Tips to clean green for an environmentally friendly home

Those cleaning products we may all be used to are called ‘harsh’ for a good reason: they’re harmful to the environment and to us, humans. Incorporating ‘green’ cleaning methods keeps everyone in your home safe and still ensures you have a clean home. 

Harmful chemicals aren’t necessary to get things spic and span. You can get the job done most often with natural ingredients. Create your own all-natural cleaning kit with the following: Borax (to disinfect, whiten and deodorize), baking soda (for scrubbing), white vinegar (to disinfect and loosen dirt), lemon juice (disinfects, degreases), olive oil (to polish wood) and castile soap (all-purpose foaming cleaner). There are many websites that offer recipes for make-your-own cleaning solutions. Apartment Therapy is a great option at www.apartmenttherapy.com. 

There are other ways to reduce your carbon footprint at home – one easy way is to use less electricity. A well-insulated home retains heat and will reduce your heating costs. Double-glazed windows also help prevent heat loss from your home. 

Turn your leftovers and kitchen scraps into compost. Place a compost bin in your garden and fill it with food waste. Your landscape will love you for it! Many cities sell compost bins and offers tips on how to get started. 

Install a programmable thermostat. No more having to manually turn the dial one way during the day, then having to remember to turn it back on when everyone’s home during the evening. They’re easy to program (even from your own smartphone) and you’ll save on heating and cooling costs.

Replace any old light bulbs with LED bulbs. They’re cooler to the touch, meaning no burnt fingers, and they don’t emit heat. A typical incandescent bulb only has 1,000 lifetime hours, whereas an LED bulb will last 25,000 hours. Think about having to replace those hard-to-reach fixtures in the stairwell way less often! 

Contact me anytime to find out how I can help you on your real estate journey! Email me at mariongoard@kw.com or call 905-335-8808.