With the snow melted and the warm days of May upon us, now is the prime time of year for spring cleaning. But before you clean your home from top to bottom, it’s best to arm yourself with the top green products that won’t break the bank. Remember — going green on the cleaning front doesn’t have to cost you a lot of green!
Double-duty green cleaning products
Using green cleaning products doesn’t necessarily have to be an expensive undertaking. “The best cleaning products that don’t pollute and save money are already in your kitchen cupboard,” says Priscilla Short, author of Thrifty Green (Conari Press). Check out some of her recommendations for products that do double duty in the home:
- Baking soda works well for scrubbing counters, tubs and sinks.
- Vinegar and water solution (mixed 50/50) easily cleans windows and mirrors without leaving streaks.
- Olive oil mixed with lemon juice (mixed 50/50) can be used as furniture polish.
- Tea tree oil diluted with water works to remove mold.
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Dryer sheet alternative
Leslie Martin, writer behind the Crunchy Betty blog, an online resource focused on making everything from your own cleaning products to beauty products and more, concurs that homemade cleaning products not only “work, are eco-friendly, are safe and nontoxic, but are also budget -friendly.” Martin recommends trying this dryer sheet alternative:
- Mix vinegar with Eucalyptus oil in the dryer instead of dryer sheets. “Works just as well as any dryer sheet I’ve ever used in terms of getting rid of static, and the Eucalyptus oil leaves the clothes smelling very clean and fresh, but not perfumey and synthetic like dryer sheets do.”
Green your home this spring
Further dispelling the misconception that cleaning green costs big bucks are the folks at Practically Green, a website launched in 2010, that is dedicated to, “inspiring people to live greener and healthier lives.” Here are some of their free or inexpensive ways to easily green up your home this spring:
- Drastically reduce indoor air pollution by taking your shoes off at the door.
- Cut back on the amount of packaged foods you buy. It reduces trash, slims your waistline and gives you more money to spend at the farmers’ market on organic produce.
- Buy reusable containers for water, coffee and lunch. You’ll save money and be motivated to pack your lunch each day.
As you reduce your dirt build-up and cleanse your home of germs this sunny season, employ some of these green tricks and save your green for a rainy day instead.
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