Introducing our all-natural cleaners

WHY YOU NEED TO DITCH THE CHEMICALS ASAP

We’re going to hazard a guess and say, like most people, you’ve probably got a cupboard under the sink packed full of cleaning products - some you use often, some you don’t remember buying and others that have been there so long you don’t even know what they’re supposed to do anymore. But the chances are they’ve all got one thing in common: they’re packed full of harmful chemicals.

WHY ARE CLEANING CHEMICALS DANGEROUS?

The chemicals found in most traditional cleaning products are non-renewable, manufactured in industries that emit harmful gases that damage the environment and are harmful to both humans and animals. 

Many chemical-based cleaning products have antimicrobial properties, which means they destroy bacteria.  While this might sound like a positive thing, these antimicrobial properties can destroy all bacteria, including the good ones which do all sorts of useful things and keep us healthy. Over time bacteria can become resistant to many of these chemicals, which is bad news if they’re the pathogenic type (the ones that can cause illness or disease).

Enter, natural cleaners. 

What are natural cleaners?

Natural cleaners, or enzymatic cleaners, are cleaning products that use bacteria (don’t worry, the good kind) to clean surfaces, break down dirt and deodorise funky smells; in short, they literally eat dirt - yummy. Made in sustainable ways that are kind to the planet, natural cleaners add to the environment rather than taking away from it. 

When you use a natural cleaner it gradually leaves behind what is called a biofilm, this refers to the increased amount of good bacteria which helps the good bacteria be even gooder. This means that the bacteria continues working long after you’ve cleaned the area, reducing the need and frequency of which you need to clean - hurrah, less work for you! Natural cleaners also reduce allergens, keeping your environment safe and healthy.

Introducing Zero Waste Club’s natural cleaners

Powered by Enzymes & Natural Bacteria [They eat your dirt!]

Launching x3 new Natural Cleaning Concentrates, all powered by natural ingredients.

1. Multi-Purpose Cleaning Concentrate

2. Bathroom Cleaning Concentrate

3. Glass & Mirror Cleaning Concentrate

We are also releasing a glass spray bottle to go with these. Made from 15% recycled glass.

We know finding and using natural cleaners is an important topic for many of us. Maybe in the past, you’ve tried to make your own non-toxic products - maybe a  homemade window cleaner that leaves the house smelling of vinegar or a homemade oven cleaner that doesn’t quite do the job - which is we’ve been hard at work creating our own natural cleaners. With three options to choose from - multipurpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner and glass and mirror cleaners - keeping your world squeaky clean and safe has never been easier.

With a cleaning concentrate available in glass bottles (no plastic here, including a plastic-free lid lining) and a spray bottle made from recycled materials (the spray top is plastic but we’re working on that) these vegan cleaners contain 50ml of concentrated cleaning solution. They’re super easy to use, all you need to do is pour 25ml of the cleaning solution into the glass spray bottle, add tap water and you’re ready to go. When you’re ready to clean, simply spray the area and wipe it clean with a cloth.

If an area is particularly grubby and or needs a deeper clean, spray the area and leave for an hour before wiping clean. We suggest using the diluted cleaner within 3 months; like most natural products these products can eventually go off and the bacteria might start to smell a bit. The unopened solution has an expiry date of 18 months.

Do they contain any chemicals?

Our formulas contain less than 1% of synthetic surfactant, which is the stuff that makes sure the natural bacteria stay put; once the concentrate is diluted this accounts for less than 0.1% in the whole product. This synthetic surfactant is also made from waste material from the petrochemical industry and is completely bio-degradable when it’s mixed with water. However, keep your eyes peeled for the natural flax alternative we’re working on which will soon replace this surfactant.

Earth-friendly cleaning

We’re proud of just how earth-friendly these cleaners are. The spray bottles are made from 15% recycled glass and we’re working on a plan to get the pumps recycled too. We can also say our cleaners are 100% biodegradable having achieved a biodegradability score of 99.9% under OECD testing, meaning we literally wipe the floor with other cleaners, even the ones that claim to be natural. Better still our products have no VOCs meaning when you use our cleaners the air quality isn’t compromised in any way.

Our cleaning products come in concentrated formulas meaning we don’t add water at the time of production. Transporting water is harmful to the environment and adds to air and water pollution; we avoid this by letting you add ordinary tap water yourself at home.

