Spring Cleaning: A Green Approach

Spring is green. The grass is more green than it will be all the rest of the year. The leaves are just beginning to show, and, they are lovely shades of green. The green stems of the flowers show first, and then they produce buds and beautiful flowers. We welcome spring and rejoice in the newness. Now we strive to protect the green aspects of our earth with green products and style of living. I would like to incorporate the green aspect into my spring cleaning this year even more.

When I was a child I watched as my grandmother did her spring cleaning. She lived on a farm in Ohio. There was no electricity. No electrical devices to help her with her tasks. I watched, and helped when I could, as she carried things from the farmhouse out into the yard. She scrubbed furniture. She washed curtains and bedding in a large metal tub. She stretched the freshly washed curtain onto wooden frames lined with small nails to shape the curtains as they dried. Her cleaning supplies were created from everyday supplies. She made her bar soap earlier. Everything was green!

Our family lived in a post WWII Cape Cod style home on the edge of my grandparent's farm. My mother had a different spring cleaning method. She opened all of the windows. She removed everything she could from one room at a time and washed everything that would fit into the washing machine and hung the items on a clothesline to dry. The walls, baseboards and floors were scrubbed. Then each item was cleaned before it was placed back into the room. Everything was fresh and clean. She had laundry detergent, several kinds of cleansers and commercial products to help her accomplish this spring cleaning as well as electric appliances.

In my apartment I will use a lot of the techniques that my mother used for her spring cleaning. However, this year I made washable and reusable cleaning aids. My cleaning supplies are eco friendly. And I am more conscious of recycling and reusing items.

Ten eco friendly spring cleaning plans I have are to:

Use green cleaning products

Create or choose cleaning tools that are reusable/sustainable

Use recycled/found materials for storage

Donate used clothing

Donate any unwanted furniture to an organization for reuse

Properly dispose of any hazardous materials: paint, batteries, electrical items

Recycle all possible discarded items

Check for electrical devices that may be using too much electricity and replace them

Check windows and draperies for proper shade/insulation

Check all light bulbs for appropriate energy usage

These small steps may lead the way to a more eco friendly approach to spring cleaning. As I discover more ways to incorporate earth friendly techniques and materials into my lifestyle I will strive to do so. In doing so I see a blending of the way my grandmother cleaned, the way my mother cleaned and the way I clean. The process looks more green to me. I have a lot to learn, but am glad to begin in this small way.