You all use household cleaners. Most of them are created with a bunch of hazardous chemicals that can be dangerous and corrosive. Some examples of such products are ammonia, all purpose cleaners, drain cleaners, bleach, mildew removers, glass cleaners, tub and toilet cleaners, oven cleaners, disinfectants.
The fact that these substances contain chemicals requires that they are disposed of in the right way. Doing what's best for us and nature is a crucial step to preserving our health and the environment. Safe disposal of commercial cleaning products is a matter of choice.
If you care about the environment, please, read the following. Here we will show you how you can dispose safely of your cleaning products.
Important notes
Always check the label of the product. Most companies provide directions on safe disposal. If they are not present, then follow these tips:
Things that can be put in the trash: some solid products such as towelettes, sticks, soap scouting pads, etc.
Things that can be put down the drain: water-soluble products. Water-soluble means that it mixes with water. If so, you can pour it down the drain. Such products include gel, liquid and powder cleaning products.
Things that you need to consult about: furniture polishers, crystal drain openers and oven cleaners need more caution. For more information on how to dispose of these products you'd better contact the manufacturer (they provide either an e-mail address of a toll-free number on the label). They will give you disposal recommendations.
Products to be disposed of in the trash
Household cleaners:
Oven cleaners
Glass cleaners
Toilet bowl cleaners
furniture cleaners
Upholstery/carpet cleaners
Bathroom cleaners
All-purpose cleaners
Disinfectants
Dishwashing products:
Rinse agents
Laundry products:
Stain removers
Fabric softeners
Safety instructions: Before you throw anything in the trash, be sure to wrap it in paper.
Products to be disposed of down the drain
Household cleaners:
Drain openers
Ammonia
Carpet cleaners
Borax
Glass cleaners
Toilet bowl cleaners
Multi-surface cleaners
Furniture cleaners
Floor cleaners
Disinfectants
Baking soda
All-purpose cleaners
Dishwashing products:
Rinse agents
Spot and film removers
Hand washing and automatic detergents
Laundry products:
Fabric softeners
Water softeners
Pre-washes, pre-soaks
Detergents
Bleaches
Personal care products:
Body/Hand soaps
Safety instructions: Always flush with water when disposing of products down the drain. If you are disposing of a powder, make sure you use very small quantities. Else, lumps can be formed in the drain, clogging the pipe.
Disposal of containers
It is important to know how to dispose of the contents of a cleaning product, but what about the containers? Experts advise that you dispose of them correctly too.
Before you throw a container in the trash, you should know the following:
Before you dispose of a container, always make sure you empty the contents.
Consider handing the container to a recycling centre (check what type of metal, paperboard or plastic containers they accept)
Look for recycling guidelines in your community or ask Prompt End Of Tenancy Cleaning
Waste reduction
Waste reduction is conserving resources by cutting down on waste. Excess products can be recycled or destroyed. Today manufacturers offer innovations in the detergent industry such as combination products, concentrated products, refillable containers and many others.
By disposing of cleaning products and detergents correctly you will prevent the spread of hazardous substances in the air, water and soil. Household hazardous waste (HHW) can be identified with the following labels: “Toxic/Poison”, “Flammable”, “Corrosive”, “Reactive, explosive”. If you find any of these signs on the household cleaning products you use, you should consider correct disposal when you are done using the product.