Spring is the time of fresh beginnings! With the seasonal shift, we are often inspired to clean and declutter our homes. Here are a few tips for a healthier home and planet.
Repair & Refresh Before You Replace
Consider repair first! Our RE:Source Guide provides simple fixes for your favorite clothes, shoes, and furniture to help extend their lifespan. Check out the DIY stain removal tutorial, including step-by-step instructions for restoring your favorite items.
Toaster on the fritz? Local repair clinics are a great option for fixing your broken devices while learning valuable skills and building community. Seasoned experts will guide you through the repair process yourself, equipping you with the knowledge to tackle your future repair needs.
Check out our Repair Workshop Calendar which is regularly updated with free repair events all over Alameda County.
Clean & Shine Without the Chemicals
Maintain a fresh and sparkling home without relying on harsh chemicals. After disposing of hazardous materials, switch to safer, greener alternatives to traditional cleaning products. Our collection of recipes, including all-purpose and oven cleaners, will help you save money and reduce your chemical usage.
Citrus Power! Take advantage of the citrus season! Citrus peels can be used for cleaning, deodorizing, and stain removal, and can also be made into a non-toxic kid- and pet-friendly cleaner.
Greener Thumb: Try to avoid chemicals as your go-to solution for pest or garden management. See our collection of homemade alternatives to toxic garden products, ensuring a healthier environment for your plants, pets, and family.
Declutter, Donate & Discard Safely
Need to know what goes where? Look up your city in the RE:Source Curbside Guide to make sure only the correct things go into your recycling and green carts. When decluttering, you may find yourself with items that can’t be repaired, don’t belong in your curbside bins, or that you simply don’t need any more. RE:Source can provide answers for those things too! Here are some tips for of some of the most popular items we get asked about:
Clothing: Share your items with friends, family, neighbors, local groups, or online community platforms like FB Marketplace, Craigslist, NextDoor, etc. Or donate to a local charity organization. Also, check the tag of the clothing article and visit their website to see if they have a take-back program. More and more brands are offering take-back programs, either in-store or by mail.
Electronics, Batteries & Chemicals: Safely dispose of your household hazardous waste like old paint and cleaners, pest and garden products, and broken electronics and batteries, to help keep your home toxic-free. Alameda County offers multiple fast, free ways for residents to dispose of their household hazardous waste.
Old or expired medicine: Medicine and prescription drugs are also hazardous, and unless specifically stated on the packaging, should not be put in the trash, recycling, or composting bin, nor flushed or poured down the drain. Sharps and needles should be placed in FDA-approved sharps containers and brought to designated drop-off locations.
Thanks for doing your part to keep our communities clean!
