4 easy ways to help keep your home green clean  

A clean, well maintained home is not only more pleasant to live in, it can help prospective buyers see its potential, making it easier to sell.  

So when you’re keeping your home spic and span, why not try cleaning with green products?   Keeping a green-clean home is not only better for the environment, it can be better for your health and your wallet.

Here are four tips you can use to clean your home in an environmentally safe way:  

1. The easiest way to start is to buy certified environmentally safe products. There are many to choose from that will clean your home from top to bottom.   

2. If you use a cleaning service, make sure they’re using certified environmentally safe products.  

3. These kitchen staples can be just as effective as many commercial cleaners at a fraction of the cost:  

Baking soda - along with it’s cleaning properties, baking soda also helps eliminate odours. 

• Mix it with water to make a paste and use it to clean sinks and bathtubs.
• Pour a litre of hot water down the drain, followed by 250ml of baking soda, then 250ml of white vinegar and let sit for about 10 minutes. This fizzy concoction will leave the drain cleaner and fresher, especially if you have a garburator. This method will also remove small clogs of grease, toothpaste, or soap. 
• Sprinkle it on the carpet, let sit, then vacuum for a fresher smell. 
• Place a small bowl of it in the fridge to capture odours.  

White vinegar - has antibacterial properties that help clean your home. 

• Use a 50/50 solution of water and white vinegar to make your windows shine 
• Pour a cup of vinegar in your dishwasher’s soap container and turn it on. Do this about once a month for a clean dishwasher. 
• Liberally spritz the barbeque grill with undiluted white vinegar. Let sit for a few minutes, then clean with crumpled aluminum foil. 
• Keep your toilet clean by adding 100 ml to the bowl, let stand for a few minutes, then scrub with a toilet brush and flush.
• Spray your tub, sink and fixtures with undiluted white vinegar, let sit, then wipe with a damp cloth to clean and disinfect.  

4. Poor indoor air quality is more common than you think. Refresh the air in your home by: 

• Opening the windows to get air circulating. 
• Keeping houseplants, they act as a natural air purifier. The best ones are dracaena, peace lilies, spider plants, snake plants, aloe vera, and most green broadleaf plants.  
• Avoiding commercially produced air fresheners. Instead, try reed diffusers with natural essential oils, or create your own by adding  to a spray bottle (in order): 15 ml rubbing alcohol/witch hazel, 30 drops essential oil (swirl spray bottle to mix), then top off with 125 ml distilled/filtered water.