This is Day 12 of the 31 Days to Green Clean series.
One of my favorite things about Green Cleaning is that I can get my kids involved with helping around the house. I have no worries about giving them a spray bottle full of vinegar and water, or homemade multipurpose cleaner, and a rag and letting them go to town. (The only issue is that sometimes they spray TOO much!) Here are some tips for getting your kids involved in cleaning your home.
Let them clean up after themselves
If one of my kids spills their drink, drops their plate, colors on the walls, or makes some other type of mess around the house, I usually try to involve them in helping with the clean up. They know where they can get a rag and I give them the spray bottle and let them take care of their mess as best as they can.
Of course, I usually have to follow-up with a quick wipe down to make sure everything all clean and they didn’t miss any spots, but it’s usually a much easier job for me at that point, and they learn a valuable lesson about cleaning up after themselves.
Keep them occupied with a cleaning activity
One of my kids favorite activities is what they call “Soapy Bubbles”. Basically I give them a bucket with warm water with several squirts of natural dish soap and a rag, and they get to work cleaning the floors. They think it’s fun, like a game, and I get at least semi-clean floors (they naturally miss some spots), and it keeps them occupied and happy for a good chunk of time so I can get other things done around the house.
Teach them simple cleaning tasks
I also think it’s important to teach kids simple tasks that are part of the household management. Folding rags and wipes, wiping down the sink in the bathroom, mopping, washing dishes, and cleaning the floors and their own messes like I mentioned above, are all things that are easy, and fun, for a young child to do. I can involve my children in basically all of the cleaning tasks around my house, because I don’t have to worry about the chemicals they are being exposed to, which helps them to learn responsibility, and what it takes to keep a home clean and running smoothly. (not that I do that well all the time, but I try!)
Once you get started with green cleaning, you will see how easy it is to get your kids involved and how much they will actually enjoy helping out around the house!
How do you get your kids involved with cleaning around your home?
Go here to read all the posts in the 31 Days to Green Clean series.
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I have the water with the vinegar too. I bought a re-usable Libman mop (like a wet swiffer sans the chemicals) and fill it with water and just a little soap. The kids LOVE mopping the floor with this and now they understand they have to sweep first. My floors have never been so clean. Also they have their own little handbrush and dustpan for little messes or playdough crumbs, etc.
I have taught my 4 year old how to do the “swish and swipe” with the toilet brush but she knows she has to keep it “secret” from the boys who are over zealous with this project. The 5 year old wipes out the sink after everyone brushes their teeth.
I agree that having non-toxic cleaners takes the fear out!
That’s so funny that the boys would be over zealous with the toilet cleaning – I’m sure my boy would be too! 🙂
Lavender oil can be safely used by children to help clean around the house. Diluted with water it makes an excellent cleaning product.
Using Lavender Oil whilst cleaning the house gives a delightfully fresh and clean scent to your home plus you will benefit from Lavender’s calming and relaxing properties. Here are a few suggestions:
# Add a few drops onto your duster and wipe over wooden furniture after polishing. This leaves rooms smelling fresh and clean for days.
# Add a couple of drops to the water before washing the floor. This will leave the room smelling fresh and clean.
# Add a few drops to a sponge and wipe over kitchen surfaces to deter flies and leave your kitchen smelling wonderfully fresh and clean.
Celia Lindsell uses the world’s finest Lavender to produce her Essential Oil. The Lavender is organically grown on the southern slopes on Mont Ventoux, Provence, France at high altitude which produces the strongest fragrance. It is distilled by hand without cutting corners to produce the finest essential oil possible.