Green Clean

My house is a mess.  I take that back.  My house is dirty.  I am pretty good and picking up and making it appear clean.  When it comes to deep down clean...not so good.  I think that maybe it is a time issue.  I remember the days when I could clean my whole house in one day.  From top to bottom everything would be done.  Then, I could sit back and enjoy the sparklyness (I have 3 girls I am allowed to invent words like that).  Nowadays, I have to clean in bits and pieces.  If the girls are soaking in the tub...I wipe down the sink, mirror and toilet etc. But I usually don't have huge blocks of time to really cover the whole house.  Knowing that I won't get very far prevents me from getting anywhere at all. Lame, I know.

Sometimes the only thing that will inspire me to "deep clean" is making my own cleaner.  "Making" inspires me.  (I love the post that Amanda wrote about her daughter's one word sentence.)  Even my husband remarked that he liked my cleaner better than one of the bottles he bought at the store.  This is saying a lot because my huband is the king of using massively toxic bleach laden "be- sure-and- have adequate- ventilation" cleaners.

I have tried lots of recipes for homemade cleaner.  Here is the one that I like the best for all-purpose cleaning (from sew green)

1tsp baking soda

2 tsp borax (in the laundry soap isle of the grocery store)

1 tsp liquid soap-  I use this (weird writing on the bottle, great soap)

2 cups hot water

10 or so drops of favorite essential oil- I like grapefruit or tea tree oil

Mix together, pour into spray bottle, shake before each use.

I actually double or triple this recipe and fill a spray bottle for the kitchen, and all 3 bathrooms.

For scouring or scrubbing I love using baking soda and lemon juice.  Just sprinkle the baking soda in the tub or sink or whatever.   Then, pour a bit of lemon juice in too.  Your kids will love how it "fizzes".  That is the great thing about using homemade cleaners- they are safe for kids! Great, because I can fill a spray bottle with their name on it!!!!   Happy scrubbing.