In recent years, the importance of non-toxic ingredients in the home has been growing, with more people becoming aware of exactly what they use to keep their homes clean. But with so many new products coming out and the endless list of DIY natural cleaning hacks, it is quite easy to become overwhelmed with all the options, especially if this is your first foray into planet-friendly cleaning swaps.

As we celebrate Earth Month and strive for a more eco-conscious future, let’s remember that every small step counts. To inspire you on your green cleaning journey, we’ve compiled a list of effective and impactful green cleaning swaps that are worth considering.

Ditch your dryer sheets.

We all want our clothing to smell as good as possible for as long as possible, and dryer sheets have long since been a go-to way to ensure our clothes have that long-lasting smell we love. They also help reduce static and can soften clothes in the process. However, they are a single-use item, meaning after their dryer cycle, they are virtually useless.

Instead, wool dryer balls are a great way to reduce static within your loads and can be used time and time again. There are also scented options available, which is a win-win.

Use reusable paper towels.

Paper towels are another single-use product we all likely use more of than we realize. Opting for a reusable option is a much better way to minimize waste production and ensure we can wipe up messes to our heart’s content without worrying about our waste output.

Try out laundry tablets.

Eliminating cleaning-related waste is easier than ever in the era of laundry innovations. Instead of relying on plastic-covered laundry pods or jugs of detergent, laundry tablets cut out the waste-causing middleman.

Switch out parchment paper for a silicone tray.

There’s nothing like making a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies, but the non-stick parchment paper we use causes unneeded waste. Instead, the next time you’re in the mood to bake some sweet treats, silicone baking trays are a great way to get the non-stick effectiveness of parchment paper without the excess waste.

Swap out your candles for essential oils or diffusers.

Lighting a candle after cleaning your home from top to bottom is the ultimate finishing step to any total Sunday reset. Once they are burned, however, they obviously cannot be used again. For those who don’t want to sacrifice the aromatic integrity of their homes, wax melts are a great way to get the same effect, but the melters can be reused again and again.