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Home > Learn > Green Maintenance and Renovations
Eco-Clean Your House
Who doesn’t love the smell of a freshly-cleaned home? We all love that feeling of accomplishment when, after a two-hour cleaning spree, the tabletops gleam, the appliances shine and the floor is completely free of dust. However, as consumers become more and more eco-conscious, we are becoming aware that the “fresh lemon” scent in our furniture polish comes not from lemons but from chemicals that may enhance our post-cleaning euphoria, but do nothing for the health of our families or the planet we all share.
June 3, 2009
Luckily, there are some easy and cost-effective strategies for cleaning your home in a way that is friendly to the earth and to your health.
No cleaning is best
We all love the feeling of a clean home, but who really enjoys the cleaning? There are some simple habits that can reduce the amount of cleaning that needs to be done around the house. If you don’t do so already, try getting into the habit of removing your shoes at the door. This will prevent tracking in of dirt as well as health-harming chemicals from outside, such as pesticides from the lawn you walked on or engine oil from the parking lot you crossed before you got home.
No cleaning product is better
The most basic rule-of-thumb for environmentally-friendly cleaning is this: if you don’t really need to use a cleaning product, don’t use it! A microfiber cloth, available at any grocery or hardware store, does a great job for table tops, wood and glass surfaces and even leather furniture – no chemicals required. Cleaning this way doesn’t leave a lemony-fresh smell, but it does remove grime, pet hair and dust and prevents dust from surfaces from moving into the air, aggravating the senses of those who suffer from dust allergies. The people at Norwex (www.norwex.com) claim that the smell of clean is no smell at all.
Don’t forget about the air
It may not nag at you like a toothpaste marks in the bathroom sink, but if the air in your home is not clean, your health will suffer. Apart from keeping harmful chemicals from outside from entering your home, the most important thing is to keep surfaces free from dust and to make sure that your air is being filtered. The filter which is attached to your furnace should be changed regularly. Consult your furnace manual to find out how often. Consider adding a hepa or near-hepa filter to your furnace to protect the air you breathe from allergens and pollutants like formaldehyde. If this option is not within your budget, consider a room-size filter for your bedroom. Remember that the air outside is usually less polluted than the air in your home. As often as possible, open a window and air out your home (especially your bedroom). This is especially important if you’ve introduced a new item into your home which may be releasing harmful off-gasses, such as a new carpet or mattress.
Laundry with a conscience
One simple way to reduce your environmental impact is to simply reduce the number of loads of laundry that you do in a week. Many garments can be worn several times if they are hung up immediately after they are taken off.
A front-loading washing machine also does a good job of reducing the energy and the water used to wash clothes. Furthermore, these machines are so effective at spin-drying your clothes that they require far less time in the dryer, which saves on electricity or gas. Better yet, take your clothes directly from the dryer to a clothes line in your backyard or use a foldable drying rack. Many houses in Europe are actually built with small closets that resemble small saunas with shelves for drying clothes – ingenious!
Luckily, there are many great products available these days which are phosphate-free and biodegradable. The most earth-friendly options are also super concentrated. This saves on packaging and can also save you money in the long run. Your local health food store and even your grocery store should carry a selection of these products. If they don’t, it never hurts to ask the manager to stock some. Get Clean is a well-known company that produces non-toxic and super-concentrated laundry detergent, as well a full line of home cleaning and beauty care products. www.shaklee.com When in doubt, rely on advice from health store staff and look for the Green Seal label (www.greenseal.org).
Grandma knew best
Before there was Mr. Clean and Lysol, savvy homemakers knew that vinegar and baking soda do a great job of removing grime and shining up every surface in your home. Make your own earth-friendly floor cleaner by mixing 3 drops dishwashing liquid to 1/3 part white distilled vinegar, 1/3 part alcohol, and 1/3 part water. Not only will you save money and lessen your impact on the plant, your floors will be safe for children and pets to roll around on.
Try placing 1/2 cup of vinegar mixed with ½ cup of water in a bowl in your microwave. Turn on at medium heat for three minutes and then simply wipe with a damp cloth. A cup of vinegar in your kettle with two cups of water will also get rid of that scaly build-up that accumulates in the kettle. To clean your dishwasher, pour a cup of vinegar inside the empty dishwasher and let it run through a full cycle.
For jobs that require a more powerful cleaning agent, try using vinegar at full strength. Fill an empty spray bottle with vinegar and use it to clean countertops, ovens, and all of your kitchen fixtures. To tackle serious lime scale build-up, try making a paste of salt and vinegar. Use an old toothbrush to apply and scrub away film from sink fixtures,window sills and oven hood fans.
Baking soda is another economical and earth-friendly cleaning agent. Use it combined with vinegar to deodorize your fridge, your garbage disposal and your sink.
If you have any other eco-friendly cleaning solutions you’d like to share, please email me at shannonv@renolink.ca and we'll share them in a future article.
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