Though there are those who take immense pleasure in doing everything possible to keep their home clean, most people are simply not that crazy about the tiring tasks involved in the process.

Apart from not being able to miss a single day when it comes to tidying, we also have to organise occasional time-consuming cleaning projects, such as washing the windows, which only add to the stress caused by housekeeping.

Another reason why many people are not completely happy with cleaning tasks is the fact that they have to use all sorts of chemicals, which might cause various health problems. Now, while there still isn’t anything that can be done to avoid having to spend time cleaning the house, there is quite a lot that you can do to make your cleaning tasks as green as possible.

Washing windows

This nightmare of a job often involves products based on ammonia, but they can be replaced with a mixture of four tablespoons of lemon juice and half a litre of water. You might also want to try rubbing alcohol and witch hazel. What you can also do is use old cotton shirts or cloth diapers instead of old newspapers, since they create much less fuss and mess. ­

Furniture polish

Traditionally, polish is made of petroleum distillates and solvents, which are not only dangerous, but also smell bad. If you’re using one of them, make sure you keep it away from the reach of children. However, if you want to have a good polish that isn’t so dangerous, you can just use a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice (2:1 ratio) and apply it using a soft cloth.

Metal polish

Your brass, copper, stainless steel, and chrome items also deserve your attention. Still, instead of traditional ammonia-based products, you might want to experiment with a greener option that includes a paste made of salt, vinegar and flour in equal measure. Again, use a soft cloth to rub the paste onto the surface. Cover the surface and let it dry for at least an hour before removing the dried paste using a clean cloth. You could also try to clean lightly tarnished brass or copper items using lemon. Slice a lemon and dip it in salt. Use the salted slices to rub the item, rinse and dry thoroughly.

Decluttering

As all professionals from companies offering comprehensive home cleaning will tell you, the more stuff you have around the house, the more difficult and time-consuming your cleaning will be. Also, you’ll have to use more energy, which means your bills will be higher.

You may sell or donate the items you no longer need, which will not only help you keep everything tidy and in order, but you might even earn some extra cash. If you’re not after money, you might want to donate some of your still-usable items.

Floor mopping

If you add one cup of vinegar to a litre of warm (not lukewarm, but warm) water and use the mixture to mop your floors, you’ll be surprised how easy it is. What’s even better, there’s no need to rinse, which is a great time-saver. Regardless of whether your floor is covered with vinyl, linoleum, ceramic tiles or wood, it’s bound to shine, as long as you don’t overdo it and saturate the floor with the solution. Just a touch is enough.

Green pros

In case you don’t feel like undertaking all these activities yourself, for any reason whatsoever, it’s good to know that now you can find professionals who will keep your home spotlessly clean and healthy in truly a green way. Depending on the scope of work you need to be taken care of, you can use online forms to calculate house cleaning prices in your area.

Eventually, we all want our homes to be clean, but the thing we can change is what products will be used when performing such tasks. If we can achieve practically the same results using more eco-friendly options, which are usually cheaper as well, there’s no reason to stick to aggressive chemicals.