Southampton - Although the social calendar says it's summer, the celestial calendar says it's still spring. That means it's still the perfect time to freshen up your house with a spring cleaning. Here are some simple ways to get rid of winter stuffiness:

 • Instead of spraying air fresheners or lighting scented candles, open the windows wide and let some fresh, clean air into your house. Fresh air is still the best way to get rid of stale odors and vent impurities in the air. It just feels good.

 • Hang your towels outside (in the backyard, of course) to dry, for a clean, fresh smell.

 • Clean your heavy winter comforters and store them until you need them again in fall.

 • Flip mattresses and launder the pads.

 • Clean your windows inside and out, and launder the curtains or drapes.

Hang towels outside in the fresh air to dry.

And when you clean the rooms in your home, use nontoxic, all-natural products. They're surprisingly effective, and you can feel good about using them. Arm yourself with some "scrubby" sponges and use them with natural cleaners to make bathroom fixtures and kitchen surfaces sparkle, instead of relying on harsh cleansers.

Guidelines
Before you get started, you'll need some guidelines to follow in choosing all-natural cleaning products. Talk is cheap, and product labels can be deceiving. What's sold as "all natural" may not be natural at all, at least not in the way most of us understand the term. When you shop for cleaning products, read the labels carefully. Look for products that are plant based, biodegradable and free of synthetic fragrances or colors. Steer clear of products that contain chlorine, ammonia, phosphates or solvents.

Renee Loux, eco-advisor to companies, spas and hotels, host of the Fine Living Network's "It's Easy Being Green" and author of the book "Easy Green Living" (Rodale Press) says there are 10 basic green products that will handle most of the cleaning chores around your house:

White vinegar makes a wonderful cleaning agent.

 • All-purpose surface spray cleaner
 • Window and mirror (glass) spray
 • Liquid dishwashing soap
 • Dishwashing detergent (for the dishwasher)
 • Laundry detergent
 • Oxygen bleach (instead of chlorine bleach)
 • Stain remover
 • Toilet bowl cleaner
 • Surface scrub
 • Concentrated citrus cleaner

Natural food markets and supermarkets have for years carried these products, from companies like Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, Method and Ecover. They're widely available at big box retailers like Target and Home Depot, too. Supermarket chains also carry natural cleaning products. And it seems everybody's getting into the game - even Clorox now has a line of plant-based cleaning products. You've got plenty of choices.

If you are really committed and have the time, you can mix up your own natural cleaning products from stuff you probably have around the house. For example, if your tile grout looks grody, you can mix up a paste of baking soda and warm water and scrub it onto the dingy grout with an old, damp toothbrush. Let it sit for an hour or two, then rinse it off.

Baking soda alone, or mixed with vinegar, and/or water is also a more natural cleaning product to use.

Three Green Cleaners
Want to try some homemade cleaners? Here are three to check out:

 • White vinegar - cuts grease, removes stains, cleans glass, deodorizes. Combine it with baking soda to clean drains.

 • Baking soda - all-purpose cleaner and deodorizer that's mildly abrasive. Sprinkle it on countertops, sinks and stovetops and wipe with a damp sponge. Keep an open box in the refrigerator to absorb odors. Sprinkle it over a musty carpet, let stand, then vacuum up.

 • Hydrogen peroxide - sanitizes, disinfects and bleaches. Wipe down shower walls and countertops with peroxide (let sit before rinsing). Add some to the detergent compartment of the dishwasher, along with detergent, to sanitize dishes. Use it to remove blood stains from clothing. To get rid of a bathtub ring, mix peroxide with cream of tartar (from the kitchen) to make a paste, spread it onto the ring, let dry, then wash it off.

Cleaning Services
If you don't want to do your own cleaning, look for a local service that uses green products. Three companies offering green cleaning services in the Hamptons are:

 • Green Clean Hamptons, in Southampton (greencleanhamptons.com, 631-603-2796).
 • Organic Cleaning, in Hampton Bays (organiccleaning.net, 631-662-9440).
 • Catherine's Cleaning of the Hamptons, in Sag Harbor (631-793-1121).

Whether you do it yourself or have someone do it for you, now's the time to have a cleaner, greener home.