How to make Granite Cleaner Wipes

I clean-a lot! LOL As you can tell from my Tuesday posts the last few weeks:

• Living Room & Dining Room
• Entry, Laundry Room, and Porch
• Bedrooms
• Routine
• Power Hour

Now, for a good majority of these I use just basic cleaning tools like my microfiber cloths. However, when I have to wipe down the counters in my kitchen and bathroom each day I need something with a little disinfecting power.

Now, I've mentioned this before so y'all know I don't use harsh chemical cleaners. They stink, make me cough, and dry out my skin. So, all these factors meant I needed to find a way to make a homemade cleaner that was safe for my granite. Enter: Google & Pinterest!

I found One Thing By Jillee and her great granite cleaner recipe. I decided to take this and turn it into wipes!

Supplies:

Process

1. I make three different containers of wipes. One for each bathroom and one for the kitchen. Put rags in each container.
2. In each container measure out 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol.
3. Add 3-5 drops of Dr. Bronner's (or your choice of dish washing liquid in each container)
4. 5-15 drops of essential oil depending on how strong you like your scent/what scent you are using.
5. Add about 1/4-half cup of water to just sort of fill the container.

Essential Oil Variations

• Lavender-lemon: 5 drops lavender, 5 drops lemon
• Peppermint 5 drops peppermint
• Lavender: 15 drops lavender
• Lemon: 12 drops lemon
• Sweet orange: 15 drops orange
• Citrus: 6 drops lemon, 8 drops orange
• Natural: 7 drops tea tree
• Orange Lavender: 5 drops orange, 5 drops lavender

That is about the extent of the essential oil scents I use ;) I am hoping to expand my collection soon and come up with more fun ones. The lavender-lemon is my fave!

Do you use homemade cleaning products? What is your favorite recipe?

Organization: Weekly Deep Cleaning: Living Room and Dining Room

It is yet another week on the schedule. We have been getting signs of spring though so it is making the cleaning much, much easier. Last week I was in the entry, laundry room and porch; this week I am working in my living room and dining room. I do these two rooms together because we have an open concept house which means our living room and dining room are just one big space pretty much, as I think most homes are this day in age. 

So, here is what the schedule looks like on my iPad:

Here is what I have:

• Move furniture and sweep/mop or vacuum. Use the attachment or long duster (aka broom) if need be to get up all the bunnies. If carpeted, steam clean if need be. 
• Vacuum couch & cushions & dining room chairs.
• Wash blankets and fluff pillows.
• Dust ceiling corners
• Using broom wrapped with a microfiber cloth secured around it with a rubber band get cobwebs and dust being careful of the sprinklers.
• Dust baseboards & wipe down with a rag.
• If scuffed use peroxide to get them up, if chipped fill in holes with paint.
• Dust window sills & wipe down with a rag.
• If scuffed use peroxide to get them up, if chipped fill in holes with paint.
• Remove all books from book shelves, thoroughly dust shelves and place books back in an orderly manner.
• Go through & tossing (or upcycling) any that are outdated or unwanted. I know for some of you this is a travesty, but believe it or not if our kid is 14 we may not want Hop on Pop up there any more. ;)
• After placing books back on shelves replace any holiday decorations that may have passed and we just didn't get them put away.
• If there is any paperwork that got placed here "to be filed" file it now.

This system seems to work and keep things in order. Believe it or not these items each only take 15 minutes or less to complete. They are so simple and keep the house so neat and tidy, plus my holiday decor us usually fairly up to date with this system. ;) Anyone else a chronic "ooops why is this bunny from spring still here in ...August?!"

See more in this series:
Weekly Power Hour
Morning & Evening Routine
Deep Cleaning: Bedrooms
Entry, Foyer, Laundry Room

Organization: Deep Clean: Entry, Laundry Room, Porch

Last week on my Deep Cleaning Schedule was the Bedrooms. This week on my cleaning schedule, since it is the first week of the month I am focusing on three small areas of my home: the entry, laundry room, and porch.

