Cleaning Your Wood Floors Naturally

31. March 2008 · 11 comments · Categories: Cleaning, Money Saving Tips · Tags: , , , , ,

884426_window_light.jpgYou know I like tea. Herbal teas are fantastic for what ails you or just as a comfort. Green tea is a great antioxidant and disease preventative. But what if I told you not to drink your tea? Today my tea advice to you is: Dump it on the floor! That’s right – a safe and natural way to clean your wood floors is with regular black tea. Tannic acid does wonders for wood. Again, this is a cheap, safe, and natural solution that allows you to rid your cupboards of one or two more cleanser bottles.

Here’s what you do: Just boil a quart of water and steep one or two tea bags until the water cools to room temperature. Take out the tea bags and use a soft cloth to dip in the tea. Wring out the cloth well, then wipe down the floors. Replace the cloth once it gets dirty.

Not only will your floors be nice and clean, you’ll also be gently covering some of those little imperfections and Hot Wheels scratches. Now when your two-year-old decides to lick the floor (simply for experimental purposes, mind you), you won’t have to worry about the dirt – or the chemicals.

Cleaning Your Kitchen Naturally

28. March 2008 · 2 comments · Categories: Cleaning, Money Saving Tips · Tags: , , ,


If you want that kitchen sparkling but you don’t want the cabinet under your sink to look like the mad scientist’s laboratory, ditch those nasty bottles of harmful cleansers and replace them with these safe and, might I add, cheap items!

Smelly cutting board? Wet it down and rub a little dry mustard on it. Let it sit a couple minutes and rinse. To disinfect, I keep an old dish soap bottle handy with 1/2 water, 1/2 white vinegar. I squirt some on the board, scrub, and rinse. (This is also a great cleanser for fruits and veggies instead of the costly Fit. One of you blogged about it and now I can’t remember who! Come forward and I’ll give you due credit – it was a great tip.)

Gas Stove Tops: For a great nonabrasive clean, remove your burners and sprinkle on some baking soda. Mist the stove top with vinegar and water. (I use 1/2 and 1/2). With a damp cloth, scrub away the crud, rinse the cloth, and wipe away the baking soda. This is one of my favorite natural cleaning tips – it will outdo any of those expensive cleaners!

Dishwasher Odors: Sprinkle some borax in your dishwasher, particularly in the bottom. Leave it overnight and wipe it away in the morning with a damp cloth. Let the next load of dishes do the rest of the cleaning.

Ways to clean your kitchen naturally, as well as the rest of your house, abound. If you try a natural solution and it doesn’t work for you, don’t give up. I’ve tried and tested many, many solutions and thrown more out the window than I’ve kept. But I’m always pleasantly surprised to find something natural that’s more effective than the usual expensive store-bought solutions. It becomes a fulfilling challenge. The best part? You feel more self-sufficient and you know you’ve got a safe, true clean in your house!

Natural Cleaning Tips for the Bathroom

25. March 2008 · 3 comments · Categories: Cleaning, Household · Tags: ,


Over the next several posts, I’ll be sharing some tips for cleaning your house naturally. With little ones trying to get into everything, including possibly harmful cleaning supplies kept around most homes, it’s a great idea to try and cut down on all those commercial chemical-filled cleaners. These tricks for cleaning your home are not only natural, safe, and environmentally friendly, they’re dirt cheap. (Alright, let’s skip the part about dirt. We’re trying to keep clean here.)

Chrome fixtures: To brighten and remove all that spotty stuff on your bathroom chrome, spray on straight white vinegar and wipe off with a clean dry cloth or sponge. I like to let the vinegar sit for a couple minutes first. You can also use lemon juice instead of vinegar, leaving a nice clean smell. There’s just something about a lemony smell that lets everyone know you’ve been working really hard and deserve to prop your feet up.

Removing hairspray buildup: Use a paste of baking soda and water to get rid of hairspray buildup. You can also use equal parts rubbing alcohol and water, but of course rubbing alcohol is something you want well out of the reach of children.

Mineral deposits on the shower head: Put straight white vinegar in a plastic sandwich or freezer bag and tie it on the shower head overnight. In the morning, give the fixture a good scrub with a cleaning brush.

Toilet Bowl: Yes, vinegar can even be used to clean that toilet bowl. Flush the toilet to get the water level down, quickly pour the vinegar around the bowl, and scrub just as you would with any other toilet cleaner.

Bathroom deodorizing spray: Using a small spray bottle filled with water, add several drops of your favorite essential oil, cap the bottle, and shake. I love using lavender or rosemary oil, but the possibilities are endless.

Check back in the days to come for more natural cleaning tips. Or subscribe to dkMommy Spot so you don’t miss a thing!

Ai, Chihuahua! I’m Underpaid! How Much is a Stay-at-Home Mother Worth?

03. May 2007 · 7 comments · Categories: Cleaning, News


I was sent another very interesting article. You’ve got to read this!
Stay-at-home mother’s work worth $138,095 a year. Who do I demand a raise from? If nothing more, this is a boost in the ol’ mommy ego! Should I be living here instead?

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The Impossible Task of Clean

27. April 2007 · 2 comments · Categories: Cleaning


Are you drowning in unfolded laundry? Has your kitchen counter been lost? Are the dust bunnies beginning to threaten the dog? If so, there’s a good chance you are an overwhelmed mom. I, too, struggle from a bad case of housecleaning blues. But I have been working to come up with solutions to dig my way out of the clutter.

Several months ago, I did an entry called Is There Rest for the Telecommuting Mommy? Although I have often swayed from my own advice, the one I keep returning to – the one that really works – is the list on the refrigerator. I had offered that making a list with only one housecleaning task assigned per each day of the week would make it a lot easier to keep up on the usual vacuuming, laundry, and general cleaning. I still find this very true. As long as I do my one little chore each day, Saturday is no longer the clean-till-you-drop day. And when, say, Monday comes around, I know that’s when I vacuum. If the ironing isn’t done, too bad. Ironing isn’t for Monday. I’m off the hook!

One suggestion I’ve heard many times, one I’m now really taking to heart, is this: Whenever you pass through a room, look for something to take with you. For instance, you’re on your way to the baby’s room and you notice a baby sock (why do those end up everywhere?) on the coffee table. Take it with you. You’re that much ahead for later. I am home all day, and I move a heck of a lot. I’ve really noticed that when I stick to this little tip, it’s amazing what gets put away – and what I’ve overlooked for an embarrassingly long period of time. (Like that 9-volt battery on the end table. What the heck was that for, anyway?)

These sorts of tips sound great, but they’re even better if you commit to them. With a small amount of effort, you can save yourself from running in frustrating circles later. Who knows? You might even be able to knock off a few of those mutant dust bunnies!

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