29 Feb Tips for a Green Spring Cleanup
Spring has sprung and if you haven’t already, now’s the time to get going on your spring cleaning. There’s something refreshing about cleaning out our stale, cluttered living spaces, after a long winter stuck indoors.
Whether you’re the type that jumps for joy at the thought of spring cleaning, or lazily approaches the task like a bear waking up from hibernation, we’ve got a few tips to help you clean with ease and keep your efforts green.
- One room at a time: This one’s pretty self-explanatory. It’s easy to come in guns a blazing, feeling that you can take on the whole of your cluttered house in one fell swoop. Resist the urge. This initial burst of motivation can quickly give way to despair once the true size of the task is realized. Instead, just do it one room at a time. That way, you can make real progress without being overwhelmed.
- Remove-Sort-Clean-Organize: Here’s how it works. Let’s say you’re cleaning out a closet. First pull everything out. Next, sort into the following piles: Keep, Donate, Recycle, Trash. Clean the closet from top to bottom then put the keep pile back in a well-organized fashion. Hopefully the trash pile will be very small or non-existent, as there is so much that can be recycled these days. Island Return It takes electronics, small appliances, beverage containers, cell phones, batteries, lights, and much more…all at no cost to you.
- DIY cleaners: We’ve all heard about the harmful effects of commercial cleaning products. Luckily, a quick Google search is all it takes to find countless recipes for natural home cleaning products. The old standby of vinegar, water and baking soda works great for just about all your scouring jobs. Level your cleaning up a notch with this natural furniture polish recipe from The Rising Spoon (www.therisingspoon.com). Simply combine 3 parts olive oil with one part vinegar…that’s it. Add some essential oil for scent if you wish.
- Go paper towel-less: Paper towels can become a huge source of waste and quickly ruin your efforts for a green clean. Instead, old tattered clothes can offer a handy source of cleaning material. Socks with holes make great rags, and ripped shirts can handle bigger jobs. Wool is particularly good for dusting, as it uses static to attract dust particles.
Author: Island Return It
February 29th, 2016