Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips For A Sustainable Christmas
With Christmas approaching fast, it’s easy to get swept up in all the frenzy involved with preparing, cleaning, planning and decorating for the occasion. In the midst of all this, many of us tend to forget how our actions might be affecting the environment around us. For example, the vast multitude of wrapping paper, excessive energy usage, and chemical-laden cleaning products can all contribute to the ecological strain. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be like this; there is a way out.
Adopting eco-friendly practices will allow you to enjoy a more sustainable Christmas that is both kinder on the planet and does not compromise on the merrymaking. This piece will explore the eco-friendly tips for cleaning that you can follow, so whether you’re gearing up for a family gathering or preparing for an end of lease cleaning in Sydney, these tips will help you achieve a greener and more conscious festive season.
1. Ditch the Chemicals and Opt for Naturals
Most of the cleaning products you generally find in commercial places contain toxic chemicals that can harm both your and the environment’s health. So instead of those, opt for the natural, biodegradable alternatives, which are just as effective but minus the harm caused. When you combine baking soda, vinegar and water, you can create an effective all-purpose cleaner. Lemon juice is another versatile natural ingredient that can be used for cleaning and leaving a fresh, citrusy scent behind.
These natural solutions are safe and economical and reduce your dependency on single-use plastic bottles, making them a win-win solution for you and the environment.
2. Reuse and Repurpose Cleaning Tools
Instead of buying disposable cleaning wipes or paper towels, you can make the switch to reusable cloths and old t-shirts that are cut into rags for cleaning. Along this line, microfiber cloths are very effective as they can trap dust without requiring harsh chemical sprays, and they’re reusable!
For scrubbing tasks, consider using biodegradable options like scrub brushes or even using an old toothbrush for the hard-to-reach corners in your home. If you’re cleaning the carpets in preparation for guests or for professional end of lease cleaning Sydney, try a homemade mixture of baking soda and cornstarch to freshen up the fabrics. This will reduce waste while keeping harmful toxins away from your home.
3. Use Water Judiciously
During cleaning, we often end up using a lot of water and with the growing water scarcity in Australia, being conscious of how much and in what way we are using water is important. A simple change to adopt here is utilising a bucket instead of continuously using running water for our cleaning tasks. When mopping floors, opt for a damp mop rather than a completely soaked one. Similarly, pre-soaking dirty dishes or surfaces can soften the dirt and cut down on the need for scrubbing under running water.
By incorporating these techniques, you can significantly reduce your water consumption levels.
4. Use Eco-Friendly Floor and Surface Cleaners
There are many eco-certified cleaning products in Australian stores that are made with sustainable ingredients and packaged in recyclable materials. For example, brands like Ecostore, Earth Choice, Biozet Attack, Tru Earth, etc., are all GECA certified.
Alternatively you can also make homemade cleaning solutions. For example, if you want to clean hardwood floors, a mix of olive oil and white vinegar can work wonders; for tiles, a paste of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and water can scrub away the grime without leaving scratches.
5. Be Mindful During Waste Disposal
Sustainability is not just about eco-friendly cleaning – it’s also about managing waste responsibly. Sort out your garbage into general and organic waste whenever possible. If you’re de-cluttering for Christmas, donate usable but unwanted items to local charities instead of dumping them. For larger waste disposal needs, consider hiring an eco-friendly rubbish removal service. Many companies also offer options to recycle or repurpose materials; this will ensure that the clean-up efforts are in alignment with your sustainability goals.
6. Sensible Utilisation of energy
When cleaning, we often use energy-intensive appliances like vacuums and washing machines to aid us. To reduce our energy consumption in this step, we can choose energy-efficient models of these appliances and use them during off-peak hours whenever possible. Another thing we can do here is, instead of using the dryer machine, we can air-dry our laundry and cleaning tools. This will not only cut back on the energy used but also help in naturally disinfecting the items using the sun’s warmth.
Another small step we can take is when undertaking our cleaning tasks; we can do so in daylight hours to avoid having to turn on the lights, saving energy further. These small and simple steps can make a significant difference in terms of energy consumption, especially when preparing for end of lease cleaning Sydney or when hosting Christmas gatherings.
Green Cleaning Tips for a Sustainable Christmas
Wrapping up
Christmas is not just a time for celebration and gifts; it’s also a time to give back and spread kindness to both people and the environment. With these tips and a little bit of environmental proactiveness, we can ensure that our holiday traditions leave a lasting legacy of care and respect for the planet.
