GREEN CLEAN
Eco ways to put your home in order
It’s that time of year again when we shrug off the gloom of winter and prepare our homes for warmer, brighter days, with sparkly surfaces and deep-cleaned cupboards. But this year why not put an eco spin on it so you’re not only keeping your home clean, but helping the planet too?
Last year is recognised as the time we woke up to the environmental problems facing the world. From Greta Thunberg being awarded Time magazine’s Person of the Year, to the ongoing destruction of the Amazon rainforest and great swathes of Australia burning, we realised we have to do something… and soon. And
while we can’t all immediately ditch our petrol cars for electric or get solar panels to heat our homes, there are some smaller changes that will make a big difference, and this can start with going green when it comes to the annual spring clean. Your home – and the planet – will thank you for it. Here’s how…
DECLUTTER
Before you can start to clean properly, you need to get rid of all that clutter so you can see exactly what needs doing. According to tidying guru Marie Kondo, jettisoning unnecessary ‘stuff ’ from your home (and your life) can reap psychological, physical and, possibly, financial benefits:
Psychologically because, to quote the old saying, a tidy home equals a tidy mind, and letting go of things that don’t enhance our existence is incredibly cathartic, giving us a sense of control.
Physically because with less stuff around the home, we don’t have to spend so much time sorting through it to find what we need.
Financially because, as well as being able to sell the things we’re no longer in love with, we might even discover some hidden gems at the back of the wardrobe we’d forgotten all about!
And if you want to be truly green, start upcycling, reusing or recycling your belongings rather than rejecting them and sending them to landfill.
The light levels in a space can have a significant impact on the way we feel
ORGANISE
Once you’ve cleared out, it’s time to create an orderly space. Work on a room-by-room basis so you’re not overwhelmed, and remember, you don’t have to do it all in a day! Here are a few ideas for an organised home to get you started…
LIVING ROOM
• Fed up with a tangle of cables spilling from the TV, digibox and games console? Invest in some cable tidies to neaten them up, and think about stashing all your electronics in one handy cupboard. Screwfix has a good selection (screwfix.com).
• Embrace your collections (vases, ceramics, ornaments etc) by consolidating them all into one beautiful statement ‘shelfie’ grouped together on or in a display cabinet. This will also help to keep surfaces, such as coffee tables, side tables and windowsills, clear of clutter and speed up dusting.
KITCHEN
• Ditch your duplicates – no one really needs two air fryers or 20 chopping boards!
• Group frequently used ingredients, such as olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and so on, together in one area of the countertop (decant them into pretty jars or bottles for maximum style) so you can lay your hands on them quickly without rootling through various cupboards and drawers.
• Sort out the under-sink area by creating ‘cleaning’ boxes for different rooms, with a feather duster in the living areas box, baking soda in the bathroom box, etc. This will look neater when you open the doors, and speed up your cleaning time too.
• Tidy all your food cupboards or pantry so you can quickly see what you’re out of before going shopping – that way, you won’t waste money buying things you’ve already got.
BATHROOM
• Instead of having your bottles of shampoo and shower gel/bars of soap precariously balanced around the tub rim or littering the shower floor, stack them neatly in a tiered basket or on shelves, ready to grab when needed. Well done if you’ve ditched the plastic.
• Roll towels rather than folding them to stack them on shelves or display in a basket (see right) – they take up much less space this way and look neater too. This works for bedding as well.
• Check through the medicine cabinet for out of date items.
• A selection of small pots and jars is ideal for storing hair ties, cotton wool balls and other bits and pieces.
BEDROOM
• Need more storage? Look up – the top of a wardrobe is often unused and a great place for a box or two; or look down – is there room under the bed for a storage box on wheels?; and all around – the back of the wardrobe door is a good place for a hanging shoe rack if it’s strong enough to take the weight.
• To rationalise your wardrobe, try the genius ‘reverse hanger’ trick – start by hanging all your clothes in the wardrobe with the hooks’ open ends facing you. Every time you wear something, put it back with the hanger the other way around. Every few months check which clothes haven’t been worn and consider donating them to your local charity shop.
CLEAN
Now that you’ve decluttered and sorted, it’s time to get your clean on! Think about your spring clean as a reset button – a chance to reacquaint yourself with areas of the house you haven’t seen since, well, last spring. For a really green clean, ditch the chemicals (where possible) in place of more natural cleaning solutions. Studies show that household cleaning sprays can increase the risk of getting asthma among other conditions, and not using them as much (or at all) can reduce the amount of chemicals being flushed into our waterways, improve air quality and create a healthier home environment. So here’s how to clean in green style…
LIVING AREAS
• For many tasks, a simple feather duster will suffice – there’s often no need for sprays and polishes.
• Start from the top and work downwards so that any dust from light fittings, pictures etc falls to the floor to be scooped up later.
• You’ll need to vacuum any fitted carpets in your home, but you can beat your rugs and cushions outside, giving yourself a mini workout and saving electricity too.
• Now’s the chance to rearrange furniture – this will give your room a whole new feel and let you see what lurks behind the sofa.
• Clean windows with newspaper and a solution of equal parts white vinegar to water, popped into an old spray bottle.
• To wipe wooden blinds, put your hand into an old sock so you can clean both sides of the slats at the same time.
• Lightly wipe walls, ceilings, skirting boards and banisters using a solvent-free ecofriendly degreaser. We love the ones from vegan cleaning brand Kinn (kinn-living.com).
• Freshen the air with a homemade deodoriser made from baking soda, lavender flowers and a few drops of essential oil in a glass jar – or just open a window.
• Create a wood polish by mixing a cup of water with quarter of a cup of distilled vinegar and 2tsp olive oil in a spray bottle.
KITCHEN
• Pull out the fridge and you’re sure to find a nasty build up. Gently dust coils (allowing dust to build on these could be a fire risk).
• Wet-mop floors using hot water and a little ecofriendly degreaser.
• Clean the oven by coating the racks and sides with a paste of baking soda and water. Leave overnight and remove with a plastic spatula, wiping away any residue with a wet cloth.
• Steam clean your microwave by heating a bowl of water with lemon juice in it – use the lemon left after squeezing to remove marks from stainless steel, rinsing immediately to prevent corrosion.
BATHROOM
• Clean the toilet bowl by adding half a cup of baking soda and a cup of distilled vinegar. Leave for half an hour, then flush.
• Remove soap scum on tiles with a paste made from eco washing-up liquid and baking soda.
• Make your own bathroom cleaner with the juice of one lemon and one lime, one cup of distilled vinegar (a natural mould killer) and one cup of water in an old spray bottle. Shake well, then spray on and let sit for a few minutes before rinsing with clean water. Do not use on metal as it may cause corrosion.
BEDROOM
• Flip your mattress, sprinkle it with baking soda to remove any lingering odours, then vacuum.
• Don’t miss the top of your wardrobe; out of sight can be out mind.
• Machine wash suitable pillows using an eco detergent to remove debris and bacteria.