Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Cleaning


UPDATE: Find shopping locations at the bottom of the post!

Before getting into cleaning, I just want to say thank you to everyone for reading.  This blog is such a positive and creative outlet for me.  Creating is something that I have always done, and something I have always loved.  It is something I learned growing up from the amazing women around me.  From my great grandmother with her quilts, my grandma with her floral business, and my mom and cousin with their talent for crafts.  I have learned something from each of them to make my own style, to make Baker's House.  So, thanks to them, and thanks to you :) 

Anyway...

I have a strange love for cleaning.  For fun when I was little I would dust my grandma's furniture and clean the windows (the one's I could reach anyway).  It provides instant gratification that I am a fan of and then at the same time it is productive.  LOVE IT.  Since I know all of you are as excited about cleaning as I am, I thought I would share a little bit about my favorite (and only) cleaning products and tools. 

First on the list...

Mrs. Meyers Lemon Verbena All Purpose Cleaner



It smells heavenly and packs a major cleaning punch.  It is concentrated so one bottle lasts forever a really long time.  I bought a large spray bottle and mix the solution (follow the directions please) with water in it.  The light scent is just a bonus to the fact that it cuts grease better than some industrial chemically (yes that's a word) cleaners.  Bottom line: I love it and use it on almost everything!

Next Up...

Borax


Please go to the company website for the many, MANY uses for Borax.  It has two purposes in my home: to clean the toilets and to clean carpets.  I pour a cup in the toilet bowl and leave it overnight.  A quick swish in the morning and sparkling clean.  For the carpet, I love it for spot cleaning.  Marypoppins is the sweetest dog, but she's a giant.  If you have a giant dog, you know there are going to be giant messes.  The borax neutralizes odors and takes up the stains really well.  I just dissolve it in warm water and scrub away. 

Another favorite...

Dr. Bonner's Magic Soap's (and Baking Soda)


Magic is right...I love this soap.  It is so versatile I use it to clean my bath tub, and clean my face...yes you heard me right.  There are many lovely scents, but my favorite it the Lavender.  To clean the tub I squirt the soap in the tub and then sprinkly baking soda on it. Once they are both in the tub, I mix them together making a paste.  I let the paste sit for a little while and then take a stiff bristle brush to it.  This is really great for me because it provides a deep clean without any harsh smelling chemicals.  I have allergies, so this is amazing.  I hated cleaning the bathroom for that very reason. 

Some other staples in my home for cleaning: Soap and water.  I will take glasswares, figurenes etc, fill the sink and let them soak.  It does all the work for you and they come out gleaming.  I use lavender mint dish soap from Seventh Generation.  It's amazing.  Another thing you cannot have enough of are microfiber cloths.  Even without any cleaner they pick up dust and dirt like a magnent.  Just be careful when washing them not to use fabric softener or they loose their magic powers. 

So there is my list.  Those are the only products I use. They keep my house clean and keep me healthy (no allergy problems from these products)!  For local people (Dayton/Cincinnati Area) the cheapest price for Mrs. Meyer's is at Kroger.  $5.99 is a steal for that great big bottle.  Target has been the best place in terms of price for the Dr. Bonners Magic Soap.  It is in the makeup section, not the cleaning section.  I think they have it for $12.99 the last time I checked.  Borax is pretty cheap everywhere.  I don't think I have ever paid more than $3 a box. 

Happy Wednesday!