Spring is here and along with the bursting colors that surround us arrive pollen dust, insects and the shedding of furry winter coats. It becomes more difficult to ignore some cleaning that may have been neglected over the winter. Let’s face it as wonderful as it is to have our fur babies in our lives, they can keep us busy cleaning up a variety of messes. When it comes to getting down to the nitty gritty of keeping a clean home, I rely on 2 every day products that is safe for all. White Vinegar and baking soda. Ok, so not anything earth shatteringly amazing, I know but they truly are the cleaning version of the super foods generation. Some people don’t love the strong scent of the white vinegar and I get that but did ya know with a few extra steps you can have the ka-chow power of vinegar and lovely earthy scents of your favorite herbs? Now, I don’t know if you are like me where if I can buy it I won’t make it because I simply just don’t have the time. This is one of those exceptions for me because it is so super simple to make and I get to make it just the way I like it. I would definitely check to make sure the herb you want to infuse the vinegar with isn’t toxic for your babies. You can refer to ASPCA’s list here. Here is my favorite go-to recipe for lavender infused vinegar that I found on Little Green Dot.
LAVENDER ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER RECIPE
Ingredients
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1/4 cup dried lavender
- water
Directions:
- in a glass jar, mix the vinegar and dried lavender.
- Seal shut allow to sit in a sunny spot for 10 days
- strain out the lavender and reserve the infused vinegar
- in a spray bottle mix 1 part lavender infused vinegar to 2 parts water
**Please note that vinegar should not be used on marble, travertine or limestone tabletops, counters or floors, as the acid may damage the surface. When in doubt, always test on small area to test for reaction or discoloration.
Magical uses of baking soda:
Ok besides the fun fizzy reaction when you combine baking soda and vinegar, baking soda actually is a super inexpensive way to clean a ton of surfaces in your home. Below are some ways I use baking soda to keep my house all sparkly.
Pet Accidents:
This is such a touchy topic for most pet owners. We would all like to imagine that our sweet babies would never do such a thing, but lets face it. IT happens. Below are great recommendations from Cesar Milan’s website using some of the products above. I also included my personal favorite for using in my carpet cleaner.
Light carpet stains
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
Combine ingredients and mix until salt dissolves. Soak a washrag with the mixture and use it to rub out the stain. Let the solution dry, then vacuum.
Heavier carpet stains
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 2 tbsp borax
Combine ingredients and mix until salt and borax dissolve. Soak a washrag with the mixture and use it to rub out the stain. Let the solution dry, then vacuum.
Tough, ground-in stains
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Combine the ingredients and form a thick paste. Rub it into the stain using a dry cloth. Let it set for two days, then vacuum.
My personal favorite for using in my carpet cleaner and for quick stains. Some people don’t care for the smell but I love it. You can find it on Amazon as well as read the feedback from other users:
I also love my steam mop. It tackles tough gunk and makes me feel like the floor is spic and span. There are many models out there and the one I use and love is the Shark Steam Pocket Mop
Fighting insects can be a tough problem to tackle especially when you don’t want to just use any spray or leave any product lying around to send those pesky bugs running the other way. For this I am a firm believer in using Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade. When looking for this product, please make sure you are getting the food grade version because there are some out there that actually mix it with dangerous chemicals. This product is great for fighting fleas too. To read more about its benefits for pets, check out this article.
If you have some favorite cleaning tips, please comment below and keep this conversation going!
Until Next Week!
Dazzling Peacock 