As we head into spring there’s no better opportunity for a home reset – yeah I’m talking spring cleaning! It’s the perfect time to reset your space and prioritize a deep clean. You know, to tackle that hidden dust and clutter before allergy season is in full force! I love using this change of seasons as a reason to concentrate on sprucing up my space and adding some life back to it. But, unfortunately, many of us are cleaning all wrong.
We’re sold all these potent cleaners and single-use products that damage our health and are crazy wasteful. Like did you know mixing bleach with soap or other cleaners (even accidentally) creates mustard gas? Scary! Products with contaminants, carcinogens, phosphates, and petroleum also persist in our environment beyond just being used in our homes. Plus, in our consumerist society, we’re told to replace instead of repairing or cherishing the things we have.
So, cleaning with the conventional products and methods corporations try to sell us has a far greater impact on us and the environment than may meet the eye. All these things mean there’s a great need for decreasing toxicity, lessening packaging waste, and using less irritating additives. But cleaning in a safer, less toxic, and less wasteful way isn’t always straightforward.
A while back I realized there has to be a better way. I got tired of the headaches and chemical burns that come with using those products and haven’t looked back! Since then my cleaning products and routines are streamlined and way more eco-conscious. So, I’ve created a simple-to-follow methodology that I use, and hope it can help you prepare for spring in an eco-friendly way too! Okay, let’s get started!
1. Gather your tools.
For actual cleaning tools, I always have reusable rags, scrub brushes (one for general cleaning and one designated toilet brush), and a bucket or large bowl I don’t mind getting dirty on hand. A vacuum and a mop are also super helpful but a broom, scrub brush, and rags work just as well. You don’t need to have a ton of fancy things, what matters most is the effort you put in!
Other tools I like using are old toothbrushes or chopsticks for windowsills and harder-to-reach areas, these work like a charm and are useful but not necessary. You can also rent heavier-duty cleaning tools like steam vacuums, carpet cleaners, and steam mops for a deeper clean without overconsumption. Like I want a steamer but am def going to wait until I can find one second-hand because it’s not necessary at all, but I digress.
I keep it *really* simple with my cleaning products though. I stick to three main things: white vinegar, isopropyl alcohol, and plain ol’ soap. These three things can handle any task I may have and are much gentler for me and my belongings without sacrificing the clean. Instead of synthetic or overpowering fragrances or strong chemical smells, I prefer to just open the windows and air out my space too. You don’t need to overcomplicate this by thinking you need a ton of products, often the basics are more than enough and what truly makes a difference is your own work, not the product!
Can vinegar really be used as a cleaner?
Yes! White vinegar is great for multi-purpose cleaning! Although it has some disinfecting properties, I don’t use it specifically for disinfecting. Instead, I reach for it when I’m doing general cleaning but also for kitchen cleaning and laundry. It’s great for limescale, getting rid of odors, glass cleaning, appliance cleaning, and as a fabric softener (it actually helps your fabrics, unlike commercial fabric softeners!). Vinegar and hot water work great at cleaning dishwashers, washing machines, wooden scrub brushes, and cleaning gloves. I also love using diluted vinegar to mop my wood floors! A mixture of 3 parts water and 1 part vinegar is great and doesn’t make the floor sticky.
If you’re worried about the smell you can put some white vinegar in a spray bottle or jar with some citrus rinds for a more traditional cleaning scent. Don’t use vinegar on stone though! Stone that has calcium carbonate reacts with vinegar so check before using if you intend on cleaning stone. There’s also no need to dilute grocery store white vinegar because that’s typically at a 5% concentration, but check the label before using to be sure. If you have specific cleaning vinegar you should dilute it with water, but, again, just check the label before using.
What's the deal with alcohol then?
While not great at cleaning say stubborn kitchen grease, isopropyl alcohol (or rubbing alcohol) can be used as a disinfectant instead of harsher commercial products. It’s a great disinfectant and kills many bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Not everything needs to be antibacterial, and in fact that can have some negative consequences in terms of our immune systems, general health, and bacteria responses, but, in certain cases, I do try to disinfect. So, isopropyl alcohol is what I use in those cases! For it to be effective though, the area you’re disinfecting needs to stay damp with alcohol for about 5 minutes, so keep that in mind. I just saturate a cloth and let it sit or spray with alcohol again as it dries.
I tend to use isopropyl alcohol to disinfect high-touch surfaces (like doorknobs) and some of my appliances (like fridge handles, stove knobs, and the outside of my dishwasher and rice cooker). I also use it to clean my tech because it dries super fast, just don’t spray or douse your tech directly! Put some on a rag and gently clean so you don’t accidentally ruin your tech by saturating it with alcohol. It also makes for a good glass and mirror cleaner too if you don’t want to use white vinegar. Plus, if you label reusable jars with permanent marker like I do, you can remove it with isopropyl alcohol! However, make sure not to use on vinyl, rubber, and painted or lacquered wood. Also make sure that when using, your space is well ventilated. It’s not nearly as bad as bleach, but just play it safe!
Seriously, soap?
