More people are making small, daily changes in their homes to live a more eco-friendly life. These greener-living ideas are driven by concerns of global warming, pollution and habitat loss.

Here are some simple ideas for making your household greener.

Laundry: 

Some simple changes will be healthier for you and the planet, and might save you money. Use cold water as much as possible. Don’t overdo the detergent — consult your washer manual and the detergent package.

Try using your dryer less, hanging clothes on a rack indoors or outside in warm weather. If you are using the dryer try using wool dryer balls.

If you wash lots of fleece and acrylic items use a washing bag that collects microfibre particles that are released during the wash, so they don’t go into the water.

These are just a few simple things you can do and know that you are doing something good for the environment.

Cleaning: 

Check under your sink and in your cleaning closet. Are there rows of cleaning products in plastic bottles? How much do you know about their formulas?

Some people are passing on harsh chemicals and creating their own cleaning solutions using baking soda, vinegar and lemons. You can also seek out brands with plant-based, natural or nontoxic ingredients.

People think cleaning in an eco-friendly fashion will be less effective, more expensive and more work, but that is just not true.

Organizing: 

Recycling, repurposing or donating clutter is a worthwhile project. But don’t buy unnecessary organizing supplies. Look through your house first. You maybe amazed at what you find. Spray-paint glass jars and cans, or dip them in paint, to make them into decorative storage containers.

When sorting, use a colour-coding system to mark items and bags — for example use red for trash, yellow to donate, blue is sell and green to keep.

Rugs: 

When shopping for a rug, look for those made of wool or other natural materials such as jute, sisal or linen; padding made of wool or felt; and no stain or waterproofing treatments.

Try choosing rugs free of PFAS (per/poly-fluoroalkyl substances) — a category of chemicals that do not break down in the environment and can cause health issues. Try rugs with backings made of natural rubber, and not PVC.

Furniture: 

Cheaply made plastic or particleboard furniture (fast furniture) is likely to end up in a dump before long. Instead, consider giving an old piece of furniture a new life.

With old furniture, you can get a lot of bang for your buck and you get your own signature look, instead of the same style everyone else has.