Does the idea of spring cleaning fill you with painful memories of being trapped in your bathtub with a bottle of tile cleaner while you scrub tile grout, choking on bleach fumes?
This year, we suggest a fresh, sustainable approach. You may be surprised to know that you can clean your home effectively and thoroughly with many natural ingredients and environmentally friendly items you may already have in your kitchen.
1. Clean with vinegar
Make vinegar your new best friend and create your own cleaners. Not only is it a marvellous disinfectant, it can also deodorize and cut through grease.
2. Reduce paper towels
Using microfiber towels or old cut-up towels as your cleaning rags instead of shop or paper towels can help you reduce waste as you clean. To sanitize them afterwards, either put them in a bucket full of boiling water for 15 minutes, or toss them in the washing machine on the hottest setting with tea tree and grapefruit essential oils.
3. Create your own scent
You can make your own all-purpose household cleaning spray with a few simple ingredients: vinegar, water, and essential oils. Use it on countertops, kitchen surfaces, and it can even be used on glass. Cleaning with essential oils is a fantastic natural way to add some fresh fragrances to the space you’re working on. You can choose your own scent combinations and make your home smell naturally clean.
4. Choose biodegradable soap
Switching to a biodegradable dish soap instead of synthetically produced ones can be gentler on your skin, and on the environment.
5. Use a little elbow grease
Scrub out soap scum with a mixture of baking soda, sea salt, and a few drops of essential oils. A good scouring pad will help to break down the build-up and leave your bathtubs and sinks sparkling.
6. Leave chemicals behind
Instead of using abrasive chemically-based bathtub and sink cleaners, you can make your own soft scrub using only four ingredients: baking soda, castile soap, water, and essential oils.
7. Clean workout gear naturally
Do you keep fitness equipment or a yoga mat at home? You can make your own cleaner for those too! Try this yoga mat cleaner made from distilled water, witch hazel, and a combination of some essential oils to keep your gym equipment clean and smelling fresh.
8. Make your own detergent
Laundry detergents can be notoriously expensive, but you can save money by making your own. This homemade laundry soap is a great way to help transition into using more natural cleaning products, and only uses three ingredients: Borax, washing soda, and an unscented bar of soap!
9. Replace dryer sheets
If you’re a fan of dryer or fabric softener sheets, you can also save money over time on dryer sheets by replacing them with dryer balls, which can be used again and again to help reduce static in your laundry. You can even create your own with essential oils!
10. Recycle instead of tossing
If spring cleaning also means going on a decluttering rampage, you can reduce garbage by recycling unwanted items instead of simply tossing them out. If you’ve got a bunch of old electronics that don’t work anymore just sitting in a dusty pile behind your TV, you can recycle them at LD! Whether it’s old batteries or a VCR you haven’t used in a decade, LD will responsibly recycle it for you.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the idea of making the shift to natural cleaning, don’t worry! Just choose one of these ideas and start there. Any small change can help you to reduce the number of cleaning chemicals you use in your home, and will hopefully make your spring cleaning adventures all the more enjoyable.
You can also find our natural products (try Method or Mrs. Meyers) as an easy place to start — and gradually make the change to creating your own at home!
