Eco-Friendly Spring Cleaning

Increasing awareness as to what toxic ingredients are in our everyday household cleaners should inspire us to explore new, green, eco-friendly alternatives. In fact, many of the mainstream commercial cleaning products are rife with neurotoxins and petrochemicals. Only about 30% of them have even been tested for human and environmental safety. Amazingly, the institutional cleaning industry uses about 6.2 billion pounds of chemicals in cleaning products every year.

Isn’t it time to rethink what we are exposing ourselves and our families to, not to mention the environment at large, when it comes to cleaning our homes? With a retooling of our cleaning habits, Americans can adopt new, healthy housekeeping practices using eco-friendly products.

All Natural Cleaning for Carpet and Hard Surface Flooring

Carpet

In addition to regular vacuuming, a minimum of 1-2 times per week, regularly scheduled carpet cleaning using a green, eco-friendly carpet care service provider will prolong the life of your carpet without leaving a chemical residue. We highly suggest checking out Bock’s Steam Star for your carpet cleaning needs. Steam cleaning is a fantastic natural way to ensure that your carpets stay beautiful and bacteria free.

Hardwood and Laminates

In cleaning hardwood or laminate floors, remember that you want zero moisture left on the wood after cleaning. Using a disposable mop head will eliminate lurking germs and bacteria. Disposable mops may not seem like an environmentally conscious choice, but they are much more sanitary than a mop that is used over and over again.

Environmentally friendly cleaning products such as the Bona line are designed specifically for caring for hardwood floors safely, and free of chemicals. A homemade solution of vinegar and water is a good natural option to consider when cleaning hard surfaces, just remember to wipe it dry when you are done.

Tile and Grout

Tile can be a fantastic addition to any home, but a bit of a challenge to clean. When cleaning ceramic, porcelain, and stone tile, warm water is the best choice. Use a disposable or machine washable mop head and plain warm water for a good cleaning that is chemical-free. For cleaning tile grout, mix a paste of baking soda, dish soap, and hydrogen peroxide and fill a squeeze bottle. Apply the mixture directly to the grout and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. The last step is to wipe the area clean for fresh sparkling grout!

More Eco-Friendly House Cleaning

Kitchens and Baths

Steer clear of commercial products that will irritate the skin, lungs, and mucous membranes. Instead, utilize vinegar and baking soda for the majority of cleaning tasks in the kitchen and bathroom.

Bathrooms

In bathrooms, spray straight vinegar onto mold and mildew in the shower, and use a mixture of vinegar and water for regular mold prevention. For a fresh, clean toilet, mix a half cup of vinegar and a tablespoon of baking soda. When it comes to sinks, combine two cups baking soda with ½ cup eco-friendly dish soap, 1 cup of water, and ½ cup of vinegar.

Kitchen

For natural stone countertops, use two drops of eco-friendly dish soap into two cups of warm water, wipe the mixture onto your counter, then remove soap residue with a damp cloth. For granite, mix three drops of the dish soap with ¼ cup rubbing alcohol and 1 cup of water into a spray bottle, Spray the area down and then wipe with a slightly damp cloth.

Mirrors

For sparkling mirrors (and windows), mix equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle for an eco-friendly alternative to Windex or any other related commercial glass cleaners which can sometimes contain toxic levels of ammonia.

Are your floors and carpets past the point of no return and need to be replaced? Contact Carpet Direct today to receive a quote on some of our replacement flooring options!