Go Green At Home: Tips | Scrubbi Home Cleaning

Economical ways to go green at home are a lot easier than you might think! And if you’re still on the fence about whether small but effective changes are really worth it or make any difference, noodle on this shocking fact.

Since 2007, the Canadian Health Measures Survey has measured more than 270 chemicals in the blood and urine of nearly 30,000 Canadians between age 3 and 79. We are routinely exposed to pollutants in our homes, workplaces and schools, digesting, inhaling and absorbing harmful chemicals through our skin.

So yeah … finding easy, simple and affordable ways to go green and reduce pollutants in your safe space (aka, home), feels a little more pressing now, right? Here are 8 ways you can do just that, starting today.

1. Coming in hot in the top spot is … dust. A lot, and regularly

This Environmental Science & Technology study took on indoor dust (yep, they went through vacuum bags!) and found residential indoor dust consistently contains chemicals from multiple classes. We’re talking phthalates, phenols, replacement flame retardants and perfluoroalkyl substances. That’s a lot of syllables, but you need to know that many of these are “forever” chemicals that can lead to increased risk of cancer, fertility issues, thyroid issues, immune dysfunction and chronic disease.

If dusting is, ahem, your least fave thing to do, consider hiring a regular weekly or biweekly house cleaning service to come in and do that tedious dusting for you. You’ll drastically reduce the amount of environment toxins circulating in your home without any of the work.

Moving on the rest of our list of easy and economical ways to go green at home, in no particular order

2. Open your windows

Forego the scented air fresheners aisle in your local grocery store. The eco-friendly way to create a fresh-air flow through your home is to crack open some windows, even in the winter. For days when the cold is just too much, infuse your home with a beautiful aroma by boiling a pot of water with some fresh lemon wedges, or a spice mix of your choice (think cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, etc).

3. Choose eco-friendly cleaning products

You can make a whole arsenal of natural cleaning products at home (we have a whole list of great DIY recipes using essential oils right here – link to download). It’s one of the more popular affordable ways to go green at home, but you don’t have to go that far if you don’t want to. There are plenty of eco-friendly and non-toxic cleaning solutions for every area of your home. In fact, Scrubbi cleaners use only certain brands, including but not limited to Method, Seventh Generation and Greenworks so we know they are just as effective as cleaners containing bleach and other harsh chemicals.

If you don’t want to make your own cleansers, no worries. There are several eco-friendly and non-toxic brands (for example, TruEarth) that offer dissolvable refill pods instead of buying new plastic spray bottles every time you need to re-up. And that segues nicely into our next suggestion … swapping plastic for glass spray bottles (and other containers).

4. Out with the plastic, in with the glass

This goes for everything from cleaning solutions to food storage. Get rid of the plastics and opt for glass containers that won’t stain or potentially leach phthalates. There are also other phthalate-free options besides glass, including stainless steel, ceramic or silicone storage containers.

Top tip: To see if something contains phthalate compounds, look for the “3” inside the universal recycling symbol usually found moulded into the bottom of the product. Avoid products with the “3” inside the arrows and the letters “V” or “PVC” below the arrows.

5. Choose fabric shower curtains and liners

Top tip: To see if something contains phthalate compounds, look for the “3” inside the universal recycling symbol usually found moulded into the bottom of the product. Avoid products with the “3” inside the arrows and the letters “V” or “PVC” below the arrows.

Hot steam and plastics filled with phthalates and chemicals? No, thanks. Opt for fabric shower curtains and liners instead of plastic ones. Fabric curtains and liners are more resistant to mould and mildew, so they stay cleaner, longer. The best part? When they do get icky, you can throw them in the washing machine and reuse them, cutting down on landfill waste as well.

6. Switch from dryer sheets to a reusable alternative

Don’t give up the scent of fresh laundry – just get it from a natural source rather than chemical-filled single-use dryer sheets. Replace your dryer sheets with a wool dryer ball. These hard-core laundry softeners cost anywhere from $18 to $30 for 4-6 balls on Amazon.ca, but here’s where the savings really kick in: Each dryer ball can do up to 1,000 loads of laundry, making it one of the most affordable ways to go green! Add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to your wool dryer ball to infuse some aroma into your laundry. You’ll know it’s time to replace your wool dryer ball when it becomes larger and softer – but that won’t be quite a long time.

7. Go green with indoor plants

Plants lift your spirits, and do a fantastic job scrubbing junk out of the air! They can’t replace an air purifying machine, but they reduce levels of CO2 to help get rid of stale air and act as a natural humidifier. Here’s a list of some top picks for indoor plants:

Spider plant
Dracaena
Ficus
Peace lily
Boston fern
Snake plant

8. Compost like a champ!

If you don’t have a kitchen countertop compost bin, time to pick one up! Stainless steel is a popular choice, as it doesn’t rust or stain. Look for a countertop bin with a charcoal filter to reduce odour, and place a folded paper towel in the bottom for easy emptying. Throw in everything from fruit and veggie trimmins to eggshells and coffee grinds.

You may want to keep meat trimmings and dinner scraps out of your kitchen composter. If you have curbside compost pick-up, place meat off-cuts in a container and place it in the freezer – you can keep adding to it until it’s compost-pick-up day. It keeps odours down, and your kitchen compost prime for other uses like garden food.