We may have six more weeks of winter ahead of us, but I’m starting to get spring fever.  The other day it was actually sunny here for a few minutes (a rarity).  The sun illuminated the splatters on the walls from wet dog shaking off, the dust in the corners of the bookcases, and the dirt crammed in the cracks in the floorboards.  It may not be spring just yet, but it’s time for me to clean like it is.

I’m guessing you all know to use eco-friendly cleaners like Ecover, Seventh Generation, Method, or homemade solutions, instead of things labeled “Toxic,” “Hazardous,” or “Flammable.”  But, I’m also guessing if you’ve recently made the switch to eco-friendly products you might have some leftover unfriendly products hanging around your house.

According to the EPA (eeePA! eeePA!):

“Americans generate 1.6 million tons of waste each year from common household products with potentially hazardous ingredients. These products can include drain openers, over cleaners, paint thinners, strippers, and removers, grease and rust removers, and mold and mildew removers. Leftovers of these products often referred to as “household hazardous waste” (HHW) may contain corrosive, toxic, flammable, or reactive ingredients. “

But how do you get rid of HHW?  The EPA warns, “Improper disposal of household hazardous waste can include pouring them down the drain, on the ground, into storm sewers, or in some cases putting them out with the trash.”  Improper disposal of HHW can be detrimental to the health of the environment and the health of your family.  If you have household cleaning chemicals to dispose of, call your garbage collection company and ask them about their HHW pick up policies.  If they don’t have any, contact your town or city hall to see if they have a pick up or drop off program.  Make sure to keep HHW in original containers, and do not reuse containers that have contained hazardous materials.

Make sure you don’t purchase hazardous materials in the future.  Before you go for the big guns, try simple solutions.  I’m always amazed at what a few drops of Castile soap (like Dr. Bronner’s) in some warm water can do.  That said, I’m going to go wash my walls.