A LESSon in Greening Your Cleaning Routine
| Burlap dress - see, I'm not that crazy. |
Less is more.
While I have yet to start wearing only burlap sacks, I have applied this rule to pretty much every area of my life, including my cleaning routine. Being ‘green’ to me often translates to using less. It means less chemicals in my food, makeup, shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, deodorant, countertop cleaner, laundry, dish soap…you get the idea. Fewer chemicals in all of these items not only mean fewer chemicals in my body, but also fewer chemicals in the air from the products themselves and the processes to make them. Simpler, more natural solutions often also mean energy savings because they do not require complex production methods.
While you may be apprehensive to make the switch when it
comes to something like your deodorant (although, you really shouldn’t be
scared – I live by THIS
product), start by swapping out your cleaning products for a natural, safe, and
healthy home environment. Contrary to popular belief, in order for your home to
be squeaky clean it doesn’t have to smell like bleach and suffocate you. A quick online search for natural cleaning
products will reveal the ‘magic’ ingredient I like to use in all of my homemade
concoctions: vinegar. In fact, I found a website
completely dedicated to the many uses of it. I have used vinegar solutions to
clean everything from my windows and counters to my skin. One of the best parts
about vinegar? It’s CHEAP.
While I have yet to start wearing only burlap sacks, I have applied this rule to pretty much every area of my life, including my cleaning routine. Being ‘green’ to me often translates to using less. It means less chemicals in my food, makeup, shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, deodorant, countertop cleaner, laundry, dish soap…you get the idea. Fewer chemicals in all of these items not only mean fewer chemicals in my body, but also fewer chemicals in the air from the products themselves and the processes to make them. Simpler, more natural solutions often also mean energy savings because they do not require complex production methods.
While you may be apprehensive to make the switch when it
comes to something like your deodorant (although, you really shouldn’t be
scared – I live by THIS
product), start by swapping out your cleaning products for a natural, safe, and
healthy home environment. Contrary to popular belief, in order for your home to
be squeaky clean it doesn’t have to smell like bleach and suffocate you. A quick online search for natural cleaning
products will reveal the ‘magic’ ingredient I like to use in all of my homemade
concoctions: vinegar. In fact, I found a website
completely dedicated to the many uses of it. I have used vinegar solutions to
clean everything from my windows and counters to my skin. One of the best parts
about vinegar? It’s CHEAP.Something I recently learned is that you can also use it to clean your washing machine! Clean the cleaning machine? Absolutely. Think of it how you do the lint trap in your dryer. Regular maintenance of your machines will help with functionality and {energy} efficiency. Follow these cleaning instructions from one of my guilty pleasure websites - Apartment Therapy.
Photo sources:
latimesblog.com