DIY Febreez

I have a weird phobia: that my house stinks. I've always been worried about people coming over and it smelling weird/strange/dirty/stuffy/gross/what-have-you.

Until a few weeks ago, this fear was mostly unfounded. Then this happened:

We got a puppy! And you know what that means...puppy piddles. We're working on house training her, but she still has accidents. We've tried several different carpet cleaning tips (the best we found: baking soda & vinegar), but fabrics have a tendency to hold onto smells. I've tried many different tips on making my own Febreez (just to make it cheaper) and this is what I've found works best:

3oz water
3oz white vinegar
2oz conditioner (yep, the stuff to make your hair silky & shiny)

Stir it, don't shake. If you shake, massive amounts of bubbles form & it takes forever for them to go away. It will take a minute, but you want all the conditioner to dissolve. Pour into a spray bottle & go to town!

DIY Carpet Shake

I have this neurotic need to make sure my apartment smells clean. I'm sure it stems from some traumatic experience as a child that I subconsciously block from recalling, but the fact remains that I have a need to make sure my place doesn't stink. Also, I hate smelling food that I cooked 2 days before. Gross.

In the spirit of over-sharing, I go through carpet shake like crazy! I recently found out that most of the contents of a regular can of that stuff is basically baking soda. So I'm paying for something I already have in my house just to put it on the floor? Yeah, didn't make sense to me either.

You'll need:
2c baking soda
20-ish drops of essential oil

Mix it. Seriously, that's it. You do want to make sure that it's thoroughly mixed so you don't have clumps & the oil is evenly dispersed. Put it in a shaker or some other container you can use to sprinkle it about.

This is what was left after 1 application to my
carpet. You'll have much more than this.

Put it on your carpet & let sit for 15 minutes then vacuum up. You can vary the smell by changing the oil. I use peppermint for 2 reasons: 1) it helps get rid of food smells easier and 2) ants & spiders & a myriad of other insects hate peppermint. I intend to make my home bug-free.

Happy shaking!

Product Test: Resolve Easy Clean

Before we moved from our old apartment, we had to do a deep cleaning. You know, we needed to get our deposit back! There were a few spots on the carpet that were really kind of gross. After 2 years of snow and rain being tracked in, it's really no surprise. I decided to try out the Resolve Easy Clean carpet cleaning system:

Courtesy: Resolve website

This is what our carpet looked like before:

And this is what it looked like after:

I thought it was worth it! I know it's hard to tell in photos, but there really was a HUGE difference! Your can just refill it with Resolve High Traffic cleaner so you don't have to buy the whole system every time. It saved me from having to get on my hands and knees too, which was an added bonus for someone with bad knees.

Spring Cleaning Week: Odds & Ends

There are some things that people forget about or have never thought to do them. Here are some suggestions that I have. There are many others, so if you know of some leave a comment.

1. Check your smoke detector battery. Better yet, go ahead and replace it.
2. Flip and rotate your mattresses.
3. Wash curtains (if possible).
4. Clean your trash can. Sounds weird, but some gross stuff could be lurking.
5. Run your washer empty with 1c white vinegar. Helps with any smells and cleans any grime.
6. Clean out your car. While you're at it, clean the outside too.
7. Delete any old files from your computer.
8. Clean out your window sills. There's dirt in there and if you like to have your windows open, it's just going to blow around in your clean home.
9. Clean dryer vents. Also, take out the lint collector & clean with a small brush.
10. Open the windows and let some fresh air in!

Spring Cleaning Week: Keep Your Home Smelling Fresh

I love the smell of a clean home. My husband thinks that's why I clean so much. However, he has lots of allergies that make it impossible to use conventional deodorizers. Aerosol sprays cause him to sneeze and artificial fragrances makes it difficult for him to breathe. I found a couple of things that help with that problem. That's right, you're getting another 2-for-1! How exciting!

First up, a spray.
You'll need:
a spray bottle
2c hot water
1/8 baking soda
1/2c lemon juice

Dissolve the baking soda in the water and add the lemon juice. Pour into the spray bottle.

I don't know if this will affect the color of cloth furniture, so be careful! I try not to spray it near my couches though, just in case.

The second is a refrigerator deodorizer.
You'll need:
an orange
salt
a bowl

Cut orange in half & remove pulp. Pour salt into rind. Place in bowl to prevent a mess in case it gets knocked over & place in fridge. The salt soaks up any nasty odors while the orange helps it smell nice.

Spring Cleaning Week: My List

I have a confession: I'm OCD. About many things. One of the big ones is cleaning. I'm somewhat of a germaphobe. The only time I feel normal is in the spring when the rest of the world decides to pick up my habits. I'm willing to share with you my spring cleaning list! It will take about 2 weeks to complete if you follow this schedule, but it can & should be altered to fit your needs.

Before starting this, make sure you’re willing to get rid of stuff you no longer need or use. Don’t let emotional attachments get in the way of having the clean home you want. If you’d like, take a picture of the object, print the picture, then write the memory on the back of the picture.

Source

Monday:  Clean out fridge & freezer. Take everything out. Wipe down all bottles & jars. Throw away anything past its date. Wipe down shelves, drawers, and doors. Clean out any crumbs in the rubber seals. Clean the top, front, and sides with Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Put everything back in its place. Sweep and mop kitchen floor.

