Spring has to be one of our favourite seasons of the year!
Nature proves to us once again how resilient she is, as new life pops up all around us & we dust ourselves off after surviving another winter.
Just like nature, we can dust off our homes after winter with a healthy dose of Spring Cleaning, and cleaning products are one of our favourite ways to introduce eco-friendly changes into our lives!
Did you know? The habit of cleaning our homes each spring dates back to open fire heating in homes which left them literally coated in grime, soot and dust after each cold season.
We’re of the mindset that cleaning should, in the very least, be healthy for our homes & bodies - and better yet it can be FUN & eco-friendly at the same time!
Cleaning Products
If you’ve ever cleaned in a poorly ventilated space with conventional cleaning products, only to be overwhelmed by toxic fumes - it comes as no surprise that there is room for improvement on our cleaning products! We’re big fans of cleaning products that not only WORK, but smell great, are non-toxic and earth friendly!
Look for products with plant based ingredients (that you can actually read!), essential oils instead of artificial fragrances, and words like biodegradable on the label. Be careful for products which are ‘greenwashing’ their image to appear eco-friendly or ‘natural’, when in fact the ingredients list reveal things like fragrance, sodium laurel sulphate (SLS), and parabens.
Another great option for eco-friendly cleaning products are switching to concentrates or powders, as they weigh less and therefor emit less carbon during their transportation to the shelf. Examples include laundry strips, powdered detergent for the dishwasher and/or laundry machine, and super concentrated cleaning formulas with less water. Instead of paying to have water as an ingredient shipping and packaged, you can water down concentrated formulas at home from the tap!
Lastly, the more local the product is made, the better, especially if reducing the carbon footprint of your purchases is high on your list!
Cleaning Tools
Would you believe that every conventional sponge, toilet brush, and scrubbing instrument ever made is still on the planet today? Without compromising function, there are now many earth friendly items on the market which fully biodegrade following multiple uses around the house!
One of the hottest cleaning swaps to come out of Sweden is the Swedish Dishcloth - this super absorbent hybrid between a paper towel and a sponge can be used for upwards of 1 year and then composted. It can be washed in the dishwasher or laundry machine, and one Swedish Dishcloth replaces up to 17 rolls of paper towel! Not to mention, they are offered in stylish designs or with cheeky quotes to get you smiling as you clean (Oops, I cleaned it again!).
TIP: Save the cloth to use as paper towel once you are done with using it as a cloth.
Plant based sponges, scrubbers, and wooden brushes are simple swaps around the house with zero plastic and the advantage of biodegrading at the end of their life cycle.
Ready to freshen up your Spring Cleaning this year?
At FILL, we are proud to offer a wide selection of plant based, non-toxic cleaning products and tools from amazing companies! All of our cleaning products are available for refill, saving you money and saving on packaging win-win for you and the planet!
It wouldn’t be a spring cleaning blog without mentioning the hottest non-toxic cleaning line available in B.C right now- Mint Cleaning!
Based in Ucluelet on Vancouver Island, and created by dynamic duo Monika & Robyn who are growing a huge following on social media for their cleaning tips & all-natural product like that really works! Do yourself a favour and give them a follow on Instagram (@mintcleaning_) for cleaning tips & tricks and to learn more about their exciting product line.
The entire line-up of Mint Cleaning is available at FILL stores for refill and in original packaging, including the product that started it all - the cleaning scrub.
Eco-friendly Cleaning Tips!
- Choose products in glass packaging and/or with the option to refill to save plastic from entering our waste stream and oceans!
- Look for products scented with essential oils instead of synthetic fragrance oils (which sadly, 95% of products still use!) - they are healthier for you, your family, and the planet!
- Freshen up mattresses by sprinkling a deodorizer, letting it sit for 1-2 hours, and then vacuuming up the deodorizer (along with all the musty smells!). The same trick can be used for carpets or rugs!
- Wipe away the grease and grime from your stove hood fan with Mint Cleaning Scrub.
- Washing the outside of windows can be done in a few easy steps: use an All Purpose Cleaner first to remove any grime, and then squeegee a window cleaner across the surface. Go vertical on one side of the glass and then horizontal on the other side to see where any streaks are.
- Clean the top of cabinets by vacuuming and wiping down the build up. Place newspaper on the top of cabinets to collect the grime & dust for easy cleaning!
- Most importantly, make cleaning FUN & joyful - share your tips & tricks with family and friends or ask us for a product recommendation, we love to help!