Green Spring Cleaning Tips

It’s Spring Cleaning time – and before you roll up the sleeves to get some dirty work done – here are some great Green Spring Cleaning Tips that will make the job go smoother, faster and safer for you and the environment.

 

It’s the time of the year, when we want to open up all the windows and and have a clean scent and a feel of freshness sweeping throughout our home. And Spring cleaning is on the to do list! But clean isn’t all the same.

First, clean out the toxins from your cleaning products!

Some cleaning agents can leave a bigger mess once you’re done with them. Yes they clean – on the surface – but the damage has been done to the air quality, toxins left behind and the overall damage to the environment and your health.

Yes – every time you touch a toxic chemical or breathe in the fumes – you’re exposing yourself to potential health risks even years down the line. Also, you need to be extra cautious especially when you have little children around so they’re not living in a toxic environment.

Here are some scary but interesting facts attributed to the chemicals in our mainstream cleaning products:

• In the past 40 years, at least 70,000 new chemicals have been released into the environment through new consumer and industrial products and food.
• Male and female infertility are on the rise. Research is now pointing to pesticides as a viable cause.
• Women who work in the home have a 54% higher death rate than women who work out of the home.
• Each year more than 50 million Americans suffer from allergic diseases. Allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the US, costing the health care system $18 billion annually. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (inflamed nasal membranes) has increased substantially over the past 15 years.
• Asthma ranks among the most common chronic conditions in the United States, affecting an estimated 14.9 million persons.
• According to the U.S Poison Control Centers, “A child is accidentally poisoned every 30 seconds and more than 50% of all poisonings occur at home with children under 5 years of age.”
• Asthma is the #1 cause of absenteeism in schools.
• There has been a 25% increase in the last 25 years in cancer incidence among children under 15 years of age.
• ADD/ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed childhood behavior disorder today. More than two million (3-5%) children have ADD.
• Thirty years ago the 3 major childhood illnesses were chickenpox, measles and mumps. Now it is asthma, ADD and cancer.
• Brain cancer in children is up 40% in 20 years.

So if this isn’t giving you a slight push to clean more naturally – now is the time to wake up and really clean out the cleaning bottles and safely discard all the toxic cleaners in your home.

There are no chances you can take when it comes to your health. Simply put, if there is one fragment of information that points to toxins in cleaning products – I simply don’t buy them and just don’t use them, ever! Simple, right? Even if I see a FREE coupon for a new super-duper cleaner – with a bright fancy label and yes it’s completely free stuff – NO!

And consumers beware :

Toxic cleaners can parade as ‘green’ – don’t get tricked!

There are lots of standard toxic cleaners out there that carry one ‘green’ ingredient and it parades like a ‘green product’! Don’t get fooled!

But, thankfully to the environmental movement – there are now great pure products out there that are amazing and truly ‘green’.
There’s a few trusted brands I use, I will share some of those next time.

Want more great news : 

You can make your own DIY cleaners that are completely all-natural from simple inexpensive ingredients.

And you get to save money at the same time. You will love these recipes!

All-natural Cleaning Recipes:

ALL PURPOSE CLEANER : 2 TBSP White Vinegar, 1 Teaspoon Borax (natural soap), 16 ounces of hot water, 1/4 cup Dr. Bronner’s. Mix vinegar and Borax in a clean spray bottle. Fill with water and shake until the Borax has dissolved. Add Dr. Bronners. Shake and use.

KITCHEN ALL PURPOSE : Baking Soda, Essential oil. Fill a shaker halfway with Baking Soda. Add 20 drops Essential oil of your choice. Stir. Add more Baking Soda, then shake. Sprinkle a bit on dirty surface, then sponge off with warm water. Rinse well.

FOR FILTHY POTS : 1 cup fine-grade Pumice, 1/2 cup Clay Powder, 2 TBSP grapefruit essential oil, 1/4 cup Baking Soda, 1/4 cup Sodium Lauryl Sulfacetate, 1/2 cup Boiling Water – enough for thick paste. Mix all ingredients together and stir. Store in a container that closes tightly. To use, apply gently with a damp sponge or cloth and scrub.

FLOOR CLEANER : White Vinegar, Water (make sure it’s warm), and Essential oil (optional). Fill a squirt bottle with equal amounts of Vinegar and Water. Add 20 drops oil. Mix and squirt on floor. The basic vinegar and water solution is the perfect choice for cleaning most types of floors in your home. There is no need to rinse afterward — saving both time and water. If your vinyl or linoleum floor looks a little dull after cleaning, you can add shine by mopping it over again with straight club soda.

