Cleaning stuff and environmental concerns

[LadyEloise]

I like my home to be clean but I don't want those cleaning products to have a huge negative effect on our environment.
I understand the water cycle and am concerned about what goes down our plugholes, loos and washing machine/ dishwasher drains into our water systems.
Just reading a national newspaper- Ireland - and there is a full page ad for Lenor Scent Boosters. Something you add to your wash that apparently makes your clothes smell lovely for weeks.
A full page ad is not cheap !!!
On the one hand we have Greta Thunberg raising awareness on climate change and pollution and on the other hand we have R&D departments spending huge amounts developing products that we don't need and have potential to harm the earth's fragile eco systems.

I have bleach and cleaning products in my house, but 95% of my cleaning is with hot soapy water, vinegar and washing up liquid spray and soda crystals. I make washing powder with grated soap and soda crystals and use citric acid for descaling. I use Ariel for anything that needs a bit more power but can't be hot washed. I use dishwasher tablets and salt. Sometimes, I use some bio washing powder, bleach or something else with a label on it, but little and not often.

I try to keep things from becoming so dirty that they need chemicals. Don't always manage it.