Spring cleaning is almost upon us. Among all the hours of house cleaning, reorganizing, and clearing the patio of debris left by the winter, you’re bound to have plenty of trash that will need throwing out. Do you know what to recycle and what to toss into the garbage? And do you know about some of the health risks that come with the toxic chemicals in your household cleaners? Today we’ll discuss how to do your spring cleaning in a greener way, one that’s healthier both for the environment and for everyone that lives in your household. Here are a few tips:
Be Careful of Your Cleaning Products
Releasing chemical air fresheners or cleaning products into the air in your home can have health effects that may not be immediate, but could be dire all the same. Toxic chemicals in cleaning products have been linked to lung damage, headaches, and even tumors. Not only do they hang in the air and can be a contributor to smog, but they can harm the quality of your drinking water or be toxic to your pets. There are a few natural cleaning products out there made with essential oils. You can also make your own, using plain soap, vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and salt.
Make the Switch to Paperless
Spring cleaning isn’t just about getting your house organized. You can also use this time to organize other parts of your life. The average American uses about 680 pounds of paper each year, and while it can be recycled, more often than not, it’s thrown away. While it’s impossible to cut out paper entirely, you can certainly cut down your use of paper by switching your bills and your bank statements to paperless. Tired of getting junk mail? You can actually opt out of it and cut down on your mail while also increasing your peace of mind. It’s a win for you and a win for the environment.
Recycle Wherever Possible
Before you start your spring cleaning this year, familiarize yourself again with your recycling service’s list of acceptable materials. Post it on a corkboard somewhere where you’ll see it as you go about your cleaning. It might come in handy to take two bags with you wherever you clean: one for general waste and one for recycling. Everyone slips up once in a while, but constantly reminding yourself will help you to recycle as much as possible for this spring cleaning season. This way, you can clear out your house of all its clutter while also helping to cut down on the raw materials that need to be used in packaging and other productions.
If you want to make your spring cleaning that much greener this year, let Brazos Valley Trash Valet & Recycling help. We offer weekly residential curbside trash pickup for just $21.95/mo (plus tax), included with complementary recycling services. We accept plastics #1-7 and more materials than our competitors. Contact us today to subscribe or for more information.
