Spring Cleaning 2023
It’s that time of year again! The sun is peeking through the clouds, the smell of cut grass is in the air and all that dust that has been collecting over winter is becoming visible. It’s time for spring cleaning!
75% of all households participate in an annual spring clean. Imagine the waste that is caused by 3 quarters of our population! 7% of all plastics found in the great plastic cleanup 2022 were from cleaning products. Here at Peace With The Wild, we know something needs to change.
Help the planet and, in some cases, your health with a sustainable spring clean this 2023. Using natural products boasts many benefits, the biggest being minimising your waste, but this can also be better for the loved ones around us. Let’s ditch the chemicals surrounding us and clean the natural way!
Surface cleaners
Cleaning surfaces is a key part of spring cleaning, you’ll want to ensure the product you’re using is up to scratch. There are all sorts of natural cleaners, but here are a few favourites –
Mack Auntie Bac is a clever little bio pod filled with cleaning power. Mack Biopods work with enzymes, meaning after you have washed the surface, the enzymes remain fighting bacteria. At a super affordable price, this surface cleaner is a great choice for anyone who wants to clean their house naturally without busting the bank.
The Wonder Tin by Planet Detox is another great choice for cleaning surfaces. This multipurpose cleaner is a powerful household cleanser made with 100% natural ingredients and antibacterial essential oils. The product works like a paste that deeply cleans and removes dirt & stains. What we love most about this product is how long it lasts, Planet Detox advise this tin should last the average household 6 months +
Floor Cleaner
Now your surfaces are sparkling, you’ll want to tackle your floors next. Cleaning floors usually uses all sorts of nasty synthetic chemicals, but this doesn’t have to be the case! Natural floor cleaning products are particularly good for those with pets or small children as you won’t need to worry about them being harmed by toxic chemicals.
Ocean Saver’s Rhubarb Coral All Purpose Floor Cleaner is a great option to sustainably clean your floors. Simply pop the pod into warm water and watch it dissolve into a highly effective floor cleaner. By highly concentrating their cleaning products, Ocean Saver saves 1000s of gallons of emissions going into the atmosphere. The cleaners are also pet safe, non toxic and septic tank friendly. (Not to forget – they smell amazing!)
If you prefer something more familiar, have a look at StripWash Floor Cleaner Sheets. These super handy sheets are the trick to quick and easy natural cleaning. Simply throw a sheet into your bucket and mop the dirt away. Removing the liquid from detergent is a much more environmentally friendly way of shipping, and helps reduce waste and unnecessary packaging.
Cloths & Sponges
One thing we would struggle to clean without is a good cloth. Did you know that a clean cloth and water can remove over 90% of bacteria on a surface by itself? Not only can they be washed and reused again and again, but they can also reduce the need for chemicals as they are so effective on their own!
A Compostable Sponge Cleaning Cloth by Eco Living is a great example of a great sponge cloth. Highly absorbent, 100% plastic free and home compostable, these sponge cloths are perfect for soaking up spills and keeping your surfaces shining. What we love most is how long these sponges can last, if washed and cared for correctly you can massively reduce your footprint by using natural cloths & sponges. The chances are, you won’t even notice you’ve swapped to an equally effective & biodegradable sponge cloth.
For tougher stains & spills you might want something a bit more heavy duty. I’m sure we can all think of a pesky stain that just won’t lift. Maybe you need something tough enough? Synthetic sponges are great for the first few uses, until the scourer becomes dull and you are left with a useless plastic sponge. Rowen Stillwater have created the Heavy Duty Squeeze Sponge, a sturdy sponge that is ready to tackle tougher stains & dirt. Made from cotton and an absorbent cellulose core, the cellulose creates a lather for the rough cotton to pick up any dirt.
Other Tips
Whilst using natural products is a great way to reduce waste and help the environment, there are other ways of staying sustainable this spring. consider repurposing items you might otherwise throw away, such as turning old t-shirts into cleaning rags or using glass jars as storage containers. Using old jars helps things stay fresh and also keeps your sides tidy.
Another great tip is to watch your water usage. You can save so much water each month by turning off the tap when cleaning, brushing teeth, doing dishes, etc. Additionally, it is advisable to use a dishwasher instead of handwashing since the dishwasher uses only around 4 gallons of water per cycle, whereas handwashing can use up to 20 gallons of water. It is crucial to keep in mind that every drop counts when it comes to conserving water resources.
In conclusion, there are many options to help you clean your house sustainably, whether that be by using natural products or simply recycling what you can and reducing waste. What will you do this year?
