Monday, January 2, 2012

The Watson Abode: Quarter One Deep Cleaning


In an effort to get organized with all aspects of my life, especially my house keeping I have vowed to do a Deep Clean Scrub Down of my entire house this first week of January to start 2012 off right. I decided to combine this effort with another goal of 2012- incorporating more green decisions into my daily routine. I found a TON of fantastic homemade, eco-friendly, non toxic cleaning concoctions on Pinterest, and am sharing the ones that I have been using this weekend with you. My house has never been cleaner!


BATHROOMS
Toilet Cleaner
1/4 cup 20 Mule Team Borax squeezed with lemon juice from 1/3 of a lemon per bowl
or
1/4 cup baking soda and about 1 cup of white vinegar

Sink Drain Cleaner
1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, pour a pot of boiling water down, then pour in 1 cup bleach {not green} or vinegar

Tub Scrub with Grapefruit

Cut a grapefruit in half, sprinkle liberally with coarse salt {about 1/4 cup for an entire tub} and scrub away making sure to squeeeze out juice as you go! Rinse pulp off afterward


Martha Stewart's Tub Scrub
1 tsp liquid soap {castille soap} plus several drops of antibacterial essential oil {rosemary, peppermint, tea trea, eucalyptus} added to one cup of baking soda. Add enough water to form a paste and scrub with a sponge or brush


Tub Drain Cleaner
1 cup baking soda down drain plus 1/2 cup vinegar down drain. Cover with plug to keep it all working for 30 minutes, then pour a pot of boiling water down drain 






BEDROOMS
Mattress Deodorizer
1 cup baking soda in a mason jar with 5 drops of antibacterial essential oil {or lavender for a calming scent}. Shake them up in a jar, then sprinkle over mattress with a strainer. Leave on for about an hour, then vacuum up with a hose upholstery attachment. 



Sprinkle baking soda liberally on carpet, leave for 30 minutes, then vacuum up
LIVING AREAS
Vacuum all crumbs out of the sofa, then spray with rubbing alcohol. Scrub off with a white sponge, then fluff material with a bristle brush as it dries.

1/2 cup olive oil plus 10 drops of lemon essential oil

KITCHENS
1/2 cup warm water, 1/2 cup vinegar, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 15 drops tea tree oil

1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 2 cups warm water

Sprinkle baking soda all over oven. Mix 1 Tbsp Borax, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/8 cup dish soap, and 1 cup boiling water and spray a thick coat, then sprinkle with more baking soda. Leave overnight and scrub out oven

There's lots of different methods for this one, so follow the link!

Pour ice cubes and 1 cup vinegar down disposal and run



Put lemon slices in a bowl of warm water and microwave for 1 minute. Leave in for 3 minutes and wipe clean



1 cup white vinegar plus 1/4 up of baking soda plus 7 drops of favorite essential oil






LAUNDRY
Grate one bar of Fels-Naptha soap in a bowl, add 1 cup of washing soda, and 1 cup of borax

Fill up your washing machine with water and add 2 cups of vinegar. Let set for one hour, then run an entire wash cycle with the machine empty. Once drained, scrub out grime with a sponge with more vinegar. Fill machine back up again and add 1 cup of bleach let soak for one hour. Clean all nooks & crannies with all purpose cleaner. Restart machine and run another complete cycle

1 cup water, 1/2 cup peroxide, 1/2 cup baking soda. Soak laundry 20 minutes, then wash as usual

1/2 cup Dawn dishwashing liquid, and 1 cup hydrogen peroxide. Spray directly on stain

1 1/2 cups water, 1 Tbs baking soda, 1-2 Tbs fabric softener. Mix in spray bottle



1/4-1/2 cup of lemon juice to whites instead of bleach


I took a trip to Sam's Club and got a bulk of most of these ingredients, which should keep me stocked for a few months. What could be better than getting your house cleaned, saving money, and stripping your house of nasty toxic chemicals? Are there any other green & homemade cleaning products you use to give your house a deep clean? Do tell! 


***UPDATE*** Due to popular request, I have made a PDF printable for you to print out and stick on your fridge for easy reference! Click here to download the PDF from Scribd




2 comments:

Lindsee said...

I need your ambition. My house is begging me to clean it from floor to ceiling!

Cardigan Empire said...

Great ideas Rosemary! Thank you.

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