Clean Your Stainless Steel Like a Pro

I realize that I've been gone for a while, but we won't go into all that. The important thing is...I'm back!

Stainless steel...I believe the steel part. Stainless? Give me a break. Those of you that have had stainless steel know what I'm talking about. It looks beautiful until you walk by at an angle where the sunshine enhances all it's flaws...fingerprints, smudges, this morning's yogurt that you had for breakfast. You get the picture. A pain to keep clean.

I, myself, am the proud owner of stainless steel appliances. After my first set, I vowed never again. But, alas, I purchased another set of stainless steel appliances because it's what everyone buys nowadays. SO, it was time to get smart on cleaning them because you know how I am. I like it clean, cheap, and natural.

Are you ready? This will change the way you feel about your stainless steel...

Cooking spray. That's right. Cooking spray.

Just grab a microfiber towel (to cut down on dust and streaking) and a can of cooking spray. Any kind you want. I use the canola oil spray. But you can use olive or vegetable oil if you prefer.

To begin, wipe down your appliance with some water just to clean all the smudges and any residue that might be on the surface. It'll have tons of streak marks at this point. But don't fret. It's about to get a whole lot better.

Now spray the surface of your appliance lightly with your cooking spray and take the microfiber towel and carefully wipe the surface of the appliance, starting from top to bottom. Follow the grain of the stainless steel. Make sure there is no excess oil or dripping. That's why I suggest starting very lightly and adding more if needed. Just continue until your appliance surface is to your liking. This usually takes me all of three minutes and does a better job than any cleaner on the market. You can also pull out a bottle of any of these oils and dab it on a towel and then wipe it on the appliance. It's your preference.

I hope you enjoy this tip and happy cleaning!


The Queen

Pinteresting Solutions: Reviving your favorite shirt

I can't wait to tell you about today's Pinteresting Solution! This must be a week for laundry related posts because it's all I seem to be able to focus on right now...probably because that's all I've been doing for the last week. Vacation and laundry don't mix. There's loads of it to catch up on...no pun intended.

I read about this solution months ago and have wanted to try it ever since. But I've been a little nervous because it required taking a razor to one of my favorite shirts. But I'll tell you what...am I ever glad I mustered the courage! This one is a keeper! Here it goes:

PINTERESTING SOLUTION: USING A RAZOR TO REMOVE BALLS FROM A SHIRT

You know how some shirts tend to accumulate those tiny little lint balls all over? I have a yellow shirt that I LOVE. But it's one of those shirts that accumulates those tiny balls and it makes the shirt look run down and old.

So this tip suggested taking a razor and running it over the shirt. The shirt remains in tact while the razor pulls the small balls off. It leaves your shirt looking new again. So after mulling it over I finally decided to take the plunge.

And guess what?! PERFECTION! It did a wonderful job! But here's some tips that I suggest:

Here's my shirt before the experiment:

 

(Look at all that balled up lint. Sad!)

Now go find your husband's favorite razor (sorry, Honey! I guess you're never meant to have a sharp razor!). I suggest as new a blade as you can get and one that's preferably a four-blade razor.

 

 

 

Now determine the direction of the shirt's grain - which way are the threads running? This is the way that you're going to pull the razor. Don't go against the grain to reduce risk of holes or snagging. You can see in the picture below that the grain in my shirt is running the width of the shirt. I have the razor placed the way I'm going to pull it. You'll also notice to the right how the lint is starting to accumulate in the lower corner. Make sure to pull it off every so often and just tap off the razor over the trash can or sink. Don't get the razor wet...all that lint will become a wet sticky mess on the razor.

 

 

 

Pull the lint that's starting to build off as the razor pulls it to the side.

 

 



I found that I did this worked best on a flat surface, being very careful to not let the fabric fold or bunch. Go slowly. You can also do this while wearing it. Just be careful.

 

As you can see above - HUGE DIFFERENCE! I'M IN LOVE WITH THIS!

 

Try it at your own discretion and tell me what you think!

 

What's your favorite way to revive your favorite piece of clothing?

 

Happy Cleaning!

 

The Queen

 

 

CleanCooking: Laundry Soap

I woke up this morning and looked at the piles of laundry that needed done. I went to start a load and oh, no!!!! Out of laundry soap! But lucky for me, there was no need to run to the store and I'm going to teach you how to make your own laundry soap today!

What I find amazing about the following ingredients that we're going to use is that they're all-natural detergent boosters! Wonderful! What I find interesting about store-bought detergents is this: if they're so great for cleaning your clothes, then why do they need detergent boosters?! It doesn't make sense! So why not go straight to the booster source that's all-natural, cheaper, and does a better job?!

I had everything I needed to make this laundry soap lying around the house...honest! Most of these things can serve as multi-purpose cleaning agents and they're great things to pick up when you're at the store next time. An added bonus: this will make a HUGE batch of soap for a fraction of the cost.

Here's what you need (this card can be saved and printed off. It's a 4 x 6):

Gather all the items together.

Empty all the contents of the Borax, Washing Soda, and Baking Soda in a large container.

 

 Mix it all up with a spoon of your choice. I prefer a potato masher!

 



Now add about 20 drops of essential oil if you'd like. I prefer lavender oil when it comes to laundry detergent. It's a very pleasant, soothing scent. Continue to stir so that all the detergent is coated  in the essential oil and you don't have small pockets of oil. At this point your detergent should smell amazing!

Now start a load of laundry. Here's my favorite laundry combination for getting a load really clean and fresh!

Depending on load size add 1/8 to 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide in place of bleach.

Add 1/8 to 1/4 cup white vinegar in place of fabric softener.

 

Add 1/8 to 1/4 cup of the laundry detergent that you just made.

There you have it! Start your load and it comes out beautifully! No more need to waste your money on laundry detergents that are pricey and ineffective!

I promise that even your largest load setting will get clean with 1/4 cup of this detergent! It lasts a long time which I love and there are several other uses for the detergent if you're short on the following:

 - Sink or shower scrub
 - Toilet scrub (you can use Eucalyptus oil instead of lavender for added antibacterial properties!)
 - Fixture Cleaners
 - Dish Detergent (Use 2 TBSP in detergent compartment. I would eliminate essential oil for washing dishes.)

Also keep in mind that this works in HE washers. You don't need all that "fancy-schmancy" HE detergent! Just use this! This detergent also keeps your washing machine in better shape...no chemical build-up or detergent residue. It's a win-win! Another positive is that this tends to be gentler on sensitive skin. We are no stranger to eczema and allergies in this house and things like this detergent help keep things at bay. Detergent is on some of the most intimate parts of our lives: underclothing, clothes, bedding, blankets, towels, etc. So why not be as nice to your skin as you can?!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

What's your favorite detergent or laundry tips?

Happy Laundering!

The Queen

 

Ask Sarah: Getting Urine and Stains Out of Carpet

First, I'd like to apologize for the absence of a post since last week! The Hubby and I celebrated ten years of marriage this past weekend and went on a romantic weekend vacation! We spent a lot of time on the central California coast and it was wonderful! So blogging took a vacation also. But I'm back! A little peek at this past weekend:

 

 

 

I was talking to my sister-in-law last night and she was telling me about Cutie A (my little niece) who fell asleep on their new carpet. Being recently potty trained, her little bladder couldn't keep things in and a little while later she had left a wet spot on brand new carpet. Oh, the frustration!!! I was silently rejoicing in the fact that I was past that point in my children's lives and that I no longer had to worry about pee stains on the carpet.

Well, as Karma would have it (and she always gets her way), my son wet his pants all over my car today. I wanted to go back to the beaches of California for a moment and forget that there was pee all over my clean, almost-brand-new car.

So I knew a post about urine removal was fate. I know....not very glamorous. But for those of you with pets and little kids (sometimes the similarities are uncanny) you share in the same occasional frustrations.

First things first: synthetic carpet cleaners aren't a good idea. Here's why: most are made with chemicals that initially clean the stain. But they also leave behind a film that over time has a tendency to attract more dirt. These cleaners also have powerful whitening agents in them that can, on occasion, lighten that spot of carpet. And now you have a mismatched mess! I've seen it firsthand. I still have a spot of carpet that feels stiff and looks a bit lighter than the rest. But it also seems to be a spot that attracts more dirt than most! It drives me nuts!

NEVER, EVER USE DISH SOAP. Or any soap. I know it's tempting...but don't give in.

If you absolutely have to use something store-bought, then buy ALL-NATURAL. But with a few simple ingredients from the kitchen cupboard, you shouldn't need to buy anything and your carpet will never be in danger of ruin.

All-Natural Carpet Cleaner

Four ingredients:

1. Baking Soda

2. White Vinegar

3. Hot water

4. Essential Oil of choice (optional, but great for needing a fresh smell)

First soak up the stain with a towel. Next, mix 2 cups of hot water to about 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar. Use a towel to dab the area with this mixture and clean up any additional urine. The hot water and vinegar should do a perfectly good job of getting the stain out. Next, dry the area as best you can with another towel.

Now go into the kitchen and break open a box of baking soda. Put it in a bowl. Drop about 4-5 drops of essential oil (I like Eucalyptus) into the baking soda. Mix the baking soda with the oil until it's all coated. Now go sprinkle it over the damp spot. The baking soda will begin to soak up the additional moisture and smell. Walk away for a couple hours and let it dry. You can just use baking soda if you'd prefer...it will still work. Be prepared for a slight sizzle...the baking soda and vinegar react but this reaction is not harmful to your carpet.

Now come back with your vacuum cleaner and vacuum up the dried baking soda! VOILA! Stain and smell gone!

I love this method of cleaning the carpet. It's not harmful to your carpet at all and works wonderfully! This will also work with dirt stains and vomit. Also take note that this can be used in the car, house, rugs, etc. Anything!

What's your favorite way to clean carpet stains?

Happy Cleaning!

The Queen

Ask Sarah: Washing Sheets and Buying Pillows

Today on "Ask Sarah", we're going to be discussing bedding and pillows. The question I received over the weekend was,

"How often should I wash bedding and how often should I purchase new pillows?"

Great question. And one that is often overlooked. Yuck! Bedding gets far dirtier than we may realize and if not washed frequently can cause a host of problems from acne to allergies to spreading the flu. But no fear! Frequent washing can keep all those things at bay.

In my opinion, sheets should be washed weekly. Pick a day of the week that you have time set aside for washing sheets and strip the bed down to nothing. If you have several beds then you can do sheets all day or just do one bed per day. Whatever works for you. Now on to washing.  Never throw all of it in one load. You want room in the washer for those sheets to be rolled around with ease. The dirt and oils will be released much easier if you break up the load into at least two loads, possibly three depending on how much you have. I usually put the fitted sheet and flat sheet in together. I don't ever wash pillowcases or small items with the fitted sheet...they somehow seem to end up inside the fitted sheet and don't get washed or dried very well. Then I wash the pillowcases and my small throw blanket or some towels together. My bed spread is a thin, quilted, cotton so it fits nicely inside my washer. But if you have a large bedspread, don't attempt this. Take it to a Laundromat with a high capacity washer that will allow it to move in all that soap and water. There's nothing worse than pulling something out of your washer that was too big and now you have a huge soapy, wrinkled mess. Obviously sheets should be washed immediately if someone was sick or if there was a spill of some sort. Common sense goes a long way.

Bedspreads should be washed quarterly, more if you use it as a primary blanket at night.
Many people fold back their bedspreads at night and don't use them to keep warm. So obviously this would not require frequent washing. It does collect dust each day, though, and I would shake it out monthly or vacuum it off. I would wash your bedspread quarterly if you don't use it to keep warm at night.

I do use my bedspread every night to keep warm, so this requires more washing - every 1-2 months. I have a thin, quilted, cotton bedspread so it fits nicely inside my washer. ALWAYS wash your bedspread alone. If you have a large bedspread, don't attempt washing it at home. Take it to a Laundromat with a high-capacity washer that will allow it to move around in all that soap and water. There's nothing worse than pulling something out of your washer that was too big and now you have a huge soapy, wrinkled mess.

Wash sheets and pillowcases in Hot/Cold and Bedspreads in Warm/Cold
Washing sheets and pillowcases in hot/cold ensures that you've released all the oils and dirt. The only reason I wouldn't wash bedspreads in hot is because even just a little shrinking could mean that it doesn't fit your bed anymore. And this is so frustrating if it barely fit in the first place. Bedspreads are much more expensive to replace than sheets.

Buy new pillows every 1-2 years.

The link I suggest below over at http://cleanmyspace.com/clean-your-pillows/  suggests folding your pillows in half. If it bounces back, your pillow if fine. If it stays folded, you need a new one. I think this is a great idea.

http://cleanmyspace.com/clean-your-pillows/

Pillows are tricky business. They're so awkward to wash and never seem to be the same afterwards. I recently found a tutorial here on how to wash pillows. She suggests washing three times a year. I would suggest extreme detail when it comes to drying your pillows. You would never want mold or mildew to grow inside because they were not adequately dried. Be thorough! She has a YouTube tutorial also.

Other tips and tricks for cleaning the bed

1. Sprinkle baking soda over your mattress while your sheets wash. Let it sit for a while to soak up any unseen oils or odors. Get out your vacuum and suck up all the baking soda. Now your mattress is fresher and so is your vacuum.

2. Spray a homemade fabric freshener on your mattress and bedding. I like eucalyptus oil. Simply fill a spray bottle with water and add about 23-30 drops of any essential oil of your choice. Shake up the bottle and spray away. It leaves a nice scent without any harsh chemicals. Eucalyptus clears the sinuses which is why this scent it so beneficial on sheets...who doesn't' want to breathe easy while they sleep? It's also naturally antibacterial which is great for a place where allergens, mold, and dead skin cells lurk. You could also add some lavender oil which is calming to aid in sleeping. If you like Febreeze, this can also be sprayed on the mattress. Whatever you want!

3. White sheets are my favorite. They go with anything and can be bleached. Just personal preference, but take it from someone who has had everything from red to purple to blue sheets...white is AWESOME.

So, those are some of my favorite tips on cleaning the bed! Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions. Every Monday is "Ask Sarah" and you can submit your questions under the given email.

Coming Soon: Spring Cleaning Fan Favorites and LEAN CLEANING (You're gonna love this. Kudos to the Hubby in advance for the fantastic idea!)

Please submit your favorite spring cleaning tips and tricks! And become a follower! Please spread the word to your friends and family if you like what you're seeing!

Happy Cleaning!

The Queen

A New Blog Header and Pinteresting Solutions

Happy Friday, y'all! First of all, I'd like to proudly introduce my brand new blog header! Thanks to a very talented friend of mine, Spring, over at Spring Time Treats, I'm the proud owner of this adorable piece of art that now represents this blog! Please take a moment to go visit her website that's full of adorable stick figures, free pintables, fun games, and craft ideas. You can also visit her Etsy Shop for custom order family portraits and greeting cards. Thanks, Spring, for making clean look cute!

Now onto today's segment where I take a cleaning tip I found on Pinterest and put it to the test!

Pinteresting Solution: CLEANING A WINDOW WITH A DRYER SHEET

I had to give this one a try because I can't stand a dirty window for too long. In my house I have a set of double doors that lead out to the backyard and it's a fingerprint magnet. And when the sun shines on it just right, I often find myself trying to find a window in all the fingerprint (if you know what I mean). So today I decided to pull out a dryer sheet to see if any magic would happen.

While it did a good job of removing the prints, it also left behind a slight film and some small fibers. Dryer sheets right out of the box are polyester sheets often soaked in a softening agent. You can feel the "tackiness" on your fingers. So I ended up having to clean the window again anyway, I have not however tried a used dryer sheet, which was also suggested. I'll have to try that one later. While the softening agent will have been released from the sheet because of the heat of the dryer, small fibers will still remain and I don't think it gets the window as clean as it could be.

Here's some of my favorite products for cleaning a window:

1. White vinegar: You'd be shocked! And the smell doesn't last long.

2. Rubbing Alcohol: They make this in a Wintergreen Fresh scent so that it's more pleasant to smell.

3. Green Works Window Cleaner by Clorox: 95% naturally derived and smells great!

4. Newspaper: Leaves no streaks and can be thrown in the recycle bin afterwards!

5. Coffee Filters: Same as newspaper, only comes with the convenience of being bought in a nice, small package

6. Microfiber towels: Picks up dirt in amazing ways and can be washed again and again

But let's not throw the dryer sheet out onto the streets. Here are some of my favorite uses for the dryer sheet:

1. Sock/underwaer drawer refresher: Just put one of those babies in the bottom of your drawer and your socks will be doing a happy dance from smelling so fresh all the time!

