The new year brings a time where it feels like everything is fresh and new. It feels like a chance to make changes and start new things. It’s the time of year when I like to plan some small changes that I think will make a difference in my family’s life. But they have to be easy to do if they’re going to stick! So I’ve been brainstorming eco-friendly ways to clean your home and have five basics to share!
There are eco-friendly ways to clean your home that don’t involve making all of your own cleaners or spending hours on cleaning routines. With these ideas you can start making easy changes to your cleaning routines that will make your routine more green this year!
This post has been sponsored by Art of Green®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4 ECO-FRIENDLY WAYS TO CLEAN YOUR HOME
So the cleaning isn’t going to stop because of the new year. In fact, as we get deeper into the year, our family hits a pretty busy time of year. That means I need my cleaning routines to be quick and easy.
With my goal to be more eco-friendly and green when cleaning, I knew I needed to incorporate small changes into the cleaning I do each day. So I focused on those areas!
1. REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PAPER TOWELS
I feel like my family uses a lot of paper towels. Since we already had a lot of dish towels (and I snagged some holiday-themed ones on clearance to add to the collection), I felt like this was a simple change we could make to be more green in the kitchen.
I have a monthly subscription that delivers some basic household things like paper towels, toilet paper, and dog food. I took paper towels off of our order and am making a commitment to use our dishtowels most of the time.
I do have a backup roll of paper towels stashed in the pantry just in case we need them. But now the dishtowels are in a prominent place in the kitchen to encourage everyone to use them!
2. SWITCH CLEANING PRODUCTS
When I used to think about using cleaning products that were more green, I immediately thought I’d have to make my own cleaners or start paying a lot more than what I pay for my current cleaners.
When I deep cleaned my refrigerator before the holidays, I discovered Art of Green cleaning products at my local H-E-B.
The products are 98% naturally derived with no harsh chemicals. The non-toxic formula is free of parabens, phthalates, glycol solvents, artificial color or phosphates. The products are also dermatologically tested and safe for sensitive skin but still tough on dirt, grease, and grime.
The products are also VERY affordable! I was proven wrong when I thought it would be a lot to change the cleaning products we use, but Art of Green products have become a staple in our house since I used them to get our fridge sparkling clean!
Art of Green is available in:
- Sprays
- Wipes
- Pourables
I use the spray in the kitchen and bathrooms. The wipes are perfect for dealing with small messes too.
Since I’m using fewer paper towels, the Art of Green Wipes are perfect for when we have messes that just need something more than a dishcloth!
But most of the time I snag a dishcloth and my Art of Green Spray to take care of messes around the house. It’s also working great for the general cleaning I do in the kitchen and bathrooms each week.
3. ADJUSTING THE LAUNDRY ROUTINE
We do a lot of laundry in our house. I would love to say I’ve decided to hand wash and hang dry all of our clothes. But that’s not realistic at all!
But I can still make some small changes to make our laundry room more eco-friendly.
There are a few things I’m doing when it comes to laundry including:
- Only doing full loads of laundry (and waiting until we have a full load to start the washing machine!)
- Washing in cold water
- Using the moisture sensor setting on our new dryer so the machine shuts off when the clothes are dry
- Hanging items to dry whenever possible
They’re just small things but I like to think even the smallest change makes a difference!
4. HANDLING PLASTIC BAGS
I was organizing our pantry (which is something I feel like I do every other month) and we have a lot of plastic bags. One habit my family already has is saving our plastic grocery bags to reuse them for whatever purpose we might have.
But I would like to reduce the number of plastic bags we use as well. One of our local grocery stores recycles them for us so I want to start taking them in on a regular basis. But I also bought a new set of fabric grocery bags to keep in the car so I will have them with me!
While I’m not ready to switch to reusable bags for my kids’ lunches, I have been pulling out the baggies they bring home and rinsing them before setting them out to dry and use the next day!
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