Are you looking for ways you can contribute to a safer environment and develop more sustainable habits? Maybe you’re already recycling and saving gas and even getting some of the energy for your home from sustainable sources. But even the way you clean your home can be changed to be more sustainable. We want to share with you a few ideas that will help you keep a sanitary and clean home but at the same time allow you to do your part to protect the environment.
1. Use Environmentally Friendly Homemade Cleaners
It may be time to ditch the cleaning chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Look at the cleaners you often use and examine their contents. If they contain parabens or nonbiodegradable components, then they are not good for the environment. You should get rid of those and either buy green cleaners to use instead or make green cleaners yourself. You can mix together very powerful and effective cleaning solutions for your home by combining some water with lemon, borax, baking soda, or vinegar. There are a wide range of cleaning solutions that can be made from just these few simple (and cheap!) ingredients. You don’t have to opt for the expensive store-bought green cleaners or feel like you need to keep using harmful, toxic cleaners that are unsafe for the environment.
2. Make Cleaning Supplies from Recycled Items
There may be items around the house that you no longer need that can be reused as cleaning supplies. That old toothbrush you are about to throw away can become a great scrubber. It is excellent at cleaning the grout between tiles and cleaning the door track on the shower stall. It can be used to clean windowsills and other areas where a cleaning cloth might have trouble getting to. You can also repurpose old towels and clothes that you feel like throwing away because they are stained or worn. They can be used as cleaning rags, and you won’t have to buy cleaning cloths from the store. Clothes made from rougher, tougher materials like denim can be used as scrubbing pads because of how resilient they are. Look at what you throw away and consider if it can be repurposed into a cleaning tool.
3. Use Cleaning Supplies That Can Be Reused
When you buy cleaning supplies, consider buying items that are not one-time use. Choose instead to buy items you can keep reusing. Instead of buying disposable gloves and disposable cloths, buy hardier, tougher stuff that will last through multiple cleanings. They may get grungy after a while, but if you soak them in hot water (and maybe some bleach as well), you will kill the germs and remove the outer layers of dirt and slime that can accumulate on them. By purchasing reusable cleaning supplies, you will cut down on wastage, preserve precious resources, and be doing a part in creating a sustainable home. You can encourage others to do the same and eliminate the wastage caused by using one-time use cleaning products.
4. Use a Green Cleaning Service
If you hire a professional cleaning service from time to time to clean your home, make sure that you request they do green cleaning for you. Many professional home cleaning services such this natural service offer this option, but you may pay a bit more for it or you may have to request it specifically. This simply means that the company will use sustainable cleaning supplies rather than toxic, environmentally harmful ones. They will adopt safer cleaning practices that will include gentle cleaning solutions that are safer for you and your family. They will use reusable supplies and reduce damage to the environment with their cleaning practices. If your current home cleaning service does not offer this option, then you may want to find one that does. This is a common service these days as more homeowners are looking to be environmentally conscious, and cleaning companies are aware that their customers are looking for that kind of service.
