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Spring Cleaning: Here’s How You Can Do It The Green Way

Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning is a tradition that began in China or Middle East thousands of years earlier. The sun is warmer and there is a sense of new beginnings. The world becomes green gradually and people take advantage of the warmth to spring clean their houses, de-cluttering and organizing. You can clean your house in an eco-friendly manner using green products. Green products and eco-friendly cleaning methods can help to clean your home as well as keep it safe and fresh. Read on to find out how:

Cleaning air ducts

One of the benefits of spring is the fresh air and the lovely fragrances, the smell of rosebuds and mowed grass. But with air vents which are dusty, you won’t be able to enjoy the proper flow of air through your home, leading to congestion. A spring cleaning tip which allows the flow of fresh air in your home is cleaning the air ducts. You could use a cloth or duster to clean the vents but a thorough cleaning of your HVAC unit and having the vent cover replaced will let fresh air into your home.

Use green cleaning agents

Conventional cleaning agents give a bright shine to things but as they contain chemicals like triclosan,  perchloroethylene, sodium hydroxide etc, they have been linked to illnesses like cancer, asthma, reproductive disorders, disruption of hormones, neurotoxicity etc. And when the cleaners are flushed down, they might threaten aquatic life. So to spring clean in a way which is harmless to your family and the environment, use cleaners like lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda, which give you the same results. 

Bedroom cleaning

The bedrooms are the most important rooms in the house. To enjoy a healthy sleeping space, you ought to flip your mattress. To deep clean them, baking soda can be used to absorb oils and odors. Let the baking soda sit for several hours and vacuum. Also vacuum the walls and wipe down the windows and walls by scrubbing with a baking soda and water paste or a paste of vinegar water (50/50) cleaner. Wash the curtains and sheets in hot water adding a cup of lemon juice instead of bleach as brightener.

Kitchen cleaning

A lot of things accumulate in the kitchen over the winter. Throw away much used plastic containers which may leach plastic into food and buy new ones. Discard expired food items from the pantry, fridge and cupboards. After unplugging the fridge and removing all food, wipe down the surfaces with baking soda-water paste and clean the crevices with a toothbrush. Rinse with a wet cloth. Vacuum the condenser coils. Organize the cupboards according to similarity and on a FIFO (First In First Out) basis. Clean the oven with baking soda-water paste letting it sit overnight and wipe down with wet cloth. Use vinegar and water to clean your coffee maker. Let it sit for some time and run half-cycle, then after an hour, the cycle should be completed.

Bathroom cleaning

Start with discarding expired medicines and personal care items, including cosmetics and appliances like hair tools and shavers which have not been used for a year. Scrub the bath tub and grout with a paste of baking soda, dish soap and salt. Clean drains by pouring down boiling water over ½ cup baking soda, which has had 1 cup vinegar poured over it, and been allowed 30 minutes to sit. Mildew can be cleaned by spraying undiluted vinegar and wiping down after some time. Mirrors and showerheads can be cleaned with equal parts water-vinegar solution and wiped with newspaper.

Living room cleaning

Discard any displays, art, books, DVDs, electronics, furniture you no longer want. Sprinkle baking soda on carpets and vacuum it after some time. Steam clean carpets with 50-50 solution of water and vinegar. Upholstery cleaning can be a tricky business, so you might leave it to the professionals. Or if you want to DIY, read up on how different stains can be removed.

Spring cleaning cannot be done in a day – work out a realistic time frame according to your schedule and plan which areas of your home you want to tackle first, using green methods which is easy and effective.

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