Green Spring Cleaning SERIES – Week 3
April 15, 2009
In week 2, we cleaned our dishwasher, refrigerator and oven. Did it work? Anyone find anything fun under their refrigerator? If you are just starting, make sure to check out week 1 where we greened our cleaning products. On to week 3!
Another way to improve your indoor air quality is to keep the level of dust in your house down. House dust contains tiny particles of pollen, mold, fibers from clothing and fabrics, detergents, and microscopic insects (mites) and dust mites are the primary cause of dust allergies.
I don’t know about you but I don’t have time to dust everything, every week ( or every two weeks ). Take an hour or two this week and get caught up by catching the dust in your house in all these places:
- light fixtures
- ceiling fans
- ceiling corners
- baseboards
- clocks
- lamps
- framed photos and art
- decorative accessories
- books
- mattresses ( this is where those dust mites are hiding – yuck! )
- shake out large rugs and furniture cushions outside
- wash small rugs
When you are choosing products to dust with, consider ditching your aerosol cans. They irritate your throat for a reason – the chemicals in the can are floating in the air and you’re inhaling them. Grab an old t-shirt or rag and dampen it. If you want polish for your furniture, try a bit of olive oil.
To keep your dusting duty down in the future, try these tips:
- vacuum weekly with a HEPA filter ( and keep it clean )
- have your air ducts cleaned out ( I’ve seen many people online swear by this )
- when replacing flooring, choose a hard surface over carpeting
- change your house air filters ( more details on this in week 8 )
If you want to jump ahead to week 4, check out the entire MGG Guide to Green Spring Cleaning. You can also print a copy to keep it on hand for each week’s task.
