're used to.

Here's your beginners guide to non-toxic cleaning and how it can keep your family safe and your home clean. 

Why Switch to safer Cleaning Products? 

We all love the feeling of a clean home, but have you thought about what our cleaning products cost the planet? For decades, big companies have pushed a narrative that the only way to make your home safe from the dangers of the outside world is by using bleach or detergents that kill 99.999% of bacteria.Toxic chemicals in cleaning products that claim to kill 99.99% of germs will most certainly kill the beneficial microbes as well. These healthy bacteria are necessary for maintaining our health and well being to fight against the bad bacteria. In reality, killing 99.99% of anything is a marketing ploy to play on people's fears.

 

The best way to know if a product is actually free from toxic chemicals is to look at the ingredient list, but to save you time we have come up with a list of our favourite non toxic cleaning products on the market that won't require you to wear protective masks and gloves with their gentle approach to cleaning. 

• Spruce Multi Purpose Cleaner

• Spruce Bathroom Cleaner

• Eco-Egg Laundry

• Ecozone drain cleaner

• Cheeky Panda Bamboo Toilet Paper

Why Non-Antibacterial Cleaning is better for your Health?

Chemical antibacterial agents can cause human resistance to antibiotics and give rise to bacteria that can resist many antibiotics. This means, if you ever need to use an antibiotic to treat a bacterial infection, it will not be as effective. Excessive exposure to antibacterials should be avoided for the same reason you wouldn't routinely pop antibiotic pills as a precaution when you feel well. In fact, a few years ago, the United States banned antibacterial hand soaps and the use of chemical disinfectants in other products such as wipes and sanitisers is also under review. No such ban currently exists in the UK. 

We've spent considerable amount of effort to innovate with our cleaning range that not only cuts down on unnecessary single-use packaging waste that is harmful for the planet, but also made with harsh chemicals including optical brighteners or synthetic fragrances. Chemicals in synthetic fragrances have been linked to both male and female infertility, a topic close to our hearts. This is why we have vowed to never use synthetic fragrances in our formulations.

Read more about how synthetic fragrances, chemicals in cleaning products and plastics affect our health in our blog. 

CLEANING PRODUCTS AND INFERTILITY - THE NOT SO HIDDEN TRUTH

 

 

That is why at Spruce, we believe that you shouldn’t have to choose between your health and a clean home. That's why our cleaning products are formulated with your health in mind. You'll never find these invisible nasties in our cleaning products: 

✖ SLS OR PARABENS

✖ PHTHALATES

✖ SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES

✖ OPTICAL BRIGHTENERS

✖ PESTICIDES

✖ QUATS

✖ CHLORINE BLEACH

✖ FORMALDEHYDE 

✖ PETROLEUM

✖  PALM OIL

✖ PHOSPHATES

Want to learn more how these chemicals effect your health? Read our founder's story here and learn why she started Spruce. 

Ready to make the switch? Try our safe formulations with organic essential oils and safe ingredients. 

SPRUCE STARTER KITS

NON-TOXIC CLEANING REFILLS