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March 8, 2024
ByAna Rivas

Spring cleaning in a sustainable way

Artificial intelligence image of woman with cleaning tools in front of a clean house (ai assumes women clean - sexist) with the words It's spring cleaning time let's make it sustainable

Introduction

Spring cleaning may have had deeper roots in Eastern culture, but the tradition in Western culture gained prominence during the 19th century. While it’s true that Eastern cultures have long-standing spring cleaning practices, Western societies gradually embraced this seasonal ritual as well. The concept of renewal, purification, and welcoming the changing season transcends geographical boundaries. So, whether you’re sweeping away winter soot or dusting off sentimental memories, deep cleaning your home unites us all in the shared pursuit of a fresh start!

History of Spring Cleaning

The ancient roots of spring cleaning date back to many cultures that practiced thorough cleaning rituals during the spring season. Other benefits may have started to become prominent for health reasons as science connected the diseases with the living conditions of people. It became clear that cleanliness was essential, and living and working in clean conditions could be the difference between living and dying.

Symbolism: Spring cleaning represents renewal, purification, and positive energy.

Cultural Connection: These traditions connect people to their cultural heritage and provide a sense of continuity.

Persian Culture

In Persian culture, the tradition of “khooneh takouni” involves cleaning every nook and cranny of the house before the Persian New Year (Nowruz). The ritual which translates to “shaking the house” symbolizes renewal and the arrival of spring. Plus a clean house that always represents joy and healthy living.

Chinese Culture

Chinese New Year also involves cleaning to sweep away bad luck and welcome good fortune.During the Chinese New Year, families engage in cleaning practices. It symbolizes sweeping away any remnants of bad luck from the previous year and welcoming good fortune. Cleaning the house is seen as a way to purify the environment and create a fresh start for the coming year.

Jewish Tradition

Jewish tradition includes cleaning the home before Passover (Pesach) to remove any leavened bread (chametz). Pesach is a significant holiday in Jewish culture. Before Passover begins, Jewish households undergo a thorough cleaning to remove any traces of chametz, more on this religious tradition later. This meticulous cleaning ensures that the home is free from leavened products during the holiday.

Japanese Culture

While not exclusively spring-related, the Japanese practice of “osoji” involves a major cleaning effort at the end of the year. Families clean their homes thoroughly to welcome the New Year with a fresh and organized living space.

Benefits of Spring Cleaning

Mental Health: Decluttering and organizing can lift your mood. Accomplishing tasks provides a sense of satisfaction and minimizes tension.

Stress Reduction: Cleaning can be soothing and help restore a sense of control when faced with overwhelming problems.

Peace of Mind: An organized home contributes to peace of mind. Knowing where everything is reduces anxiety.

Improved Focus: A tidy workspace (especially if you work from home) “contribute to better focus and motivation” (Cleveland Clinic, 2022).

Physical Health: Removing dust, allergens, and mold improves indoor air quality.

Advantages

Renewal: Spring cleaning symbolizes renewal and rebirth, aligning with the themes of spring.

Healthy Environment: A clean home promotes physical well-being.

Reduced Clutter: Decluttering creates a more functional living space.

Sense of Accomplishment: Completing tasks boosts self-esteem.

Disadvantages

Time-Consuming: Spring cleaning can be labor-intensive and time-consuming.

Emotional Attachment: Letting go of sentimental items can be challenging.

Physical Effort: Heavy lifting and cleaning can strain muscles.

Recommendations to Make It Fun

Set Realistic Goals: Break down tasks into manageable chunks. You don’t have to do everything all at once, give yourself time, if you only have the weekends, you can set out a month to tackle one big area each weekend, I would advise to starting with the hardest tasks because after three weeks you’ll be thinking to do it next year, but prove yourself you’re disciplined enough to get it done, and think of how much easier it will be next year (if you have never done it before).

Involve Others: Turn it into a family or group activity. Not only is this how families bond, it’s also a way to show the younger ones how to get things done at home, the planning that it takes and the team effort in getting things done.

Play Music: Create a lively atmosphere, create a playlist or make sure the music will move you, this is not the time for relaxing music.

Reward Yourself: Treat yourself after completing specific tasks. I would certainly recommend getting meals that don’t require a lot and you totally enjoy, like finger foods (pizza, burgers, wings, tacos, etc.), don’t forget the ice cream… or beer or wine.

Try New Cleaning Products: Experiment with eco-friendly or scented products. Scan the market for some tools that could make the work easier and will last a while. If you have young children, make sure anything you have will be safe for them if they will be using them.

Make It a Ritual: Embrace the sense of renewal and celebrate the changing season. This is key, the first time is always the most difficult, make sure you leave smaller tasks to be done weekly by assigning them to members of your family, it’s your team and everyone has to pitch in. The more often you do this, the easier it will become when everyone is busy and try to find an escape. Establishing routines helps to avoid the later resistance in cleaning.

Remember, spring cleaning isn’t just about tidying up—it’s an opportunity to refresh your living space and your mindset! Whether you’re in the East or the West, spring cleaning is an opportunity to brighten up your surroundings and embrace the changing season!

Do it sustainably

This section can be a new post entirely, but for the sake of time and space, I am adding just a few important tips to give some meaning to this post in the area of sustainable cleaning. These ideas may help you feel even better when you use eco-friendly products that help the planet and sometimes your wallet.

Recommendations:

Use washable rags to reduce paper towel use. Even what you think is super dirty can be washed away (well, almost). Since I can’t see what you have to clean that needs disposable items, you need to be subjective and recognize when something can’t be washed away, but consider this, hospitals have been cleaning and disinfecting bed sheets forever by thorough washing, we can do the same and stop wasting so many paper towels. In terms of savings, one pack will probably last you three to five years for the cost of a couple of paper towel rolls. When done correctly, you can have a rag for drying and one to pick up the dirty stuff that you can wash several times while cleaning.

Recommendations:

Don’t let the water run all the time, be mindful and use buckets or large bowls to clean the rags. Depending on what you pick up and how the water looks, you’ll want to change the water often, but even that saves you gallons of water in the long run. It’s a little elbow grease that can help you reduce your water consumption. My daughter loves the collapsible types because they really save space when putting all your supplies away.

Recommendations:

There are many products that are specifically eco-friendly, try them and use a little extra baking soda to help remove stubborn spots. The usual water and soap has worked great for centuries, why would it be any different now, the extra work will help you develop muscles you didn’t think you had and the action of washing and ringing the rags is an excellent task you can do while listening to self-improvement books because your mind truly absorbs what you’re listening, somehow the work becomes second nature after a few repetitions.

Recommendations:

For laundry items, you can also use some of the Seventh Generation products, such as laundry detergent to help you clean up all those rags in one wash. Also, Dirty Lads offers Bio Enzyme Laundry Booster, which also comes fragrance free, good at removing heavy stains and odors, and environmentally friendly (I use it for my dog’s blankets and what have you).

Recommendations: