Cleaning

There’s always something that needs to be cleaned. Over the years, I’ve learned that it’s best to clean a little bit every day instead of trying to clean every room in the entire home in one day. By doing this, I’ve saved so much time and energy.

With that being said, here are 7 moves you should make every day to have a clean house.

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Vacuum a room

I definitely don’t enjoy pushing the vacuum around the house all day, but vacuuming one room a day is super easy and quick.

One day you can vacuum the living room, the next day you can vacuum the master bedroom, and so forth. And if you don’t want to vacuum at all, you can invest in an iRobot Roomba and let it do the vacuuming for you.

Keep counters clear of clutter

Do you struggle with keeping your kitchen or bathroom countertop clear of clutter?

Countertops are meant to be used as a surface to keep things stored, but if it’s overrun with clutter then it’s just another big mess to clean.

Try to keep your countertops clear by finding a designated storage spot for all of your items to keep them from being sprawled across your counters.

Don’t let dirty laundry pile up

When I come home from work, the first thing I do is throw my dirty clothes in the laundry hamper. By the end of the week, my laundry hamper is running over with dirty clothes, and now I have to spend all day doing laundry.

When you let your laundry pile up, you create an even bigger chore to complete.

Now, I try to wash a load of laundry when I notice that the laundry hamper is full. As long as I don’t let my dirty laundry turn into a mini version of Mount Everest, I’m good.

Take out the trash when the bin is full (or something stinks)

I do not take the trash out every day, but I will empty the trash once it’s full or if there’s something that’s starting to smell bad. If the trash can is only half full, I’ll leave it alone for the day.

Disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched

Door knobs, the fridge handle, remote controls, and cabinet doors are just a few frequently touched surfaces that need to be disinfected every day. Making this move every day can keep your family from getting sick!

Keep toys organized

Kids love to throw their toys all over the house, but they hate to pick them back up. To keep my house from looking like a Toys R Us store, I use this storage chest to keep all of their toys stored in.

Create a designated area for toys so your kids know where to put their toys after they are done playing with them.

Wash dishes every day

The simplicity of having a dishwasher at home makes this task so easy to complete. But if you don’t have a dishwasher, try to make sure that all of the dishes are washed and dry after dinner. There’s no point in letting dirty dishes pile up in the sink because you will have to wash them eventually. So, go ahead and tackle the dishes after dinner.

Cleaning every day might seem like a lot to do, especially when you have a family to take care of. But, completing a few cleaning tasks every day really takes a lot of stress off of you. Share some of your cleaning tips in the comment section below.

Spring is here and in full effect. That means it’s time to give your home a thorough, deep cleaning. Deep cleaning consists of cleaning your home from top to bottom. That means every crack, crevice, and corner in your home will get cleaned. So get ready to bust out the cleaning supplies and use these 7 deep cleaning tips to get started!

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Clean the microwave

Can you imagine life without a microwave? Microwaves are a necessity in every kitchen and they need to be cleaned regularly. Make time to give your microwave a good, deep clean at least once a month.

Clean the stovetop and inside the oven

When food spills over on the stovetop or inside the oven, it burns and becomes a tough mess to clean. Give your stove and oven a serious cleaning session from top to bottom this week. Clean the grates and burners on the stove, and clean the oven racks inside the oven.

Clean out the pantry and fridge

When was the last time you checked your fridge and pantry for expired food? Now is the best time to clean out your pantry and fridge. Check the expiration dates on everything, wipe down the shelves, and start organizing!

Deep clean the carpet

It’s important to vacuum the carpet, but cleaning the carpet is just as important. Carpet fibers can hold on to bacteria, dirt, and grime that won’t go away until you give your carpet a deep clean. Break out your Bissell carpet cleaner and start cleaning your carpet today.

Wash your shower curtain

Shower curtains and shower liners can become a serious breeding place for mold and mildew because of the constant moisture. Take your shower curtain and give it a good wash to keep clean and mold-free. Be sure to check the care label on your shower curtain to determine how to properly clean it.

