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Genevieve Allen Hearn
Spring cleaning is upon us! For Earth Day this year, you may want to take some time to consider what cleaning products you use, and how you can incorporate more eco-friendly products in your routine. Or, even better, support a local cleaning business who will use green cleaning products to make your place sparkle! We talked to Scrubbed Green Cleaning owner Melissa Thatcher about how she integrates green practices in her cleaning company.
The Grapevine (GV): What got you interested in this line of business?
Melissa Thatcher (MT): My last job before starting this business was for another cleaning company. I was there for about six months. I liked some aspects of it, but it didn’t pay enough. Also, it didn’t seem like their practices were very eco-friendly as there were lots of disposable products and all of their cleaning agents had hazard symbols on them. When I looked around I realized that most cleaning companies around here still rely on toxic chemicals to do their cleaning, and I didn’t want to participate in more of the same. So, after thinking about my options, I decided to give CBDC [ed: the Community Business Development Corporation] a call to see if they could help me get my own cleaning business started. Now I am my own boss making a living wage, and I can take satisfaction from the fact that I am helping people get a cleaner house without exposing anyone to toxins.
GV: What differentiates what you are doing from other cleaning services?
MT: What differentiates us is that we use almost nothing disposable. We don’t use paper towels or throw away duster heads (think Swiffer). Everything we use can be washed: from cloths, to dusters, to scrubbies, to mop heads. We even re-use spray bottles, because we have all-purpose cleaner strips that we throw in empty bottles and just add hot water.
GV: What makes a product ‘eco-friendly’?
MT: In my mind things that are re-usable instead of disposable are more eco-friendly. Also, finding ways to re-fill bottles instead of buying new ones would be more eco-friendly, as well as less toxic products.
GV: What are some ways people can clean in an eco-conscious way at home? Are there local businesses where they can get eco-friendly products?
MT: Well, they can start with using up all their paper towels and then only purchasing washable products. A great place to start for this would be with Norwex. We use a lot of their products, and I actually started selling it because I believe in it so much. Another option is to fill all of your empty spray bottles with either TruEarth eco-strips, which work great and don’t have a harsh smell, or go in to Wholesum Refillery in Kentville and re-fill them there (I love their tangerine shampoo by the way, smells so good). And the last thing I can suggest is to make use of cleaning vinegar. It works great by itself or added to your favorite all-purpose cleaner!
GV: How will you be celebrating Earth Day this year?
MT: We will be celebrating Earth Day by planting some seeds and teaching our kids everything we know about lessening our impact on the biosphere.
To contact Melissa at Scrubbed Green Cleaning, visit facebook.com/scrubbedgreencleaning, call (902) 870-5936, or email scrubbedgreen@gmail.com. You can also find Scrubbed Green Cleaning on Facebook or Instagram.
