7 ECO-FRIENDLY WAYS TO UPDATE YOUR SPRING CLEANING ROUTINE – There’s something about the additional daylight hours in the spring that inspires me to clean and organise every nook and corner of my house. But being green with your cleaning practises is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family.
It will benefit both the Environment and your health, in addition to both. Here are some of our favourite suggestions for modernising your spring cleaning with eco-friendly techniques. The online health and wellness retailer iHerb accepts orders for all of the items mentioned in this article. To save money on your order, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page.
1 – More cleaning supplies aren’t always better. Purchase concentrated products to cut back on packaging waste from consumers.
In case you didn’t notice, conventional cleaning supplies use a lot of plastic. Although I’m sure many of us make an effort to recycle, it may often be difficult to determine exactly what is recycled once it has left our bins. The EPA reported in 2020 that only 94.2 million tonnes of the 267.8 million tonnes of solid trash generated were recycled or composted, and just 8% of all plastic is recycled.
The remainder is either burned or dumped in landfills. Plastics can only be recycled once or twice, in contrast to paper, which may be recycled up to seven times before becoming too brittle to be made into new paper.
If your cleaning products aren’t concentrated, you’re paying for a product that contains a lot of water and therefore requires more plastic packaging to store. Even a modest amount can make a significant difference on a global scale. On the other hand, concentrated solutions can provide strong cleaning agents that work just as well in lesser amounts. As a result, less plastic and packaging are required.
Consider using a concentrated washing detergent like Madre Laboratories’ Frankincense and Myrrh solution. It not only smells fantastic, but it is also free of harmful chemicals like phosphates, phthalates, chlorine, and preservatives like parabens, which are bad for the environment and our health.
2 – To reduce plastic use, use reusable bottles for dishwashing liquid and cleaning solutions.
A excellent method to use less plastic is to use your favourite glass bottle or jar for cleaning supplies like dish soap. Even choosing a single plastic bottle that you may reuse repeatedly can have a significant impact on the environment.
How can you accomplish this without purchasing more soap? Making your own cleaning supplies is a good place to start. However, if you aren’t quite there yet, the most straightforward choice is to purchase your cleaning products in bulk and in concentrated formulas that are designed to be refilled to reduce waste.
We adore Madre Labs’ O So Clean environmentally friendly boxes of 3X-concentrated dish and laundry soap in environmentally friendly bags. You only need to combine the concentrated mixture with 12 ounces of water in a reusable bottle, shake, and you’re ready to go.
To save up to six plastic bottles, you can purchase a single pouch to test it out or a package of six to stock up. You can purchase a starter set if you don’t already have reusable bottles. There! We like not having to deal with or clog up our counter or cupboard space with heavy plastic dish detergent.
As they don’t contain dyes, parabens, or phthalates, these solutions are also a healthier alternative. Also, they are 100% cruelty-free and septic safe!
3 – Use unscented products to stay away from phthalates
The lovely scent your cleaning supplies leave behind is one of the finest aspects of having a clean house. But according to a 1986 National Academy of Sciences report, petroleum accounts for about 95% of the ingredients in synthetic fragrances.
They also include phthalates as well as other dangerous, cancer-causing substances. Phthalates, which are used to make plastics, have been linked to everything from hormone disruption, cancer, and birth defects to headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions. (1) They may even have an impact on your pets!
Often listed on product labels as “fragrance.” These may also be classified as DEP, DBP, or DEHP, so keep an eye out. Just to be clear, all of the items suggested in this post are phthalate-free.
4 – Infuse Your Green Cleaning with Amazing-Smelling Essential Oils to Clean and Disinfect
There is a healthy and natural approach to make your unscented items instantly fresh without using risky chemicals, if you still adore scented cleaning products (and I wholeheartedly agree with you). Essential oils are the secret.
A healthy and natural approach to refresh your home is by adding a few drops of essential oils, such as lemon or eucalyptus, to your unscented cleaning products. In addition to having wonderful scents, many essential oils have antibacterial qualities that can assist to clean and sanitise your environment.
