With the awakening of nature and the warming of the days comes the motivation for spring cleaning. Now that it's no longer so cold outside, it's time to free the house and garden from the accumulated rubbish and give them a thorough clean. But you can also be environmentally conscious when cleaning the house.
During the annual spring clean, it is important not to use chemicals that are harmful to the environment and not to throw away tonnes of waste that is not biodegradable. All materials that are recyclable should be thrown into the appropriate recycling bin so that valuable materials are not simply incinerated or end up in landfill. Pay particular attention to hazardous waste, which must be disposed of separately at the recycling centre. If hazardous waste such as paint buckets, oil or chemicals as well as electronic waste is simply thrown into household waste, toxic chemicals can be released into the soil or the air.
Items in good condition from the household or wardrobe should be given to charity organisations. It is a shame what is often thrown away, even though other people would be happy to receive it.
Biodegradable waste can be thrown onto the compost heap. You can also simply dig a hole in the garden, throw in the biodegradable waste and cover the hole again. Within a few weeks, the waste will turn into valuable manure.
Do not use disposable materials for cleaning, but use items from your own rubbish. This means that instead of cheap disposable cloths or kitchen paper, you can cut up an old T-shirt or use old plastic bottles as containers for cleaning products. Old toothbrushes make excellent scrubbing brushes for small crevices.
Only use natural agents and materials for cleaning. Brooms and scrubbing brushes should be made from natural, renewable materials that can be put in the compost heap when they are no longer usable.
Only use cleaning agents that are environmentally friendly. You can also make your own cleaning agents with lemon juice and vinegar.
To round off the spring clean, air the home well and place a few plants in the rooms. Small bowls with a potpourri of dried fruits, woods, spices and essential oils give the house a natural fragrance.
Heating and air conditioning systems pollute the environment, so they should only be switched on when necessary.
