Countdown to Spring: Spring Cleaning Kit Essentials and Homemade Cleaning Products

Welcome to Day 4 of our Countdown to Spring...only 7 days to the new season!Have any of you been inspired to Spring Clean your house?  I hope so.  I know I got a major dose of inspiration the first night at 10pm because I was thinking about all the bathroom cleaning tutorials and decided to go ahead and clean my 2 bathrooms upstairs.  I even put my shower curtain liner and curtain in the washing machine and guess what...it works!  It really, really works!  I'm so happy because scrubbing the shower liner is no fun so I'm thrilled to know that a machine will exert the elbow grease on my behalf...oh yea!!!So we've tackled the bathroom and the kitchen part 1 and part 2. Today, I wanted to share some tutorials on What You Need in Your Cleaning Kit as well as Recipes for Making Your Own Cleaning Products.  See, I'm going to help you save money and go green at the same too...you're welcome!  ;)Cleaning Kit EssentialsHere's a quick list of my cleaning kit essentials and of course, Melissa shares hers in the video.  I'm sure you have your must haves as well...Bathroom

• toilet bowl cleaner (I do use store bought for this because I think you need extra strength for this area)
• toilet bowl brush
• disinfectant wipes (I know, not very green.  I will start switching over to using cloths and just washing them after.)
• barkeeper's friend (I use this to scrub the tub and sinks; I will try a baking soda combo and see how well it works)
• dish soap & vinegar recipe to clean shower walls (seems to work pretty well)
• scrub brush (for scrubbing the tub and shower walls
• double sided sponge (for cleaning the sink)
• old toothbrush (for getting into all the little nooks and crannies around the faucet and on the grout in the shower)
• regular sponge for drying countertop and quick clean up daily
• glass cleaner and paper towels

Kitchen

• barkeeper's friend (for cleaning the sink and the glass cooktop)
• double sided sponge (for scrubbing the sink and the glass stove top)
• cleaning cloths for general and regular countertop wipe downs
• granite countertop cleaner
• disinfectant wipes to clean the front of appliances and wipe the pulls on the cabinet and drawers and the garbage can
• Swiffer mop with dry cloths for almost daily floor dusting
• Bona mop and laminate floor cleaner for more thorough floor cleaning

Is that pretty close to what you use?Here's a great video that shares some of the essentials.  She geared the video towards college students who are on their own for the first time, but it applies to everyone!

)Did you know that there's basically 5 key ingredients to make most of the cleaning products you'll need for your home?  Pretty amazing!Vinegar - mild disinfectant, grease cutter, de-scaler, glass cleanerDish soap - neutral pH - gentle and safe on essentially every surface and a mild soap that can lifts off dirt and grimeRubbing alcohol - at least 65% USP in order for it to qualify as a disinfectant, can be mixed with waterHydrogen peroxide - naturally occurring bleach, used in Oxy powders. Uses oxygen to break bonds between dirt and bacteria and the surface they are on. A great disinfectant, stain remover and natural whitener.Baking soda - abrasion, deodorizing, great for replacing a scouring powder. It's not actually used in any of the recipes but can be used to boost cleaning power by sprinkling on a sprayed surface.If you want, you can always add 10 drops of an essential oil of your choice to any bottle of cleaner to change the scent.  Popular choices are lavender and lemon.Watch this video to learn How to Make Your Own Cleaning Products.Here are the recipes:Glass cleaner - 50/50 water and vinegar mix, use to clean windows and mirrors - smell dissipates quicklyDisinfectant - 50/50 water and rubbing alcohol, use to spray and leave after you've cleaned a surface, only use where required i.e. points of contact, cutting boards, bathrooms etc. Note that a disinfectant does not necessarily clean (i.e. lift dirt off) so this is the 2nd part of a two-step cleaning process (first part is the actual cleaning with a cleaner).All-purpose cleaner - 1-2 tbsp dish soap per bottle of water. Great to use for cleaning kitchen, bathroom surfaces, hallways, most furniture. Won't leave residue behind. If you are finding residue, reduce the amount of dish liquid being used (they vary in recipes).Tub and tile cleaner/de-greaser - 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup dish liquid. Use for soap scum on tiles and glass, greasy kitchens etc. Spray, let it sit for 5 minutes and start to clean.Stain remover - 1 cup hydrogen peroxide, 1/2 cup dish liquid. Amazing, simply spray on a stain, rub it in, rinse it out. Can also be used as a pre-treatment for stains. Test in an inconspicuous area first as the hydrogen peroxide may discolor.Some general tips:Label bottles using easel tape and a permanent marker (easel tape is much easier to remove than a sticker label and is more water-resistant). Label the ingredients, date and name of product.Use clean bottles and triggers only - don't use a bottle from another product until the trigger and bottle have been thoroughly rinsed and do not spray out or smell like the old product.Use different shapes, colors and sizes of bottles if possible to further ensure you are using the correct product.Make enough for 1-2 months of use and that's it. These don't have the same stabilizers that store-bought products do. Less additives means lower shelf-life.Never mix a recipe that you make up yourself without checking to see if it is safe to do, some items you cannot mix together!Remember, a cleaner does not disinfect and a disinfectant does not clean - clean first, disinfect second (many store-bought products can do both).Well, you've got no excuse now...you can get started by just mixing a few household items you probably have on hand.  Give it a try...I bet it'll make you feel rejuvenated, just like the spaces you tackle.  Have fun!