Even as a vegan, you may find it surprising just how many products contain ingredients that are derived from animals. Though there are ways to find Vegan Cleaning Products!
In fact, a number of your household cleaners actually contain such components! Of course, since this detail isn’t mentioned on the labels, most people aren’t even aware that they need to make a switch.
Well, if you are looking to take the next step forward in your vegan lifestyle, it is time to improve your cleaning routine as well.
You will need to figure out what items to stay away from and which ones will best suit your needs. Don’t worry, though, since this doesn’t have to be a lonely journey.
Below, you will be able to learn the dos and don’ts of keeping a vegan home. The good news is that it is a lot easier than you might imagine. So, let’s get started.
The Ingredients to Watch Out For
First things first, let’s take a look at the ingredients that you should stay away from when selecting household cleaning products:
- Whey: sourced from cow’s milk
- Beeswax
- Glycerol: commonly derived from animal fat
- Caprylic acid: fat found in cow’s milk
- Tallow: rendered beef fat
- Lecithin: tissue from animals
- Steric acid: usually derived from animals
- Oleyl alcohols: derived from fish
- Myristic acid: made from animal fats
The unfortunate part is that keeping an eye out for these ingredients alone isn’t enough. For one thing, they often have several different names and it can be difficult to know which one a company is using.
For another, companies don’t always volunteer all the information about the ingredients they are using.
When is Cruelty-Free Not Cruelty-Free?
If this sounds a little confusing, don’t worry, there is an explanation. These days, a vast number of companies buy quite a bit of goodwill by saying that they are cruelty-free or don’t test on animals.
In many instances, this eases people’s consciences and convinces them to keep buying these products.
The problem is that many of these brands are hiding a darker truth. While the finished product may not be tested on animals, there is nothing being said about the individual ingredients.
However, if you were to take a closer look, you will find that a number of these ingredients are tested on animals.
Now, the side effects of many of these ingredients can include skin soreness, blindness, organ failure, and even death. Clearly, a company that uses these kinds of components can’t possibly be considered cruelty-free.
And, since many of these rabbits aren’t certified as such, it can be difficult to know who is telling the whole truth.
Going the Vegan Route
At the end of the day, the only to be certain of what you are bringing into your home is to make sure that the brand is certified vegan and cruelty-free.
Not only does this give you peace of mind but it can also make your life a lot easier. After all, you will not have to squint at labels any longer, search engine results in hand.
Here are some of the top cleaning brands that are completely or largely vegan and cruelty-free:
- Sun and Earth
- Bio-Pac Cleaning Products
- Bi-o-Kleen
- Citra-Solv
- Allen’s Naturally
- Nature Clean
- Mrs. Meyers
Of course, depending on where you live, there may be different options to select from. So, how can you know if you are selecting a virtuous and conscientious brand?
Well, if you are lucky, some of the hard work will have been done for you.
There are several companies that keep an eye out on the ingredients and methods that go into creating various products. In most cases, if you see a bunny, with or without the words “cruelty-free” or “not tested on animals”, there is a good chance that the brand is making a legitimate claim.
However, it is always a good idea to do your own research. In many cases, the internet will often provide you with the information that you need.
In certain cases, calling up the company to have them answer further questions may be a viable option. Of course, there is no guarantee that they will be completely honest with you, though.
It is also important to keep in mind that just because a product is vegan does not mean that it is cruelty-free. The reverse is true as well.
Thus, it is always a good idea to dig a little deeper when buying a new product. This will guarantee that you are backing the right manufacturer.
You should also make it a point to stay up-to-date on news as well. For instance, until recently, Method Cleaning Products and Ecover were highly regarded, cruelty-free brands.
However, they were bought up by SC Johnson, a company that is known for its animal testing policies.
This means that even if these companies don’t resort to testing on animals, their parent company has made quite a bit of profit from doing so.
In such an instance, you also have to consider the ethical consequences of continuing to purchase from a brand that is no longer strictly cruelty-free.
Don’t Forget About Eco-Friendly
Let’s face it, as a vegan you’ve got quite a few things to balance when selecting cleaning products. You have to make sure that there are no animal-derived products in what you are buying.
Then, you need to make certain that these products aren’t tested on animals either.
Well, your work isn’t done just yet. Being a vegan means focusing on the wellbeing of animals as well as the planet that they (and you) live on.
Thus, you need to get products that are eco-friendly as well. Fortunately for you, eco-friendly products are relatively easy to find in the marketplace.
In fact, you should find that many of the vegan brands mentioned above are also engaged in green practices as well.
It is just something else that you will need to check on before buying something from a new brand. After all, you really can’t be too careful.
Keeping It Simple with DIY
If all this talk of brands, animal testing, animal-derived products, and eco-friendly checks are making your head spin, you aren’t alone.
So, if you are looking to avoid a headache every time you want to clean your home, you just may have another option.
Although we may have forgotten about it, most people used to clean their homes with ingredients that they found in their kitchen.
As such, these cleaners tick all the boxes for what you are looking for in household products. Best of all, many of these are actually pretty easy on your wallet as well!
So, what are the ingredients that you can use to clean up your home? Well, here are your tried-and-true options:
- Apple cider/white vinegar: this is a must-have cleaner. For one thing, it has excellent disinfecting properties, ensuring that it will keep your home free of harmful bacteria and agents. On top of this, it is also versatile. Thus, it can be diluted and used for a number of different purposes.
- Baking Soda: this is another ingredient that has multiple uses. However, it is commonly used as a deodorizer. Due to its texture and properties, though, it can work well to get rid of stains and other stubborn spots around the house.
- Lemon Juice: similar to vinegar, lemon juice can help to kill bacteria. Also, its acidic properties are great for scraping away stains and discoloration. It is also great for improving the smell of any place around the house.
- Essential oils: it isn’t enough for your home to appear sparkling, it has to smell lovely too. Well, natural essential oils will help you to achieve this. Just simply add it to any natural cleaner that you have mixed up and you will certainly see the difference.
- Cheap Vodka: there are plenty of natural cleaner recipes that call for rubbing alcohol. Since it can be difficult to know how this is manufactured, a safer option may be to substitute some cheap vodka instead.
These ingredients can be used together or by themselves to clean virtually every aspect of your home.
Sure, some of these ingredients may require you to put in a little bit more elbow grease but surely the advantages will far outweigh the issues.
Conclusion
As you can see, being vegan isn’t as simple as you might imagine. Once you open up the door to being a better human being, you will realize just how much work is involved.
Certainly, some of this can feel a little overwhelming at times. However, once you begin to take strides in the right direction, you will notice how much lighter your conscience feels.
So, if you are truly committed to your vegan lifestyle and are ready to take yet another leap, you now know just how to do it.
Fortunately, the world is becoming a better place and it isn’t as difficult as it once would have been. There are so many more options available than ever before.
And, just remember: every little thing that you do and contribute counts. So, don’t ever feel like you don’t make a difference because you absolutely do!
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