Spring has arrived - the days are lighter, the trees are greener and all signs of winter are slowly fading away. To happily settle into the fresh feeling that spring brings, we are getting ready for the annual Spring Clean!
A decluttered and organised home will save you time on a day-to-day basis and a thorough Spring Clean can help remove allergens you may not get rid of in your regular cleaning routine. On top of this, studies show that tidiness keeps your mind de-stressed and generally calmer - in other words, a happy home equals a happy life! According to the Queen of tidying, world-famous Marie Kondo, reducing the noise of things around us allows us to focus on creating the life we want and decreases our cortisol level - a good reason to be a bit strict with yourself and make clear piles of ‘keep’ and ‘not keep’!
Don’t know where to begin? The most difficult part is to get started and most people don’t Spring Clean their home only because they feel overwhelmed by the amount of work involved with it. That’s why we have compiled a room by room schedule to keep your journey through the house as smooth as possible - and only do what’s truly essential!
DOWNLOAD OUR SPRING CLEAN CHECKLIST
But before you put on your rubber gloves and start polishing, we want to remind you of some essential principles to bear in mind to keep your cleaning session eco-friendly. So, if Spring Cleaning is on your agenda - get ready to embrace your inner eco-warrior and refer to our favourite tips and tricks for a simple yet sustainable spring clean!
People And Planet-Friendly Cleaning Products
Scrubbing, soaking, washing and dusting - here comes the satisfying transformation which makes your home go from dusty corners to polished countertops. One thing we like to bear in mind at the BLANC head office is to always be careful with what products we use: a surface might look clean, but using harsh chemicals in this process can contaminate your home with toxins.
Our home cleaning products are all natural and will give your home a healthy shine. Bio D’s All-purpose Sanitiser Spray is a natural, versatile cleaner perfect for all hard surfaces to remove grime and odours and leave a deep streak-free shine. As for the bathroom, the Natural Bathroom Cleaner Spray is perfect for most non-porous surfaces, like glass, ceramics, perspex and chrome. All you need to do is spray, wait and wipe! Next, give your windows some love and a spotless finish with Good for Glass. It is an award-winning glass and mirror cleaner that very effectively cleans all glass and hard, shiny surfaces without smearing. And about that pile of dirty clothes making a mess in your bedroom, make sure to wash them with eco-friendly detergents, such as the Delicate Detergent with Orange Oil from Tangent GC. It treats the cell structure of natural fabrics gently and makes your clothes last longer. Lastly, give that finishing scent of a clean home with our plant-based All Purpose Spray which cleans dirt and germs from any non-porous surface.
A Zero Waste Clean
At BLANC, reducing waste is a priority, therefore we want to encourage a zero waste Spring Clean. At first, waste-free living can sound nearly impossible to achieve, but the most important is to develop new habits and routines to progressively phase single-use products out of your life. This is why our Spring Clean Checklist includes some easy zero waste switches to adopt for each room in your home.
Wipes, cloths and tissues often come as single-use items and in plastic packages, which leaves us shaking our heads. If you are having a hard time saying goodbye to your disposable kitchen roll, these Cotton and Bamboo Wipes from Agnes LDN will make that farewell a lot less painful. They are very absorbent and will help mop up accidental spills or work as excellent wipes for surfaces that collect a lot of dust and grime - an ultimate multi-tasker! As for the pile of dirty dishes, our Kitchen Copper Cloth and Dish Brush (for which you can replace only the head - made with natural bristle) will keep your kitchen items clean and our planet happy. As for the more sensitive objects, like high-grade steel articles, glass, china and ceramics, the reusable Copper Sponge Set will be faithful, gentle and at your service.
Wet Clean Your Household Items
Have you ever felt exhausted just thinking about the fact that half your home is covered in fabric? Sofas, upholstery, curtains and rugs attract odours but also the buildup of dirt from day-to-day usage. After baby number two or several accidents involving balancing not-so-steady coffee cups on the armchair, you might need to consider a deeper house clean. Luckily for you, we know exactly how to give your household a new lease of life and in the most eco-friendly manner possible.
We operate a curtain cleaning service, to give your windows a refreshed and brighter look - it makes more difference than one might think. As for sofas and upholstery, we can even collect whole armchairs, so you can choose to bring all fabric covers in or leave it all to us. If you are interested in a sustainable bed linen cleaning routine, head over to our recent blog post to find our best Tips To Care For Your Bed Linen. Our wet cleaning service will do its magic and keep your household looking as good as new. Book a collection online for any household item that needs some refreshment and we will ensure the highest standard of care!
Repair, Reuse, Then Recycle
We believe that clothes worth wearing are worth repairing, and you can refer to our guide on how to Detox Your Wardrobe for more information on how to make clothes last a lot longer. But this rule does not apply exclusively to clothes, it can actually be applied to any item in your home. In the UK alone, around 600 000 tonnes of furniture are thrown away each year. So next time, your shelves are missing a screw or if there is a crack in your oak dining table, bring out your handyman kit and start nailing! Or why not leave it to a professional? Fantastic Handyman gives your furniture a new lease of life in no time!
Once you have organised and are happy with your ‘keep’ and ‘not keep’ piles, bear in mind that the things you choose to discard should not be considered as junk. Make your mind circular - one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure! When you throw your things away, these are likely to end up in landfill or an incinerator, which contributes to increasing waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Nextdoor and Freegle are online sites which allow people to, in their own towns and neighbourhoods, give away and find free unwanted items. If you would rather donate to charity, Reuse Network supports over 150 charities across the UK and with a sustainable approach they are, with the help of donations, looking to tackle issues touching on climate change and reducing waste. Some Reuse charities will also collect your items from your home.
Recycle everything that you or your neighbours can not reuse. When it comes to materials that are disposable or single-use, let’s together make sure to renew them by putting them in the correct recycling bin!
