Cleaning in an Earthship

Living in an Earthship will require a bit of change and effort; not that this is a bad thing.

An example of this is the cleaning routine.  Because all of the systems are interconnected, being careless about household chemicals and detergents will ultimately be detrimental to the house; harsh chemicals will kill the greywater plants and possibly contaminate the food coming from them. It will also contaminate the septic tank and the leech field - ultimately poisoning the property.  Not cool. On the other hand, even if you aren't living in an Earthship, when you find out how dangerous some of these chemicals are and how unethical the manufacturers have become, you may want to switch anyway.

I have started to switch to more natural solutions before I move in, so I can get used to it.   By the time I am ready to move in, changing habits will be minimal. 

Here are some of the things I have done:

Laundry  - I recently switched to soap nuts. There are many brands to choose from, and if you purchase from the right vendor, they aren't more expensive than traditional soap.   Certainly this isn't the only environmentally friendly laundry soap, but it's definitely one of the better ones.

All purpose cleaners - it's really easy to make your own cleaners out of inexpensive materials. Vinegar, borax, hydrogen peroxide, 60% alcohol, essential oils, baking soda, Castile soap.  They are truly effective; for example,vinegar will kill most bacteria.  Some say that it leaves the good bacteria.  For really evil bugs, you can use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol instead. These cleaners are much safer than bleach and ammonia and won't damage the septic system, black or grey.  

Combining natural cleaners with essential oils can boost their effectiveness.  Many essential oils have anti bacterial, anti fungal and antiviral properties.  Germs have a harder time becoming resistant to essential oils because there are so many varieties.  Plus it makes your cleaners smell nicer. (I admit, vinegar has a repugnant smell)

Cleaning Wipes - it's pretty easy to make your own cleaning wipes whether they are for your counters, your hands or the unmentionables.  There are plenty of recipes online; most just make use of combining vinegar or alcohol, heavy duty paper towels and re-using old containers. You can also make toilet wipes in a similar fashion using Castile soaps and oils, but I would NOT recommend flushing ANY of the above into the system.   They aren't good for any toilet system, and they do not biodegrade like manufacturers claim.  Just ask my city!

Personal stuff- soaps, lotions, conditioners - they all end up in the grey water system.  Other items that women use may end up in the blackwater system and pose clogging problems.  Switching is becoming easier.  There are many alternatives for natural/organic cleaners, lotions and shampoos and feminine products, or you can make some of them.  Considering some of the dangerous chemicals and procedures that go into making personal items, you may want to switch regardless of what type of house you live in.