How To Make Your Spring Clean More Green

When springtime rolls around, you might feel a sudden urge to rid your house of all the dust, dirt and cobwebs that have piled up over the winter months—an event commonly referred to as “spring cleaning.” And while periodically deep cleaning your home is a super healthy habit to form, the cleaning industry unfortunately promotes many products and practices that are seriously unhealthy for the environment. There are two main concerns which we as consumers need to be mindful of: the harsh chemicals used to formulate products, and the waste created by products’ disposable nature and plastic packaging. With this in mind, use this guide to become a more eco-conscious cleaner this spring.

1. Use eco-friendly products. There are plenty of eco-friendly cleaners you can use to replace the toxic chemicals that might be in your cabinet. For example, swap your toxic fabric cleaners for this all-natural stain remover bar and replace your harsh kitchen soap with this plant-based dish soap bar. And, if you have to buy a product from the store, look it up in this product search engine first to identify any toxic chemicals that might be in its formula and find a more eco-friendly replacement.
2. Ditch the disposables. The cleaning industry largely revolves around disposable products that rack up tons of landfill waste. To minimize your contribution, ditch your disposable products for reusable or biodegradable ones. For example, swap your single-use paper towels for these reusable Swedish sponge cloths and replace your synthetic sponges with these plant-based, compostable eco dish sponges.
3. Be picky with packaging. Nearly every cleaning product on the market is packaged with tons of plastic, meaning that they all contribute to plastic pollution in the environment. To combat this, look for products with recycled, recyclable or zero-waste packaging. For example, use these concentrated, zero-waste cleaning tablets to eliminate plastic waste from disposable bottles. And swap those giant plastic laundry detergent bottles for these zero-waste laundry detergent sheets.
4. Minimize microplastics. Along with plastic packaging, microplastics are another huge source of plastic pollution in the environment. And the synthetic materials used to manufacture modern clothes contain loads of microplastics which end up polluting our water sources after being washed out during laundry day. So, consider purchasing a laundry bag, washer ball or water filter that catches microplastics while you wash and saves them from being spread into waterways.
5. Repurpose old items. Many items can be repurposed into eco-friendly cleaning tools once they’re too old to be used for their original purpose. Got a toothbrush that needs to be thrown out? Boil it to kill any bacteria, then use it as a mini scrub brush for hard-to-reach areas, muddy shoes or dirty bathroom grout. Got an old pair of socks with lots of holes? Slide one on your hand and use it to collect dust from your shelves or window blinds.
6. Try a DIY. If you want to save yourself the money it costs to buy products, try your hand at making your own. There are plenty of effective, all-natural cleaning solutions that you can make with ingredients you probably have laying around your house. For example, white vinegar and baking soda can be combined to make all sorts of cleaners, from an all-purpose spray to an oven cleaner paste. For more ideas and exact recipes, check out this list of eco-friendly, DIY cleaning recipes.
7. Conserve chemical consumption. To avoid over-using chemicals when cleaning, make sure to read the instructions put on labels and only use the recommended amount. Beyond this, be mindful that some companies purposefully recommend that consumers use more product than necessary to boost their profits. So, for things like laundry detergent and floor cleaner, experiment with how much product you actually need to get the clean you want. 

Do you have any eco-friendly cleaning tips you use that we missed? If so, let us know here!