Tuesday:  Clean out cabinets. Work one cabinet at a time. Take everything out and wipe down every item. Throw away anything past its date. Wipe down shelves, sides of cabinet, and doors. Line shelves if necessary. Sort cabinet contents by container (can, jar, bottle, bag, etc) and/or contents (fruits, veggies, beans, etc). Place back in cabinets according to categories. When working on plates, wipe each one with wet washcloth or towel to remove any dust. Inspect dishes for cleanliness.

Wednesday:  Clean under cabinets. Take everything out. Clean all surfaces. Inspect all containers for leaks or faulty packaging. In bathroom, organize all contents by their use, person using them, frequency of use, etc. Place back according to categories. In kitchen, organize contents by their use, frequency of use, etc. Place back according to categories. If possible, place all cleaning supplies in a large container (bin, bucket, etc) for easy access in future.

Thursday:  Clean stove, dishwasher, and drains. In kitchen, pour boiling water down all drains. In bathroom, pour baking soda then a mixture of vinegar & boiling water down all drains. Wipe down front of dishwasher. Clean around seal of dishwasher. Run empty with no soap. Wipe down top of stove & panels where knobs are located. Take out all burners & drip pans. If possible, lift stove top. Place drip pans in sink filled with hot soapy water. Clean underneath stove top. Remove oven racks and place in tub or large sink. Mix baking soda & hot water into a thick paste. Place on all surfaces of oven and on racks. Let sit 20 minutes. Meanwhile, use rough side of sponge or a scouring pad to clean drip pans. Allow to dry. Fill spray bottle with vinegar. Working in small sections, spray vinegar onto surfaces of oven & racks & wipe clean. If needed, take pumice stone & lightly scrape burned on foods (be careful not to damage finish). Line bottom of oven with aluminum foil. Replace racks. Cover drip pans with aluminum foil. Replace drip pans & burners.

Friday:  Dust. Make a mixture of 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water. Be sure to wipe down blinds, window sills, baseboards, doors, and light switches.

Saturday:  Catch up on laundry. Keep machines running. Iron as needed right away. Put clothes away as soon as done folding. While in closet, turn all hangers with the open end of hooks facing you. When putting away clothes after laundry day, turn so closed end is facing you. At the end of a year, give away any clothes that haven’t been turned around. These are clothes you do not wear. Place unused dryer sheet in drawers to keep them smelling fresh.

Sunday:  Rest. Enjoy your family. Bask in how much work you’ve gotten done in 1 week!

Monday:  Clean pantry. Take everything out. Check all dates. Wipe down all shelves. Line shelves if needed. Sort contents. Place back contents according to categories. Sweep & mop floor.

Tuesday:  Clean living room. Remove all cushions from furniture. Using attachment, vacuum all cushions and pillows. Vacuum area on furniture where cushions were, especially deep crevices. Put cushions and pillows back. Clear all surfaces possible. Wipe down surfaces and all items removed. Put them all back. If possible, move furniture & vacuum where they sit. Move furniture back & finish vacuuming.

Wednesday: Clean bedrooms. Remove sheets & wash. Remove anything from closets that isn’t clothing. Arrange hanging items by color. Make sure all items in closet are on hangers. Place toys in bins. Take all items from under beds. Vacuum under beds, if possible. Dust dressers. Take all items from bedside tables. Dust each item. Try to keep only necessary items on tables (alarm clock, glasses, book if you read at night, etc). All items that do not belong in bedroom return to their respected areas. Enlist the help of children if possible.

Thursday:  Clean bathroom. Remove all items from tub/shower. Make mixture of equal parts hot water, white vinegar, and Dawn dish detergent in a spray bottle. Spray this mixture to shower doors, walls, and tub. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Rinse well with clear water. Replace shower liner if needed. Wipe down edge and front of tub. Wipe down each item from shower & place back. Clean mirror with solution of 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water. Use this same solution to clean counters, sink, and front of cabinet doors. Wipe shower curtain rod with washcloth or towel wet with vinegar/water mixture. Empty trash can. Wipe down outside of toilet with vinegar/water mixture. Using gloves and an old sponge, scrub inside of toilet bowl with a paste of baking soda & water. Flush. Wash bath mat. Sweep and mop floor. Do not let children use vinegar/detergent/water mixture & use mixture with exhaust fan on. Remove all contents of medicine cabinet. Wipe down all shelves and doors. Wipe each item. Check for items past their date & discard. Toss anything that is hard that’s supposed to be soft or soft that’s supposed to be hard or has changed color. Place the rest of the items back.

Friday:  Focus of floors. Sweep all bare floors & mop. Vacuum carpets. For stains, sprinkle area with baking soda, then spray with mixture of 1 part white vinegar & 1 part hot water. Use towel to apply pressure & bring up stain. Allow to dry. Vacuum again.

Saturday:  Outside area. Sweep porch, entry way, patio, and sidewalk. If possible, power-wash concrete surfaces. Sweep any cobwebs down inside & out with a broom covered with a damp towel. Also use this day to catch up on laundry. Iron as needed right away. Be sure to place newly-laundered clothes with closed end of hanger facing you.

Sunday:  Rest. Enjoy your clean home!