Clean air vents

If you want to make sure that the air in your home is clean then you need to clean your air vents. Dirty air vents don’t necessarily have an impact on the air quality in your home, but cleaning them out every once in awhile won’t hurt.

Unclog drains

This isn’t really a place to actually deep clean, but I wanted to include it on the list anyway. Clogged drains are a nuisance, and they always happen at the worst times.

The easiest and fastest way to unclog your drains without using chemicals is with a drain snake. Just stick the drain snake down the drain and pull it back up. Just like that, your drains are now unclogged.

A deep clean will make your home sparkle! Start your spring off right by giving your home a deep clean with the cleaning hacks listed above.

Do you have a designated cleaning day? Are you one of those people that like to clean your entire home in one day?

On one hand, I can see how taking one day out of the week to complete all of the household chores can be helpful. But, on the other hand, I think trying to clean everything in one day can be extremely exhausting.

Personally, I like to clean a small part of the house every day. You’ll be surprised how much time and how much energy you can save by doing this. It’s genius!

Listed below are 8 small things you can do every day to keep your house clean. Check out the simple tips below!

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Wash laundry when the dirty hamper gets completely full

I’ve never been the type of person that likes to dedicate an entire day to washing laundry. But, I absolutely will not be doing laundry every day because that will waste too much water and make my bills go up too high. The best way to handle the laundry is to wash a load once the dirty hamper gets all the way full. I also like to go ahead and fold the laundry and put it away that same day.

Wipe down countertops

The countertops are the workspace for your bathroom and kitchen. The bathroom countertop is where you spread out our makeup when you’re getting ready. The kitchen countertop is where you chop vegetables and prepare dinner.

The countertops are important and need to be cleaned daily. Try to keep your countertops neat and organized by putting frequently used items back in their designated area.

Before you actually clean your countertop, you need to find a cleaner that won’t harm the material that your countertop is made out of.  For example, if you have a granite countertop, then you need to find a cleaner that won’t dissolve the granite. Research the best cleaners to use for your countertops.

Vacuum or sweep one part of your home every day

Dust, dirt, and hair accumulate on the floors of your home every day. Having carpet makes it even worse because the dirt and hairs get trapped in the carpet fibers. Vacuuming more frequently helps keep your carpet clean and in good condition. If you don’t have carpet, you can sweep one area of your home every day. I normally sweep my bathroom out every day.

Take out the trash when the bin is full

There’s no reason to take the trash out if the bin is only half full. Unless there’s something that smells sour in the trash can, I typically like to trash out when it’s full to the brim.  So, I might take out the trash every 2 to 3 days – only when it’s necessary.

Spray the toilet seat with a disinfectant cleaner

I live with my husband and our boys, so believe me when I say that I have to clean our toilet seat often. I know that many of you can relate to my situation. To clean your toilet seat, spray a disinfectant cleaner on the top, bottom, and around the hinges of the toilet seat. Let the cleaner sit for about 10 minutes. Then, take a damp cloth and wipe the toilet seat really good one more time and let it dry.

Wash Dishes

Make it a habit to wash dishes as soon as you are done eating. If you leave them in the sink, they’ll just start to pile up and you’ll have a ton of dishes to wash at once. Make life easier by washing dishes right after eating, and put the dishes back in the cabinets as soon you’re done washing them.

Make your bed up

Make your bed up when you first roll out of bed. It makes your room look neat and organized. Plus, I think it’s a good way to get the day started and get moving.

Pick up clothes and put them away

Try to refrain from throwing your dirty clothes on the floor. Buy a laundry hamper to place inside of your bed and throw your dirty clothes in it.

Having a clean home makes you feel good on the inside and the outside. Give these cleaning tasks a try and let me know what you think about them.

What is that smell? Have you ever walked into your bathroom and been smacked in the face by an awful smell? There’s no worse feeling than not knowing what is causing a foul smell in your bathroom or where it’s coming from.

