Olivia for the Ocean

Last Updated March 13, 2023

We’re getting close to Spring and if you’re like me, that means some much needed Spring Cleaning! What this does not mean is buying a bunch of chemicals that will stink up your house and plastic tools that will fill your trash. Here are some tips for plastic-free Spring cleaning.

Make a Plan

For the dedicated reader, this should come as no surprise. You know I love a good plan! The best way to be successful is to figure out what you’re cleaning! Make a list of what you’re trying to accomplish and then schedule it in chunks.

If you’re ambitious, you can try to tackle it all in one day or if you live in a palatial estate, consider breaking the list up across a few days.

Here is a list to consider when tackling Spring Cleaning:

• Sweep or vacuum
• Mop the floors
• Wipe down the kitchen counters
• Remove and wash stove burners
• Wipe down stovetop
• Clean any grease traps or hood vents
• Clean the microwave
• Clean the bathrooms
• Scrub the tubs
• Beat and/or wash the rugs
• Dust surfaces
• Dust hard to reach places
• Clean out attics, basements, garages & other storage areas
• Clean out your car
• Air out the house
• Sweep the driveway and patio
• Prepare the outdoor space for seed planting

The list can seem overwhelming, but when you take it a chunk at a time, it’s more manageable. So, maybe one weekend you focus on the kitchen and the bathrooms. Then, the next weekend you clean out all the storage areas and your car. No matter what your plan, make sure it keeps you motivated to finish the job!

Declutter

Before you start your deep clean, make it easier on yourself by decluttering! Vacuuming is so much easier when there’s nothing on the floor! The same with dusting. Who likes moving all the tiny decorations on dusty bookshelves in order to dust? Not me. I like to keep my surfaces as clear as possible!

The more you can put away, donate, or throw away, the easier it will be to clean.

Gather & Make Cleaning Solutions

To clean my entire house, I use just baking soda, Castile soap, and vinegar…not all mixed together, of course.

Baking soda you can get in paper boxes that can be recycled. I used to get my baking soda from an online zero waste store, called the Wally Shop. They would send you a reusable tote with all your goods and you would just empty the goods into your container and send the tote back!

Sadly, they are no longer in business but I tell you this to get you to think out of the box! Maybe you have a refill shop near your house that you can pick up various cleaning supplies from. Not only would you be supporting a local business but oftentimes their cleaning solutions are made from better (i.e. nontoxic) ingredients! I used to also get vinegar and Castile soap from the Wally Shop. I talk more about the experience in this post:

Now, I buy vinegar at the store in a glass bottle. There are some stores that still sell it in glass bottles, but you might have to look a little harder. Most of the big box stores like Target and Whole Foods only sell vinegar in plastic, but I was able to find vinegar in a glass bottle at my local Ranch 99 Asian supermarket and at a local grocery store.

For Castile Soap, if you can’t find it at your local refillery, I would buy the largest bottle you can find online.

I bought a 1 gallon bottle of Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap four years ago and have used about 75% of the bottle.

You can use this liquid Castile soap to make foaming hand soap and an all-purpose cleaner. Here is the recipe:

Foaming Hand Soap & All-Purpose Cleaner

• 1 Tablespoon Liquid Castile Soap
• 1 Cup Water

For the foaming hand soap, add soap and then water to your foaming hand soap dispenser and gently swirl. For the all-purpose cleaner, add the mixture to a spray bottle.

Use the Tools You Have

It’s easy when taking on a big project to run to the store and “stock up”. But the most green, sustainable, plastic-free product you can buy…is the one you already have. So, resist the urge to buy new cleaning supplies. Chances are you probably already have what you need.

If one of your tools is broken, choose a more durable product made from wood, metal, or glass as opposed to plastic. Instead of buying glass spray bottles, you can always reuse the last plastic spray bottle you purchased. Or you can also take the spray top from the last cleaner bottle you purchased and put it onto of a glass sparkling water bottle. I use this bottle for vinegar.

For sinks, I like to use a wooden brush. I find it works better than some of the ones I’ve found with handles. Plus, it’s 100% compostable! The handle is made from wood and the bristles are made from coconut!

For rags, I use some old onesies from my kids. You can use an old T-shirt or hand towel. I use these bamboo kitchen towels in the kitchen since they’re super absorbent:

Just Do It!

If you want to Spring clean but are unmotivated, just start by decluttering. As the momentum builds and you start checking some of the items off your list, it will give you the energy you need to finish your deep clean. Here’s what I use for each item on the list:

• Sweep or vacuum – plastic dust pan my husband bought or vacuum
• Mop the floors – old Swifter mop my husband bought, hand towel and spray bottle with water
• Kitchen counters – bamboo towel, all-purpose cleaner
• Kitchen sink – wood brush, vinegar and baking soda
• Kitchen stove – bamboo towel, all-purpose cleaner
• Microwave – bamboo towel, all-purpose cleaner
• Bathroom mirrors – rag, vinegar
• Bathroom sinks – wood brush, vinegar and baking soda
• Bathroom counters – rag, all-purpose cleaner
• Toilets – rag, toilet brush, vinegar and baking soda
• Scrub the tubs – wood brush, all-purpose cleaner
• Beat and wash the rugs
• Dust surfaces – bamboo towel
• Clean out attics, basements, garages & other storage areas – cup of coffee or glass of wine 😛
• Clean out your car – same as above
• Air out the house – open the windows!

What do you think? Can you use these tips to tackle your Spring Cleaning?

For related and random posts, check out:

• Plastic-Free Dishwashing
• 5 Tips for Plastic-Free Laundry