Eco-friendly tips & tricks for spring cleaning
by Multi-Prêts Mortgages
What you’ll learn
- Disinfectant recipe
- Windows and the barbecue grill
- Getting rid of junk
The sun smiles down upon us longer and longer each day and the weather’s heating up, which means it’s time for the famous spring clean!
In fact, if you want to put your house up for sale, it’s in your best interest to make it as pretty as possible beforehand, as explained in the article: “Setting your home up for success to sell this spring.”
Here are some cheap, eco-friendly tips and tricks for a cleaner house.
Homemade disinfectant recipes
A litre of hot water, a bit of lemon juice and white vinegar should be suitable for most surfaces.
For the toilet, a half-cup of baking soda and a quarter cup of white vinegar works wonders. Invert the proportions to clean pipes, the bathtub and the sink.
The greasiest surfaces could benefit from a thorough rubbing with coffee grounds. We also recommend them to degrease the inside of pipes by dropping a spoonful inside and running some hot water.
Cleaning the BBQ
To start off the barbecue season on the right foot, let the grills soak in water for a few hours. Once again, a mix of water, baking soda (3 tablespoons) and white vinegar (2 tablespoons) will do wonders.
Washing the windows
A mix of water and white vinegar should usually be enough. Whether you go with a 50/50 mix or a 75/25 one (of water/vinegar), the results will be similar to those of a commercial product.
It’s better to clean while the sun isn’t shining directly on the glass. Otherwise, the disinfectant could dry and leave marks behind.
Instead of emptying your paper towel rolls, use newspapers or a squeegee.
Getting rid of junk
Some things just gather dust and take up space. You’d be surprised by the price some of your junk could fetch if you listed it in the classified ads.
In addition, minimalism is a way of life and decoration that is gaining popularity. Check out our article on “Minimalism: Living with less, daily” for more information.
If you want to get rid of electronics, it’s preferable to dispose of them in designated areas where they’ll be recycled. Many municipalities now offer such services.
- Water, vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda and essential oils can replace most store-bought cleaning products.
- For windows, some crumpled newspaper and a cloudy day will be your best friends.
- Don’t be afraid to let go of things you don’t need.
