Go Green With Your Spring Clean

After a long cozy winter inside, when spring finally arrives, we love to throw open the windows, brush off the cobwebs, and breathe new life back into our space. A deep clean always helps to expel the lingering chill of winter. This year, we’re inspired to keep our spring cleaning as green as the new life blooming around us. Call us old-fashioned (or quarantined for too long), but organized drawers, a sparkling kitchen countertop, a decluttered workspace — these are life’s simple pleasures. But when we start to explore the ingredients listed on the products we reach for in our quest for cleanliness, ‘clean’ is often the last word we’d use to describe what we find. Phosphorus, nitrogen, ammonia, and other chemicals are all grouped under the term "Volatile Organic Compounds" and classified as the worst environmental hazards in household cleaners. Found in products like glass cleaners and degreasers, these chemicals get washed down the drain into our streams and rivers. Here they pollute the water and negatively impact the wildlife living there. These compounds also affect the air quality in our homes, and when they inevitably escape outside, they contribute to smog and air pollution. While our homes may look clean, it feels like we’re making an even bigger mess for the planet after learning all this. The good news is switching to more Earth-First cleaners couldn’t be easier. Before our big spring clean this year, we’re swapping out the traditional cleaning products for more eco-friendly alternatives. Check out our easy-to-make recipes below and throw on our Spring Twigs Spotify Playlist to keep spirits light and airy as you dive into cleaning.

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Recipes

All-Purpose Cleaner

1 cup filtered water 1 cup white distilled vinegar 10 drops essential oil (give orange, lemon, lemongrass, or lavender a try)

That’s it! Combine it into a spray bottle, and spritz away on your household surfaces and appliances. Stainless Steel Cleaner Add up to 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a rag, and rub on the surfaces to remove smudges. Add up to 1 tablespoon of white vinegar on the other side of the rag and wipe the surface down. Carpet Deodorizer

1 cup baking soda 1/2 cup cornstarch 5 drops essential oil

Mix the baking soda and cornstarch together, then add 5 drops of essential oil. Pour into a mason jar, and using a nail, poke holes in the mason jar lid. Sprinkle on your carpet, let sit for at least 30 minutes and then vacuum it up. Textile Freshening Spray

1/4 cup baking soda 10 drops essential oil 1-1/2 cups water

Funnel baking soda into a spray bottle, add the essential oil, then water and shake to combine. Always test your mixture out on a small area of your textiles (like under a couch cushion) to make sure it doesn’t leave a mark. Spray as needed for a scented boost. Glass Cleaner

2 cups water 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar 1/2 teaspoon dish soap

Add all ingredients to a spray bottle, and shake to combine. Spray on windows, mirror and glass. DIY Floor Cleaner

1 gallon distilled water 1/2 cup vinegar

Mix together distilled water and vinegar in a bucket and use to mop your floors. Just keep in mind that vinegar and other acidic cleaners shouldn’t be used on stone floors.

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