1. The healthiest way to get spring ready is to opt for cleaning products that are more eco-friendly such as; Method, Seventh Generation or Ecover. An even better, and less expensive way, is to make your own cleaning products using everyday items that you probably already have on hand. Don't forget, it's not just what you're spraying, but also, what you pour down the drain by doing dishes, washing hands and doing laundry. All those pretty smelling detergents are typically made from chemical that give it that perfume smell and then you breathe that in all day long while you wear the clothes and all night long while you sleep on those sheets. You can make pretty smelling cleaning agents with natural ingredients. Here are some helpful sites for creating your own natural and non-toxic solutions... http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/20-diy-green-cleaning-recipes-141129 or http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/green-cleaning-spring-cleaning-460303. Not only will you be doing the planet a favor, but you will also be creating a healthier home by avoiding toxic chemicals you, your family and your pets would be breathing in or coming into contact with.
2. Buying household plants can also help to clean the air in your home from toxins that build up due to cleaning agents, paints, carpets, etc. A few good ones are english ivy, gerbera daisies, pot mums, peace lily, bamboo palm, and mother-in-law's tongue. You can purchase these from local garden nurseries, Home Depot or Lowe's. If you have pets, just be sure to check that whatever plants you wish to buy are not poisonous to them.
3. We all like to smell scents that make us happy, but all those store bought air fresheners are usually full of chemicals. So what you are breathing in is not healthy at all. Buying a small oil burner, I've seen them at the Dollar Tree, and adding a few drops of natural essential oils is a much better choice when it comes to using scents to boost your mood. Another very inexpensive way to make the room smell good is to cut up a lemon, squeeze out the juice for cooking or for making your home cleaning products, and then throw the peels into the garbage disposal. Run the disposal for a minute and you've got a citrus smelling kitchen.
4. For the outdoors, using chemical weed killers, pesticides and fertilizers can make your lawn and garden look great, but make you, your family and pets feel sick. There are plenty of natural ingredients to use that are much healthier. You can purchase a large yard sprayer from your local hardware store, mix up a large batch of vinegar, eco friendly dish soap and water and go to town spraying your garden and weeds. You can also add salt for those stubborn weeds, but DO NOT use a salt solution on the garden or you will change the pH level of the soil so that your fruits and veggies won't grow. For the garden, you also want to make sure the vinegar solution is diluted and try not to spray the plants directly. For first timers, try spraying the perimeter of the garden first, rather than in the garden, and see if that does the trick to keeping pests away.
5. When it comes to pampering yourself, try making your own special spa essentials. Foods that are good for to consume are also good to use topically. Make up your own facials and body scrubs using items such as avocados, bananas, non-dairy milks, sugar, oils. You can find plenty of recipes on the web. For vegan recipes, try http://vegan.sheknows.com/2011/05/24/diy-vegan-beauty-treatments/ (fyi, the brown sugar body scrub is a must try).
Have fun and be creative in making your own recipes. If your worried about the smell of vinegar for any indoor or outdoor recipes, don't, I can assure you the smell dissipates quickly. Creating your own healthy products will make you feel better inside and out.
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