Happy Spring! Could we have better weather this season?

Although I want to spend ALL DAY outside, it’s time to clean out the closets and give the house a spring cleaning.

Don’t let all those commercials with smiling women cleaning their counters fool you: there’s often dangerous chemicals in conventional cleaning products. Companies don’t even have to disclose all the ingredients IN their products. And those “natural”, “Nontoxic” labels – they don’t mean much when it comes down to it.

Don’t fear, dear reader: we’ve compiled a few tips for a sustainable spring cleaning for you!

8 Tips for a Sustainable Spring Cleaning

1. Avoid Phthalates and parabens in many household cleaning products. These chemicals are hormone disruptors, carcinogens and are linked to birth defects.  Think: your typical Scrubbing Bubbles, Spic & Span, Clorox (even their greenwashing “Greenworks,” Lysol and FEBREEZE. The list goes on.)
2. Find the best cleaning products. As I recently mentioned in Metro, The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a database of products that breaks down an overall rating AND tells you to what degree.
3. Swap disposable cleaning aids for reusable: Instead of a Swiffer, invest in a high-quality, ol’ fashioned mop. Instead of disposable sponges, invest in a few clothes and microfiber towels.
4. Wait until you have a full load of laundry to wash it, and wash clothes in cold water (the heat is worse than the water use; only a fraction of the energy is needed for a cold wash).
5. Try to air dry clothes (or use the shortest dry cycle).
6. Put your laundry lint into the compost bin.
7. Save costs by getting baking soda, vinegar & lemon. You can clean stoves, sinks, the works.
8. Outsource deep cleanings once a month to Philly Maid Green, a local sustainable cleaning service. They use all natural products and in 2 hours, my apartment feels brand new.

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher