A little more spring cleaning...

While I have not fully embraced the idea of green cleaning,  I am currently experimenting with a few homemade cleaning recipes.  Right now, the only one I am using on a regular basis is an all purpose cleaner.  I have to use it with the windows open or my husband has a fit (he hates vinegar!)

Mix into a spray bottle:

1 C white vinegar
3 C water
enough essential oils to mask the vinegar smell (!)

I used a combination of bergamot and lemongrass (2 of my faves!)


A few sprays onto the counter or the sink and it wipes up nicely with a rag.  You could probably also use paper towel, but I don't like paper towel or paper napkins and have not used either for many years.  I cut up old clothes, towels, whatever to make up my rags.  

The only thing I don't like this for really is cleaning my cooktop.   Baked on messes are best cleaned with a paste of baking soda and water - leave it for about 15 minutes or so and then rub with a wet rag.   The ick comes off but the baking soda will often leave a residue that you want to rinse again.  I will occasionally go ahead and use some of the all purpose cleaner above but find that i often have to go back over with a microfiber cloth to get the streaks off my glass cooktop.

If anyone has green cleaning tips that they love, please share!  I will try them out and post about my experience!

Ammonia Trick

Spring Cleaning has arrived at our house once again...

One of the things that i desperately needed to do was clean our oven and our stove, including the burner pans.  I used a trick i found on Pinterest to clean the burner pans and thought I would share it here.    I put each of the pans in their own ziplock baggie with about 1/2 cup of ammonia, sealed them up and put them out on the deck for a few hours.  I just rinsed and photographed.   The Pinterest tip said to leave it over night...given that my results were not as positive as hers were, next time I will definitely try leaving overnite.   There i still some residue on the pans, as you can see by the photo but overall this was a fabulous tip!