Spring makes a lot of people want to clean their homes, to shoo out all the dirt and grime built up over the winter, and to welcome spring's natural warmth and light.
Embrace spring's organic rejuvenation by ditching toxic cleaners and refreshing your home the natural way.
To continue our 50 Ways in 50 Days countdown to Earth Day (April 22, 2020 marks the holiday's 50th anniversary), here are six eco-friendly ideas for spring cleaning.
Skip Paper Towels
Microfiber cloth in action
Druv / Getty Images
Get yourself a good old-fashioned rag for wiping down surfaces. Whether you prefer microfiber cleaning cloths that will pick up every last iota of dirt or reusable towels that mimic paper towels, there are a lot of sustainable options that don't pile up in the trash.
DIY Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
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caption="DIY Eco-friendly cleaner" photo_credit="Helin Loik-Tomson / Getty Images" title=""] DIY Eco-friendly cleaner Helin Loik-Tomson / Getty ImagesA few common ingredients are all you need to engineer your own non-toxic cleaning products. Vinegar and lemon juice can cut through tough dirt, baking soda can remove lingering odors, and essential oils can fill your home with lovely scents.
Donate Old Clothes and Household Items
Donating clothes
monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images
As you clean out your drawers and cabinets, don't throw all that "junk" into the trash. Instead, find a local shelter, nonprofit or government agency that will take in your gently used items to find them new homes.
Reduce and Reuse Water
A water bucket helps save water
didesign021 / Getty Images
Don't run to the tap every time you need a little water. Instead, fill a bucket to wash down an entire room. You can even use the leftover "gray water" to water your plants. Spend a bit of your cleaning time fixing up your water system too, tightening leaky pipes and faucets to reduce waste. And if you're washing clothes before donating or repacking them, be sure to wait to run the washer until you have a full load.
Air Out Your Home Naturally
Open all the doors and windows
KatarzynaBialasiewicz / Getty Images
Spring is the perfect time to clean house because the weather is so nice. Instead of relying on air fresheners, just open all the doors and windows on a nice day.
Reduce Power
Swapping in an LED lightbulb
Pornpak Khunatorn / Getty Images
Take spring cleaning as an opportunity to check on all your appliances. Unplug anything that doesn't need to be plugged in all the time to avoid silent power sucking even when devices are off. Clean your air ducts and refrigerator coils to increase efficiency, and replace all your lightbulbs with LEDs.
For more ideas on how you can save the planet, visit 1Thing.




