Spring Cleaning Pt 1

   Spring - one of my favorite times of the year. Time for new life. Time for rebirth. Time to air out the house! And also one of the two major times I clean throughout the year. While I clean the house every week, spring is a great time to clean every nook and cranny. Thus a  two-three day cleaning extravaganza.
   As I was cleaning today, I thought back to times I have cleaned with such vigor and enthusiasm in the past. While I don't particularly like cleaning each week, I fund a lot of joy in these bi-yearly marathon cleaning sessions. They are a great stress release for me and remind me of cleaning bedrooms, houses, and apartments of my friends throughout the years.
    While I have been dabbling in home mixed cleaners for a few years, this is the first year I did most of my spring cleaning with them. With the exception of Windex, Pledge, and Toilet Bowl cleaners - which I am still working to find a substitute for. I wanted to take time to share what my spring cleaning looked like this year, along with some mixes for those of you turning towards natural cleaners.

Bathroom

1.) Clean out all drawers and the linen closet. Throw away anything that's expired. Wipe drawers and shelves out with dryer sheet (to pick up any dust and dirt, minimize cleaning in the future, and leave a fresh scent). Reorganize toiletries for easy access.

2.) Wash mirrors and inside windows.

3.) Clean window treatments. I have plastic blinds in my bathrooms. To clean them mix:
1 C Water
1 C White Vinegar
Apply by placing hand in old sock and wiping blind with mixture.

4.) Clean Toilet. Clean both the interior and exterior of the toilet. Be sure to clean the front, side, seat, and back of the bowl. After the toilet seat dries, wipe with a dryer sheet.

5.) Scrub Shower and Tub. Spray tub with the following mixture before wiping (I let it sit for about 5 minutes):
12 oz White Vinegar
12 oz Dawn Dish Soap
1 Tsp Laundry Detergent
After solution is wiped out, clean out the drain with the following mixture:
Pour 3/4 C of baking soda in drain
Followed by 1/2 C of White Vinegar
As it starts to bubble, place a plate over the drain. Let sit for 30 minutes before washing with hot water.
Cleaning shower head by attaching a plastic bag with a rubber band to the head containing:
1 C White Vinegar
1/3 C Baking Soda
Let sit over night. Rinse and wipe off the next morning.

6.) Clean all metal fixtures. Wipe with baby oil using a cotton ball. Wipe with dryer sheet after they dry.

7.) Wash Walls with a mixture of:
1 C Water
1/2 C White Vinegar
A few drops of lemon essential oil or lemon juice.
Let dry.

8.) Mop floor the following:
1 L of water - brought to a boil.
After boiling remove from stove and add 6 peppermint tea bags - steep for 2 hours.
Add 1 L White Vinegar
2 T baby oil
I usually don't mop with a sponge on my hands and knees, but I did with this and was really impressed.

9.) Finishing Touches - Wipe base boards with dryer sheet. Dust ceiling.

Note: I cleaned the sink using the same solution for the shower. 

Total Time: Apx 1 hr and 30 minutes per bathroom.

Bedrooms

1.) Launder winter bedding and store. After you strip bedding cover the mattress with:
1 C Baking Soda
4-5 drops of lavender essential oil
Let sit for 1 hour before vacuuming off of mattress.

2.) Clean window treatments. I also have blinds in my bedroom and used the same mixture as above. (Bathrooms #3)

3.) Wash mirrors and inside of windows.

4.) Wash walls using mixture from above (Bathroom #7)

5.) Clean out shelves and drawers. Dust furniture. 

6.) Reorganize closets. Decide what to donate.

7.) Vacuum carpet. Dust ceiling.

Total Apx Time: 1 hour per bedroom

Laundry Room

1.) Sweep and mop floor.

2.) Dust and reorganize shelves. Throw away any expired or empty bottles.

3.) Clean washing machine. I have a top loading washer. If you have a front loading washer do not follow these instructions:
Fill the machine with hot water and add 1 Q of Chlorine Bleach. Let sit for 1 hour.
After an hour have the machine run through its longest wash/ spin cycle.
Fill the machine with hot water again and add 1 Q of White Vinegar. Let sit for an hour.
While the machine is filling, use a cloth soaked in the water/ vinegar to clean the outside of the machine - knobs, lid, etc.
After an hour run the machine through its longest wash/ spin cycle.

Total Time: 3 hours with cleaning washing machine.

Hallway

1.) Clean out any closets. Store winter items. Reorganize.

2.) Wash walls with the mixture above. (Bathroom #7).

3.) Wipe wood treatments with dryer sheet. Dust ceiling.

4.) Vacuum.

Total Apx Time: 45 minutes.