To keep your bathroom looking great and smelling great, you have to give your bathroom a deep, thorough clean. If you don’t know where to start, try these 7 bathroom cleaning hacks to make your bathroom look and smell good.

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Remove your toilet seat and clean it thoroughly

If you want to really give your toilet seat a deep clean, then unscrew your toilet seat and remove it. Spray the toilet seat with a disinfectant spray and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Use a damp cloth to wipe the toilet seat off.

Deep clean your toilet bowl with vinegar and baking soda

Do you have stains in your toilet bowl that just won’t go away? Pour white vinegar into a spray bottle and spray it all around the toilet bowl. Dump 1 tablespoon of baking soda into the toilet bowl and let it fizz up. Use a toilet brush to scrub the walls of the toilet bowl to loosen up the tough stains and flush when done.

Pour fabric softener in the toilet tank

To give your toilet a fresh smell every time you flush, pour a capful of fabric softener into the toilet tank. When you flush the fabric softener will come down and release a pleasant smell.

Soak your toilet brush in Pine-Sol

Sometimes your toilet brush can begin to smell after you’ve used it to clean the toilet. When this happens, some Pine-Sol into the toilet brush base holder and let the toilet brush soak for a while.

Add a few drops of essential oils to your toilet bowl

Before you do the #2, sprinkle a few drops of lavender essential oil into the toilet to mask the smell. You can also sprinkle a few drops of essential oil into the toilet bowl after you flush.

Use shaving cream to get rid of the urine smell in your bathroom

If you just can’t seem to get rid of the flagrant smell in your bathroom, it may be coming from urine getting soaked into your floor tiles. To get rid of this smell, completely cover your bathroom floor in shaving cream. Leave the shaving cream alone for a few hours before cleaning it up.

Empty the bathroom trash

Get into the habit of dumping the bathroom trash can when it’s full to prevent any bad smells from forming. You can even place a cotton ball drenched in essential oils at the bottom of the trash can before you put in a new trash bag to help cover the stench.

Say goodbye to those foul smells coming from your bathroom for good! These tips will completely knock out any bad smell in your bathroom. Try these cleaning hacks today.

No one looks forward to cleaning the bathroom, but it has to be done. Giving your bathroom a good, deep clean will make a huge difference in its appearance and smell. If you’re looking for some new cleaning hacks to try in your bathroom, take a look at these 6 bathroom cleaning tricks that will make a huge difference.

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Get rid of hard water buildup and stains

Hard water stains make your bathroom look dingy and dirty. And if the hard water continues to build up over time, it becomes incredibly tough to clean and get rid of.

This multi-surface cleaner will completely clean soap scum and hard water deposits off of faucets, shower doors, toilets, bathtubs, and every other bathroom surface as well. You can also make your own hard water stain remover with 1 cup of water and 1 cup of white vinegar. Add in a tablespoon of baking soda to help breakdown the tough, built on stains.

Wash your shower curtain and liner

I’m not a big germaphobe, but I absolutely hate for my shower curtain liner to touch me when I’m in the shower. Can you relate? Seeing all of the soap scum buildup just grosses me out. So, I take my shower curtain and liner down and wash them separately in the washing machine. Make sure your shower curtain and liner are machine-washable before throwing them in.

Wash your bath mats

Just think about how many times you and your family members’ wet feet have stepped on that bath mat. Gross! It’s so easy to forget that bath mats need to be washed regularly. But that’s ok, so now, let’s learn how to wash them.

First, pick your bath mat up off the floor and shake it to get any loose dirt off of it. Secondly, take a look at the care label tag on your bath mat to find out how it should be properly washed. If the label says that the bath mat is machine washable, then throw it in the washing machine.

Deep clean your toilet

Deep cleaning the toilet – nobody likes to do it, but it has to be done. And when you have 3 boys and a husband in your home as I do, then you have to deep clean your toilet frequently.

When you deep clean you need to clean and disinfect the inside and around the toilet bowl, the toilet seat, the flush handle, and the toilet tank. You’ll need a good toilet disinfectant cleaner, a toilet brush, cleaning cloths, and gloves.

