ATLANTA—With summer in full swing, who wants to spend their free time on cleaning and household chores? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 84 percent of women spend an average of 2.6 hours per day on household activities such as cleaning, lawn care, and cooking. No wonder 72 percent of women feel they work a ‘second shift,’ as found by a recent survey conducted by Maid Brigade and Mom Corps.
Greening your day while you ease into your summer routine to spend more fun time with the family is the focus of these nine tips from Marie Stegner, consumer health advocate for the leading cleaning company, Maid Brigade.
1. Leave the car at home. Bike, walk, or push the kids in a stroller. Get to know the public transit system to save gas and limit air pollution.
2. Dry clothes outside. Dry clothes on a clothesline or drying rack to save energy and money.
3. Fire up the grill. Invite friends and family over for an eco-friendly barbeque complete with reusable cups and plates, composting and recycling bins, and local or organic food.
4. Deal with bugs safely and naturally. Get rid of those pesky ants with citrus and try beer for fruit flies. To keep mosquitoes away, plant basil.
5. Hit up the farmers market. Support local farmers, lower your carbon footprint, and stock-up on delicious produce. What could be better?
6. Save in moderation. Only turn on air conditioning window units for rooms in use. For central air systems, turn the thermostat up a few degrees. This will make a big difference in your energy savings and still keep everyone comfortable.
7. Cool down and reuse in a kiddy pool. Let the kids have their fun. Then, reuse the water for the garden afterwards.
8. Choose your sunscreen wisely. Health food stores sell biodegradable sunscreen products including zinc oxide and titanium dioxide that protect the environment as well as your skin.
9. Hydrate with tap water. Avoid buying bottled water. Use a reusable bottle and fill it up with fresh ice water instead.
Maid Brigade cares about the health of today’s families. With more than 25 years of experience, the company is the national leader in green cleaning practices and has a longstanding legacy of offering the latest in maid services and technologies. Maid Brigade is the first and only Green Clean Certified® cleaning services franchise that implements a certification program for green house cleaning so customers know that they’re getting a green cleaning that is safe and truly green. For more information on Maid Brigade or for more healthy living cleaning tips visit maidbrigade.com or https://www.maidbrigade.com/blog/.
