Glass Spray Bottle / Premium Towels /  Essential Oil Blend

Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• ½ cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup fractionated coconut oil or almond oil
• 20 drops essential oil (lemon and orange are great for this!) I’m using my Cozy Essential Oil Blend – it’s lemon & clove.

Mix in a spray bottle, shake before using as it will separate, spray on your cloth and polish wood surfaces. This DIY will last 2-4 weeks unless you use it up sooner. Feel free to mix it up in a smaller batch if you don’t think you’ll go through it in 2-4 weeks. 

Why does this work? The white vinegar cleans, the oil protects, and the essential oils give the spray a clean, refreshing scent. Looking for more DIY Recipes?  Check out these posts or grab my DIY Cleaning Recipes Pocket Notebook.

DIY Cleaning Recipes Pocket Notebook

Check out my favorites for Dusting Day (Tuesdays) and all my favorite cleaning products on the Favorites page here.

The post DIY Citrus Wood Polish appeared first on Clean Mama.

The chemicals and artificial fragrance in traditional fabric sprays have harmful ingredients and artificial fragrances. When you see how easy and inexpensive this spray is to mix up, you’ll be DIY’ing your fabric spray too.

Glass Spray Bottle / DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels / Premium Bar Mop Towels

Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup vodka (or rubbing alcohol)
• 10 drops essential oil (I love lemon and lavender and the Calm Home Blend for clothing – it’s Lavender and Eucalyptus)
• spray bottle
• label

Add ingredients to a spray bottle and shake to combine. (I recommend using glass spray bottles),

QUICK TIP: If I have a shirt or piece of clothing that needs a little freshening up – maybe if it isn’t quite ready to be washed but needs a little extra something. I hang a couple shirts in the laundry room, give them a quick spritz and allow to dry.

Choose one of my essential oil blends to make cleaning a little more enjoyable! You can see all my DIY cleaning recipes on the site here.

The post DIY Fabric Refresh Spray appeared first on Clean Mama.

microfiber cleaning cloth

Let’s start with some definitions – what is the difference between clean, sanitize, and disinfect?

Did you know that regular, consistent cleaning reduces germs in the home? Sanitizing is taking it one step further by removing any remaining germs left from cleaning and disinfecting kills any remaining germs/bacteria and viruses on surfaces. Generally speaking, cleaning is all that is necessary in an average home. It’s also helpful to recognize that some germs are okay – germs help to build up our immune systems. If we lived in homes that were germ, bacteria and virus free, once we were exposed to something we would get it because we hadn’t built up a healthy immune system. Once I realized this, I loosened my grip on disinfection in our home.*

*If you haven’t read my 3rd book, Clean Mama’s Guide to a Healthy Home, I go into extensive detail about how to great a non-toxic home – check it out here.

CLEAN: Removing dirt, stains and grime. Similar to how using soap and water and washing hands removes germs and washing them down the drain, spraying a surface with a cleaner and wiping it clean is cleaning it.

SANITIZE: Kills bacteria on surfaces.

DISINFECT: Kills bacteria and viruses on surfaces.

Bonus: Microfiber cleaning cloths can remove up to 99% of germs! They don’t spread germs around the way paper towels, cleaning wipes, and other materials do. Here are my favorite microfiber cleaning cloths.

glass spray bottle / hand and dish soap / sponge / towels

Now that you know the difference between cleaning/sanitizing/disinfecting, let’s talk about when you need them and then how to safely clean, sanitize, and disinfect.

QUICK TIP: Did you know that regardless of what you are disinfecting with, in order to truly disinfect you need to let the cleaner sit on the surface for at least 10 minutes before wiping it off?  

When Should You Clean/Sanitize/Disinfect?

