Keeping our homes clean is vital for a happy & healthy lifestyle. However, many commercial cleaning products contain harsh chemicals and come packaged in plastic bottles. Not only are these things potentially hazardous for yourself and your family, they are also damaging to the environment. So, if you're looking for a more sustainable way to keep your home clean - look no further! Here is our ultimate guide to sustainably spring cleaning...
Tools & Utensils
The first things you need for eco-friendly cleaning are the correct tools. For small spills, try forest-friendly kitchen towels without the plastic packaging from our favourite toilet paper brand, Who Gives a Crap or simply using a good old-fashioned dish cloth. For jobs requiring more elbow grease, try compostable sponges, plastic-free scourers and compostable bin bags from Ecovibe, or find a range of environmentally friendly cleaning utensils at the Ethical Superstore.
Plastic-Free Cleaning Products:
*Our top choice* You might have noticed refill shops popping up all over the place for your daily essentials. Fill have taken this a step further by introducing refillable products for all your cleaning needs; kitchen and bathroom, laundry, washing up, floors and all purpose. Their products are made by chemists in a family-run business in Northamptonshire, and come in stylish glass bottles that you’ll want to keep on display. Buy a 500ml bottle of the product you need for £7-£8 and refill for just £3! If you want to test their products first, you can buy a sample bundle for just under £15 online. If you’re in Margate, and you’ve already made the trip to our lovely shop, you can refill at Salt Of The Earth in Broadstairs. If not, their products are stocked all over the UK and Ireland, find a shop near you here.
If you don’t have a refill shop near you, you can still ditch the plastic bottles and opt for soluble cleaning products instead. We love Neat as all of their super-concentrated refills come in little glass bottles with aluminium caps.
Homemade Cleaning Products
Vinegar, baking soda and water are your three best friends when it comes to natural cleaners, and most home cleaning can be done with these alone. Combine 120ml vinegar, 240ml water and half a cup of baking powder and add 10 drops of your favourite essential oils for a general cleaning solution.
Reusable Cleaning Wipes: 120ml cup white vinegar, 180ml boiled water, 8 drops tea tree essential oil, 6 drops lemon essential oil. Put all ingredients in an air tight container an add 8-10 cotton squares to soak. Wash after a couple of uses.
Drains: Unclog your drains the eco way by pouring a cup of baking soda into the drain, followed by 120ml vinegar. Come back after an hour and pour hot water down the drain to flush out the blockage. Repeat if needed.
Carpets: Adapt your cleaning cupboard by adding a squeeze of eco friendly dish soap to a 1:3 part vinegar and water solution for a homemade carpet cleaner.
Windows: Mix 400ml white vinegar with 600ml water for a simple solution which will leave your windows sparkling clean. Tip: For streak-free windows, dry with an old newspaper.
Essential oils: You can add your favourite scents to your cleaning solutions with essential oils of your choice. We recommend a mix of lemongrass and rosemary for a classic fresh scent, perfect for all purpose cleaners. Tee tree oil is good to use on mould-prone areas due to its anti-fungal properties. Pine helps to eliminate other odours and is great for a bathroom cleaning solution.
Read our in-depth guide here.