The "Krone" Lower Austria column

The little messenger cleans out the old dust

(Bild: Krone kreativ/Daniela Gaigg/canva)

How I clean my apartment in January in an environmentally friendly and spick-and-span way. As a columnist, "Die kleine Botin" aka Daniela Gaigg writes about topics relating to life with her family. These include sustainability in everyday life, self-care and food for thought for parents.

New Year's cleaning is already a tradition: the Christmas tree "flies out" quickly after Christmas. All the Christmas baubles, stars, garlands and other decorations are cleared away by 6 January at the latest. I use the branches from the tree to protect the beds and potted plants in the garden from the cold and a few of the needles go into the vinegar cleaner as a fragrance.

Speaking of sustainable cleaners: the vinegar cleaner is always available as a base in the kitchen and bathroom and I simply make it myself. I collect the peel of three oranges, add a handful of pine needles and pour in the vinegar. I screw the jar tightly shut and leave it closed for a few weeks. Then I strain the vinegar and pour it into a spray bottle. It removes limescale, dissolves grease and disinfects.

Baking soda removes odors, cleans surfaces and has a slightly abrasive effect.

Citric acid is extremely effective against limescale.

Washing soda strongly cleans grease and dirt.

Curd soap is versatile and can be used for surfaces and laundry.

Essential oils provide a pleasant fragrance (e.g. lavender, tea tree oil, lemon).

You can also consciously switch to plastic-free and sustainable alternatives for sponges, cleaning cloths and brushes: sponges made from coconut fibers or wooden dishwashing brushes with replaceable heads. You can find more tips in my book "The green family compass"!