Green Home Cleaning for Spring

Deep Cleanse – Green Home Cleaning Guide

Spring is boundless for freshening up, cleansing and re-vamping. Here are some healthy interior tips that promote a green lifestyle and get your home spring ready! A simple way to start is to reduce the toxins. Ditch the conventional cleaning products and go au naturel.

Your new cleaning armor will consist of baking soda, vinegar, club soda, kosher salt, lemon and optional essential oils. This list does not have any harmful mixtures of petrochemicals and can actually clean your home leaving no chemical residue behind. Now you’ve got almost everything you need to clean consciously, reducing your negative impact on the earth.

Kitchen

Shake baking soda onto a damp sponge, scrub lightly on counters, tabletops, sinks, refrigerators and cutting boards, then rinse.  If you need a more abrasive action, add a little kosher salt. For stains and greasy areas, you can add lemon juice or vinegar. For marble, granite or stone countertops, use vodka in lieu of vinegar.

Vinegar kills mold, bacteria and germs, and lemon juice has antibacterial and antiseptic qualities.

Bathroom

Mix baking soda and vinegar to clean your sinks, showers, tubs and tile. You can add a little lemon juice for a fresh scent.

Glass Cleaner: In a spray bottle, mix a small amount of baking soda and club soda, spray and then wipe off using old newspapers for a vibrant shine.

Floor Cleaner: Wood and Tile cleaner, mix of one quarter cup white vinegar and 30 ounces of warm water. Carpet, sprinkle baking soda before vacuuming to deodorize. To clean stains on carpet or rugs; mix equal parts baking soda with salt and white vinegar. Apply the paste to the rug, let dry, then vacuum.

Fresh Air

A great way to liven up your space and clean your indoor air is to decorate with plants. A study by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America cited as most effective plants in removing toxic formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide from the air were: bamboo palm, Chinese evergreen, English ivy, gerbera daisy, chrysanthemum, and peace lily.

Don’t have a green thumb? That’s ok! Succulents are the perfect option since they do not need much attention.  There is vast selection to choose from allowing you to create a stylish décor arrangement. Plant in a glass terrarium, shallow clay pot or up-cycle by using an old glass jar.

Natural Elements

Biophilia is a reflection of man’s inherent need for nature. Biophilic design is a discipline that inspires the integration of natural materials, renewable natural resources like daylight, natural elements, a sense of place and views of nature.

With spring approaching and this conscious yearning desire for nature, don’t forget to incorporate natural materials, from your throw pillows to accent furnishings.Think sustainable and eco-friendly. For furnishings; sustainable or reclaimed wood, bamboo, and recycled metals or glass. Remember when purchasing new look for certifications such as FSC Wood, C2C (cradle 2 cradle) and GreenGuard. For fabrics; wool, jute, seagrass, and cotton are perfect materials to invoke nature’s texture and be friendly towards the environment.

Bright Space

Lastly if you’re looking to brighten up your space on a larger scale you can always paint whether it be a wall or the whole room.  Traditional paint products are made with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that release toxins into the air as the paint dries, potentially causing health problems and damaging the environment. You can also experience headaches and dizziness when using traditional paint. These ecofriendly paint companies are my favorite being the healthiest option on the market with zero-VOCs paints: Yolo Colorhouse, Green Planet Paints and Devine Color.

To learn more about Erin’s green home design visit www.ellinteriors.org.

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