So I was stuck in the house yesterday with the kids all day thanks to freezing rain and bus cancellations. I figured it would be pointless to attempt any sort of paperwork because, kids, (and actually my littlest did lay down and have a bit of a nap and I was able to get through a big chunk of paperwork!) But don't even get me started on how it's easy to feel guilty when nothing gets accomplished in the house. I have days like those and I decided today would not be one of those days.
They were both getting along pretty
good for most of the morning so I decided to tackle some of the cleaning jobs that
don't get done on a regular basis. Here's some quick cleaning tips that are
chemical-free, all natural, and use ingredients you have around the house. My
hope is it will help you to remember to clean these things before they get
forgotten because they are definitely not a big priority on the daily list of
chores.
My main cleaning ingredient is fresh lemon, and you may want
to use dish gloves to protect your skin. It stings! (Thanks winter dry skin)
First I started with the microwave. Not too dirty at this
point, but doesn't hurt to give it a clean to keep it from smelling bad.
Slice up a lemon and throw it into a shallow dish with 1-2"
of water. Microwave for about 3 minutes and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
The steam will break up any cooked on food. After 10 minutes, wipe everything
down with a warm washcloth and leave door open to air dry. I did use a scrub
sponge on the tough spots.
While I was waiting for the 10 minute mark, I did a complete
clean out of the toaster. Our poor old girl has been neglected the last while
(she's melted on the top and in a bit of rough shape, but we love her!) It's so
easy to forget the crumb trays underneath. This is a potential fire hazard if
it gets built up too much.
And I thought I'd give a shot at the burnt areas on the top
of the toaster. I actually grabbed a slice of lemon from the microwave and
squeezed a bit onto a paper towel, dabbed that in some baking soda and rubbed
it all over the burnt areas until completely covered. I let it sit for awhile
and then using my scrub sponge was able to get it mostly all off. I did the
same with the outside plastic areas. Make sure you let it sit to dry completely
before using it and give it a good shake to get any additional particles out.
And don't forget to unplug it before even attempting to clean!!
Save those lemons! I used them to clean hard water stains
off the kitchen sink tap. Rub the lemon all over the hard water stains and
sprinkle baking soda over it all. Using a paper towel, gently rub mixture all
over and let sit for 5 minutes. Using a scrub brush or sponge, scrub the areas
until polished and wipe with a warm cloth.
It didn't get it completely clean but definitely looks a lot
better.
While all this was going on I was also doing some laundry.
Don't forget to check and empty the lint trap on a regular basis. I emptied
mine today. It's a potential fire hazard if the lint trap is left full and the
dryer will run more efficiently if you clean it regularly.
Finally, some of my eyeliner pencils needed sharpening.
Because the lead is so soft, It's easier to sharpen them after they have been
frozen for a few hours. After sharpening, draw on an angle across a paper towel
and the tip sharpens just that much more, and you're all set.
So that's what I got accomplished yesterday. And that's what one
of my quiet days looks like! I hope you can find some of these tips useful.
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