Handy Dandy....Clean!

Are you always looking for ways to keep your home problem free and running smoothly? On the hunt for a few handy dandy household tips to help along the way?

Me too!

Here are a few of my favorite tried and true tips you may want to use:

1. Once a week pour 1/2 cup bleach down bathroom sinks and put 1 cup in each toilet when you leave for the day, upon your return pour boiling water down the drains and flush all toilets. This will free any build up of hair, soap scum, etc. and help keep the clogs at bay.

2. Keep a jar of all natural furniture polish ready to go. I use 1/4 cup lemon juice combined with a 1/4 cup olive oil. Shake well and use to wipe all wood furniture at least once a week. It will keep it clean and beautiful for years to come. Also keeping a furniture marker that matches your wood tones keeps everything looking it's best for small touch ups.

4. Designated Shoe Caddy. If room allows set up a shoe station in your home. We keep an old wooden tray by the back door. Great spot to remove soiled shoes and to corral them from ending up all over the house.

Great looking choice!Shoe and Boot Tray

 

 



5. Showers can start feeling like a science project rather quickly. You can keep it feeling spa like with a few quick tips. A squeegee and a Mr. Clean Magic eraser make quick work of your shower. After showering run the squeegee down the tile walls and glass walls of your shower. At least once a week (I do twice a week) take the Mr. Clean magic eraser and run over the entire surface of the shower then rinse thoroughly. At the end of every week I use baking soda on the shower tile then spritz with apple cider vinegar to keep it disinfected. Fresh and clean, easy breezy! You can use a adhesive hook to store your squeegee directly in the shower and a mesh laundry bag on another hook to hold your Mr. Clean eraser, and a small plastic sealed container of baking soda and a small spray bottle of apple cider vinegar. Keeping your supplies close by helps to get the job done.

 

 

6. Microwave! One of my favorite easy cost effective cleaning jobs is 1 cup of water. Yes, that is it. Take one cup of water and place it in the center of your microwave and turn on for 5 minutes. The microwave will be filled with steam. Remove the cup, be sure to use a dish towel or small hot pad to handle, then take a clean paper towel to make quick work of cleaning all residue and build up of splattered food. If odors are lurking you an slice a few lemon slices to add to the water or add a few drops of a favorite food grade essential oil. How easy is that? 

 

7. Granite Cleaner - I love cleaning with vinegar as an all natural cleaner but I do caution my clients on using vinegar on natural stone that is sealed. Vinegar is a corrosive and over time it will degrade the seal and integrity of the stone. A good alternative is Green Works or a homemade spray with equal parts of water and isopropyl alcohol with a drop or two of your favorite degreasing dish soap mixed in a spray bottle. Another option is equal parts peroxide, water and a few drops of lemon juice mixed in a spray bottle. Any of these are good options. After cleaning my granite with any type of spray I always take a clean, damp cloth to rinse clean.

 

I hope you have found some of these tips useful! A clean, fresh smelling home is a happy home! Do you have a favorite tip to share? I'd love to hear from you.