Monday, March 16, 2009

Spring Cleaning! The basics

Yay!  It's Spring!  Ok, not officially but it's close enough that I am saying Spring has sprung.  And in honor of that, all this week I am cleaning and sharing some of my green cleaning tips with you.  Lucky people!
The first step in green cleaning is realizing why it is important.  I know I have mentioned this a couple times before, but your cleaning products go into your bodies (through your lungs and skin) and into the Earth and water all of us share.  And today's cleaning products are filled with bad news for all of us.  If you don't recognize the name of some of some of this stuff, chances are it's bad for you.  And the question is, why would you want to use stuff that makes you and Mama E sick when there are perfectly good (often way less expensive) green alternatives?
So once you get that (you get it right?) it's important to make sure you have the tools to get a good green clean.  Here are a few basics I always have around, and you will need for this week's tips:
  • Cleaning Cloths. Remember, we want to be able to reuse things so cloths are great.  You can buy the fancy microfiber sets they have out there or use old clothes.  
  • White vinegar. It's a disinfectant AND deoderizer.  Tomorrow you will really start to see what a gift from the Gods white vinegar is, but today just trust me, it's a precious tool.
  • Baking soda. This is another little gem that works wonders on it's own and especially with vinegar.
  • Spray bottle.  Reusable, preferably made out of recycled glass or plastic.
  • Essential oils.  These aren't actually required, but they are fun to have around to spice things up.
That's it!  There will be a few more tools mentioned throughout the week, but 90% of your home can probably be cleaned with only the things mentioned above.  Pretty amazing huh?  

Any basic tools that you use every day that I missed?

4 comments:

Unknown said...

i like a bag of fresh lemons - i use them to deoderize the shower, and the garbage disposal... and i add the lemon juice to the white vinegar... helps cut down the vinegary smell which i dont like at all!!! i also like veggie-oil soap - i think the one i buy at the health food store is called dr bronners?

Lisa Nelsen-Woods said...

I like to use a feather duster to give little doo dads on shelves a quick dust when I don't have time to take everything off of the shelf and dust it properly with a cloth.

Lucy Pursglove-Jones said...

Mmmmm I love using essential oils. I soak cotton wool in lavender oil and pop it on the radiator in winter, yummy!
I need to think about a spring clean soon.
Thanks for the great post Willo :) x

Lisa said...

Essential oils are the best! My hubby even uses them when he mops the floor, his favorites are lemon and peppermint. I love lavender! Make me want to go clean now!