“The therapeutic effects of spring
cleaningareevengreaterifyoufeel
good about the products you use”
T
here’s a certain satisfaction that
comeswithwipingthefinal
smearfromamirrororcatching
thelastcobwebinacornerthat’s
goodforthepsyche,helpingus
imposealittleorderonthechaos
ofmodernlife.Doitonyourownterms,asaway
of taking care of your own space, and cleaning
canbecomeacalmingandevencreativeact.
Thetherapeuticeffectsofaspotofspring
cleaningareevengreater,ofcourse,ifyoufeel
good about the products you use. There’s been a
green-cleaning boom in recent years with
eco-friendly cleaning agencies, non-toxic dry
cleanersandaflushofnewbooksandblogs
guidingusinlower-impactliving.Butperhaps
themostvisiblechangehasbeentheupswing
in earth-friendly products for everyday cleaning.POLISHING UP OUR ACT
Thisseachangeispartlyfuelledbyascientific
backlash against the kind of hyper-hygiene
promised by big-brand cleaners. There’s growing
understandingthatwhileit’sgoodtobeclean,
ourhomesdon’tneedtobeclinicallysterile.
An even greater motivating factor, however,
is the realisation that harsh cleaning products
canactuallybeharmfultoourfamilies.From
skin irritation to respiratory problems, and
possibly even cancer (Breast Cancer UK advises
theuseofgreenerproducts),evidencefrom
scientific studies is beginning to stack up.
Theimpactofconventionalcleaning
products on our wider environment is a
concern, too. Some contain ingredients that are
harmfultoaquaticlife;volatilechemicalsfrom
cleaning products also contribute to air
pollution. And the quantities of packaging used
fortheseitemsisanotherissue,addingtothe
plastics burden already threatening our planet.BETTER, NICER PRODUCTS
ChristinaHawkesisco-founderofGreenscents
(greenscents.co.uk), makers of cleaning
products with 70% organic ingredients. She
and her husband launched the brand eight
yearsagoafterbeingunabletofindskin-
friendly, ethical products for their allergy-
pronefamily.Thebusinessisnowgrowing
exponentially. “We’re seeing a culture change,”
saysChristina.“Initially,wesoldmoreofour
products in Scandinavia than in the UK, butthat’s completely turned around. In Britain,
we’re becoming better informed consumers.
We want certainty about what’s in a product.”
The upsurge in green cleaning is also helped
by the fact that eco products are becoming
more effective and nicer to use. “Swapping to a
green cleaning product can make your home
feel more luxurious, as well as safer,” says Joni
Graham-King of Green Goddess, whose eco
range includes multi-purpose sprays scented
with essential oils (greengoddessclp.co.uk).
Products with the lowest impact are those
that are homemade. You can nail all sorts of
tasks with bicarbonate of soda and white
vinegar alone, but blogs like moralfibres.co.uk
and helloglow.co are packed with recipes
for DIY cleaning concoctions. If you fancy
a creative project that also saves you money,
give these recipes a try.40
LIVING (^) | WEEKEND PROJECT