Spring cleaning

I love the spring - once all the rain is gone, that is.  Everything is green and lush, our heating bill is fading into a distant memory, and the warm sun beams just beg for me to open the front door and let them in. That, combined with the thought of our big cross-country move in August, has given me the urge to purge. Dust bunnies, unsightly closets, old clothes, random nick nacks - all of it - goodbye and good riddance.

So since I've been cleaning like it's my job, I thought I'd share my 3 FAVORITE HOMEMADE CLEANERS (because I purged our house of toxic chemicals too).

I found these recipes on the Healthy Child, Healthy World website a few months ago and have been a fan of them ever since. I know that "green" cleaning products catch a lot of flack for not being as effective as their chemicalized counterparts, but seriously, apart from giving it a little extra elbow grease, these babies are right on par with the name brands.  

1.DISINFECTING SPRAY
You'll Need: Repurposed spray bottle (I bought one at the drug store for $0.99), 1.5 -3 teaspoons of liquid castile soap (I use Dr. Bronners Rose scented), 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil (I use Desert Essence organic) and 2 cups of water.
How to Make: Fill the spray bottle with water, add castile soap and tea tree oil. Close bottle, shake and use on any surface in your home.




2.SURFACE SCRUB
You'll Need: Sprinkle top container (I bought a spice jar from Bed Bath and Beyond),1/3 Borax, 2/3 Baking soda, and organic essential oil (I use the tea tree oil).  
How to Make: Add Baking soda and Borax into sprinkle top. Add 3 or 4 drops of organic essential oil. Shake it up and use on counter tops and sinks.




3.SOFT SCRUB
You'll Need: Repurposed squeeze bottle (I used an old honey bottle), 1/2 cup Baking soda, 1/8 cup castile soap, and 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin (This is easier to buy online than it is to find in stores. I use this kind). Optional: 5-10 drops of essential oil for scent (I use - you guessed it - the tea tree oil). 
How to Make: Mix together ingredients and use on countertops, sinks, bathtubs and shower stalls. (They recommend mixing together only as much as you'll need for one cleaning session and I agree. The consistency kinda hardens over time which makes it difficult to squeeze out.)




Brandon and I absolutely LOVE living minimally.  There's just so much stuff in our lives that we really don't need. And honestly, we never wanted this stuff either - save for the initial lapse in judgement when we first bought them.  I truly believe that a happy life, is a life edited.

I'd love to hear your favorite cleaning tips and tricks - please comment below.  Happy cleaning!!