Sustainability

How-to deep-dives and longer-form practical content — the pieces we’d actually print out and tape to the inside of a cleaning closet.

All sustainability

162 posts
Sustainability

Essential Oils in Cleaning Products: What You Should Know

Essential oils in cleaning products are concentrated plant chemicals, not gentle extras. What they do, why they do not disinfect, and risks to cats and birds.

Otesse · 6 min read
Sustainability

The Unregulated Words That Appear on Green Cleaning Labels

Green, eco and plant based carry no fixed definition. A third party certification mark and full ingredient disclosure are the signals you can actually check.

Otesse · 5 min read
Sustainability

Air Drying Laundry to Cut Dryer Energy Use at Home

The dryer usually costs more energy than the wash. Here is how to air dry laundry indoors and out without damp rooms, stiff towels, or faded clothes.

Otesse · 6 min read
Sustainability

Plant Derived Does Not Mean Safe for Every Home Surface

Plant derived describes where an ingredient came from, not what it does. The home surfaces plant based cleaners can damage, and how to patch test first.

Otesse · 6 min read
Sustainability

Is Pre Rinsing Dishes Before the Dishwasher a Water Waste

Pre rinsing wastes water and can make a dishwasher clean worse. Here is why scraping beats rinsing, and the few times a rinse is still the right call.

Otesse · 6 min read
Sustainability

How to Cut the Plastic Out of Your Cleaning Supply Cupboard

Most cleaning plastic comes from buying too many products, not from one bottle. Here is how to audit the cupboard and cut plastic without losing results.

Otesse · 6 min read
Sustainability

How to Clean a Rain Barrel and Its Mosquito Screen

Learn how to clean a rain barrel once or twice a year, keep algae down, and maintain the mosquito screen that is the barrel's single most important part.

Otesse · 6 min read
Sustainability

Secondhand Cleaning Tools Worth Buying and Ones to Skip

Buckets, poles, and canister vacuums are good used buys. Cloths, brushes, and anything with a damaged cord are not. Here is how to shop secondhand safely.

Otesse · 6 min read
Sustainability

Laundry Load Size and How It Changes Water Efficiency

Load size decides how much water a wash uses, and half-empty loads waste most of it. Here is how to size loads correctly on both machine types.

Otesse · 6 min read
Sustainability

How to Dispose of Old Cleaning Products the Right Way

Sort by type, never combine anything, and route hazardous items to a drop-off. Here is the practical process for clearing out a cupboard of old cleaners safely.

Otesse · 6 min read
Sustainability

How to Clean a Countertop Compost Pail and Its Filter

How to clean a countertop compost pail: empty daily, scrub the base and gasket, and replace the charcoal filter on schedule so odor and fruit flies stop.

Otesse · 6 min read
Sustainability

Why Fragrance Sensitivity Should Change What You Clean With

One word on a label, fragrance, can stand for dozens of undisclosed ingredients. Here is what that means for a household where scent causes problems.

Otesse · 6 min read

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