It can be enjoyable to explore and develop your own aroma blends because there are so many essential oil possibilities to choose from.
Popular cleaning essential oils include:
- Lemon
- Orange
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Trees: Eucalyptus, Tea
Look for 100% pure and steam distilled on the bottle when purchasing essential oils. To reduce the price, essential oils can occasionally be diluted with other components like jojoba oil. This is particularly true for expensive and uncommon essential oils like rose and sandalwood, which, despite having amazing scents, are quite scarce and expensive when they are pure.
We recommend Happy and Cleanse by Mild by Nature if you’re searching for some fantastic essential oil mixes to add to your cleaning regimen. If you want something cheerful and enjoy citrus, go for the “Happy” blend, which is ideal for cleaning or diffusing. This one has the oils of lemon, bergamot, orange, lime, and grapefruit.
With a mixture of peppermint, eucalyptus, hyssop, and rosemary, Cleanse is your best bet if you want something minty and cooling.
My personal favourite is Happy, but either one is fantastic to have when you want to change up your cleaning schedule.
5 – Use compostable dryer sheets or wool dryer balls as number five.
If you don’t line dry your clothes, using wool dryer balls is the most environmentally friendly option. Wool dryer balls are fibres that are felted wool balls that work to lessen dryer static and speed up drying, which can save energy use and lower your electric bill. To give your garments a clean, fresh scent, you can also add a couple drops of essential oil to each ball.
If, however, you decide that you are not yet ready to make the switch, keep in mind that the majority of dryer sheets sold in grocery stores not only contain toxic smells that, at the very least, may irritate skin and cause allergies, but also are not generally compostable.
Here is the answer. Try the unscented dryer sheets from Mild by Nature if you’re looking for a more environmentally friendly alternative. These dryer sheets are a great option if you want to be more ecologically conscious because they are made without artificial colours that might harm marine life and are designed to be compostable. They are also devoid of cruelty.
Although we prefer the unscented variety, they do offer a geranium-scented one prepared with geranium oil if you absolutely must have aroma.
6 – Make Your Dishwasher Detergent Pods Greener
It should come as no surprise that the dishwashing detergent contained in those adorable and useful pods is not really eco-friendly. While the exterior film that forms the pod is typically non-toxic, the conventional detergents inside are frequently loaded with synthetic dyes and phosphate-based chemicals.
Phosphates, which are also present in laundry products, soften water and keep dirt suspended so that it doesn’t land again on your dishes or clothing.
Although it may seem unimportant, phosphates have been connected to an increase in the summertime prevalence of poisonous algae blooms in our lakes and rivers. These algae blooms harm aquatic life by releasing poisons and consuming all the oxygen in the water. They may potentially poison neighbouring humans and animals.
Using pods is unquestionably very convenient. The Dish Detergent Pods from Mild by Nature are a more environmentally and animal-friendly solution that will clean your dishes because they are made without phosphates, dyes, and are mess-free.
7 – Use laundry soda for even less waste (AKA Washing Soda or Soda Ash)
We adore utilising washing or laundry soda as a concentrated, green laundry cleaning solution. Laundry soda, which is mostly made of sodium bicarbonate, contains a lot of cleaning power in only a small amount of environmentally friendly powder. Sodium carbonate, a salt that is frequently mistaken for baking soda (Sodium bicarbonate), works to lift dirt and suspend it in water, leaving your clothes clean.
Laundry Soda from Mild by Nature is unscented and made to operate in both high-efficiency and conventional washing machines.
- Without phosphates and phthalates,
- Sulfates, parabens, dyes, or fragrances are absent.
- Hypoallergenic
- No animal testing was done
- septic tanks-safe
- in any water temperature, dissolves
- Simple to use in the home!
The strong alkalinity of washing soda is wonderful for pre-soaking and eliminating laundry stains, but it can also be used to remove buildup from pots and pans and soap scum on bathroom sinks by mixing it into a paste with a little water. The containers are fantastic for reuse as well.
