4 Sustainably Conscious Ways to Clean Your Store

Julie Starr • May 7, 2022



We all know that green cleaning is the new black, but how can you get on board with this new trend in your cleaning routine? You can’t just turn on the tap and fill your store with verdant germ-free goodness. There are a lot of factors that need to be taken into account, especially when it comes to the sustainability of your store and its customers. So, how can you incorporate green cleaning into your store with minimal impact? Here are four sustainable ways to clean your store.

Use natural ingredients when cleaning.

To integrate the sustainable trend of green cleaning into your store , the first thing that you need to do is make sure that you don’t use harsh chemicals when cleaning. Natural ingredients are great for cleaning your store, but you need to use them responsibly. You can use essential oils to clean and solutions that include citronella, lemongrass, and lavender. Natural cleaning products don’t damage the environment because they are made from renewable resources. Natural ingredients can also help you create a more sustainable store and a more pleasant experience for your customers.

You can take this a step further by using a steam cleaner where possible as the steam acts as the cleaner for a more hygienic and eco-friendly cleaning option.

Hire a cleaning company

Some cleaning companies provide eco-friendly cleaning services, and others are certified in sustainable cleaning. When hiring a cleaning company, ask about their cleaning methods and what ingredients are being used. Some Commercial Cleaning companies will work with you to help carry out their services sustainably to help support the changes you want to make.

Clean when the store is open where possible

When the store is open, you are already using energy to keep the lights on, serve customers, etc. Keeping these on when the store closes increases your energy consumption, not to mention adds to your wage bill.

If you clean as much as possible when the store is open, you can use the energy when required and avoid keeping the lights on past close. Also, training employees to clean as they go means you can catch issues quicker and potentially reduce the chance of you needing to use harsh chemicals or more products to remove the mess after some time. In many cases, regular cleaning can be done with a damp cloth or rag for spills on the floor if caught quickly, saving products for more significant problems.

Recycle materials where possible

Avoid using single-use products when cleaning , such as wipes, and invest in tools that can be used repeatedly. Or even recycle one product to use as something else when it is no longer functional. E.g., using damaged uniforms to clean or wipe down surfaces if they can no longer be worn, using damaged food items like cleaning materials such as lemons or white vinegar, and even using old packaging, empty containers, and products for storage instead of buying new ones. 

Alternatively, ensure you have a robust recycling process in place, and everyone adheres to this as much as possible to ensure you are reducing your waste and carbon footprint.

 

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.