Tips for Greener Cleaning This Spring
Spring is around the corner, a time of new beginnings and a fresh start. It is common for many people to spring clean or deep clean their homes, and I am sure everyone can agree how good it smells in a freshly cleaned house. However, many cleaners used in most homes can be toxic to your environment and body. Green cleaning is a great way to keep clean without harmful chemicals, and it is also a preferred method of cleaning in an eco-conscious home.
What are the Health Benefits of Spring Cleaning
No one can deny how wonderful it feels too deep clean, well perhaps not during. Having a clean and organized home can make you feel better, but did you know of other health benefits?
- Spring cleaning also supports immune function, especially for those with seasonal allergies. The air in your home can be filled with immune system triggers such as dust, mildew, pet dander, and bugs, and cluttered homes are particularly susceptible to these during the winter months.
- Reduce stress while you spring clean. Cleaning requires concentration and repetitive actions that can help you give your brain a rest. Relaxing your mind can boost while your body is involved in a mindless task. Studies show that 20 minutes of cleaning can reduce stress and anxiety by 20%.
- Studies show that clean, fresh-smelling sheets and a made bed can help you sleep better.
- Clutter can negatively affect your focus and productivity, and removing physical objects from your environment can also help clear your mind. According to a study from “The Journal of Neuroscience confirmed this using MRI’s to track the brain’s response to cleanliness and found that more clutter significantly limits the brain’s processing capacity.”
What is Green Cleaning?
Green cleaning means using safer products for the environment and using cleaning practices and solutions that are free of toxins. The term can be more complex than that, but that is its gist. Some people choose more natural approaches to cleaning their homes and only use vinegar, baking soda, lemons, and essential oils. Other people prefer to use green products that are manufactured not to include phosphates, chlorine, artificial fragrance, and colors. They are often contained in biodegradeable, reusable, or recyclable packaging.
To check if a product is green, check the labels that the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Design for the Environment program mandates is on products that meet EPA’s criteria for chemicals. Be careful of products that are not green but use language that makes it seem like it is, like “non-toxic” or “environmentally friendly.”
How can I incorporate green cleaning into my home?
The best way to clean your home is how you feel most comfortable. You can also introduce or switch out products as you go along with greener cleaning over time. You can choose to buy green cleaning products or make them yourself. Here are ways you can incorporate greener cleaning into your home:
Start with your cleaning supplies – start with replacing paper products like paper towels with microfiber cloths or rags. Use eco-friendly brushes, sponges, and other cleaning supplies. Use bamboo paper instead of conventional paper products like napkins and bathroom tissue.
Pure castile soap can be used to wash laundry, wash vegetables, like shower gel and shampoo, bug repellant, dishwashing, as a hand soap, floor cleaner, and all-purpose cleaner. It is also vegan, fragrance-free, and biodegradable.
Baking soda – if you pay any attention to Tik Tok, baking soda has been championed as a cheap and easy bathroom cleaner, pot cleaner, oven cleaner, and more. It is the ultimate non-toxic cleaner in your pantry. Who knew? My mother and many other women have long known the benefits of baking soda from using it for deep cleaning and odor control in smelly sneakers. Click here for 50 clever ways to use baking soda when cleaning your home.
Vinegar is another pantry staple that has long been used as an all-purpose cleaner. Vinegar is a very affordable non-toxic way to clean your home, and vinegar solution with water can clean just about everything in your home.
Borax or sodium borate has been around as a product since 1883. Borax is a compound made from the naturally occurring mineral boron, and it is made by mixing boron, oxygen, and sodium. Borax is often used as a laundry booster, a natural rust remover, weed killer, and deodorizer.
Essential oils are an excellent choice to add to your cleaning arsenal. Natural, safe, and non-toxic – essential oils also provide aromatherapeutic benefits. Typically, it is recommended to use 3-5 drops of essential oil to distilled water and keep in a glass bottle with an amber color.
Essential oils great for cleaning include:
- Lemon oil freshens the air and has antiviral and antibacterial properties perfect for shining wood floors and scrubbing the kitchen counters: other citrus oils with the same benefits include: lemongrass oil, orange oil, grapefruit oil, and lime oil.
- Tea tree oil, also known as melaleuca oil, is a potent cleansing oil that helps combat bacteria, germs, viruses, and bugs.
- Eucalyptus oil has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antimicrobial properties. “Studies show that eucalyptus also fights bacteria that cause influenza, pneumonia, staph, and strep.” Eucalyptus is a great all-purpose cleaner, rat repellant, and stops mold.
- Peppermint oil is a refreshing, antibacterial, and antifungal oil that is great for cleaning, repelling pests and killing bacteria.
- Cinnamon oil fights mold, mildew, fungi, and some bacteria and is a good bug repellent.
- Lavender oil is naturally antibacterial and air freshener; it has calming effects that are perfect for cleaning the bedroom.
Green Cleaning Resources
Need some cleaning inspiration? Here are some great resources for greener and more natural deep cleaning practices in your home.
Going Zero Waste
Kathryn Kellogg, the woman behind Going Zero Waste, started zero waste living because she had a hormonal imbalance, financial necessity, and other health reasons. Since then, she has written a book about going zero waste and often gives tips on cleaning naturally with the least amount of waste. Head over to her DIY cleaning section and see all the clever ways she incorporates greener cleaning in her home.
Wellness Mama
Wellnessmama.com has been around for a while and is a trusted source for natural family living, including natural cleaning practices.
Marie Kondo
If you haven’t read Marie Kondo’s books, watched her Netflix specials, or just heard about her from someone, you are missing out on an almost spiritual approach to organization and minimalism. Kondo’s method involves keeping items that “spark joy” in your home and eliminating things that no longer bring you joy or functionality.
Grove Collaborative
Suppose you prefer to purchase eco-friendly and non-toxic cleaning supplies. Grove Collaborative has committed to being 100% plastic-free by 2025, and they were just voted EPA Safer Choice Partner of the year 2020. They carry 2000+ natural products for your home and personal needs.
Local Natural Food Store
Don’t forget to shop local and hit your local natural food store. Often they have huge sections devoted to greener cleaning and non-toxic products.
Jemile earned a degree in Food Studies and Writing and has worked for almost 23 years in the medical and health industries. She has been a digital marketing consultant for Acupuncture Atlanta since 2011 as the social media manager and content manager. Writing has been a childhood dream for Jemile and writing daily for clients in the health, wellness, food, and art industries have been phenomenal. Jemile is originally from Brooklyn, NY, and lives in the Hudson Valley, NY. She lives with her husband, two daughters, her dog, and two fish. You can contact Jemile via Linkedin, her mom blog, or her website, lunaroseconsulting.com
