How to make your next Spring clean environmentally friendly

The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming and it’s time for the dreaded Spring clean. However arduous the task ahead seems, you can at least tackle it without harming the environment. Here are our tips to brighten up tired interiors using environmentally friendly methods.

In your living areas

“The best way to begin your Spring clean is to declutter your living spaces,” said homes.com.au Founder & Managing Director, Pat Carbone. “Not only will this give you a clear head, it will give you the space to clean your home more thoroughly.”

The next thing you should do is give all surfaces a good wipe down. Instead of buying a feather duster or cleaning wipes, consider repurposing old clothes and towels into cleaning rags.
If there is a particularly bad odour lingering in your home, consider a more natural method of removing it before reaching for the air freshener. One good environmentally friendly way to eliminate odours is to air out your house. Open all doors and windows and place fans strategically throughout the house for the day. Investing in some new indoor plants and flowers will help maintain air quality and keep your home smelling fresh.

In your bedroom

If your mattress or other soft furnishings are smelling a bit musty, simply take them outside and leave them in the sun for the day. The ultraviolet radiation in sunlight acts as a natural disinfectant. To brighten and deodorise other soft furnishings like carpets, simply sprinkle a layer of baking soda, leave overnight to settle and then vacuum to remove the excess in the morning.

If pesky silverfish are your problem, consider using a natural repellant before reaching for the bug spray. To eliminate silverfish and to keep your clothes smelling lovely, leave wrapped cakes of soap in your clothes drawers and cupboards.

In the kitchen

It is surprisingly easy to avoid chemical-based products in the kitchen. Use tea tree oil, which is a natural disinfectant, to wipe down your bench tops, cupboard doors and other hard surfaces. For a grimy microwave or stove, simply combine baking soda with lemon juice, warm water and a bit of elbow grease. You will be surprised how well the citric acid works on tough stains.

In the bathroom

There’s nothing worse than the potent smell of bleach in bathrooms. However, there is another solution. To unblock drains, combine baking soda with white vinegar and pour down the drain, leave for approximately one hour, then chase this down with a kettle full of boiling water. To thoroughly clean your toilet or shower, combine baking soda, white vinegar and lemon juice to remove stains and soap scum.