It’s 2021, and it is high time to “green” your cleaning routine and kick toxic chemicals and wasteful single-use cleaning products to the curb. Service Plus, your favorite HVAC and plumbing contractor in Indy, Carmel, and Fishers, is here to help educate you on how to have a greener home this spring!
We’ve come up with seven ways you can “go green” with your spring cleaning:
Seven Ways to Go Green this Spring
Avoid harsh chemicals
There are very few things that vinegar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide can’t clean. Try scrubbing with a baking soda and water paste, then spraying vinegar on it to lift bits of calcium from hard water. Hydrogen peroxide is a great stain remover, especially for protein-based stains like blood and food.
Toss the paper towel habit
It takes approximately 51,000 trees every day to make the paper towels that we use and then throw them into the trash. This year, invest in microfiber towels that can trap bacteria better than paper and then be washed and reused, over and over.
Clean the air around you
Living plants naturally clean the air by filtering out carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Some options that are easy to care for include: Spider Plant, Aloe Vera, Snake Plant, Rubber Plant, and Chinese Evergreen.
Maintain your HVAC system
Regular maintenance of your heating and cooling system will keep it running as efficiently as possible. Replace the filter at least as often as recommended, more often if you have pets or severe allergies. Consider having air ducts and vents professionally cleaned to improve air quality and keep dust at a minimum.
Conserve water
Now is an excellent time to look for leaky pipes, especially in plumbing lines that may have been exposed to freezing temperatures over the winter. Add aerators to faucets and change showers to low-flow heads.
Use a cleaner vacuum
Does your vacuum have a HEPA filter? If so, clean or replace it. If not, consider replacing your vacuum with a HEPA filter which will help filter the air pushed back into the room as you clean.
Use your dishwasher
There are few things more wasteful than hand washing and rinsing dishes. An Energy Star-rated dishwasher can save almost 4000 gallons of water over its lifetime. For best performance and water conservation, scrape dirty dishes with a spatula instead of rinsing them, fill the dishwasher before running it, and let it air dry the dishes instead of using the heated dry setting.
Making these small changes around the house toward greener living and ensuring your HVAC system and plumbing are running at their optimum efficiencies will help you have more “green” in your wallet. And, you’ll be doing the environment a tremendous favor! If you would like a professional to perform maintenance on your HVAC and plumbing systems, call Service Plus at (317) 434-2627 to schedule an appointment today.