10 Green Spring Cleaning Tips and Season Home Preparation Tips

Spring is rapidly approaching, it is time to clean up your place. EWG Has a nice list of tips to help you clean your house the green more eco-friendly way.

• Check the exterior of your home and repair any cracked or flaking paint
• Check and clean gutters again
• It is time to work on your garden and rejuvenate your lawn
• Inspect and test your sprinkler system. It will be needed soon
• Clean out your garage and closets. The holiday season is over and it is time to donate useless items and recycle other things
• Bad weather is over. Your car needs some TLC. Change its oil if necessary, get an inspection, clean and wax its exterior
• Check and clean chimney if necessary
• The heater will get a rest, so it’s time to check your air conditioner and its filters
• Check your roof and patch or replace any damaged areas

Spring cleaning is a yearly tradition that involves deep cleaning and decluttering the home in the springtime. It is a time to refresh the living space, get rid of the old and make room for the new

Some other useful tips

Using cleaners that do not have any of these chemicals: 2-butoxyethanol, Alkylphenol ethoxylates, Dye, Ethanolamines, fragrance, pine or citrus oil, Quaternary ammonium compounds.

Learn how to check on the products and ingredients by reading MSDS documents.

The Many Uses of Baking Soda

Baking soda is a pretty versatile product and a mainstay of any green person’ s utility chest. This product can be used for cleaning to laundry to maintaining your swimming pool to preparing your grill. Baking soda can easily replace far harsher chemicals that may exact a toll on the environment and perhaps your health. Arm and Hammer has a nice list of solutions to everyday household problems that baking soda can help solve.

My favorite uses of baking soda include:

• Cleaning toys
• Eliminating carpet odors when you vacuum
• Deodorizing a stinky garbage can
• Eliminating residue and dirt off fruits and vegetables
• Controlling the pH in your swimming pool at a far lower cost
• Creating an erupting volcano
• Boosting your clothes washer’s cleaning power

Baking soda and water works well as a substitute for acidic toilet-bowl cleaner and oven cleaners. These tips are also incorporated in their healthy home checklist.

Recycle old unused electronics and computers responsibly and perhaps get some money back.

Donate or give away unneeded items.

New Lawn Equipment and Small Boat Motor regulations

Spring is when we start thinking about purchasing new lawn equipment and motorboats.

US Environmental Protection Agency issued new emission standards for small engines used in lawn equipment and small boats aimed at significantly reducing pollution in our air and waterways. 2010 is when the new boat standards kick in. 2011 is when the new lawn and garden equipment rules start. Be sure to keep this in mind when upgrading or buying new gear. You’ll reduce the toxic gases you inhale and help clear the air.

A single ‘old-style’ lawnmower emits as much pollution in an hour as 50 cars driving 20 miles.

Many of the newly compliant lawnmowers will include catalytic converters.

Since January 1, 2007, California has required fuel powered mowers with catalytic converters, so this is not new here. If you are concerned by this, you could buy a unit that is California compliant and not wait for 2011.

Also consider buying an electric mower. Many areas have electric lawn mower rebate programs, so check with your local electric utility before buying. Many counties will work with your local hardware store and offer incentives to replace your old environmentally damaging gas lawn mower. Worx has a rebate when you buy their new electric mowers.

Spring cleaning typically involves cleaning areas that are not regularly cleaned, such as baseboards, behind furniture, and inside cabinets. It is also a time to declutter the home, getting rid of unwanted items that have accumulated over time. This can involve donating items to charity, selling them online or at a garage sale, or simply disposing of them. The goal of spring cleaning is to create a clean and organized living space that is conducive to productivity, relaxation, and overall well-being.

 

Posted on March 1st, 2024
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