With the spring right around the corner, everyone is getting ready for some spring cleaning around the house. Here is how you can make the process of cleaning the house much more eco-friendly with just a few easy tips.
Switch out all of the toxins
The easiest and most efficient way to create a healthy and more eco-friendly cleaning routine is to get rid of the toxins. This means that you should throw out any cleaning products in your house that contain toxic chemicals. Not only are they bad for the environment but they are also quite harmful for you and your health as well. You can easily switch them out with non-toxic, natural cleaning products that will keep your house clean while also keeping you and the environment safe.
Banish blots and blemishes naturally
When you need to clean out tough stains, make glass gleam, or clear blockages, here are a few efficient and eco-friendly ways in which you can do that:
• White vinegar – Believe it or not, vinegar is actually great at polishing windows. All you need to do is use a scrunched-up sheet of newspaper that has been dipped in vinegar and then you just rub it in circular motions. Also, if your showerhead is blocked there is an easy way to use vinegar as a solution for that as well. Just submerge the showerhead in vinegar overnight and it will help clear it all out.
• Lemons – Lemons are highly acidic and can be used for cleaning purposes. You can add some lemon juice to a bowl filled with water and then microwave it for about three minutes. Let it sit for a few more minutes and then just wipe the inside of the bowl with a dry cloth. It will be spotless. If added to vinegar, lemons can also make a great perfumed kind of a cleaner.
• Bicarbonate of soda – Lastly, if you leave a small amount of bicarb in an open pot you can eliminate stale smells from your fridge. You can also mix it with water to clean water marks and stainless steel. To remove baked-on food leftovers on dishes and pans, use a cloth to scrub it off with some bicarb. On top of that, you can use bicarb and a sponge to scrub off marks off the bathroom walls and mildew off the shower curtains.
Don't always reach for the vacuum
The vacuum cleaner is probably the first cleaning device we think of when we think about cleaning. However, it doesn’t have to be something that we reach for every time we clean the house. It uses a lot of energy, and the more you use it the less sustainable your cleaning is. You can save the vacuum cleaner for that once-a-month deep clean of the house. In the meantime, try using soft fibre cloths and bristles to dust off any surfaces that collect dust over time and you will be able to maintain your house well enough.
Swap paper towels
Paper towels create a lot of unnecessary waste. They can easily be swapped out for much better and more eco-friendly options. For example, you can look into soft fibre cloths used for cleaning and dusting off any type of surface areas. There are also durable and high-quality towels that can be used for similar purposes and can be washed in the washing machine and easily used again. This will save you a lot of money and help you lead a more sustainable life.
Eco-friendly pest control
Pest control should be a regular and common part of everyone’s home maintenance. As something that needs to be taken care of every once in a while, we should go into this kind of project with eco-conscious mind and choose wisely who we’ll be hiring to do the job. Make sure to look into ethical, eco-friendly, local pest control companies who will provide high-quality pest control services but also keep the process sustainable all the way.
Don’t waste water
Lastly, to stay more eco-friendly, here is how you can reduce the water usage during spring cleaning:
- Install dirt-trapping mats to prevent muck getting into the house
- Use pollutant-free cleaners that don’t require diluting
Conclusion
All in all, it doesn’t take much effort to be more sustainable and eco-friendly while cleaning the house. It all boils down to making small everyday conscious decisions to make less waste and use the resources you have more wisely.
Written by Liam Smith. Connect with Liam on Twitter.
You may also like
5 Sustainable Ways to Spruce Up Your Patio
5 Eco-Friendly Additions to Add to Your Bathroom
7 Ways to Make the Roof of Your Home Eco-Friendly
Why Green Cleaning Is Important to Environmental Well-Being