January 25, 2021
A Guide to Green Cleaning
When you clean your home, you aim to kill germs and remove allergens for a safer living condition. Despite these efforts, some cleaning methods can be counterintuitive, presenting safety hazards and polluting the environment. Toxic chemicals and volatile compounds do more harm than good. They can cause health concerns for your family and hurt wildlife when scattering into the air and water.
With this in mind, you might be wondering how you can keep your home clean while avoiding toxic substances and reducing your impact on the environment. Luckily, it’s simple to learn how you can create a clean green home with a few strategies. These methods are easier on the environment, safer for your family, and they can even be less expensive as you create cleaning solutions from basic household ingredients. For a spotless home, follow these eco-friendly house cleaning tips:
- Make Your Own Green Cleaning Products
Store-bought cleaning solutions can be expensive and may not deliver the best results. They can also contain harmful chemicals, which pose a safety hazard and pollute the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns against using certain chemicals, including hazardous air pollutants, ozone-depleting compounds, and known carcinogens.
Using natural ingredients you might already have at home, you can make your own cleaning products. If you do, be sure not to mix certain chemicals together. Some chemicals cancel each other out, while others can become hazardous when mixed. Before you mix anything, make sure the combination is non-toxic and effective.
To get started, check your pantry or closet for the following basic ingredients:
- Baking soda
- Lemons or other citrus fruit
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Vinegar
- Rubbing alcohol
- Essential oils
- Ammonia
- Cornstarch
You’ll be surprised at how many effective cleaning solutions you can create with these basic elements. Follow simple recipes for cleaning products, including all-purpose cleaners, as well as window, kitchen, and grease cleaners. If you’d rather buy cleaning products, look for eco-friendly certifications rather than vague promises. Look for Safer Choice labels and Design for the Environment labels.
- Be Sure Your Air Is Clean
Keeping your air free of harmful particles is an important way to promote health and safety. When you think of air pollution, you might picture smog hanging over a city. As it turns out, the air pollution within your four walls can be even more damaging. Poor indoor air quality is a serious problem. On average, Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, where air pollutants can aggravate allergy and respiratory issues or cause long-term health damage. Those with existing conditions like asthma or allergies are especially sensitive.
Indoor air pollutants include:
- Mold
- Pet dander
- Ozone
- Asbestos
- Dust
- Smoke
- Chemicals from some cleaning products
As you scrub your home, you may be releasing dangerous chemical compounds into the air. Using green cleaning methods, including natural solutions, can eliminate some of these airborne particles. You may also want to install a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in your home air circulation system to trap dangerous particles. In addition, it can be helpful to leave windows open, but be aware of outdoor air pollution in your area.
- Arrange Your Home in a Way That Allows Easy Cleaning
You might want to pare down your belongings Marie Kondo style, donating clothes you never wear, toys your kids have outgrown, or knick-knacks that are collecting dust. Your donations will contribute to secondhand shopping, which is great for the environment. Thrift stores are also helpful to those with limited means who might struggle to afford basic necessities. By sifting through your house’s junk, you can better your community and the Earth itself.
Once you’ve determined which items to keep, make sure everything has a home. Get into the habit of returning objects to their designated places — clothes into drawers, toys into a bin, and papers into a filing system. It may be a challenging adjustment at first, but you’ll thank yourself when it’s time to clean. You’ll have a much easier time cleaning a tidy home, which in turn can make your home safer and help you show off its beauty.
In addition to all its other benefits, an organized home can improve your peace of mind. It’ll be easier to find things when you need them, saving you time and reducing your stress. Not to mention, your children or pets can have a safer space for playing without clutter in their way. Achieving tidiness can be easier than you might think. You don’t have to adopt full-blown minimalism. A basic sense of organization can make cleaning much easier, even if you’re a collector.
- Seek Out Green House Cleaning Services
You might not have the time or energy to clean — and that’s okay! Life can be hectic. You could be balancing:
- Your education
- Your career
- Taking care of your children
- Tending to your pets
- Running errands
- Cooking
- Exercising
- Other daily tasks
There are only so many hours in a day, and other priorities might take precedence over-cleaning. If you’ve struggled to keep your home clean on your own, there’s no shame in getting some assistance. It’s better to bring in helping hands than to let your homestay dirty. As you research cleaning companies, keep an eye out for notes on environmental friendliness. Be sure to seek green cleaning services that promise to use safe products. Ask questions for specific information, and make sure you have concrete facts rather than empty promises.
Contact Maid Bright for Environmentally Friendly Cleaning
If you’re in need of a cleaning crew, contact Maid Bright for a free in-home consultation. Here at Maid Bright, we earn the Green Seal of Approval while providing prompt, professional, and detail-oriented service. We’ll help you keep your home clean and protect the environment while doing so.
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