When the snow melts, it's often shocking when you see how much garbage has accumulated.

But the mess also inspires many communities to organize annual spring cleaning events for their parks and recreation areas. Having the community work together not only creates a sense of pride and camaraderie among neighbours, but the earth itself also benefits from a clean and green environment!

Watch for news of a community clean-up in your neighbourhood - and be sure to volunteer. These events are often organized around Earth Day, which falls on April 22^nd this year.  

MOLLY MAID shares the following safety tips for participating in your local clean up event:

• To avoid stumbling upon any hazardous materials, visually scan the area you're cleaning before starting.
• Make sure you wear gloves at all times and when handling garbage of any kind. This will help limit the bacteria and potential sharp objects that may otherwise have come in contact with your bare skin.
• Wear bright coloured clothing if you're cleaning up near roads or in high traffic areas - so vehicles will be able to easily see you.
• Carry a water bottle and take frequent breaks to hydrate yourself - double breaks, if it's warm outside
• Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat to protect yourself from the sun (you can still get a sunburn if it's cloudy because UV rays burn through the clouds).
• Bring sanitizer to apply throughout the day and thoroughly wash your hands when you get home.

If you want your house to have a green clean, call MOLLY MAID. Every MOLLY MAID clean is done using cleaning products from our Green Housekeeping Program. Our green cleaning service is designed for the health and safety of our customers, their family and pets, our staff, and to protect the environment.

Spring cleaning is not just for your home anymore - you can spring clean your community too!  Is there a park near your neighbourhood that is often littered with garbage?  Wouldn't you like to see it cleaned up?  In honour of Earth Day, organize a community cleanup!  Working together for a healthy environment is a great opportunity to further develop relationships with your neighbours.  Here are some ideas to help share your love of a cleaner and greener environment:

 Rally your Neighbours

• Talk to your neighbours and post signs (on recycled paper) letting your community know you'd like to organize a cleanup of the local park, school, community centre, etc. 
• Consider putting a notice on your local town or community's website requesting volunteers - be sure to include the date and time of the cleanup. 

 Add some extra Fun

• Make the cleanup into a fun scavenger hunt for the children who are participating; who can find a banana peel or a pop can? 
• Add a bit of competition to the mix for the adults; who can fill their bag with garbage first or who can collect the most bags of garbage?  

 Sort your Goodies

• Did you know that your local recycling driver could add up to three extra hours to their regular route because of improperly sorted recyclables? 
• Set up containers labelled "garbage", "recycle" and "compost" and be sure to properly sort the items you collect - sorting could be a great way to get the children involved and to teach them about the importance of recycling.

 Enjoy a Potluck Lunch

• You'll build up an appetite after all the great work you've done, so celebrate your success by asking everyone to bring their favourite appetizer... you might want to wash your hands first!
• Mix and mingle with your neighbours and gain a stronger sense of community - and a greener earth!

 Why not turn this into a pledge to make 'spring cleaning your community' an annual event!