Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips

Standard modern cleaning supplies can be LOADED with different harsh and abrasive chemicals, not to mention are far from eco-friendly or sustainable. If you are looking to live more sustainably, keep reading for some eco-friendly cleaning tips.

Why Swap To More Sustainable Cleaning Methods?

Many commercial cleaning products are inherently wasteful, coming in the form of single-use wipes or towels, and plastic packaging. For anyone who maintains a cleaning routine, this waste adds up. Not to mention, single-use products are meant to be replaced, which costs you much more money in the long run than other sustainable alternatives.

Many ingredients in standard cleaning supplies can also be very harsh on not only your skin, but the surfaces they are used on as well. While drying and abrasive properties serve the purpose of killing off germs and bacteria, there are gentler alternatives that are also very effective and are less likely to irritate your skin.

Establishing more sustainable cleaning routines can also save you money in the long-run. Whether its making DIY cleaning sprays, or using rags instead of disposable towels, eco-friendly cleaning lends itself to longer lasting and cheaper ingredients in the long-haul. While it might be a small investment up front, it ends up being more economic in the long-run.

Use Up What You Have

One of the most sustainable things you can do, is use what you already have. There is no point in tossing away products before they are used to their full potential just to replace them with a sustainable alternative sooner. If you are looking to make changes ASAP, do your best to rehome or repurpose the things you want to get it rid of instead of hastily tossing them.

This could look like using up existing cleaning products you have, or saving them for the occassional spill that needs some heavy elbow grease. It could also look like using old tshirts instead of going to buy new dish rags , or even repurposing spray bottles of standard cleaner to use as containers for DIY cleaning sprays.

DIY Cleaning Sprays

On that note, DIY cleaning sprays are simple, easy, and cost-effective to make. They are often much less abrasive on surfaces and much less likely to irritate you or your skin.

A super simple multi-purpose cleaner recipe is just equal parts water and white vinegar. To help combat the vinegar scent, add in 10-20 drops of essential oil depending on the size of your mixture. You can strengthen the cleaning power of this mixture for tough messes by adding a touch of dish soap and/or baking soda.

For disinfecting sprays, follow the same 1:1 ratio of water and 70% isopropal alcohol, optionally adding in some essential oils. Hydrogen peroxide is also an effective disinfecting agent. For this recipe, mix 1/3 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide with 1 1/2 cups of water and store in a dark-colored container if possible.

Opt For Reusable Rags or Towels Over Single-Use

In the spirit of eco-friendly surface cleaning, ditch paper towels and instead use reusable materials like rags or other fabrics. Bonus points if you can repurpose materials you already have instead of buying new.

Opt For Refillable Products - *tie into greenwashing post

If you are going to buy cleaning products, opt for ones that come in intentional packaging and offer minimal-waste refills. Tablets that you mix with water are good options, or other refills with minimal packaging. The key with refillable products is using discernment in what companies and products to support and to be wary of greenwashing.

Wooden/Bamboo Dish Brush Over Plastic

This swap is super simple and presents just one more opportunity to rely less on plastic in your everyday life. The next time you need to replace your dishbrush, opt for one made of natural materials instead of plastic brushes and sponges. As long as you take care of them properly and let them dry out in between uses, in my experience, wooden brushes last just as long if not longer than their plastic counter parts.

If wood is not an option for you, be intentional about the plastic products you choose. Look for ones that are made out of recycled materials, or at the very least, can actually be recycled at the end of their life.

Ditch the Swiffer Pads and Swap Them for a Towel

I personally think the Swiffer is a fantastic investion, but the swiffer pads can be costly and contribute to a lot of waste. An easy hack that has been tried and true for me is to instead wrap a rag or old tshirt around the head of the mop and tuck that into the little slots to hold the pads on. It works the same way in cleaning up dust, and can be used to scrub the floors alongside liquid cleaner. Throw it in the wash when you're done, and kiss disposable floor rags goodbye.

Repurpose Your Old Toothbrush

When you finally decide your toothbrush has seen better days, sanitize it and repurpose it for deep cleaning those hard to reach areas. For me, this looks like using it to scrup around faucets and handles, cleaning grout, and getting in between other forgotten about cracks and crevices during the occasional deep clean cycle.

As a bonus, you could replace your toothbrush with a plastic-free alternative. For more plastic-free swaps, check out our post on 20 Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to Plastic.

Clean More Often

Before you roll your eyes...hear me out. The key to any cleaning routine, is that you're able to keep up with it and maintain it. Using more natural products may mean not seeing those crazy before-and-after results, as their cleaning properties can be more gentle. In which case, doing some quick cleaning more often and staying on top of things versus waiting until the dirt and grime has really built up, will allow these products to work their best.

Conclusion

Living sustainably can be as simple as you make it, and can extend to every aspect of your life. These eco-friendly cleaning tips are simple and cost-effective. Living sustainably often has more benefits than just to the external environment, but can also positively impact your health and your wallet. These hacks are evidence of that. Explore the site for even more sustainable living tips.