This depends on your own personal comfort level, but generally speaking, cleaning removes most germs. I err on the side of caution and have a simple routine for what and when I clean vs. sanitize/disinfect. If there’s an illness running its course in our home, I’ll add a level of disinfection to the entire house. If you have an immune-compromised family member, you’ll want to follow the instructions from your physician.

microfiber cleaning cloth / glass spray bottle

Here are some steps that I take/unwritten rules I follow:

DAILY:

• Clean kitchen counters and sink; check bathroom counters – spray and wipe clean if necessary.
• I do laundry daily – if anything needs to be sanitized or washed on hot, I keep it separate and wash it.
• Use the sanitize cycle on the dishwasher for washing dishes.

WEEKLY:

• I follow the Clean Mama Routine  – this allows for consistent cleaning. Consistent cleaning keeps germs off surfaces.
• Clean bathrooms on Mondays – I use my DIY All-Purpose Disinfecting Cleaning Spray for normal weekly cleaning and a stronger solution if necessary – see below for my Natural Disinfecting Spray recipes
• I use Hydrogen Peroxide to disinfect toilet brushes, kitchen and bathroom surfaces – see more below.

ILLNESS:

• • Spray Everclear-based disinfecting cleaner (see below) on all hard surfaces – bathrooms, kitchen surfaces. Let sit for 10-15 minutes and wipe clean. 
  • Wipe remotes, door knobs, light switches, etc. with rubbing alcohol.
  • Launder sheets and towels on sanitize cycle and dry on high. Repeat laundering after illness has passed.
  • Change hand towels daily. Wash all towels on sanitize cycle and dry on high.
  • Use steam cleaner on soft surfaces to sanitize – sofa, pillows, etc.
  • Launder throw pillows and blankets.

I love using Hydrogen Peroxide as a disinfectant on kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Simply add a sprayer and keep the bottle handy! Spray toilets, toilet brushes, sinks, and other hard surfaces that you want to disinfect.  I sell sprayers in the shop if you need one.

If you want to mix up a cleaner to clean, sanitize, or disinfect, I have lots of DIY recipes here. If you’d like a little more guidance on using alcohol in a DIY cleaner, keep reading.

In order to disinfect with alcohol, you need a final mixture that is made up of at least 60% alcohol – that’s why I recommend using Everclear with 95% alcohol. We don’t drink Everclear, I only use it for cleaning. It’s similar to vodka – it’s clear and is a grain alcohol so it’s ‘non-toxic’. For reference, Vodka has a 40-60% alcohol content which is why I add vinegar and essential oil to it to up its germ-killing qualities for my original All-Purpose Disinfecting Spray recipe.

Please note: If Everclear isn’t available in your state, look for vodka that is at least 60% alcohol and don’t dilute it with water.

NATURAL DISINFECTING SPRAY (WITHOUT VINEGAR)

Best used on stone surfaces – granite, marble, quartz.
1 cup Everclear (look for one with 95% alcohol)
2/3 cup water
1 -2 drops dish soap
15 drops essential oil – I use lemon (optional)

Mix ingredients in a spray bottle, shake and spray on surfaces you wish to disinfect. Spray thoroughly to saturate surface and allow to sit for 10 minutes to disinfect surfaces.

NATURAL DISINFECTING SPRAY (WITH WHITE VINEGAR)

1 cup Everclear (look for one with 95% alcohol)
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup white vinegar
15 drops essential oil – I use lemon (optional)

Mix ingredients in a spray bottle, shake and spray on surfaces you wish to disinfect. Spray thoroughly to saturate surface and allow to sit for 10 minutes to disinfect surfaces.

I hope that this post gives you some information on cleaning vs sanitizing and disinfecting and gives you the information you need to safely clean and disinfect your home when needed!

The post How to Safely Clean & Disinfect Around the Home appeared first on Clean Mama.

Glass Spray Bottle / DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels / Premium Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

If you’re new to DIY cleaning recipes, you’ll love this easy to make cleaner. It’s so simple and a great disinfecting recipe.

