An eco-friendly guide to spring cleaning

The seasons are changing and it’s spring cleaning time again! In this blog, we share top eco-friendly cleaning tips to clean and refresh fabrics and textiles in your home. Find out how to clean curtains, upholstery fabrics and wool blankets safely, plus the best eco-friendly laundry detergents and DIY recipes.

1. Open the windows and let fresh air in

First things first, choose a nice dry day for your spring cleaning and get the windows wide open. Encouraging fresh air into your home will clear the stuffy winter atmosphere and remove stale odours from carpets, curtains and upholstered furniture. Banishing artificial air fresheners and using fresh air instead is a clear win for the environment. Plus, you’ll be getting warm using all that elbow grease!

2. Line-dry your laundry outside

By choosing a dry sunny day to spring clean, you’ll also be able to dry laundry outside on the washing line. Tumble driers use a lot of electricity, so line-drying laundry is more eco-friendly and will reduce your energy bills too. Select the eco-setting on your washing machine and give your bedding, cushion covers and curtains a freshen up, before hanging outside to dry. Visit our wool care guide to find out how to wash wool blankets without them shrinking.

3. Switch up your textiles for a colour refresh

Swapping heavy winter textiles for lighter options in spring will instantly help your rooms feel fresher. Changing cushion covers, throws and bedlinen for more spring-like colours is also a simple way to refresh the palette in your home, without having to redecorate. If you’ve been snuggling up in one of our thick pure wool blankets over winter, consider swapping for lighter merino lambswool throws for spring. Our Blush Pink, Clementine and Cornish Blue merino throws are just a few of the lovely colours we have to suit the season.

4. Go green when you spring clean

Conventional laundry detergents contain lots of harsh chemicals that are released into the atmosphere and waterways. Eco-friendly cleaning products are better because they cause less harm to the environment and are kinder to your skin. I especially like the natural laundry detergent from Kinn Living because it smells lovely, is delicate enough for wool, and comes in eco-friendly refill packs.

5. Make DIY cleaning product recipes at home

If you’d really like to know what your cleaning products are made from, why not make your own? This video includes 20 homemade natural cleaning product recipes:

Click below to jump to my favourite DIY cleaning product recipes from the video:

6. How to wash curtains and clean upholstery

Check the care label to see if you can wash your curtains yourself. If they are suitable, you might want to take a trip to the launderette to make use of their large drum machines. If your curtains are made of a stable fabric, add an extra spin cycle to remove excess water, so they dry faster. Delicate curtain fabrics, like wool and velvet, may be dry clean only. Vacuum fabric-covered furniture using the upholstery attachment and beat cushions and rugs outdoors to remove dust.

7. Pack away winter duvets and blankets

Thick winter duvets and warm wool blankets can be packed away now and changed for lighter versions. A 2.5 – 7 tog duvet will be perfect for spring and summer. Our merino wool blankets are ideal in spring (when can be warm one night and cold the next) as merino fibres are highly breathable and will help to regulate your body temperature. Pack away thick woollen winter blankets into lidded plastic boxes and include a few natural cedar balls to keep moths at bay.

For more advice on washing wool blankets and ongoing care tips to keep wool fabrics looking their best, subscribe to The British Blanket Company’s brand new YouTube channel! We’ll be adding regular videos with expert advice, including how to wash wool blankets, how to dry wool without it shrinking, and quick de-bobbling tips.

Images courtesy of Kinn Living