Is Spring Cleaning Actually Dirty?

Yesterday was the first day of spring and, as happens every year, it inspired me to do a little spring cleaning. Over the last few months, I’ve switched over almost all of my cleaning products to green alternatives. And that leads me to the topic of the day: If you’re cleaning your floors, counters, and toilet bowls with conventional products, are you really cleaning anything?

Over time, the simple-yet-effective way we do things often gets replaced with something more complicated (which we’re supposed to interpret as “better”) and not always more effective. As an example, I use baking soda and white vinegar when I’m cleaning my kitchen sink. It’s a rather old-school cleaning practice, yet it works extremely well. In addition, the volcanic reaction that happens when the two ingredients come together means a lot of the work is done for me – and it doesn’t get more convenient than that. It also doesn't get more natural.

The EPA reports that indoor air pollution is one of the top five health issues, and a big contributor to that pollution are the cleaning products we use. Landfills even have a term for conventional cleaning products: Household hazardous waste. Yikes! No wonder the air in the average home is more polluted than the outdoor air in a typical big city.

The great news is that green alternatives are now readily available and no longer break the bank. A few of my favorites include Seventh Generation Liquid Dish Soap (www.seventhgeneration.com), Mrs. Meyer’s Surface Wipes (www.mrsmeyers.com), and Sun & Earth Deep Cleaning Laundry Detergent (www.sunandearth.com). Trader Joe’s (www.traderjoes.com) also sells great green cleaning products at an excellent price and deals can often be found at www.drugstore.com.

Question of the blog: If you use green cleaning products, which are your favorites and why?