Glass Spray Bottle / DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels / Premium Cleaning Cloths / Essential Oil

DIY ALL-PURPOSE DISINFECTING SPRAY

This DIY All-Purpose Disinfecting Spray is easy to mix up with ingredients you might have on hand and it’s an effective cleaner. It’s perfect for disinfecting most surfaces (except stone) and so easy to mix up.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup vodka or rubbing alcohol (you can also use Everclear to up the germ killing even more)
• 15 drops essential oil – I love the Fresh Home Blend for this recipe
• glass spray bottle
• measuring cup

Mix and store in a spray bottle. Shake before using. Can be used in bathrooms, counters, sinks, and most surfaces. Don’t use on stone. This DIY recipe will last for up to a month.

The post DIY All-Purpose Disinfecting Spray appeared first on Clean Mama.

As you’re cleaning the bathroom, if you have any areas that need a little extra scrub, wet the surface, sprinkle a little bathroom scrub on the surface, add a squirt or two of castile soap and give the surface a good scrub and rinse. It’s so easy and effective.

GATHER YOUR INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups of baking soda
• 20 drops essential oil
• castile or dish soap
• container with a lid or a shaker top – I use this mason jar
• label if you’d like – these are the scrub labels I use
• scrub brush or sponge

MIX UP AND USE:

• put baking soda in your container – I like using a mason jar
• add essential oils to the top of the baking soda – I like the Fresh Blend for bathrooms (it’s Sweet Mint)
• stir and combine with a table knife

• wet your surface
• sprinkle liberally on your surface
• add a squirt or two of castile soap
• scrub with a scrub brush or sponge
• rinse thoroughly
• dry with a cleaning cloth or air dry

If you have a white sink or tub or grout that you’d like to whiten up, add a sprinkle of Oxygen Whitener to surface with the powder, scrub and rinse.

If you don’t want to mix up your own scrub, I have a Multi-Purpose Cleaning & Freshening Powder in the shop!  Check it out here.

This recipe also works as my Nightly Sink Scrub – use it in your kitchen sink to give it a nightly clean and shine.

The post DIY Bathroom Scrub appeared first on Clean Mama.

DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels

If you’re new to DIY cleaning recipes, you’ll love this easy to make cleaner. It’s so simple and works better than anything I’ve used on my counters and it costs just pennies to mix up.

Glass Spray Bottle / DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels / Premium Bar Mop Towels

DIY STONE SPRAY

With just 3 ingredients, this DIY Glass & Mirror Spray is a super easy and effective cleaner. It’s perfect for cleaning glass and mirrors and will most likely surprise you with how well it works!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups water
• 2 tablespoons rubbing alcohol
• 1/4 teaspoon castile or dish soap
• glass spray bottle
• measuring cup

Pour ingredients in spray bottle, add a sprayer and shake. Use daily to safely clean stone surfaces.

Premium Bar Mop Towels / Dish Soap / Hand Soap

Spray surfaces and wipe clean with a soft cleaning cloth. Great for marble, granite, and quartz surfaces. This DIY recipe will last for up to a month.  It also works great as a soap-based all-purpose cleaner too!

The post DIY Stone Spray for Granite, Marble, and Quartz appeared first on Clean Mama.

Every night we reset the kitchen, put the dishes in the dishwasher, wipe up the counters and finally sprinkle a little sink scrub in the sink, add a squirt or two of dish soap and give the sink a good scrub and rinse. Here’s how I keep the kitchen clean with the Clean Mama Routine.

GATHER YOUR INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups of baking soda
• 20 drops essential oil
• castile or dish soap
• container with a lid or a shaker top – I use this mason jar
• label if you’d like – these are the scrub labels I use
• sink-safe scrub brush or sponge – I dedicate one for sink cleaning so there’s no contamination

MIX UP AND USE:

• put baking soda in your container – I like using a mason jar
• add essential oils to the top of the baking soda
• stir and combine with a table knife

• wet your sink
• sprinkle liberally in your sink

• add a squirt or two of dish soap
• scrub with a sink-safe scrub brush or sponge

• rinse thoroughly
• dry with a cleaning cloth or air dry

This recipe also works as a Bathroom Scrub – use it on sinks, faucets, tubs and showers. If you have a white sink or tub, add a little Oxygen Whitener to surface with the powder, scrub and rinse.

