HOW TO GREEN YOUR CLEANING REGIME

SENA WAKABAYASHI

PERSONAL STYLIST AND MAKER OF ECO-FRIENDLY CLEANING PRODUCTS

I started making my own cleaning products when I was pregnant because I wanted non-toxic and natural solutions, but a second benefit is that I really cut down on the amount of single-use plastic we were throwing away.

Start by making your own all-purpose cleaning spray. I make multiple solutions, but if you can’t commit to making several different cleaning products at home, then just make one all-purpose Castile spray. It’s just two cups of distilled water, a quarter of a cup of Castile soap and 15 drops of essential oil. I like lavender or tea tree oil because they both have antiseptic properties. This solution can be used for almost anything and is so non-toxic that you could safely drink it—not that you’d want to.

Do your research but don’t believe everything you read. I did a lot of research online and there are a lot of mixed messages out there. The big discovery for me was that vinegar and baking soda don’t mix; they cancel each other out and basically don’t clean anything, but some recipes still recommend combining them. Also, don’t mix vinegar and Castile soap— that just causes a big mess. Experiment for yourself and see what works best for you.

Remember to make a new batch of solutions every week. Eco-friendly homemade cleaning solutions are based on water, so you need to make a fresh batch every week.

Don’t be afraid to ask friends and professionals for advice. I’m now working with a woman called Emiko Coles, who helped me come up with the best cleaning solutions and is now helping me reorganise my pantry to get rid of all the single-use plastic and store everything in glass containers.