Clean the inside of the toilet bowl first. Spray cleaner around the rim of the toilet and all around the bowl. Take the toilet brush and scrub around the toilet bowl to loosen up any built-up stains. Flush when done.

Next, clean and disinfect the outside of your toilet by spraying cleaner all over the toilet and use your cleaning cloths to wipe the toilet down well.

Organize your bathroom counter space

Keeping your bathroom counter organized will have a huge impact on how much time you spend in the bathroom. If you can’t find the items you’re looking for because it’s lost in a sea of clutter on your countertop, then it’s time to get organized.

Sort through your belongings and get rid of things that you don’t need anymore. Now take the items that you’re going to keep and find a designated spot for each item.

Make sure your toothbrush goes in a toothbrush holder or your makeup brushes go in a makeup organizer. Get into the habit of always returning the item that you’re using back to its designated spot on the countertop.

Unclog your bathtub drain

Does it take forever for the water to go down the bathtub drain after you take a shower? That’s a huge sign that your bathtub drain is seriously clogged with hair and needs to be unclogged.

The easiest way to unclog a drain that’s clogged with hair is with a drain snake. This tool is super simple and easy to use. All you have to do is stick the drain snake down the drain. When you pull the drain snake back out, it’ll pull all of the hair that’s clogging your drain out with it! Such a  simple and effective way to unclog any drain in your home without harsh chemicals.

Your bathroom is in need of a deep clean. Give your bathroom a deep clean from top to bottom.  The next time you clean your bathroom, try these simple cleaning tips to make your bathroom cleaner than it ever has been.

Post Updated: March 12, 2020

You can’t avoid germs. You can’t avoid touching things with your hands, so you can’t avoid coming into contact with germs.

But, you can clean your hands regularly to take germs from making you sick or getting your family members sick.

I always make it a priority to keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer in my purse.

You never know when you’ll need it and it’s extremely convenient to have when you can’t wash your hands right away.

But, with the most recent panic,  hand sanitizer has been so hard to find.

I went to CVS, Walmart, Walgreens, and Publix, and they were all sold out of hand sanitizer.

All of the store associates told me they were completely sold out and had no idea when hand sanitizer would be back in stock.

Never in a million years did I think it would be so hard to find hand sanitizer!

But that’s ok. Hand sanitizer is fairly easy to make and I believe the homemade version is safer to use than the store-bought version (that’s my opinion, not facts).

If you’re having a hard time finding hand sanitizer due to the panic, keep reading to find out how you can make your own hand sanitizer to disinfect your hands with.

Related Posts: Homemade Disinfectant Cleaning Products to Clean Your Home

First, you will need a few materials/ingredients to make homemade hand sanitizer. I advise that you get to the store as soon as possible to get these items. Once people found out that they can make hand sanitizer, they will grab these items up quickly!

Materials needed:

Aloe Vera Gel

91% Rubbing Alcohol

Tea tree oil

Distilled water

A small squirt bottle

Instructions on how to make homemade hand sanitizer:

Step one

Measure out ¼ cup of aloe vera gel. Take the 1/4 cup of aloe Vera gel and pour it into a mixing bowl.

Step two

Pour I tablespoon (15 MLS) of rubbing alcohol into the mixing bowl.

Step three

Add 15 drops of tea tree oil. Tea tree oil has antibacterial properties that will help kill germs on your hands.

Step four

Pour one tablespoon of distilled water into the bowl.

Step five

Stir until all of the ingredients are mixed well.

Step six

Pour your homemade hand sanitizer in a small, travel-size squirt bottle.

Step seven

Make multiple batches of homemade hand sanitizer to give to friends and family.

In conclusion,

Germs are everywhere, and it’s better to be safe than sorry! This panic has everyone buying hand sanitizer like crazy, so you can use this DIY homemade hand sanitizer recipe to make your own. Do you have any tips to add? If so, tell me about them in the comment section below.