If you don’t want to mix up your own scrub, I have a Multi-Purpose Cleaning & Freshening Powder in the shop!  Check it out here.

The post DIY Nightly Sink Scrub appeared first on Clean Mama.

Glass Spray Bottle / DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels / Cleaning Cloth Kit / Essential Oil

If you’re new to DIY cleaning recipes, you’ll love this easy to make cleaner. It’s so simple and works better than the blue stuff!

DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels

GLASS & MIRROR SPRAY

With just 4 ingredients, this DIY Glass & Mirror Spray is a super easy and effective cleaner. It’s perfect for cleaning glass and mirrors and will most likely surprise you with how well it works!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 ½ tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoons rubbing alcohol
• 3 drops peppermint essential oil – I use the Fresh Home Blend
• glass spray bottle
• measuring cup

Spray directly on windows, spray on cloth for mirrors. Wipe for a streak-free clean. Mix and store in a spray bottle. Shake before using. Use on windows and mirrors liberally This DIY recipe will last for up to a month.

The post DIY Glass & Mirror Spray for a Streak-Free Sparkle and Shine appeared first on Clean Mama.

With just three simple ingredients, this just might be your new favorite way to wash your floors. Mix up a batch today and mop away.

Glass Spray Bottle / DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels / Cleaning Cloth Kit / Essential Oil

If you’re new to DIY cleaning recipes, you’ll love this easy to make floor cleaner. It’’s so simple and a great all-purpose recipe that really works.

DIY FLOOR SPRAY

With just 3 ingredients, this DIY Floor Spray is a great all-purpose cleaner for your floors. No rinsing necessary and it can be made in a larger batch as a mop and bucket recipe if you’d prefer.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup warm water
• 1-2 drops Castile Soap
• 3-5  drops essential oil (optional) – I love the Cozy Home Blend for this recipe – it’s my signature lemon + clove scent
• glass spray bottle
• measuring cup

Mix and store in a spray bottle. Shake before using. I recommend using warm water with this because I will go through almost a whole bottle when washing all of the floors in our house. If you don’t use it up, this DIY recipe will last for up to a month. Thursday is Floor Washing Day in the Clean Mama Routine – you can see my favorites for Thursday (and every day of the week) on the Favorites Page here.

The post DIY Floor Spray – an All-Purpose Floor Cleaner appeared first on Clean Mama.

Here’s how to clean a toilet with just a couple ingredients:

1. Spray entire toilet with cleaner and let sit 10-15 minutes
2. Sprinkle Oxygen Whitener in the bowl
3. Squirt Castile Soap under the rim and let sit
4. Use a toilet brush and scrub then flush
5. Place brush under seat to dry
6. Spray with Hydrogen Peroxide
7. Wipe toilet clean

Oxygen Whitener in a jar / Castile Soap

Supplies You’ll Need:

• Multi-Purpose Cleaning Concentrate
• Glass Spray Bottle
• Oxygen Whitener
• Castile Soap
• Hydrogen Peroxide – extra sprayer
• Toilet Brush
• Cleaning Cloths

Do you have toilet stains? Try a pumice stone! Specifically a Pumie – wet the Pumie, scrub it on your stains and watch them disappear.

You can see my favorites for cleaning bathrooms here on my Favorites Page. Curious how I clean the bathrooms on Mondays? Check out this post.

The post How to Clean a Toilet appeared first on Clean Mama.

Glass Spray Bottle / DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels / Premium Bar Mop Towels

If you’re new to DIY cleaning recipes, you’ll love this easy to make cleaner. It’’s so simple and a great all-purpose recipe.

DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels

DIY ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY

With just 3 ingredients, this DIY All-Purpose Spray is a super easy and effective cleaner. It’s perfect for cleaning most surfaces (except stone) and so easy to mix up.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 10 drops essential oil – I love the Cozy Home Blend for this recipe – it’s my signature lemon + clove scent
• glass spray bottle
• measuring cup

Mix and store in a spray bottle. Shake before using. Can be used in bathrooms, counters, sinks, and most surfaces. Don’t use on stone. This DIY recipe will last for up to a month.

The post DIY All-Purpose Spray – perfect for cleaning most surfaces appeared first on Clean Mama.

Glass Spray Bottle / DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels / Foaming Scrubbing Sponge

Using a daily shower spray will keep soap scum and mildew at bay and make it easier to clean your shower. Start with a clean shower first and then use the daily shower spray to keep scum and mildew away.

DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels

DIY Daily Shower Spray

With just 3 ingredients, this DIY Daily Shower Spray is my secret to a clean and scum free shower. I hope you try it!

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup vodka (you can use rubbing alcohol but I find that the vodka works better in this recipe)
• 10 drops essential oil – I love the Fresh Home Blend for this recipe – it’s a sweet mint scent with Spearmint, Peppermint, and Vanilla
• glass spray bottle
• measuring cup

Mix and store in a spray bottle. Shake before using and spray shower or tub daily after showering. Rinsing or wiping is not necessary but you can use a squeegee or a sponge after spraying. Experiment to see what works best for your bathroom. This DIY recipe will last for up to a month.

The post DIY Daily Shower Spray – Just Spray and Walk Away appeared first on Clean Mama.

glass spray bottle | spray bottle bands | cleaning bucket | Oxygen Whitener | bar mop towels

Here are two simple All-Purpose Cleaning recipes – both can be used to clean multiple surfaces, my preference is the soap-based cleaning spray. These are multi-purpose and can be mixed up in larger batches for bucket-cleaning or used in a spray bottle. If you’re not sure what to use when you’re spring cleaning, use an All-Purpose recipe!

SOAP BASED ALL-PURPOSE CLEANING SPRAY – use this for most surfaces, including stone and marble, no rinsing is required
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon castile or dish soap– if you find that 1/4 teaspoon isn’t enough soap based on your hard/soft water, increase up to 1 teaspoon. If you’re using the new Foaming Dish Soap (it’s amazing!), just use one pump
optional: 3-5 drops essential oil

Double, triple, or quadruple for use with a small bucket and cloth to clean doors, baseboards, or other large surfaces.

Combine ingredients, close spray bottle, shake, and CLEAN!

VINEGAR BASED ALL-PURPOSE CLEANING SPRAY – use this if you prefer vinegar or have water spots, mineral build up, or other stubborn stains, do not use on any stone surfaces.

50:50 water to white vinegar ratio – if you’re using a spray bottle, use these amounts:
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup white vinegar
optional: 3-5 drops essential oil

Double, triple, or quadruple for use with a small bucket and cloth to clean doors, baseboards, or other large surfaces.

Combine ingredients, close spray bottle, shake, and CLEAN!

If you want to get a sudsing and scrubbing action with this recipe, add a little soap to a scrub brush or sponge to use as you clean. Scrub and rinse.

TOOLS:

• measuring cup
• measuring spoon
• funnel – this just makes it easier to pour liquid ingredients into a spray bottle
• spray bottle
• bar mop towels for wiping surfaces – my personal preference are the Premium Bar Mop Towels and the Cleaning Cloth Kit, but I also like using a sponge or a Swedish dish cloth as well.

Have you seen the new DIY Cleaning Recipes Pocket Notebook?  It’s darling and includes 31 recipes plus pages to keep your own DIYs. At only $8, it’s perfect for your DIY cleaning adventure and makes a great gift.Looking for more? Here are all the posts on DIY cleaning in one place.