As well as keeping the air clean and good bacteria happy, when diluted in water, our products are non-toxic. So if any of our furry friends accidentally ingest any of the diluted products, there’s no need to panic, although we still recommend still giving your vet a call just to be on the safe side. Can you say that about your current cleaners?

Sounds good! Where can I get mine?

Simply click here to start shopping now. Did we mention that they look incredibly chic too? No languishing forgotten in the cupboard for these beauties!

FAQs

• What's wrong with chemical cleaning products?

  Most of the chemical-based cleaning products are mass-produced in industries resulting in the emission of harmful gases. Because they are manufactured from chemicals, these cleaning products are also non-renewable. As if not enough, some of these products are hazardous and have far-reaching consequences on the environment, humans, pets and even the useful microbes. Continual use of chemical-based cleaning products can also cause problems because most of these products are biocides.  Biocidal sanitizers are largely used in homes and health establishments because of their antimicrobial properties. But the problem with their sustained use is they tend to increase the antibiotic resistance to lots of bacteria – even the good strains.

  Not all bacteria strains are the same. Some are very susceptible while others are quite adaptive to the environment. Some strains have a very fast growth rate while others take longer to grow. But the most important difference is that some strains are harmful while some are very beneficial to us. Only the strong and adaptive strains of bacteria survive the onslaught of sustained usage of chemical cleaning products. The problem with this is that some of the harmful might survive while the beneficial bacteria die. Meanwhile, the surviving bacteria will multiply quickly and this artificially modified environment may easily present a new set of problems. For instance, if the remaining bacteria are pathogenic, this problem is made worse with every cleaning.

• Advantages of using bacteria and enzymatic cleaners?

  Biological cleaners offer a more sustainable way of cleaning as opposed to their chemical counterparts. The main reason is the process of making of enzymatic cleaners is more environmentally friendly than that of chemical cleaners. When making cleaning products that are bacteria based, any addition of flocculants can only be done in concentrations that will not negatively impact the livelihood of the bacteria. A purely bacterial cleaning agent might not be as effective as the chemical ones and that is why it’s necessary to maintain a healthy balance between flocculants and bacteria.

  Another important advantage of enzymatic cleaners is that they add to the environment as opposed to taking from it. This results in the boosting of the bio-film. Bio-film refers to the increased beneficial bacteria in a region which helps the bacteria to be more effective. For instance, the continual use of bacterial cleaners creates a biofilm on the surface and this means that the bacteria will continue “cleaning” the surface even after the actual cleaning is over. The end result is a sustained cleaner environment that is free of odors. It also reduces the cost and frequency of cleaning.

  Last but not least, the use of bacterial cleaners helps in the reduction of allergens and this can be quite beneficial for both the home and office environments. The reduction of allergens in the environments makes the environment in the office or home safe for both the residents as well as the visitors. In other words, it creates a more pleasant environment to work or relax in.

• How enzymatic cleaners using bacteria work?

  We are surrounded by microorganisms all around us, the majority of which are benign and even necessary for the environment, animals, and humans. These microorganisms live in a microflora. Microflora is a community in which the microbes communicate with each other and organise in the best way for their survival. For instance, microorganisms build biofilms which are shields that protect them from outside influences. This biofilm is responsible for the visible filth and bad odours that we often get in spaces. The film can also be a hideout for germs and lots of harmful bacteria.

  Every environment has its own microflora which adapts to changes in the environment. For instance, if a surface provides all the necessary conditions to sustain 1 million microorganisms, the present microorganisms will ensure this maximum count is not exceeded. The microorganisms even leave some unoccupied space just to play safe. There is a continuous death and growth rate of bacteria and that helps to keep the numbers fairly constant week by week.

• 6 Advantages of Zero Waste Club Cleaning Concentrates

  1. Enzyme-producing microbes consume soiling and convert it into low and harmless levels of carbon dioxide and water.

  2. The microbes in bio-enzymatic cleaners are able to reach very small cracks and crevices on surfaces, which means they can eliminate soiling and malodours that traditional chemicals often cannot.

  3. The good, non-pathogenic microbes help to eliminate the bad, pathogenic, disease causing microbes that are harmful to humans.

  4. Compared to other chemical cleaning products, bio-enzymatic cleaners are safer for users and for the environment.

  5. Bio-enzymatic cleaners continue to do their job long after being applied to the surface. The microbes and enzymes keep on working until all soiling and malodours are fully removed, improving productivity, saving time and labour costs.