DIY homemade hand sanitizer

Making sure that your home is clean is more important now than ever due to the cold and flu season.

You need to clean your home with products that will kill germs if you don’t want any of your family members to get sick this winter. But, you don’t always have to clean your home with chemical products.

There are tons of natural cleaning products that’ll kill all of the germs in your home that you can try. That’s why I’ve rounded up a list of 9 DIY disinfectant cleaning products that are super easy to make. Check out the tutorials below.

Related Posts: How to Make Homemade Hand Sanitizer

DIY DISINFECTANT SPRAY

Materials Needed: 

1 cup of vinegar 

1 cup of water

Lemon Essential Oil

Tea Tree Oil

Combine the vinegar and water into the spray bottle. Add 25 drops of lemon essential oil and 25 drops of tea tree oil into the bottle and give it a good shake before using

DIY DISINFECTANT WIPES

Materials Needed:

Storage container 

3 cups of water

5 tablespoons of Castile soap

10 drops of tea tree oil

Clean cloths

First, pour three cups of water into the storage container. Then, pour five tablespoons of Castile soap into the container and mix it together with the water. Add ten drops of tea tree oil into the container and place 2-3 dishcloths into the container with the mixture. When you’re ready to use them, take one cloth out and use it wipe down surfaces in your home. Once you are done using the cloth, wash it with your laundry and place it back in the container once it’s been cleaned.

HOMEMADE LIQUID TOILET CLEANER

Materials Needed:

½ cup of baking soda 

½ cup of Castile soap

15 drops of tea tree oil

15 drops of lemon essential oil

Add all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix them together. Transfer the mixture to the bottle, and pour about ¼ cup of the mixture into your toilet bowl. Use a toilet scrub brush to spread the cleaner all around your toilet bowl and flush when you’re done cleaning.

HOMEMADE LEMON SCENTED DISINFECTANT

Materials Needed:

4 cups of water

1 lemon

¼ cup of white vinegar 

2 tablespoons of baking soda 

4 drops of lemon essential oil 

First, mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda, ¼ cup of vinegar, and 4 cups of hot water together in a bucket. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into the bucket and drop the rind in. Stir until the baking soda has dissolved. Remove the lemon rind and add in a few drops of lemon essential oil. Transfer the mixture to a spray bottle and start using the cleaner around the house.

HOMEMADE BLEACH

Materials Needed:

½ cup of water

½ cup of white vinegar 

1 cup of hydrogen peroxide 

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Mix the water, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, and lemon juice together in a spray bottle. You can even add in a few drops of your favorite essential oils.

ESSENTIAL VERSION OF LYSOL

Materials Needed:

1 cup of white vinegar 

2- 3 drops of pure Castile soap 

5 drops of lemon essential oil 

5 drops of peppermint essential oil

5 drops of lavender essential oil

Glass or stainless steel spray bottle

Combine all of the ingredients into a stainless steel or glass spray bottle. Give the bottle a shake, and then use it to clean the surfaces in your home.  If you want to use this cleaner on granite or stone surfaces, replace the cup of vinegar with a cup of rubbing alcohol.

REUSABLE DISINFECTANT WIPES

Materials Needed:

Large Jar

Clean dishcloths 

1 cup of water 

¼ cup of rubbing alcohol 

2 tablespoons of Dawn dish soap 

Place your clean dishcloths into the jar. Combine all of the ingredients together and pour them into the jar with the cloths. When you’re ready to start cleaning just take one of the cloths out of the jar, and when you’re done cleaning, wash the cloth with your laundry.

HOMEMADE ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER

Materials Needed:

½ cup of Everclear

½ cup of white vinegar 

¾ cup of water

50-60 drops of tea tree oil 

Pour the Everclear into a spray bottle and add in the 50- 60 drops of tea tree essential oil. Shake the bottle to mix the Everclear and oils together. Then, add the water and vinegar to the bottle and shake the bottle one more time.

Protect your family this cold and flu season by cleaning your home with these DIY disinfectant cleaning hacks.