This March we’re spring cleaning together but in our own way!  Grab the free printable kit and join the challenge……

The free Spring Cleaning Kit has two different types of checklists – the first is the brand new Spring Clean Your Way checklist that has the tasks broken down by room and in a way that allows you to work in small increments through your home. With Spring Clean Your Way you can do a task or two a day, set a timer for 10-15 minutes, or work through it over the month. The simple Spring Cleaning Checklist is a traditional spring cleaning checklist. Use this kit as a guide to start spring cleaning and complete it in a way that makes sense for your schedule.

 premium bar mop towel | cleaning cloth kit | spray bottle bands | glass spray bottle

READY? HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

1. GRAB YOUR FREE PRINTABLE SPRING CLEANING KIT and print it out or have it ready to access! This guide is ONLY available through this month, it will not come back again. When you click that link you are heading to my FREE PRINTABLES PAGE – you only need to put your email address in ONE time and the password will be sent to your email address. Check your promotions and spam folders if you don’t see it right away. If you’re new to Clean Mama, you’ll be signed up for my emails once you get the free printables page access so you won’t’ miss a thing on the blog this month either!
2. FOLLOW @CLEANMAMA ON INSTAGRAM – I’ll be posting spring cleaning how-tos and tips the whole month of March (probably into April too!). Follow along and turn on your notifications so you don’t miss a thing.
3. Share, share, share!  I’d love it if you shared SPRING CLEAN YOUR WAY with your friends and asked them to join us. It’s going to be so fun!

I’ll be on Instagram quite a bit this month – make sure you’re following along over there too.

The post DIY All-Purpose Cleaner – perfect for Spring Cleaning! appeared first on Clean Mama.

You can pour it in a small bowl to freshen a room, put in a sachet for drawers and closets, add to baking soda for a sink scrub or add to water and simmer on the stove. Add a label and ribbon for a gift!

This is my Nightly Sink Scrub with lemon, orange, clove, and cinnamon DIY Mason Jar Potpourri. I put a strainer top on the lid (see it in the upper corner) to sift out just the baking soda when sprinkling it in the sink.

Ingredients:

• mason jar with lid – this is a great time to upcycle a jam or pasta sauce jar
• 1 ½ – 2 cups fresh flowers, citrus peels, fruit, herbs, and spices
• Essential oil – add up to 3 drops of a scent to accentuate the natural fragrance once ingredients are completely dry and dehydrated

Combine desired flowers, citrus peels, herbs, and spices in a quart mason jar. Add the lid and shake every day or two until the potpourri is dried – this takes about a month. 

QUICK TIP: If you want to speed up the process, you can dehydrate the citrus in the oven. Slice thinly and put on a lined baking sheet at 200 degrees for 2-3 hours. Keep an eye on it and flip slices after about an hour. Once it has completely dried out, turn off the oven and let the citrus sit until cool.

What can you use for a DIY Mason Jar Potpourri?  Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Lemon or orange peels – use peels if you’re drying over a month and slices if you’re dehydrating in the oven
• Lemon or orange slices – dehydrate in the oven
• Pine needles
• Vanilla bean – cut in 1-2 inch pieces
• Cinnamon sticks
• Lemon slices
• Orange slices
• Clove buds
• Rose petals
• Lavender buds
• Eucalyptus leaves
• Rosemary leaves
• Mint leaves

This is a simple and fun project, perfect for this time of year, but you can do this year ‘round. Do you think you’ll try it?

If you like this post, check out my post all about Stovetop Simmers!  Another way to make your home smell good naturally.

The post DIY Mason Jar Potpourri appeared first on Clean Mama.

Don’t you just love warm scents for fall, winter and the holidays? It’s a great time of the year to make simmers, burn candles, and run a diffuser with essential oil blends. It’s fun to be able to customize a couple scents for the seasons with what I have on hand or for the feeling I’m hoping to conjure up in the kitchen.

