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With the arrival of spring comes the need to refreshen your house and get rid of excessive dirt and grime that builds up during chilly winter months. Dust, dirt and that extra time spent indoors to escape cold temperatures make cleaning our homes a necessity.
While getting your home sparkling after winter hibernation may seem to require an overabundance of cleaning products, avoiding harsh chemicals that can be dangerous and unnecessary is simple and healthier for your family and Mother Earth.
Smog and grime in the air may appear to be a danger to your family, but in comparison to the chemicals polluting the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms as a result of harmful chemicals can be as much as 100 times more dangerous.
Freshening sprays and plug-ins, cleaners and even carpeting and paint can be as harmful as outdoor pollution, if not more, to your kids, pets and other family members. Cleaning products and decor meant to freshen up your home as spring arrives don't need to feel like a mystery. Instead, simple understanding and tips can help you distinguish green products from their more dangerous counterparts. Here are some ideas to help you with spring "greening:"
1. Bust open your windows - Let fresh air in to alleviate the staleness that accompanies long winter months shut inside your home.
2. Eliminate Odors Naturally - Using flowers, baking soda, herbs, potpourri or other natural ways of getting rid of the winter stench that built up through the winter season provides chemical free freshening. Sprays, plug-ins and even some candles can pollute your home with damaging particles and possible eye and respiratory irritation.
3. Use Veggie Based Cleaners and Detergents - Cleaners made from natural, plant-based sources are effective for your tough cleaning jobs without all the harsh chemicals. Vegetable based cleaners cut grease and grime with natural oils, like coconut, while avoiding harsh smells and dangerous ingredients. Veggie based detergents can also eliminate your family's reliance on petroleum.
4. Vinegar: The Age Old All-Purpose Cleaner - Grandma was onto something special when she relied on vinegar to perform a variety of tasks around the house. Vinegar is great for cleaning, floors, bathrooms, countertops and even small appliances, like your coffee maker.
5. Baking Soda: It’s Not Just for Cookies - Baking soda is another product almost all of you have hidden behind the spices in your cupboards. But while baking soda is a common baking ingredient, it's also an effective cleaner and freshener.
6. Avoid Chlorine and Bleach - Both ingredients can be dangerous for your family and pets because of irritation they can pose for your eyes and respiratory system. They are also a fatal risk if a child or pet ingests them. Instead, using a natural, plant-based cleaner is both cleaner for the environment in general and your home without being any less effective at cutting grease and cleaning even the dirtiest spaces in your home.
7. The Bathroom Does Not Require Chemicals - Bleach and chlorine are not required in order to make your bathroom germ free and sparkling. Baking soda and vinegar can be just are good at creating a clean space without the chemicals that can plague on or the smallest rooms in your home.
8. Put Down the Paper Towel Roll - Using paper towels for cleaning jobs can be expensive and wasteful. Natural fiber rags and cloths can be washed after your cleaning jobs are complete and used over and over.
9. Ditch the Anti-bacterial Soap - Antibacterial soaps have been shown to actually contribute to types of bacteria which are resistant. Using other types of soap is adequate to clean messy hands.
10. Carefully Dispose of Chemical-laden Cleaning Products - When making the transition from traditional, harsher cleaners, to environmentally friendly versions, safely disposing of dangerous chemicals is imperative. Trashing and dumping chemicals is dangerous. Instead, you can find out about safe ways to rid your home of them by contacting your waste management company.
Pablo is a licensed plumber in Houston that offers services to both residential and commercial customers. He has over 10 years of experience in the plumbing field and enjoys providing tips on anything and everything in the plumbing world. Read more about his company at http://www.texaspowerplumbing.com.
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