The Green Guide: Tip NO.12 – Sustainable Spring Cleaning

Tips and tricks for making environmentally friendly swaps today!

It’s that time of year where the sun is shining more, things are waking up, and you might have more of an urge to declutter and clean your house. That’s right, it’s spring cleaning season. If this sounds like you, here are some tips to freshen your home with nature in mind…

• Reusables – Before you start to sparkle and shine, do you have a cloth/sponge that you can reuse? Whether you use a specific cleaning cloth or one of your old textiles (e.g. an old t-shirt), cut down waste by using something you can wash and reuse rather than single use wipes or kitchen roll. Even biodegradable items use a lot of resources to keep producing them, so reusing the cleaning materials you already have is the best way to keep the waste to minimum.
• Au Natural – Choose cleaning products based on plant/natural ingredients, or even make your own cleaning pastes and remedies from household items. Products such as concentrated drops can be mixed with water to create cleaning formulas, and even hand soaps and other household products. Browse ethical options on the Ethical superstore.
• Sort & Recycle – Doing a spot of decluttering? Just because it’s no longer of use to you doesn’t mean the bin is the only option. As you sort, organise into categories, such as charity shop, clothing bank, textiles recycling, plastic, glass, cardboard, so that every material has a chance of a second home or of being recycled. This circular lifecycle keeps resources in use, so less new materials have to be produced.
• Let the outside in – Allow nature to help you take your home into the new season: Open the windows and doors if you can, and dry items outside in the sun. Spring cleaning doesn’t always have to use harsh chemicals and technology, just letting fresh air into the house after a long winter can be just as impactful.
• Take stock – While you sort and clean, take note of everything you own. Maybe you’ll find things you’ve forgotten about, or duplicates! Let this help your future self when shopping, so you only buy what you need and don’t overbuy, risking creating additional waste. It can be very gratifying to see all the lovely things you have and know you have all the things you need.

If the sun is shining where you are and a tidy up is on the cards, I hope these tips help you feel clean and organised without the huge waste build up. 2023 is for spring cleaning, but make it sustainable 🌼