Let’s be real: with the exception of a few special souls out there, house cleaning is drudgery for most of us. Now that Thanksgiving is over and we are thinking about decorating for Christmas, we know the house could use a good scrub down. Blech. Who wants to do that? Just thinking about the smell of cleaning products, the physical scrubbing, and all of the water necessary to get rid of chemical residue makes us light-headed and weary.
Why do we clean our homes anyway when they are just going to get dirty again? We know we are supposed to do it, but how many of us have been hard pressed to explain WHY to our children when we are trying to enlist their help and they are stubbornly trying to get out of it? Can you blame them?
We clean our homes for a myriad of reasons:
- Cleaning helps to prevent clutter which leads to better organization so you can operate your life more efficiently and get more done in a shorter amount of time and with less stress.
- Cleaning rids the air of dust and reduces allergens.
- Cleaning keeps things looking nice, makes surfaces shine, and prolongs the life of your belongings, thus saving you money in the long run.
- Cleaning exterminates germs and improves indoor air quality
- Cleaner homes lead to clearer minds and better sleep
We also might clean our homes differently depending on the time of year and our objectives. Some things we clean nearly everyday, like the kitchen countertops. Other things, like the shower, we try to hit once a week. If we are entertaining (or when we entertain again!) we might add some extra polishing into the mix. When spring and fall come, we tend to add in the big stuff, like window washing and wiping down baseboards. Have a sick person in your home? Maybe you’ll do a little extra disinfecting of bathroom fixtures and door knobs.
Traditionally, many of us probably grew up learning how to clean with products from the local grocery store: all-purpose cleaner, scouring powder, bleach laden products, rubber gloves to protect our hands from harsh chemicals, and traditional sponges.
In our more ecologically minded age nowadays, we have more environmentally friendly products at our disposal. Not only are these products cheaper in the long run than what we may be used to, but they also smell prettier and do a better job of killing germs. And in many instances, these green options make cleaning a more efficient operation than what we have been traditionally used to. Ironically, using more “green” cleaning methods marks a return to an even older way of cleaning, before all of those chemicals were widely available. With modern twists, cleaning doesn’t take nearly as much elbow grease or time as our Great-grandmothers might have invested.
While it is sometimes hard to adopt new habits when you have been doing things a certain way for 40 (ahem) years, we think introducing some Green Cleaning strategies into your weekly cleaning routine is a worthwhile effort that will yield great results.
There are almost as many reasons to adopt green cleaning technique as there are reasons to clean in the first place:
- Cheaper than purchasing commercial cleaners
- Safer for you personally while you are cleaning
- Safer for your family to not have bottles of toxic chemicals around, or residue lurking on surfaces or in the air
- Better for the indoor air quality
- Better for the planet’s environment
- Makes cleaning easier and faster (less products to switch around)
- More knowledge of what is in your products…and knowledge is power, afterall
To build your new Green Cleaning arsenal, you will probably want to have the following on hand:
Baking soda: baking soda is a gentle abrasive and natural deodorizer and is great for scouring pots and pans (we use it when gunk is really burnt on), cleaning your disposal and drains, removing odors and stains, among other things. But be careful when combing it with an acid like vinegar or lemon juice. And NEVER use it to clean Marble, Gold-plated pieces, antique silver, or aluminum cookware
Lemons: that right, lemons. Why do you think so many commercial cleaners are lemon scented? Pick up a big bag the next time you are at the store. You can also buy a big bottle of lemon juice from concentrate to keep around. The smell is energizing and lemon juice cleans, polishes, deodorizes, disinfects, and removes stains.
Olive Oil: It may seem illogical to clean with olive oil, but use the cheaper variety to clean stainless steel appliances, leather furniture, wooden kitchen cabinets, cast iron pans, and silverware.
Borax: Believe it or not, Borax was NOT invented for crafting slime, although the bonus of keeping this on hand is the fact that you can always find a way to entertain the children in your life. But if you are looking for a way to spot clean your carpets or need a good all-purpose cleaner, look no further.
White vinegar: There are a few things you should NEVER clean with vinegar, most notably your natural stone countertops (granite, marble and soapstone should NEVER touch vinegar!). You also shouldn’t use it on tile or hardwood floors. You can clean lots of other things with vinegar if you dilute it in a 2:1 ratio
Castile Soap: If you have never purchased Castile Soap before, a little will go a LONG way. It can also be used for personal care.
Essential oils: Just add a few drops of your choice to your homemade solutions to make cleaning more aesthetically pleasing. It’s the little things that make the biggest difference.
Microfiber cloths: There are a lot of different types and a lot of different brands on the market. An investment of money and research time will yield satisfying results when you use your new cleaning cloths for the first time.
Old rags instead of paper towels: Stop throwing out all of those used paper towels. Use old t-shirts, cut-up old towels, old baby-diapers, etc. instead. When you are done with your day of cleaning, throw them in the wash and use them again next week. Your county landfill and personal bank account will thank you later.
Empty spray bottles: They don’t have to be fancy and you can pick them up anywhere (the hardware store, dollar store, amazon, etc). Just make sure you slap a clear label on them so you know what you have and can keep refilling with the same solution for many years.
In our trade magazine for REALTORS®, published by the NAR, they offer 7 Simple Tips for Greening your Home Cleaning. With a few basic purchases, this is a great way to get started.
- Mop with microfiber. Instead of using a commercial hardwood floor cleaner with harsh chemicals, start cleaning your hardwoods with microfiber mop pads, which use only water to remove dirt and grime effectively.
- Brew your own disinfecting spray. To disinfect surfaces in your kitchen and bathroom, follow this recipe: Mix six drops of essential oils (any scent you choose) with eight ounces of white vinegar in a spray bottle. Add four ounces of rubbing alcohol and four ounces of hydrogen peroxide. Shake together before using. (Note: Avoid spraying the mixture on sealed countertops—the acid in the vinegar can damage the coating.)
- Eliminate clutter. Put simply, clutter attracts dust, and too much clutter makes finding that dust more and more difficult as time goes on. So if you want your place to stay clean for longer, don’t give dirt and dust so many good hiding places.
- Ditch paper towels. Invest in a large stack of premium cotton cloths, and use them daily to clean your kitchen instead of using paper towels, which add waste.
- Naturally clean the garbage disposal. To remove foul odors from your garbage disposal, cut up a lemon and grind it in the disposal. Follow by grinding a cup of ice to loosen any smelly grime that may cling to the disposal’s blades.
- Use olive oil to make appliances shine. A little dab makes for a great polish for stainless steel refrigerators, dishwashers, and other appliances.
- Steam-clean your shower. Most commercial bathroom products are loaded with toxic chemicals. A better way to cut through soap build-up on shower walls, doors, and tiles is to use a steamer. And there’s no scrubbing required!
Another great resource for basic green cleaning tips, is the Queen of Clean. Remember when Linda Cobb was all the rage? Well, her brand lives on, and her website is CHOCK FULL of helpful hints when you have a unique cleaning problem.
Dare we say “Happy Cleaning”?????
