When I was about 8 or 9 months pregnant I turned into a super cleaner. It was some type of switch that went on that convinced me that everything had to be clean, because the little one was on the way. Of course, I later loosened up on this out of the sheer realities that come with being a mom-preneur. It subsided for a while, until my child started walking. Then, it turned up again.
Before I was pregnant, and for most of my pregnancy, and life, house cleaning seemed like a chore. But then I thought, if this is a chore for me, it will be one for my children. Which means I would have to convince them to do simple things like mop or take the garbage out. I needed to find enjoyment in cleaning the house. How can I make this fun? Maybe fun is a strong word, but, my point is that I wanted to find some pleasantness in it. I had to because it was something that needed to be done every day.
Musica
Music has a psychological, and spiritual, effect on our state of being. Think about the type of music you listen to, and what you are typically doing when you are listening to it. How do you feel at these moments? Your music should reflect the way you want to feel because it definitely has emotional pull. I tend to listen to a lot of instrumental music. In my childhood I played the violin and we collect instruments as a family. There are lots of live instrumental channels on YouTube that I leave on as background music for the house. It sets the vibe, you know. It's great for bedtime too.
Here is one of the instrumentals we play quite often. Zelda is a legendary video game and the soundtrack is absolutely amazing.
Au Natural
I can only imagine the profits made from the cleaning products industry, especially now. I implore you, for the sake of your environment, your physical health, and finances, use as many reusable and/or natural cleaning products as possible.
A simple way to keep things clean (all of the time) is to do periodic wipe-downs every so often. In my newborn baby days I kept a rag on my hip. Now, I try to keep a wipe down rag in every room. After I use the bathroom, I wipe the sink real quick. Same thing in the kitchen. It takes an extra 30 seconds and eliminates much more time spent later.
Use rags instead of paper towels. Rags are not only reusable, but they are great for polishing, cleaning messes, washing and drying. You can use a wash cloth or an old t-shirt. Anything works great. Give it a wash in the sink, hang it on the faucet, and it is good to go for the next time.
Citric fruits make great cleaners for grease. Oven cleaner gets the nasty stuff off, but let's be real, oven cleaner has us, and everyone in the house, running and gasping for air. Use an orange, lemon, or grapefruit to clean the stove after a meal. Use a vinegar based spray to follow up with a wipe down. The stove is tough because unless you have an engrained habit of cleaning as you cook, or at least cleaning right after you cook, the stove can get pretty horrendous. Keep the vinegar spray, rag, and cleaning fruit, close by so everyone knows the deal. Keep up with this simple process, and your stove will always be clean.
Countertops? High chairs? Refrigerator handles? Wipe down those sticky surfaces with a mix of water and your favorite essential oil. Make sure the solution is diluted properly, depending on the size of your bottle. I also use it on my floors and carpets. After a sweep, or vacuum, I give the floor a good spray, and wipe if necessary. The whole house smells of Eucalyptus, or Tea Tree oil, and I am very happy.
This next suggestion is simple, but so sweet. Candles!! Candles have been used for centuries by people all across cultures. Not only will you see a decrease in your electric bill, but the constant smell of goodness is just wonderful. I am not saying you need to spend $20 on one Yankee candle. It's actually a fun project to make your own. It's a great project for the entire family. Or, you can go to your local store and pick up one candle for each room you spend the most time in. Have fun with your smells. Select different scents for different rooms. You will LOVE the laundry room scents you can choose from.
A brand I would recommend for cleaning products, and natural skin care products, is Dr.Woods. Dr. Woods sources the finest natural, organic and fair trade ingredients from around the world creating effective and sustainable products. We use these products in our home, on ourselves, and on our dog! They not only clean immaculately, they smell amazing.
Baking soda, I got baking soda!
We all know about the old school baking soda usages. If you are already doing that, keep it up. If not, definitely start. I use it on the carpets of course. Feel free to add it to the spray bottle. I haven't used it on the tub, but I probably should because Ajax is a killer. Soapy water with essential oil and baking soda should do the trick.
Happy cleaning!
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