Happy new month everyone! Thank you for joining me this weekend as we “leap” into a new week, a new month, and closer to the start of a new season – Spring! YEAH! Tonight’s blog post will be jam-packed and I hope you come away with some great tips, recipes and useful information to get you started planning for your Spring cleaning.
To do a job well, you need the proper tools! This is true for Spring cleaning. You need good tools to get the work done. When I plan for my annual Spring cleaning, I do inventory of my “tool kit”. MICROFIBER CLOTHS. These are great because they are lint free, do not leave streaks and can be washed many times. They are better for the environment because you are not throwing away piles of paper towels. I get mine in the automotive section at Walmart in different sizes. SCRUB BRUSHES. I have three scrub brushes that are labeled on the handles with a label written on in black Sharpie and covered in clear packaging tape what the brush is used for. This is to prevent cross-contamination. I have one for tubs, one for shower grout, and one for sinks. SPRAY BOTTLES. I buy the 16 ounce clear ones from the lawn and garden center at Walmart. They are labeled with black permanent marker with which DIY cleaning solution is in each one. SQUEEGEE. I have two squeegees. One has the sponge end for applying the cleaning solution to our large glass doors and porch windows. The second has the black nylon type end for clearing the solution from the glass. SPONGES. I buy the Magic Eraser type for tough stains along baseboards and on doors. The kind I get are washable as well! FUNNELS. These are great because I use them to insert into the tops of my spray bottles for pouring in cleaning solutions and they can be cleaned in the dishwasher. BUCKETS. I keep three. One for microfiber cloths, one for the scrub brushes and the third for the spray bottles.
Basic Ingredients. In addition to being much healthier for our home, I have been amazed at how economical it is now to make my own cleaning products. Keeping the following ingredients on hand will help you have what you need for Spring cleaning and for quick cleaning to keep things fresh and tidy! WHITE VINEGAR. This is my go to ingredient for many cleaning uses. It is germ killing and stain fighting! DISTILLED WATER. I buy the gallon jug at Walmart. I love using distilled water because it has gone through a special process to remove contaminates and helps make cleaning solutions even more effective. BAKING SODA. This is just a great item for absorbing odors, and for making many mild DIY abrasive cleaners. BORAX. I get this in the laundry aisle at the grocery store. This is the base for my toilet cleaner. ESSENTIAL OILS. Lemon and Tea Tree and Orange and Pine oils my fave four. They are antibacterial, odor busters and great degreasers. LEMON JUICE. This is in a lot of my cleaning solutions particularly for its antibacterial properties.
Tonight’s Cleaner Recipe. DISHWASHER CLEANER. This simple recipe will get your dishwasher odor free, purified and sparkling clean. I do this to my dishwasher every two weeks. Combine 1 cup of white vinegar and either 10 drops of lemon, lime or orange essential oil in a dishwasher-safe container (that is labeled for this use) and place the cup of mixture on the top rack of your empty dishwasher. Turn on dishwasher and allow vinegar mixture to do its work!
Thank you for being here tonight! Have an awesome start to your week! To get you jumpstarted on Spring cleaning, I am doing a drawing for a FREE 1 ounce packet of Young Living Thieves essential oil Household Cleaner. I love this cleaner. It can be diluted to make about 10 different cleaning solutions. Like tonight’s post and please email me your name to be entered into a drawing for one of 10 packets to be given away FREE. I will be back Wednesday with more recipes and we will tackle Spring Cleaning Makeover – The Kitchen.
Lemon and Rosemary 