To think that you don't really need to use bleach for everything all the time?

[SusanMichelson]

I keep seeing people commenting on how often they use bleach in their cleaning routine and I'm really surprised by how much it seems to be used.

I never use bleach unless someone is ill and usually not even then - just a disinfectant spray.

My kitchen and bathroom are lovely and clean. I usually just use a damp sponge or cloth with a bit of washing up liquid or whatever.

I don't get why people think bleach is necessary - and it is so poisonous, not just to us but to fish and so on. It makes me really to think there's so much of it being washed down the plug hole.

AIBU to think it doesn't really make things any cleaner than just soapy water or maybe another less harsh chemical for really tough stuff?

I promise I'm not an eco warrior or hippy. It just never really occurred to me to use the stuff except when we had a superbug and then it was necessary for a few months. Nasty stuff!

Can someone tell me somewhere I can buy proper white vinegar for cleaning? I end up with the vinegar sprays from Savers which are only £1 but I tend to use quite a lot of it to pour on top of the bicarb when doing the sink.

Can't seem to find a good giant bottle of vinegar, apart from malt vinegar or pickling vinegar in a supermarket, which just makes the room smell like a chippy! Even Wilkos don't seem to stock it. I'm sure they used to.

I buy 5 litres at a time from Makro.

Alternatively you can buy 500ml bottles in most supermarkets.

In the cleaning section, disappointed ? Must be well hidden at the bottom of the shelf away from the more lucrative brand names.

Don't have a Makro where I live butit sounds like a good bulk buy!

So can we get something straight here cos i'm confused now after reading through this, i put bleach down the loo, does it or does it not kill germs? I'm intrigued now.

No, with the ketchup and mayonnaise normally. It's a foodstuff!

Don, I think the bleach kills the germs but things like limescale is still left. I'm not bothered if they're germs down there really I'm not going to be supping the water.

The biggest bottles of white vinegar I've found are in my Chinese supermarket, they're 1lt but it doesn't work out much cheaper than the supermarket 500ml no frills one's. I think you can bulk order online.

I usually get the 500ml bottles of white vinegar from the supermarket. I smashed a full one on the kitchen floor once, that really did make the house smell like a chip shop but the floor was lovely and clean!

I have a friend who adds a drop of bleach to her washing up bowl. Yuk!

Ok. I've read through the link. Now where can i buy borax substitute? Locally i have asda, Lidl, poundstretcher, poundland and B&M.

you can buy real Borax online.

www.intralabs.co.uk/borax/100g-borax.html

I think so many people clean too much and use too much 'stuff'.
But I am an eco warrior and a hippy

Too right. All down to the bombardment of these big companies making money off people's insecurities about the all mighty 'germ' for the past 50 or so years.

The whole thing bothers me.
Take triclosan -claims are it keeps us healthier,but concerns it's hazardous to health.
Why use all that crap if you don't need to?
Why potentially risk your health,and line the pockets of multi nationals?

There's way too much trust in the powers that be, it's only in the past couple of years my eyes have been opened, wish it had been sooner. I'm not just talking about cleaning and chemicals either

I have converted away from traditional bleach to Ecover products, after holidaying somewhere with a fosse (cesspit). The Ecover laundry bleach powder is FAB - my whites are back to white.