Cleaning Up Your Act: Eco-Friendly Tips for new homeowners
Moving into a new home is an exciting and overwhelming time. There are many things to remember, and learning the best way to clean your house might not be top of your priority list. However, it should be. Today, we’ll share easy budget cleaning for the bathroom, living room, kitchen, and all the corners that get forgotten about with an eco-friendly flair.
By the end of the reading, you’ll know the benefits of embracing green cleaning, including how it’s better to keep young kids and pets healthy, they’re without chemicals, they don’t cause harm to the environment, they’re gentle on the skin, and so much more. Eco-friendly cleaning isn’t just a fad trend. It’s a positive way of life. It’s a way of being earth-friendly and maintaining a clean home.
Let’s explore what steps you need for eco-friendly budget cleaning to be a game changer for your new home.
Ditch the Plastic Throughout the Entire Home
When we say ditch the plastic, we really mean it. Go through your home and get rid of plastic bottles and single-use containers. This can be beneficial to do throughout your entire home. Plastic harms the environment, so the less you have, the better.
A few ways to do this are to opt to buy food in bulk and fill your reusable containers rather than the small plastic packaging that comes with it, swap your shampoo for a shampoo bar to eliminate the plastic bottle, avoid using single-use served coffee pods and plastic water bottle.
A few more ideas are to avoid plastic clingy food wrap, swap deodorant for eco-friendly options, change plastic toothbrushes for bamboo, swap traditional dental floss for silk dental floss, swap sponges for natural ones and buy laundry detergent in a box instead of the big plastic jugs. Avoid, wherever possible, plastic and opt for wood or glass instead. Use reusable bags, containers, bottles, etc, instead of single-use things.
Make Your Own Cleaning Solutions
When you make your own cleaning solutions, you ensure not only that you can pronounce the ingredients in them but also do your part in being environmentally friendly. Making your cleaning solutions eliminates toxic chemicals, is safer for those with respiratory issues, is convenient, cost-efficient, and, of course, better for the environment.
Unless you’re using a cleaning service like Miami maid service, where they can come in and take care of all the cleaning, making your cleaning solutions will save you money and worry. There are many different kinds of eco-friendly cleaning solutions suitable for all your home surfaces. Using a steam cleaner is also a great eco-friendly option.
Examples of Simple DIY Cleaning Solutions:
- Vinegar and water are great for cleaning glass and can act as a disinfectant for surfaces.
- White vinegar is a good cleaner for the inside of the dishwasher and microwave and for wiping down range hoods.
- Lemon is a terrific cleaner for any wood surface.
- Baking soda can clean your stainless steel sink.
- Baking soda and warm water are good for tile bathroom flooring.
- Spray the shower and tub with vinegar and let it sit for a bit to remove mildew and give it a powerful clean.
- Declog the drains with vinegar and baking soda, and clean the toilet.
Invest in Reusable Cleaning Cloths
While it may seem costly upfront, it’s worthwhile to invest in reusable cleaning cloths for all your cleaning needs. Reusable cleaning cloths produce less land waste, are machine washable, very absorbent, durable, and versatile. They are a strong and powerful alternative to disposable paper towels.
Reusable cleaning cloths are good for cleaning counters, washing windows, cleaning up spills, dusting off furniture, and more. The best part is that when you’re done cleaning, toss it in the washer, and you can use it again.
Swap Detergent for Eco-Friendly Laundry Soap
Traditional laundry detergent contains chemicals like formaldehyde and chlorine, which can harm your skin, respiratory system, environment, and so much more.
Swapping a traditional detergent to an eco-friendly one is safer for marine life and reduces the amount of plastic your household throws into the environment. Eco-friendly laundry soap is safe for your loved ones and the environment and still cleans your dirty clothing.
Conserve Water and Energy
Maintaining service to your appliances, checking for leaks, and making minor changes to your day-to-day tasks like only running full dishwasher loads and switching your washer to use cold water are just a few ways to conserve both water and energy and, therefore, reduce air and water pollution.
Conserving energy and water lowers the household’s energy demand, reduces pollution, and collectively works to preserve the environment. A few ways to make these small changes in your new home are to turn the tap off when you’re brushing your teeth, swap your toilet for a high-efficiency one, hang clothes on a hanging rack to dry instead of using the dryer, and learn how and what to compost.
These small changes help to keep your home clean as well as play a part in protecting and saving our environment.
Swap the Scrubbers for Natural Ones
Toss out your grimy plastic synthetic scrubber and opt for a sea sponge instead. Sea sponges are naturally hypoallergenic and have antibacterial properties. They are 100% natural and environmentally friendly. Not only do they have fantastic cleaning power, but they also don’t hold onto scents. So you can say goodbye to your smelly sponge! In addition to all these positives, sea sponges last far longer than synthetic ones, reducing cost and waste.
Bonus Eco-Friendly Tips for a New Home:
- Swap the lightbulbs for LED bulbs instead of traditional ones. They last longer and contribute less to waste and energy consumption.
- Maintain air quality in your home with HEPA filters, cleaning vents regularly, and adding some indoor plants.
- Use homemade air fresheners with real ingredients rather than store-bought ones.
- Reduce, reuse, and recycle anything that you can.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning up your act and changing to eco-friendly cleaning might seem overwhelming, but if you follow our guide, you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Plus, you can rest easy knowing you’re doing your part to care for the environment and reduce your use of plastic and single-use items.
By using these eco-friendly cleaning tips, you’ll be doing your part to ensure that our planet is healthy for future generations.