Spring is nature’s season of rebirth. Of course, the natural world isn’t the only place where renewal can be found these days, for spring is also a time when many of us undertake the ancient ritual of spring cleaning.

Fortunately, spring cleaning isn’t as hard as it was in earlier ages, when families stripped their homes down to the walls in order to get rid of winter’s soot, mud, animal waste, and worse. While cleaning has become much easier, we still want to make sure we use the safest and most efficient methods. Here’ is Seventh Generation’s Top 10 List of Green Spring Cleaning tips:

1) Think before using commercial cleaners. Conventional chemical-based varieties will only make more of a mess. Instead, choose products that are made from biodegradable vegetable-based ingredients and non-toxic minerals, and that are free of artificial dyes and synthetic scents. These won’t leave toxic chemical residues around the house or pollute your home’s air.

2) Welcome in fresh air. Open all your windows and doors wide to flush out winter’s stale air and pollution.

3) Skip the chemical deodorizers. If further freshening is needed, place a drop of a natural essential oil like lavender or mint on a light bulb. Or add a dozen drops of the essential oil to a bowl of water placed on a warm stove. You can also boil fragrant dried herbs in a pot of water to release a fresh smell. If you’re trying to cover up a persistent odor, find and remove the source of the odor rather than hide it with scent.

4) Dust with a damp cloth. Since household dust is the final resting place for many invisible toxins, don’t use a feather duster, which simply stirs these hazards back into your air. Instead, use a barely damp cloth to remove dust. Take delicate and hard-to-damp-clean objects outside for an old-fashioned dusting.

5) Spray carefully. Propellant-powered aerosol spray products release their ingredients in the form of easily-breathable microscopic droplets that stay suspended in the air for hours after use. Better bets are hand-powered spray products or those you can apply with a sponge or rag.

6) Use baking soda. Freshen everything from carpets and cat boxes to trash cans and drains with non-toxic baking soda. Just sprinkle, let stand overnight, and vacuum or rinse odors away the next day.

7) Warm water can be best. Synthetic chemicals and other pollutants often accumulate unseen on the surfaces you are cleaning. Since hot water easily turns many of these substances into vapors that can be inhaled, clean with warm or tepid water instead.

8) Natural products are great for wood surfaces. Synthetic waxes, polishes, and furniture spray products typically contain more unsafe ingredients than most other kinds of cleaners. Polish wood surfaces with a solution of one teaspoon lemon juice in two cups of vegetable oil. Add a small amount to a dry cloth, rub it into the grain, and buff.

9) Don’t forget your pad. Wash all your bedding—from pillows and blankets to mattress pads and comforters—in water that’s at least 130 degrees to remove unhealthy dust mite allergens. (But use cold water for washing clothing to save energy.) Dry everything in the sun to save energy and provide a dose of sanitizing ultraviolet light.

10) Don’t track in pollution . Once your home is clean, place mats around your doors to remove particles and pollutants carried in on shoes—the source of much of our homes’ dirt and contamination. Clean these mats regularly, and ask friends and family to remove their shoes when they visit.

Bonus Tip: Cutting down on clutter cuts down on dust. Now is a great time to clean out your closets!