FOR THE BATHROOM : 1 2/3 cups baking soda, 1/2 cup Dr. Bronners, 1/2 cup Water, 2 TBSPS White Vinegar. Mix Baking Sode and Dr. Bronners in a bowl. Dilute with water, and add the Vinegar. Mix with a fork until lumps are gone and mixture has a smooth consistency, adding a little more water is fine. Pour into a squeeze container, then shake well. Keep lid on firmly to avoid drying out. Use. Alternates:

Cleaning Ingredients:

1 cup Dr. Bronners,
1/2 cup Baking Soda,
1 teaspoon Borax,
6 cups hot Peppermint tea,
1 teaspoon Eucalyptus Essential Oil.

Directions:

Add Mint tea to liquid soap, stir to mix well. Add baking soda, borax and eucalyptus oil. Store in plastic jug or squirt bottle. Shake before using. This soap can be used for washing floors, tubs, and cleaning almost anything (except your mouth after a round of dirty cursing).

FOR THE TOILET : Use White Vinegar and a brush. Baking soda can also be used if you like the SoftScrub vibe.

GLASS CLEANER : 1/4 cup White Vinegar, 1/2 cup Dr. Bronners, 2 cups Water, Essential Oil (only if you’re fancy.) Mix soap and water in a spray bottle. Add vinegar and essential oil. Shake it up and spray. We suggest using old newspaper to clean mirrors and windows. It’s exponentially more effective, and lighter on planet earth since you are re-using. To use, spray and wipe. If you don’t want to add the soap (which requires a stronger arm, but think of the bicepts you’ll have!!), it’s fine to omit it and stick with 1 cup of Vinegar per 2 cups of Water. Alternates: Experiment with lemon juice, club soda, and cornstarch, all of which (mixed together) clean windows well.

KEY LIME DISH DETERGENT POWDER : This recipe is a litte more elaborate, so only go there when you are feeling it. 1/2 cup Clay Powder, 2 TBSP Lime Essential Oil, 2 cups Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, 6 cups Baking Soda. Wear a dust mask to mix this formula. Mix clay powder and essential oil; then, in a 2 gallon pail, combine the baking soda and sodium lauryl sulfoacetate. Mix well. You can convert this recipe to a liquid detergent by mixing 2 TBSP’n of powder to 2 cups boiling water, and stir until ingredients are dissolved. You should use a squeeze top bottle to store this. To use, add aboout a tablespoon of powder or liquid per sink-load while filling sink. For tough jobs, make a paste by adding water and rubbing directly on spot.

LAUNDRY DETERGENT : Use Dr. Bronners, straight up. Lavender scent is great! Use two small cap fulls for a large load of dirty clothes.

FABRIC SOFTENER : Toss 1/4 cup of White Vinegar to the last rinse cycle of your wash load. Don’t worry, it won’t smell like vinegar. The Vinegar also brightens, like a natural bleach.

DRYER SHEETS : Pour a few drops of Essential Oil(your choice of smell, there are so many!) on a hand towel or wash cloth. Toss in dryer with your clothes. Re-use forever (adding the drops of essential oil each time).

FURNITURE POLISH : Simply mix 2 parts olive oil with 1 part lemon juice and apply it to your furniture using a soft cloth. The combination gives your wood furniture a nice smell and a sparkling shine.

FLOOR CLEANER : The basic vinegar and water solution is the perfect choice for cleaning most types of floors in your home. Mix up 1 cup vinegar with 1 gallon warm water (be sure it’s warm!) and mop it onto a ceramic tile, linoleum, vinyl, or wood floor. There is no need to rinse afterward — saving both time and water. If your vinyl or linoleum floor looks a little dull after cleaning, you can mop it over again with straight club soda to give it shine.

OVEN SPILLS : mix one part cinnamon and 6 parts salt together. Sprinkle to absorb the spill and remove the burnt food odor. Wipe when the oven cools.

(source, source, source) (images)

Of course, for me personally there’s nothing that beats that box of baking soda, and I use vinegar and lemon juice to clean but that’s all I’ve tried so far. I’m no green clean guru but I’m excited to try some of these new recipes ;) and maybe just maybe I’ll make my own laundry detergent ;) I like the furniture polish idea!

So, are you cleaning green? What are your tips on green cleaning?