Though household chores are rarely anyone’s favorite way to pass the time, they have to be done — whether we like it or not.

1. Though household chores are rarely anyone’s favorite way to pass the time, they have to be done —
whether we like it or not. What’s more, when you’re focused on being as eco-friendly as possible, cleaning
and other chores take a little extra thought and planning. You can’t just go to town with a bottle of Clorox;
you have to slow down and consider each step in the process.
Fortunately, there are a number of easy ways to tackle your household tasks in an environmentally
conscious way. Consider the following for eco-friendly chores:
Green Cleaning Solutions
Americans are a clean bunch, and, as such, we flush a lot of cleaning solutions through our sewer systems.
Most of the pollutants in these products are removed from the water by waste treatment facilities before
being returned to our waterways. However, ammonia, nitrogen and phosphorus are not. This can seriously
affect the growth and diversity of plants, fish and other aquatic fauna.
 Liz Greene  February 26, 2018
4 Ways to Make Your Household Chores More Eco-Friendly
(https://earth911.com/)
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2. In order to avoid water contamination, consider using DIY cleaning solutions. For instance, a fantastic
surface cleaner can be made using one part vinegar and one part water. Vinegar is acidic enough to
kill 99.9 percent of bacteria and 90 percent of any mold spores
(https://www.gohealthuc.com/library/healthy-house-natural-surface-cleaner), but safe enough to use in the
home. You can even dress up the scent by adding rosemary, lavender or citrus rinds to your spray bottle.
Recipes for more great DIY cleaning solutions can be found here (https://earth911.com/earth911tv/diy-
cleaning-solution-recipes-6/).
IS THIS WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE WHEN DOING CHORES? US TOO. PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK
Low-Energy Vacuuming
Vacuuming is a pain (it’s my least favorite chore), but it helps cut down on allergens in the home and
increases the lifespan of carpeting. However, it’s also an energy suck, so efficiency when vacuuming is key.


3. Start by using a carpet sweeper instead of your vacuum whenever possible. Manual carpet sweepers don’t
use electricity, so they’re a fantastic energy-efficient option. Carpet sweepers are great for cleaning small
messes, such as surface dirt, crumbs and pet hair from bare floors and low-pile carpeting. Unfortunately,
carpet sweepers don’t work on high-pile carpeting and aren’t capable of sucking up dirt, dust, dander and
other allergens that get trapped in carpet.
When you do vacuum, be sure to regularly empty the dust collector to ensure it’s running efficiently. If the
dust collector is full, the vacuum has to work harder to pick up dirt, causing it to use more energy.
Speaking of energy, consider upgrading your vacuum to an energy-saving model. While you may be
tempted to go with the model that boasts having the most power, remember that efficiency is better than
pure strength. A more powerful motor requires more energy to run. To reduce the amount of allergens
being thrown around while vacuuming, ensure you buy a model with a true HEPA filter
(http://groomandstyle.com/true-hepa-vacuums-allergy-asthma-sufferers/). Finally, choose a durable model
so you’re not spending money (and consuming more resources) every few years. Once you buy a new
vacuum cleaner, be sure to donate or recycle your old model (https://earth911.com/recycling-guide/how-to-
recycle-small-appliances/).
Eco-Friendly Laundering
One of the easiest ways to green your chores is to make changes to your laundry routine.
Start by ensuring each load of laundry is a full one — this will help save water. Next, wash clothing in cold
water to save energy. Not only is cold water energy-efficient, it also keeps stains from setting and prevents
colors from bleeding.
Once your clothes are clean, skip the dryer entirely and line dry instead. Outside, you can use a clothesline
or Breezecatcher to soak up the antimicrobial effects of the sun. Inside, you can use drying racks or
retractable indoor clothes lines to hang and dry clothes. Just make sure your indoor environment is either
cool and dry, or warm and dry. Otherwise, your clothing will take far longer to dry and might encourage
mold growth. You can place drying racks over a heat source or use a low-wattage electric fan to speed the
drying process.


4. HANG YOUR CLOTHES TO DRY. PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK
If you do have to use your dryer, make sure you’re keeping it well maintained. Small cloth fibers can pass
through the lint trap mesh and make it into the dryer hose. Thanks to the humid environment of the ducts,
the lint builds into a pile. This restricts air flow, prevents clothing from drying, and forces the dryer to run
longer. That’s why regularly cleaning the lint out of your dryer’s ductwork
(http://www.bounceenergy.com/blog/2017/11/how-do-i-clean-a-clothes-dryer/) is so important. It not only
improves energy efficiency, it also reduces the risk of fire.
Much like your vacuum cleaner, it’s worth looking into buying a high-efficiency washer and dryer. They save
energy, water and money, and they’re gentler on your clothes (making them last longer).
Giving Back
Cleaning often involves decluttering, and all that stuff has to go somewhere. Fortunately, there are many
charities that accept donations of household items, giving them to both people and animals in need. Here’s
a list of the type of items you can donate, and where they’ll be most appreciated:


5. Habitat for Humanity ReStore (https://www.habitat.org/restores/donate-goods): New or gently used
furniture, appliances and building materials
Your local animal shelter or Pets of the Homeless (https://www.petsofthehomeless.org/get-help/find-
locations/#latitude=39.163798&longitude=-119.767403&zoom=12&types%255B%255D=food-
supplies&types%255B%255D=shelters&types%255B%255D=resources&types%255B%255D=donation-
sites): New or gently used toys, collars, leashes, bedding and new or opened pet food
Homeless Shelters, Libraries, Books for Africa (https://www.booksforafrica.org/donate/donate-
books.html): Books
Homeless Shelters, Women’s and Children’s Shelters, Children’s Homes, Second Chance Toys
(http://www.secondchancetoys.org/metro-drop-locations): Diapers, baby food, children’s clothing and
gently used toys
Local Refugee Programs, Homeless Shelters, Big Brothers, Big Sisters
(http://www.donatebbbs.com/items_accepted), GreenDrop (https://www.gogreendrop.com/acceptable-
items): Clothing, household items, kitchenware, toys, small appliances, electronics and furniture
Though charities are always incredibly thankful to receive your used items, please comply with their
guidelines for donation to make it as easy for them to accept your items as possible. Most of these charities
either rely on volunteer labor to help sort through donations or have to pay employees to do the task.
Household chores are rarely fun, but if you put forth a little extra effort, you can make them far more eco-
friendly than you may have imagined. And when you’re working toward saving the planet, any step you
take is a step in the right direction.
You Might Also Like…
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7. 4 Gross Things in Your Kitchen That Need to Be Cleaned Now
(https://earth911.com/home-garden/bacteria-kitchen/)
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(https://instantlo.wordpress.com/)
Liz Greene (Https://Instantlo.Wordpress.Com/)
Liz Greene is an animal-loving, makeup obsessing, pop culture geek from the beautiful City of Trees,
Boise, Idaho. You can catch her latest makeup misadventures on her blog, Three Broke Bunnies
(https://threebrokebunnies.wordpress.com/).
(https:
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Profit from your roof space: find local deals on solar in
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8. FIND A RECYCLING LOCATION
Material i.e. aluminum cans, motor oil
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Calculate My Savings!
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