• It’s more than a “buzz word.” Going green has been a trendy word for some years now, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t important or impactful. What does going green mean, exactly? Simply put, it means to live in a way that is friendly to the environment and sustainable to the earth. From recycling to eating organically and cleaning with chemical-free products, countless people around the world are going green to invest in themselves and the planet. If you’re reading this blog post, you’re off to a good start!
• Not all “green” products are good for you. Believe it or not, those brand-name cleaning supplies you’ve stored beneath your sink may be doing more harm than good. Just because a product espouses to be “green,” it isn’t always the case. Some major brands use the terms “environmentally responsible” and “eco-friendly” to boost sales, when in fact, many contain tainted bio-products that are harmful when used. While there are a variety of safe products out there you can count on, be sure to do your homework first. Research the brand, cross-reference the ingredients with the National Library of Medicine’s Household Products Database (which lists more than 7,000 product brands) and then make the smart choice.
• Start at home. If you’re unsure which cleaning products to purchase, revert to using all-natural solutions that are already in your home. If you look in your cupboard, you’ll find plenty of common products that double as safe and easy-to-use cleaning supplies. Best of all, they’re organic! Whether it’s baking soda and cooking oil, or toothpaste and table salt, there are an assortment of household items that can be used to clean your home from top to bottom.
• It’s easier than you think. It’s true: Adopting an organic approach to cleaning will create a healthier world and a better quality of life for you and your loved ones. Best of all, it’s relatively inexpensive and easy to do. While most people think going green requires a significant shift in thinking, or too much time, the truth is it’s as simple as switching out a few cleaning products. What’s more important than keeping your home safe? All it takes is investing in those products and services that are guaranteed to leave your house spotless and toxin-free.

Looking for more tips? Here are some green-cleaning best practices from our friends at SparkPeople.com:

Hang dry your laundry. Drying your clothes in an electric or gas dryer isn’t just hard on your clothes, but it’s also hard on the environment. Don’t stop with natural laundry detergent—to truly stay green, install a clothesline in your backyard. If space (or aesthetics) is an issue, look for a retractable clothesline, which takes up almost no space when not in use. Weather permitting, line-dry your clothes outside to reduce pollution, while also cutting your energy bill, getting more exercise, enjoying the fresh air and extending the life of your clothes. Plus, they’ll smell like a clean breeze (the real kind, not the chemical kind).

Add a little greenery. Install a living air filter—houseplants! Some of the most efficient air-cleaning houseplants include spider plants, English ivy, rubber plants and peace lilies. You’ll need 15 to 18 medium-size (six- to eight-inch diameter container) houseplants for the average 1,800-square-foot house. If that sounds like a lot, place a few plants in the room where you spend the most time.

De-clutter your wardrobe. Donate gently worn items to charity, where they’ll get a second life, and donate torn and stained items (if they’re made of an absorbent fabric) to your rag collection, where they’ll replace wasteful paper towels. And as you’re packing up your winter sweaters, replace stinky mothballs with a natural and better-smelling version: Stuff a lonely unpaired sock with cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and whole cloves and tie it at the end.

Paint your walls green. If spring cleaning at your house involves a fresh coat of paint, consider the VOC content when choosing your paint. VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, are chemicals that form vapors at room temperature. Some VOCs, like the ones in many paints, contribute to smog and indoor air pollution, and can cause a host of short- and long-term health problems. The good news is that many paint manufacturers have started making low- or no-VOC paints. The bad news is that many of those manufacturers have simply substituted VOCs with other non-VOC (yet still toxic) chemicals. For truly eco-conscious safe paint, check out these products: Eco-Spec, by Benjamin Moore; Clarity, by Dutch Boy; Enviro-Pure, by MAB Paint; American Pride Paint; and BioShield Milk Paint.

Swap out your Swiffer. Instead of continually buying expensive single-use mop pads, invest in a reusable mop. Casabella is one brand that’s widely available in health food stores and general stores. Their mop heads can be washed in your washing machine, hung dry and used again and again—well worth their moderate price tag.

Ditch the paper towels. Save trees, cash and landfill waste when you buy specially-made, washable cleaning and dusting cloths, available in all types of fabrics, from cotton to microfiber. Better yet, use what you already have and give an old piece of cloth (stained towels, ratty sheets and pillowcases, too-small t-shirts, etc.) a new life. Simply cut or tear your old item into smaller squares (if you want to get fancy, finish the edges with a sewing machine), and voila! Pop them in the washing machine with your laundry to clean, and use them again and again. It’s the power of going green!

Cleaning up your home for spring doesn’t have to be dirty work. By going green and implementing some of these ideas and products, you’ll benefit your body, your home and the planet. Many of these changes are small ones, but their impact on your health and the environment can really add up over time.