Spring is here and that means the dreaded end-of-season clean-out. While we don’t have any magical tricks to make it less boring, apart from blasting some awesome music (ABBA, anyone?), here are 6 easy ways to help you sustainably spring clean your home. Let’s get into it!
1. Donate or sell unwanted goods
Spring is the perfect time to take stock of what you have in your home and identify what items no longer serve a purpose for you. Have extra kitchen utensils, baking accessories or clothing that you never use? In the wise words of Marie Kondo, does it spark joy? Or, could it spark someone else's joy?
Whether it is your closet, kitchen, garage or any other spot in your home, now is a wonderful time to sell or donate unwanted items in good condition (restrictions permitting).
Find you’re actually in need of things? Lower your environmental impact and shop second hand. Supporting these stores by donating and buying really does make a difference to your finances and the planet.
Here are our top tips for second-hand treasure hunting.
2. Baking soda cleans everything.
The Queen of Multifunction aka baking soda can clean everything. Haven’t used baking soda for cleaning before? It is simple! Just add water to make a paste and use an old brush to scrub surfaces clean, rinse and you’re done. To deodorise a stinky fridge or freezer, simply pop some baking soda in a container (no lid), place in your fridge or freezer and it will eliminate any nasty smells.
Have any other baking soda cleaning hacks? Send our team an email at hello@ethique.com and we will add it to this list.
3: Use our Flash! Laundry bar and stain remover
Whether it is spot cleaning face masks, cleaning make-up brushes, or giving your white sneakers new life, our Flash Laundry bar and stain remover will get the job done. Just look at the results below:
Photo source: instagram.com/thedollis
4. Flash can also be turned into a cleaning spray
A simple bottle of white vinegar and a few bits of Flash, (or your favorite soap/baking soda) mixed into a tablespoon of hot water works wonders – just do it on a nice day, so you can air out the house. I actually sprayed it on the mildew in my bathtub (clearly, I don’t clean enough…) and left it for a few hours. I came back, sprayed on some more and found it made scrubbing far easier. Bonus: it didn’t make me dizzy, the way bleaches sometimes do. It might even encourage your family to go outdoors until the smell fades away.
Learn more about Flash, our solid laundry and stain remover bar.
5. Tea tree oil for a fantastic disinfectant spray.
Make sure you buy it in a glass bottle and use about 20 drops, with two cups of water and a bit of grated Flash for good measure.
6. Lemons make fast work of grimy microwaves.
Another fantastic cleaning ingredient is lemon juice, especially because it makes cleaning microwaves super easy. Squeeze half a lemon into a bowl of water, pop it in the microwave and turn it on for about five minutes. Keep an eye on it, and make sure you use a microwave-safe container. It should help with the yucky smells of a well-loved appliance.
Alternatively, use our kitchen spray concentrate. Or, if you have a Flash bar at home, grate some into a bowl, mix with twice as much water, and then microwave to melt. Stir gently into your cleaning concoction, or use as is.
Happy sustainable spring cleaning!