For heavier-duty cleaning, I rely on good ol’ soap! It’s an amazing all-around cleaner, and you don’t have to worry about touching it or it ruining surfaces. It’s great for grease, grime, dirt, sticky stuff, dust, you name it! I try not to saturate things I’m cleaning but if you’re worried about soap residue you can dilute with water, or fill an empty spray bottle or bucket with water and follow up with a swipe of a rag.
Castile soap diluted with some water in a spray bottle is an easy way to use it in place of a spray cleaner or you can just use a bucket, rag, and/or scrub brush. I love using soap for baseboards, walls, tables, counters, trash cans, and compost containers. Also works well on doors, windows, on stoves. Seems not as obvious as a house cleaner but it works amazing and if you could only choose one product to clean with, mild soap is what I’d suggest!
Are there any other handy products to use?
As an optional extra cleaning product you can use baking soda! Baking soda and a little soap make a great cleaning paste, think the pink stuff that scrub daddy influencers love spreading on everything. It’s mildly abrasive so it’s great at removing gunk. It’s great for stovetops, ovens, non-Teflon cookware, tile, soap scum, and even toilets. A spoonful of baking soda added to some dried used coffee grounds is also an effective deodorizer! I put some in a small jar (like an old jam jar) and keep it in an inconspicuous spot in the fridge and sometimes the bathroom too.
If you do plan on using baking soda, don’t use it at the same time as vinegar! It decreases the efficacy of both the vinegar and baking soda and that fizz you get is just the reaction happening. Vinegar and baking soda together isn’t more effective at cleaning and just leaves a mess.
2. Go through your space.
Now that you have your tools it’s time to start by taking an inventory, so go through your space! The first part of spring cleaning should always be to overhaul what you have and figure out how you want to define your home. Doing so not only helps to commit you to doing the cleaning, but it helps you figure out how to focus your cleaning efforts too. Basically, the whole “work smarter, not harder” idea.
Since spring cleaning is all about organizing and decluttering before you deep clean, going through your space is essential. This task makes everything else far easier to accomplish. By breaking down what your home needs, everything else will seem less overwhelming. Like I could easily spend hours just going through my wardrobe, but if I go through my space and come up with a game plan I can focus my energy properly and do a full clean with that time instead. Everything should have a place and should if it doesn’t then maybe you need to spend some extra time in those areas.
3. Touch everything.
Marie Kondo said it and I took it to heart (and so should you!). The point of this is to deeply think about what you find value in and use. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to prevent you from cutting corners. Go through your things, bring out every item, and decide what you still want, what needs to be fixed, and what no longer serves you. You’ll have more clarity and redevelop your sense of self and care in your home!
This step also helps make the decluttering process more sustainable because you’ll separate stuff as you go instead of just tossing and keeping things without much thought. I like making recycle, donation, sell, and repair piles to make things real easy. So, reconnect with your closet by going through it and rediscovering the clothes you own. Or, take out all of your novelty mugs and decide if you still use and love each one. I personally always find a lot of value in this step and it helps me further appreciate everything I own, so give it a try!
4. Get to the overlooked spots.
I have typical cleaning tasks that I do every week as well as monthly tasks, but spring cleaning is a time I focus on those overlooked areas that are typically too much work to get to often. So, getting to areas I don’t typically get to during my routine cleaning is a must in the spring! It may be hard at first, but your things will last longer and it’ll be easier to maintain and clean again next time once the initial hurdle is over.
That means moving furniture to clean under and around. Moving furniture around to get to baseboards that are harder to reach and aren’t typically cleaned. Cleaning range hoods and vents. Deodorizing beds, couches, and carpets. Wiping down walls, window screens, and the outsides of windows. Defrosting the freezer and cleaning out any built-up ice, cleaning out the kitchen, and junk drawers too. It seems like a lot, but with a concentrated effort, it can all get done easily and in a weekend!
5. Follow through.
So, you went through and sorted your stuff and cleaned your space, now it’s time to follow through and properly deal with those sorted items. That is, it’s time to donate, sell, or mend! Don’t fall into the trap of our linear system that wants you to just throw everything in the trash just to buy more, instead make it cyclical! Repair what needs sprucing up, donate what no longer serves you, or find ways to repurpose those items so we’re not sending more resources to the landfill blindly.
If you’re getting rid of something because it’s broken and it can’t be fixed or you don’t know how to fix it, find a recycling center that can reprocess those materials. For Days recycling program is great for textiles and clothes that can’t be repaired or donated and it’ll actually be repurposed because thrift stores and donation bins fall short. For tech, you can check out local e-waste programs or use programs from places like Best Buy and Staples. Not only is repairing or selling more cost-effective than just tossing and rebuying, but it’s also a much better use of resources!
Use these tips for seamless and sustainable spring cleaning!
With more evidence discussing the adverse effects of commercial cleaning products, we gotta switch up our habits. You deserve a clean home without having to worry about potential negative effects and health hazards! As far as sustainability goes, we can always do better, but just making better choices adds up fast. Small incremental changes can have a huge impact, so do what you can! Find what makes sense for you and go from there. As always, it’s not about being perfect, but being aware and doing your best.