Earth Day: Tips for a Green Spring Clean
1. Outside In. Make a batch of homemade window cleaner using ¼ a cup of vinegar, ½ a teaspoon of eco-friendly liquid dishwashing soap and two cups of water. Use newspaper, or purchase an inexpensive squeegee to help prevent streaks.
2. Open Up. On a sunny, warm and wind free day, open all of the doors and windows to help air out your home. A well-ventilated home will smell fresh, and let’s face it, you’ll appreciate the cool air while you’re working up a sweat.
3. Recycled Rags. Forgo using rolls of paper towels, and opt for rags instead. Use old clothing, like jogging pants, sweatshirts, t-shirts and dishtowels. Go the extra mile with these homemade reusable cleaning wipes, which use hot water, castile soap, vinegar and borax.
4. Souped Up Swiffer. If you already have a Swiffer at home, purchase some fuzzy microfiber socks. Simply slip them over your Swiffer head, and you have reusable (washable) sweeper pads. You can also make your own WetJet cleaning solution with one cup of white vinegar, one cup of water and three to five drops of eco-friendly dish soap.
5. Furniture Refresh. Polish furniture with a mixture of extra-virgin olive oil (one cup) and fresh lemon juice (½ a cup). If you’re looking to remove condensation marks, mix equal parts extra-virgin olive oil and white vinegar. To restore wood, mix ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice with 1/8 of a cup of distilled white vinegar and 1/8 of a cup of flax oil.
6. Baking Soda Sparkle. Baking soda is an all-natural cleaning powerhouse. Make a paste with water and wipe down the inside of your refrigerator. Coat the interior of your oven with baking soda and water, leave overnight and use a plastic spatula and wet cloth to remove in the morning. Scour the kitchen sink with baking soda and salt.
Excel Homes - Westport
7. Beautiful Bathrooms. Spray vinegar on mildew, let it sit for 15-minutes and wipe away with a cloth. Use a toothbrush and baking soda paste on grout. Clean the drains with ½ a cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar – cover for 30-minutes and flush with boiling water.
-written by Mhairri Woodhall