The new, green way to clean

New products on the market are designed to clean surfaces, including kitchen counters and bathroom sinks, with only water! Blogger Becky Rapinchuk is known as the "clean mama." She's been using natural cleaning products in her home for quite some time. She said, "I make pretty much everything as a homemade cleaner."

But now, a growing number of cleaning tools are aimed at taking the "green clean" one step further. From windows, to floors, even the kitchen counter and bathrooms. Products on the market, many made of microfiber, are designed to work with plain old water and without the need for chemical cleaners. Becky is a fan. She said, "For just every day wiping down the counters, cleaning surfaces, water and a microfiber cloth is sufficient."

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Experts say Becky isn't alone. John Owen is a Senior Household Analyst for Mintel. Their research shows 37% of adults would be interested in using microfiber and water to clean dirt, grease, and bacteria. With 12% already using microfiber on a daily basis. Owen said, "Young adults, those who are sort of in their 20's and 30s say, are more than twice as likely and we think that's an indication that the market is growing and that there's a generational shift going on."

A shift that's got cleaning companies taking notice. Owen said manufacturers are responding to consumer concerns about ingredients in cleaning products. "People are increasingly equating a clean home with a healthy home and a healthy family. But at the same time, there's also concern about the cleaning product ingredients. So for these consumers, they still want their homes clean, but they're looking for alternatives."

So, are alternatives designed to work without chemicals effective? Microbiologist Dr. Michael Schmidt said microfiber, which is smaller than a human hair, is good at trapping dust, even bacteria and viruses.
"It's this frizzy end at the end of this very small fiber that facilitates the pickup of bacteria and viruses from surfaces," Dr. Schmidt said. But, for situations when a family member is ill or when it comes to cleaning up the kitchen after handling raw food, Dr. Schmidt has this advice. "Use a disinfectant and good old elbow grease to make certain that that material is gone."

One possible drawback to skipping the cleaning solution in favor of water? The absence of that clean smell.
"People often tell that the home is clean by how it smells, so that's a potential barrier to the use of just water and a cloth," Owen said.
Becky does usually use a cleaner in her kitchen and bathroom, but for times when she sticks to water, she doesn't mind missing out on the scent. "I'm ok with that when it's quicker and the mess is actually cleaned up."

Dr. Schmidt also points out that while microfiber can trap germs, it doesn't kill the bugs. So, it's important to clean any cloths you may reuse to get rid of bacteria and viruses. And, he suggests using different color cloths for different areas in your home so you avoid using a cloth in the kitchen after it's been used in the bathroom.