2.  Car freshener: Put one under the driver and passenger seat in a small open Ziploc bag. Your car will smell wonderful. The reason for the Ziploc bag is to protect the carpet of your car on hot days. The heat will release the softening agents with the possibility of leaving a film on that single spot of your carpet. And although you may never see it, you might care someday!

3. Trash freshner: Next time you change the garbage, throw a dryer sheet in the bottom of the can before puting the bag back in.

4. Smelly Shoe Freshener: Take those bad boys off and throw a dryer sheet in each shoe. Let them sit overnight is a warm place and "Voila!". Much better!

5. Closet: Put one in your closet to keep clothes from smelling musty.

What are some of your favorite uses for a dryer sheet? How do you like to clean a window? Let me know!

So try one of these ideas this weekend and don't forget to post questions for Monday's post, "Ask Sarah".

Happy Cleaning!

Sarah

Pintersting Solutions and the Daily Routine

I'm a self proclaimed Pinterest addict. I heard someone a while ago refer to it as "digital hoarding". I'd say that's pretty much true...and I don't care. Pinterest is such a wealth of knowledge and fun ideas! And when it comes to cleaning and organization, Pinterest is literally PLASTERED with an idea or solution for everything.

As you Pinterest fans know, some things work and some things don't. Plain and simple. So every Friday here on "Queen of Tidy", I will pick a cleaning or organization tip that I saw and put it to the test. Then comes the review. Feel free to leave your own experiences in the comment section and let us know how your "Pinteresting Solutions" are coming!

TODAY'S TEST: CLEANING A TOILET WITH VINEGAR AND BAKING SODA

The post suggests using 2 cups of vinegar poured into the bowl of the toilet, followed by sprinkling 2 TBSP of baking soda on top. Then let it sit and watch your stains disappear.

We'll see...

Here's my toilet before:

Here's the volcanic science project in progress:

Here's 15 minutes later:

Well, I didn't see my stains magically disappear. That said, I don't consider this experiment a failure. I'm a huge fan of vinegar and baking soda. They're both powerful cleaning products that are natural and safe for the environment and my little ones. I pulled out the toilet brush and cleaned as normal. I'll tell you what, though...the stains and germs didn't even put up a fight! The vinegar and baking soda did a great job of loosening things up and my porcelain throne looks amazing. So go ahead and pull out the toilet brush and just swish all that natural magic around! Your toilet is as good as new and you already had what you needed hanging around in the kitchen. Your pocket book will thank you (vinegar and baking soda = dirt cheap) and Mother Nature will thank you too!

The second part to this post will get you familiar with how I work each day to keep this circus in motion.

I thrive on routine. It keeps me sane. And everyday I have a small list of things that I do to keep the house in semi-order. I promise if you pick just a couple to start implementing, that things will seem a little more orderly. This is done once in the morning and once at night. My mom always said: WAKE YOUR HOUSE UP EVERY MORNING and PUT IT TO BED EVERY NIGHT. I've found this to be true. Start and end the day with order. So here it goes:

1. Make the beds (This obviously doesn't need to be done at night)
2. Open all the blinds (Close them up at night)
3. Empty and load the dishwasher (No dishes in the sink..EVER. Clean up after each meal. Start it before bed so that you wake up to clean dishes)
4. Sweep the floor and quick vacuum if needed (I do this after each meal.)
5. Start and fold a load of laundry (This includes putting them away!)
6. Quick walk through of all rooms (Just tidy up a bit...fold that blanket, throw away that Kleenex, put away that toy, hang up that shirt, etc. Nothing huge, just a quick walk through.)

 

 

 

  

 
This is what most of the rooms in my house look like after this simple routine. No dishes, no clothes, beds made, and I love to look around and say, "AHHHH". I try to have this routine done by about 9:30 each morning or the day just runs away from me. This seriously takes me maybe 45 minutes...not much at all. So give even just one of these things a try and let me know how it goes!

What's your daily routine? Share below!

Also, look forward to Monday's post for our "Ask Sarah" section. I'll take a couple questions that you posted over the weekend and answer them! This next Monday will include some organization tips! See you Monday!

Happy Weekend!

Sarah