  6. Availability of bio-enzymatic cleaners means there is no need to use harsh cleaning chemicals anymore.

• Concentrates?

  The ZWC Cleaning Concentrates are shipped in 50ml glass vials, with natural rubber in the aluminium lids, to ensure an airtight seal whilst being 100% plastic free.

  The 50ml concentrate is enough to be diluted into x2 500ml ready to clean spray bottles. Saving the unnecessary transportation of x2 500ml [usually plastic] bottles of regular chemical cleaning solution.Let's stop transporting unnecessary liquid around.

  Each 50ml vial has x2 shots of 25ml Cleaning Concentrate.

  Each 25ml should be diluted into 500ml water, in our ZWC Natural Cleaner Spray Bottles.

• VOCs?

  No VOCs is the most unique USP this product has. So does not effect air quality in any way at all

• Is there a plastic lining on the lid of the small concentrate bottles?

  We have replaced the plastic lining on the top of the 50ml bottle lids with natural rubber. So 0 plastic!

• Can you recycle the spray tops?

  Assuming your spray top has come to end of life and doesn't work and you want to recycle it, we can help! But you will need to wait a bit. We understand the complexity of recycling the spray and pump tops at end of life. So we will be releasing a collection system to send back these back for easy recycling on our behalf in Q2 2022.

• 100% biodegradable cleaners?

  Yes! It's 100% biodegradable. We are legally permitted say it is as this product achieved the highest score for biodegradability which is 99.9% biodegradable under OECD testing regimes in 28 days, which is the highest score a product can get!

  The EU ecolabel scheme (which is the EU standard) says that to achieve 'biodegradable' status, a product requires 60% biodegradation in 60 days as a comparison. Our cleaners literally wipes the surface of the competition. We are sooo biodegradation.

• Do I spray & wipe? Or just leave the spray on the surface?

  You can spray the cleaner onto a surface a wipe instantly for a wipe-clean finish. If you would like a deeper clean, to remove grease or stains, you should spray onto the surface, & leave for up to an hour. After the hour is up, respray again as the surface may have dried up, & wipe clean. You should notice the thicker grime comes off more easily.

• What happens if my pet drinks it?

  Once the cleaners are diluted in water, they are classed as completely non-toxic! Although if your pet ingests the diluted cleaning fluid, they should be fine, we would recommend ringing your vet just to ensure!
  
  Note: we would recommend not feeding these to your pets - it wont taste good!

• How long will my bio-cleaner last?

  Once the bottle has been opened, we recommend that it is used within 3 months. After 3 months you might find that the bacteria in the cleaner start to smell a little off - this is because our cleaners are natural, & like all natural things, they go off eventually.

• What are the expiry dates?

  There is an expiry date on your unopened bottle, this is normally around 18 months, but please check your packaging.

• Do I just use regular tap water?

  Yes, simply pour your concentrate into your 500ml ZWC Spray Bottle, & fill-up with water from your tap.

• Can I use the bio-cleaner on my cooking hob?

  Yes, we would recommend using the multi-surface cleaner on the hob. For thicker more durable grease & grime, leave the spray on the hob for an hour, respray & wipe clean. The enzymes will multiply over the course of the hour, breaking down the tougher bits of grease.

• Are they Vegan?

  Yes, all of our Natural Cleaners are 100% vegan.

  No testing on animals at all has done with our Natural Cleaners.

• Are there any non-natural chemicals in the cleaner?

  We use less than 1% of synthetic surfactant in the concentrates formula to ensure the natural bacteria stay, which is less than 0.1% of the diluted mix. Rather than use raw materials to make this, we use a waste material from the petrochemical industry to act as the surfactant. This is completely bio-degradable when in diluted with water. In the future we're looking to move to a natural Flax alternative.

• Scents or fragrance?

  No scents or fragrances added.

  However the enzymes have a natural smell fresh to them.

  The enzymes actually naturally eliminate odours. So removing harmful smells from your home.

• Do the Natural Cleaners have a scent?

  The Bathroom Cleaner has a light citrus scent, however the Multi-Surface & Glass/Mirror Cleaners are both unscented.

  Most chemical scents added to conventional cleaners are scientifically proven to be harmful - so we made ours mostly fragrance free.

  If you would like to add a scent to your Natural Cleaners, simply add a drop or two of your favourite natural essential oils into the diluted product.

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions about our natural cleaners, please email us at support@z-w-c.com