Green Your Clean ~ Eco-Friendly Tips for Spick and Span Spaces

Last week we shared some of our favorite tips for decluttering your home and office. And this week, we’ve got the 411 on cleaning with green, environmentally friendly products, tips and tricks.

1. Skip the Harsh Chemicals: Most of your store-bought cleaning products contain artificial, synthetic and potentially harmful ingredients. By using all-natural ingredients, such as vinegar, baking soda and lemons, you can concoct a multitude of eco-friendly and economical cleaning products that keep your spaces spick and span – from top to bottom.
2. Embrace Essential Oils: We love walking into a house that smells clean and fresh. Unfortunately, that scent usually comes from manufactured chemicals. Essential oils naturally deodorize and get rid of bacteria and mold in your laundry, kitchen and bathroom. Here are some of the best essential oils for green cleaning your home, including details on how to use them.
3. Quit the Paper Towel Habit: How can you maintain a clean home if you’re constantly creating garbage (that will sit in a landfill) with every hand wash and countertop wipe down? Reduce waste, save money and conserve trees by eliminating paper towels from your cleaning routine – opting for reusable substitutes such as cloth towels, old bath towels and T-shirts cut into squares.  Newspaper (if you still get the home-delivered version) is perfect for shining glass and mirrors. Check out these tips to help you kick the paper towel habit.
4. Clean Indoor Air with Plants: For many folks, it’s still a little too chilly to keep the windows open for fresh air (and for city dwellers, opening windows can mean letting in dust and pollution). Houseplants, however, are a great alternative to open windows, and some varieties help remove toxins from the air. These plants are known to improve indoor air quality, they’re relatively easy to take care of and they can be found in most locales.

We’re always sharing green living tips, information and ideas here on the Just Energy Eco-Centric blog. Check back next week (and every week!) for a new post. And keep in touch on our Facebook and Twitter feeds so you never miss the latest and greatest eco-friendly news and updates.

Sources:

http://www.justenergy.com/blog/simple-spring-decluttering/

myhealthygreenfamily.com/blog/wordpress/go-greener-clean-with-just-baking-soda-vinegar-and-lemons/

http://helloglow.co/10-best-essential-oils-for-green-cleaning/

http://www.inhabitots.com/guide-how-to-stop-using-paper-towels-forever/

http://www.mnn.com/health/healthy-spaces/photos/15-houseplants-for-improving-indoor-air-quality/a-breath-of-fresh-air