Simple Home Hacks for Greener Living

Sustaining the green-living can be quite tough especially when everyday there are tons of new-product choices readily available for our use. While these products can be very handy and convenient, most of these may also contain harmful substances that are not good for us. If you are trying to find ways to be more eco-friendly, consider the following simple hacks you can easily do at home.

Plant for Cleaner Air

Start incorporating low-maintenance indoor plants at your homes. Aside from being decorative, plants can be utilized to achieve air circulation balance. You may use containers that are about to be thrown away like mugs, glasses or jars then select suitable plants.

Plants known to help fight toxic substances can further purify the air eg, Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) which removes formaldehyde and nitrogen oxide, and Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) which aside from its famous medical benefits in soothing burns and abrasions, can also help clean the air by filtering formaldehyde and benzene. These plants are easy to grow and require less attention.

Maximize the Use of Your Old Clothes

Although you have been accustomed to paper towels or napkins, these are extra load to your expenses. Alternatively, you may grab some old clothes to help you handle household cleaning duties. Compared to paper towels, these are washable and have multiple uses. Those with fine fabrics are good for cleaning glass furniture while the rough ones aid excellent abrasion in removing tough stains.

While you are thinking about throwing away your old workout shirts, you might also want to consider using them as shopping bags instead of buying ones. Simply cut out the armholes on both sides, provide a wider opening by removing the collar and finally, seal the bottom hem by sewing or cutting fringes then tying each pair for a stronger base.

Try Natural Cleaning Solutions

The best way to avoid harmful chemical substances is the use of alternative and more natural options for household cleaning solutions. Vinegar and baking soda are two of the most popular and most effective non-toxic aids for cleaning.

With 2 parts vinegar and 1 part water, you can already have your own cleaning solution. It is an all around cleaning agent you can use to clean stains and dirt all over the house including persistent stains in your laundry.

Baking soda is good in stain removal especially in surfaces that needs hard scrubbing.When combined with a vinegar solution, this can be used to clean hard water stains. However, remember to avoid using this in aluminium surfaces as this may weaken the metal.

Use Natural Lamps Instead of Commercial Candles

Do you enjoy the natural light by burning candles? Commercial candles are often made of paraffin wax which release petroleum by-products in the air when burnt. Why not opt for more natural and cost-saving lighting by making your own natural lamps. Aside from natural light, these can also help your homes smell better without the use of air fresheners.

Prepare any empty containers except for plastic-made ones, candle wick, copper or aluminium wire, and household oil – vegetable oil or cooking oil and essential oil for fragrance.

The steps are as follows:

Adjust the length of the candle wick by cutting it according to the height of the container plus a few more inches for better oil absorption. Enclose the candle wick by a few wire coils for support so that it can stand well inside the container. Pour the oil over the wick for faster soaking. Put a few drops of essential oil for fragrance then leave it a few more minutes before use.

These simple home hacks can be useful to anyone who doesn't want to spend a substantial amount of money for cleaning or decorating materials. Remember that one must be resourceful enough in doing so and you'll probably be surprised of what you can actually do.