I can focus on all three of these areas at once because in my home they are small areas. 

• Dust ceiling corners: Using a broom with micro-fiber cloth wrapped around it and secured with a rubber band sweep around the top edge of the ceiling and get any cobwebs and dust that have accumulated the last month in all three areas.
• Wipe the baseboards: With a damp cloth wipe along the base boards. If there are any black marks use a magic eraser to get them off, paint over any scuffs or chips.
• Dust light fixtures
• Laundry room: clean lint traps, use vacuum if needed, wash reusable bags getting rid of old ones, stock up on any needed laundry supplies
• Porch: Wipe down furniture and dust railing, sweep.
• Foyer: Wipe down door, change wreath, wipe down door frame.

I love when I have these three areas all cleaned up and shined for the month. It makes it easy to have guests over and do my laundry in a tidy space. 

See the others in this series:
Weekly Power Hour
Morning & Evening Routine
Deep Cleaning: Bedrooms

Organization: Deep Clean: Bedrooms

Wow, first off how many colons do you think I could have used in that title...I was trying to see if I could fit anymore, but they didn't make sense, sadly. 

Anyway...I am talking more Organization today. Who would have thought one little stock app like "Reminders" would become such a great tool in my household organization. 

I started this series with my cleaning power hour and added to it with my morning and evening routines. I have had these two written down for years but often forget to do them because a written planner doesn't buzz for me. I need something that makes a noise and physically reminds me to do a task. So, in comes Reminders.

Today I begin breaking down the deep down cleaning I focus on each week. Years ago when I was a new homemaker I found Flylady. This woman really helped me get my butt in gear and figure out how to break household tasks down into manageable lists and get productive with them. So, I am going to share with you those tasks I perform each week to keep my house in what I call move out shape.

What is move out shape? Well, since we are renters and tend to be a bit nomadic, moving every 1-3 years if I were to box up our stuff and move it out tomorrow our house would be ready for an inspection and pass. Over the years I have found that 15-20 minutes everyday saves me hours upon hours in the future. 

Last week I was focusing on the bedrooms in the house. This list can be done for both bedrooms, at the beginning of each day I check the list and add whatever chore on to the kiddo's list of chores for the day for her room. She is old enough now that she can complete these tasks, plus they will help give her an idea of what will need to be done to keep her home clean someday.

I picked week 3 of the month to do my bedroom. Here is what is on my list:

• Monday: Dust Baseboards, moving furniture when possible
• Tuesday:
• Clean mattress
• Using a mixture of baking soda and lavender sprinkle over mattress and let sit for half an hour. Using vacuum attachment, vacuum up.
• Fluff pillows
• Put pillows, one at a time, in dryer on high heat with a dryer sheet to fluff and disinfect. After, spray with water/lavender mixture or tantra spritz from Saje.
• Fluff comforter
• Put comforter, with dryer sheet, in dryer on high for 20-30 minutes. 
• Wendesday: Dust ceiling
• Using a broom with a microfiber cloth around the bristles, held in place with a large rubber band, dust around the corners and edges of where the ceiling meets the wall.
• Thursday: Deep down vacuum, steam clean if necessary
• Vacuum at the edges of the baseboards, get in the corners, under the bed. If needed spot clean stains or drag out the steam cleaner for well worn areas of carpet.
• Friday: Project planning 
• Look around, what needs to be improved or worked on? 
• Saturday & Sunday: Project execution
• Declutter closets if needed, take clothes to donation, fix worn clothing, do any other organization type projects at this time.

Tuesday is a very busy day. I do all that stuff for the bedroom on Tuesday as that is the same day I wash all the sheets as part of my weekly "power hour" that I do a day late. Weird I know, but it works for me. 

It took me a long time to come up with this system and really figure out the best way to keep our small space spic & span all the time. It's still a work in progress but this keeps me a little more sane and focused.