While chemical-based cleaning products seem to be the go-to option for a lot of homeowners, they certainly have their drawbacks. Not only are some chemicals extremely pricey, but they trigger common health issues, and their use can cause damage to our environment.
If you’re planning on spring-cleaning your home this season, the good news is that you don’t have to get cleanliness at the expense of sustainability. Natural products and eco-friendly green cleaning solutions ensure that you can make your house sparkle, the non-toxic way.
Now you can do this the manual old fashioned way or hire a cleaning company to do it for you such as our friends at Cleaning Tribe who offer top notch house cleaning & maid services.
Here are a few tips that you can do yourself to start your green spring cleaning off on the right track.
Start with the Basics
The tried-and-tested natural cleaners that you seem to see in every blog post and article today are popular for a reason. Made with lemon, baking soda, and other common kitchen essentials, these products are far safer than many of the chemical options you’ll find on your supermarket shelves. Though you’re sure to have a few of your favorite mixtures in mind, some of the best substances to keep in your natural cleaning kit include:
- Baking soda for scrubbing
- White vinegar for disinfecting
- Lemon juice to cut through grease
- Olive oil to polish wood
- Washing powder to remove stains
You can also check out some basic house cleaning tools you should always keep on hand as well.
Now that you’ve got the basics in hand, let’s look at some more specific cleaning strategies.
1. Cleaning Wooden Surfaces
Cleaning wood can be tough for many homeowners, particularly when you’re taking the natural route. You want something that will make your furniture shine, without causing any damage to the natural pattern on the surface. Olive oil and vinegar are great additions to a cleaning toolkit for woodwork. For wooden furniture, try adding a cup of vinegar and a teaspoon of olive oil to a gallon of hot water. Leave the water to cool down slightly before you start scrubbing.
2. Clean your Bathroom as You Go
Your bathroom is one of those rooms that you’ll need to work on constantly if you want it to stay clean. It’s an enclosed area with limited ventilation and a lot of humidity. With that in mind, you don’t want chemicals ruining the air quality. Instead, use vinegar and baking soda to scrub your toilet, and try borax for a tile and tub scrubber. It’s worth wiping down your shower after use too so that you can avoid a scum build-up.
3. Keep your Windows Clear
Want to make your windows sparkle without resorting to commercial chemical products? Add about a quarter of a cup of vinegar to two or three cups of water. Some recipes will call for a few drops of detergent in the mix, while others suggest using lemon juice added to water. Clean off the window with a cotton rag when you’re done.
4. Disinfect your Oven
When it comes to cleaning your oven, there aren’t a huge number of green cleaning options out there. Oven cleaners tend to be toxic substances packed full of caustic compounds. If you want to make the most out of your oven, you can try using a combination of baking soda and lemon juice to scrub away grime and disinfect. Alternatively, you can look for cleaning products that are specifically designed to be good for the environment.
5. Discover the Power of Fresh Air
Finally, when it comes to spring cleaning your home, remember that you don’t need a gallon of air freshener just to make your property smell great. Air fresheners are packed full of phthalates which disrupt hormone regulation. Keeping your house generally clean, dusting and vacuuming regularly, and opening the windows every once in a while, should be enough to keep things feeling fresh.
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