How to know if a “green” cleaning product is really green
While writing an article describing how to know which green cleaning solutions are the best. That article mentioned things to look for on a non-technical level (such as making sure cleaning products that advertise themselves as green list the ingredients in their products, and making sure the ingredients are all natural and have no scientific evidence). ). hard-to-pronounce chemical ingredients in them, as well as others). However, this article mentions how to tell if a product is really organic by using scales and rating sheets. The following are statistics and measures to use to know if an ecological cleaning product is really respectful with the environment:
a) Look for the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which is required for all consumable products. The MSDS is where companies have to tell the truth about their product. To find out what the information is on a certain cleaning solution, type the product name and the words MSDS into Google to find out how safe the products’ materials are.
b) Check pH: pH levels measure how much concentration of hydrogen ions are in a solution. A low pH means a high hydrogen ion concentration and a high pH means the substance has a low hydrogen ion concentration.
pH levels are measured from 0 to 14, with 7 (water) being neutral. If a substance when added to water increases the concentration of hydrogen ions, that means the pH level is reduced (this is an acidic substance) and if the substance decreases the concentration of hydrogen ions, it means that the pH level increases (the substance is an alkali). ). So, to simplify, a substance with a pH of 7 is neutral, a pH below 7 is acidic, and a pH level above 7 is alkaline.
When looking for a cleaning product, do not use products with a pH lower than 4 or higher than 10. Some examples of pH are: 0 is battery acid, 7 is the pH of water, and drain cleaner has a pH of 14. The MSDS should mention what the pH is (unless the cleaning product manufacturer tries to hide the pH of their product, in which case, you should not use consumable products where the company hides information from you, such as pH levels) .
In case the MSDS does not mention what the pH of a cleaning solution is, there are ways to find the pH yourself. You can tell the pH level of a substance based on the color. You can use litmus paper; if the cleaning solution is acidic, the paper will turn red and if the cleaning product is alkaline, the paper will turn blue. Electronic pH meters are the best (and most accurate) way to determine pH levels. You can also use pH paper (and just like litmus paper) the closer to blue the product is, the lower the pH level and the more alkaline; and the redder the substance, the more acidic.
c) The last thing to look for is the health rating of the product. The MSDS will list a product’s Health Hazard Rating on a scale of 0 to 4 (0=safe, 4=poor). 0 to 2 is all you should use. If the MSDS lists numerous health risks, it is recommended not to purchase the product.