Most of us use every excuse in the book to get out of cleaning our homes. People that are committed to living an eco-friendly lifestyle have an additional excuse – we don’t want to hurt the planet by cleaning our house.

At first, this sounds like a ludicrous excuse. However, it makes a lot of sense when you break it down. The sad truth is that many cleaning products are terrible for the environment. They have loads of toxins, which leech into the ground, kill insects, poison plants and leave animals sterile.

However, you can’t rely on this excuse anymore. There are plenty of ways to clean your home in an eco-friendly way.

I recently came across an insightful article on BT about the benefits of sustainable house cleaning products. The author, Kate Whiting, shares some great ideas worth considering if you are serious about being eco-conscious.

Eco-Friendly Home Cleaning Tips

Often, the most elegant room in many homes is the living room. Your living room tells a lot about you. After all, this is the room where we entertain visitors, socialize, read magazines, watch television and relax. This room can become messy in a wink due its frequent use, especially if you have kids at home.

Therefore, it deserves some extra attention when you are tidying up. Here are some house cleaning hacks to help you clean your home fast without harming the environment.

Declutter

Having a large amount of clutter in the area can make starting more intimidating. It is advisable to de-clutter your space daily. It is essential to move items back to where they belong. This is a cleaning idea that doesn’t harm the environment at all.

You can consider investing in a shelving unit with doors to hide any unwanted items in a flash or use a laundry basket to hold all the clutter as you collect, then put the basket out of sight and organize later. The shelves and baskets can be made from sustainable materials. The blog Nourishing Minimalism has some great tips to follow. Additionally, get in touch with services like maid service to clean and organize everything.

Try to take things to the recycling center, so you make the most of your waste.

Ceiling Fan and Light Fixtures

Dusting the ceiling fan can quickly freshen up your living room, but it can get dust everywhere. To avoid this, get an old pillowcase, cover the blade of the fan with it, then pull the dust off as you pull off the pillowcase. The dust will go into the pillowcase instead of the floor. You don’t need to use dusting sprays that leave destructive fumes that kill the environment.

When cleaning the light fixture, use a long, extending duster to work your way around the fixture, make sure to cover the chain and bulb, as well as, the outside of the fixture, and don’t forget to turn on the lights when dusting. This will help you to see all the cobwebs and dust more easily.

Windows

Wash windows inside out. Use squeegee to remove streak. Wipe down any sliding window or door tracks to get rid of all the dust hiding there.

Again, you don’t need cleaning agents that are poisonous to the environment. Recycle Nation has a good post on the best eco-friendly window cleaners on the market. But you can also make your own.

You can use two-parts water, one-part white vinegar and one-part washing up liquid to clear your window of any marks and grime. Revamp your window while still slightly damp with a microfiber cloth to shine them up nicely.

Coffee Table

Straighten and stack books or magazines on the coffee table. Too many objects on the table will make the table look cluttered. Hot cups may leave marks on your table. For this kind of marks, try one-part baking soda with one-part water and rub gently over the marks.

Couch

For leather couch, use commercial leather cleaner, or a solution of white vinegar and water to gently buff the leather. But remember to test the cleaning agent on a hidden part of the item you are cleaning first. To remove stains from fabric sofa’s, mix liquid washing soap, with vinegar and add warm water. Again, test the mixture on a part that is not easily visible, to avoid discolouring. Be sure to use a white cloth any time you touch a light-coloured sofa to ensure that there is no colour transfer.

Vacuuming

It is always best to vacuum the floor last. This includes under the sofa and furniture. Because, moving objects around shakes dust and debris onto the floor. Start in the farthest corner and vacuum your way out of the room. Use attachments to get into tight places. Sprinkle a little baking soda before you start vacuuming to take care of unpleasant doors.

Clean Your House the Eco-Friendly Way

There are a lot of great ways to clean your home without harming the environment. The ideas above are a great start.