How to Be 'Green' While You Clean

It’s about that time of year again! Soon, the temperatures will be rising, flowers will start to blossom, and your home will need the fresh start it deserves.

Spring cleaning is an excellent opportunity to get your house on-track for the oh-so-busy summer months. With Memorial Day & the Fourth of July festivities right around the corner, you’re going to want your home to be ready for all the fun!

But before you crack down on the cleaning, this year, consider taking the ‘green’ approach. It’s no secret that those abrasive cleaning products that we stash under the kitchen sink can interfere with the air quality in our home and even our microbiome!

Although we might be accustomed to smelling the bleach in our kitchen from a mile away, there’s a new way of doing things. And get this—it’s a whole lot safer & cheaper! As you wake up the dust bunnies and bring down the cobwebs for spring cleaning, try taking a ‘green’ approach for a healthier home.

Refresh Naturally

Have you ever noticed that every home has its own scent? Yes, that includes your home as well; you’ve just gotten used to it! There’s nothing scarier than inviting guests over and wondering if lingering pet odor or the kitchen trash bin is going to scare them away from entering your home. 

Your knee-jerk reaction might be to reach for a powerful deodorizer or the air freshener spray you keep in the bathroom. But did you know that less than 10% of the ingredients in that bottle are listed on the back? That means you couldn’t research the chemicals even if you tried!

Instead of masking odors with an aerosol spray can, try using essential oils and a diffuser! With a few drops of lavender, lemon, or frankincense essential oil, you can transform your humble abode with natural scents that will not only make your home smell lovely, but they’ll also help to alleviate feelings of anxiety and stress. 

If you really want to kick it up a notch, you can even make your own DIY furniture spray with a few drops of your favorite essential oil and water. With a couple of spritzes, your home will feel just like new! 


Do It Yourself!

Phthalates, Perchloroethylene, Triclosan, Butoxyethanol, and Sodium Hydroxide—those are some big, scary words that have no place under your sink! We all want our homes to look and feel squeaky clean, but as it turns out, you can do so without using heavy-duty cleaning products.

Have you ever made the mistake of cleaning without gloves? When those harsh chemicals touch your skin, they can leave your fingertips feeling dry, rough, wrinkled, and even peeled! Can you imagine what these chemicals are doing to your body underneath the surface? 

In less than three minutes, you can create an all-purpose cleaning solution for the bathroom, kitchen, kids’ room, and those yucky spots near the litter box. Simply grab a spray bottle and add about 12-15 drops of tea tree essential oil. Now, add one part white vinegar to four parts water. Give your bottle a good shake, and get to work.

Tea tree essential oil is one of nature’s best cleansers, and when you match that with the acidity of vinegar, it makes for the perfect all-natural cleaner for those icky spots on the counter to the dreaded zone near the toilet!


Toss Consciously

Now that you have your home looking, smelling, and feeling clean, it’s time to get rid of all the excess. But before you start throwing out old Playstation consoles and 1990’s TV sets, remember, everything can’t be tossed in the trash. 

Find a local organization that can restore your old tech items for those in need. And if there’s not an organization near you, you can always check out your neighborhood Best Buy. No matter how old it is or where you bought it, Best Buy recycles e-waste to ensure that these items don’t end up in our landfills and water systems! 

Speaking of water systems, when it comes to time to clean house, remember that the toilet is not a free for all. You wouldn’t believe the kinds of things they’ve found in our water systems—and much of it comes from the toilet. From contact lenses and dental floss to cat litter, just throw it in the bin!

Want to get organized while you go green? Check out our Spring Organizing Guide!