Eco-Friendly Spring Cleaning Tips

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Gentle rains, flower blossoms and longer days all mean one thing. It’s finally time to fling open the windows, shoo away the cobwebs and tackle your annual spring cleaning.

This year, why not make it as eco-friendly as you can? Going green while you clean doesn’t have to take much extra time, and could actually save you money. And it can benefit you, your home, and the planet.

Here are some eco-friendly tips to help you clean your home this Spring:

  1. Use houseplants as living air filters. Some of the most efficient air-cleaning houseplants include spider plants, English ivy, rubber plants and peace lilies.

  2. Clean your refrigerator with a combination of salt and soda water. The bubbling action of the soda water combines with the abrasive texture of the salt to make a great cleaner.

  3. Get rid of lime buildup around the faucet by laying paper towels over the fixture, soak it with vinegar and let it set for an hour. The deposits will soften and become easier to remove.

  4. Clean glass by mixing 1/4 cup vinegar with one quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray on glass and wipe clean with recycled cloth.

  5. Clean countertops and bathroom tile by mixing two parts vinegar and one part baking soda with four parts water. Apply with a sponge, scour and wipe away.

  6. Mope floors using a mixture of four cups of white distilled vinegar with about a gallon of hot water. You can add a few drops of pure peppermint or lemon oil for a pleasant scent. After damp mopping the floors, the smell of vinegar will dissipate quickly, leaving behind only the scent of the oil.

  7. To polish and clean wood furniture, mix equal parts lemon juice and olive oil. Apply a small amount to a cloth and rub onto the furniture in long, even strokes.

  8. Make your own toilet bowl cleaner by sprinkling a toilet brush with baking soda and scrub away. Wipe the outside of the toilet with straight vinegar.

  9. For general disinfectant, mix two teaspoons borax four tablespoons vinegar, three cups hot water and 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap. Wipe on with dampened cloth or use a spray bottle. Wipe clean.

  10. Sprinkle essential oil on a cotton ball and stash it in a corner of the room for fresh air. Lavender is a relaxing scent that is great for bedrooms, while cinnamon, clove and citrus oils are great for the rest of the house.