Green in 365: Green Cleaning in the Living Room

 

This is Day 30 of the Green in 365 series!

We’re almost finished with going green in our living rooms, there’s just one thing left to do. Clean them. And of course, we want to use safe and non-toxic cleaners that are also effective. We’ve talked a lot about green cleaning in the past, and you can read those posts for even more information, but here are some simple ideas for green cleaning in the living room .

Dust – Dust is one of the main issues in a living area, on our bookshelves, knick knacks, and electronics. I use a dry microfiber cloth to dust our electronics and TV, and then use my homemade dusting spray with the microfiber cloth to dust the rest of the room.

Carpets or Rugs – Use baking soda, with several drops of essential oils added and shaken together, to shake over your rugs and carpets before vacuuming. It will refresh your rugs and leave a nice lingering scent, as well as help to pick up pet hair and dirt off of your carpet or rug.

For stains on your carpet or rug, I’ve found that vinegar and water is a pretty great stain remover, and also helps to eliminate odors from pet stains. If you need something a little stronger, you can try adding some natural dish soap with the vinegar, or sprinkle Borax over the stain, spray with vinegar, let it dry, and then vacuum it up. As always, test a small spot of the carpet or rug first to make sure the treatment doesn’t affect the color of the carpet.

Wood Floors – I use a mixture of warm water, vinegar and natural dish soap to clean my wood floors. Be sure not to over wet the floor, and dry them after you’ve mopped. We’ll be talking next week about another all natural cleaner for your wood floors.

Declutter – I’m trying to follow the saying, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” from William Morris for our home. Decluttering and getting rid of stuff around our homes is a great way to simplify our lives and is an easy step to take toward less consumerist and more sustainable living.

How do you green clean in your living room?

Find all the Green in 365 posts.

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