Here are five of my favorite simmers for fall, winter and the holidays. Mix one up and simmer it away on your stove or in a small crockpot and you’ll be feeling festive in no time. Gather any combination of the following ingredients – you only need one or two things, but you can combine to your heart’s content. A lot of times, if I’m cooking or baking in the kitchen for an afternoon, I will simmer ingredients I’m using. Extra lemon rinds or herbs? Toss them in water and simmer away.

Ingredient Ideas:

• lemons
• oranges
• apples
• cranberries
• pomegranates
• cinnamon sticks
• whole cloves
• vanilla beans
• fresh herbs
• pine needles
• extracts – vanilla, almond, etc.
• 4-6 cups water

My favorite Holiday Simmers:

HOLIDAY KITCHEN

• lemon
• rosemary
• vanilla beans

CHRISTMAS ORANGE

• orange slices
• clove buds

HOLIDAY APPLE PIE

• apple slices
• cinnamon sticks
• pomegranates
• cranberries

HOLIDAY BAKING

• orange and/or lemon slices
• clove buds
• cinnamon sticks
• vanilla beans

THANKSGIVING MORNING

• orange slices
• sage
• cranberries

Add 4-6 cups water to a large saucepan.

Combine ingredients with water in a saucepan and put on your stove. Set heat to low and let the ingredients simmer away as long as you’d like. Keep an eye on the water so it doesn’t boil over or scorch. Add water if you need to.

TIP: If you have a small crockpot you can combine the ingredients and let your simmer bubble away on low all day.

Happy Simmering!

The post Make Your Home Smell Cozy with a Stovetop Simmer appeared first on Clean Mama.

New here? Here are all the posts on DIY cleaning in one place.

Here are two simple All-Purpose Cleaning recipes – both can be used to clean multiple surfaces, my preference is the soap-based cleaning spray. These are multi-purpose and can be mixed up in larger batches for bucket-cleaning or used in a spray bottle.

SOAP BASED ALL-PURPOSE CLEANING SPRAY – use this for most surfaces, including stone and marble, no rinsing is required
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon castile or dish soap– if you find that 1/4 teaspoon isn’t enough soap based on your hard/soft water, increase up to 1 teaspoon
optional: 3-5 drops essential oil

Double, triple, or quadruple for use with a small bucket and cloth to clean doors, baseboards, or other large surfaces.

Combine ingredients, close spray bottle, shake, and CLEAN!

VINEGAR BASED ALL-PURPOSE CLEANING SPRAY – use this if you prefer vinegar or have water spots, mineral build up, or other stubborn stains, do not use on any stone surfaces.

50:50 water to white vinegar ratio – if you’re using a spray bottle, use these amounts:
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup white vinegar
optional: 3-5 drops essential oil

Double, triple, or quadruple for use with a small bucket and cloth to clean doors, baseboards, or other large surfaces.

Combine ingredients, close spray bottle, shake, and CLEAN!

If you want to get a sudsing and scrubbing action with this recipe, add a little soap to a scrub brush or sponge to use as you clean. Scrub and rinse.

TOOLS:

• measuring cup
• measuring spoon
• funnel – this just makes it easier to pour liquid ingredients into a spray bottle
• spray bottle
• bar mop towels for wiping surfaces – my personal preference are the Premium Bar Mop Towels and the Cleaning Cloth Kit, but I also like using a sponge or a Swedish dish cloth as well.

Don’t want to mix up a DIY? I have a great all-purpose spray in the shop too!

Have you seen the new DIY Cleaning Recipes Pocket Notebook?  It’s darling and includes 31 recipes plus pages to keep your own DIYs. At only $8, it’s perfect for your DIY cleaning adventure and makes a great gift.

The post Need a Basic Hard Working Cleaner to Clean Your Home? Try this All-Purpose Recipe appeared first on Clean Mama.