Spring is here and everything is turning green--the grass, the trees, the mold in your fridge that needs to be cleaned out...
Yes, it's Spring cleaning time and this year, why not strive to make that green too? Here are a few tips to brighten and de-clutter your home with Earth-friendly results!
1. Make your own "All Purpose Cleaner" using natural ingredients like white vinegar and castile soap: The Zero Waste Home blog has an amazing list of cleaning formulas and tips (and other great green recipes) that use zero harsh chemicals. Vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda have a variety of uses when it comes to cleaning glass, toilets, and kitchen surfaces.
If DIY products are at little too work intensive, look for green cleaning product lines like Seventh Generation, Method and Simple Green that are naturally derived and use toxin-free formulas.
2. Work with re-usable cleaning tools as opposed to disposable, one-use products. Mops, microfiber rags, wooden scrub brushes, lambswool dusters, and plain old cloths can all be washed and used over and over again, reducing waste from plastics, cotton, sponges, and paper. You can even use an old toothbrush as a scrubber, and make rags from used clothing.
3. Think about reuse and recycling when it comes to de-cluttering your home/gargage/attic. Used clothing can easily be donated to a local charity, and is usually tax-deductible. Batteries, paint, motor-oil and a variety of other items can be recycled. De-cluttering your drawers of old electronics like cellphones and iPods, can even earn you some cash when you sell those electronics to BuyMyTronics.com which accpets and pays for over 6,000 gadgets (and will even take your broken stuff.) All of these goods can be kept out of landfills, given new lives and in the case of electronics, can be good for your wallet too.
4. Use online resources for help: Tree Hugger gives great suggestions, Martha Stewart has a spring cleaning check-list (and you can swap any of the suggestions for greener products) and Earth 911 has a comprehensive list of all recyclable materials and local centers to dispose of them.