Practical Cleaning for The "Locker Room"

Spring cleaning is right around the corner. And I am kind of a self proclaimed cleaner aficionado and most of my peeps would agree. I am a homemaker though, so in my defense I probably should have a clean home since all of my kiddos are in school and I’m home 24/7…or pretty close to that.  I kind of like to clean really…I find it very therapeutic, sometimes rewarding, and something I can control. The plus side to all of this is that over the years the boys in my “locker room” can also keep a pretty tidy room if they so choose and that makes me feel like I’ve done something right in the parenting department. So ya know it’s kind of like killing two birds with one stone.

Mom's Know Best

Growing up my mom always did a deep Spring clean as well as a deep cleaning in the Fall. Us three girls were required to help and some did so with gusto while others…ahem…well…let’s just say “found” other things to keep them occupied. We would move furniture, clean baseboards, lauder sheets (my mom used to use talcum powder in between our mattress and fitted sheets...LOVE), and so much more. By the end of the day the whole house smelled like Pledge and I can remember kind of liking it. Even thinking back on it now I get warm fuzzies. So that’s kind of where it all started and cleaning has become my love language to my family. But now that I’m adulting and mothering and I stay at home I tend to deep clean as I go. If I see something that needs to be torn apart and cleaned, I usually do it right then instead of waiting for the holy holiday of Spring cleaning day. I’m not a big fan of doing it all at once because well…you know…the locker room is just crazy all year round and “nobody got time for that”!

The Regular Stuff

I don’t really have a method to my madness especially when it comes to the inside of my house. I tidy everyday and do laundry everyday…it’s a necessity for me really if I want to stay sane. I wash dishes and I wipe down my bathroom counter tops and toilets everyday because, remember, I live in a locker room. I also always do a quick sweep of the entire house (this sometimes will drive my kiddos craZAY)! The jobs that I do every couple months consist of windows, the refrigerator (which can get so nasty AND that’s where we keep our food people), moving furniture, and baseboards.

Anyway, I know most people aren’t like me and that’s okay but for those of you who do clean or just want some guidance in this area, here are some things I do that are cheap and easy hacks that will make your job easier.

Streak Free Windows

One thing that is an absolute must are clean windows. Actually it’s kind of a running joke in my house because if my boys really want to “push my button” in an ornery way they just threaten to put their hands all over the windows. They are great like that…keeping me grounded and all:/ My mom was pretty instrumental in this area. I can remember growing up she would never let me wash windows because she didn’t want streaks and now that I’m an adult I have to admit streaks are just horrible and not very attractive. So now when I clean my own windows this is my go to concoction.

Outside Windows

• 2 gallon hot water
• 1/2 c. vinegar
• 2 t. Dawn dish soap
• squeegee

 It’s cheap and easy and gets the job done beautifully. This is usually for the outside windows only (my husband even bought me a squeegee and I love using it)  BUT for the inside…guess what…it’s even simpler. All I use is a microfiber cloth or paper towel and rubbing alcohol and it works like a charm…on windows, mirrors, glass cabinets, my fireplace surround. It’s great! You need to try it.

Inside Windows

• Rubbing alcohol
• clean microfiber cloth or paper towel

Mop The Floors

The other thing I usually do about once a week is mop. I love to mop. It just puts the finishing touch on a clean house. My husband has noticed several times after I have mopped because he’ll mention how nice and smooth the floors feel…I’m not even lyin!  For my floors I sometimes mix ½ cup hydrogen peroxide with a gallon hot water…yes, hydrogen peroxide…who knew. I use it on my tiled bathroom floors, my wood floors, and even laminate floors. So easy and cheap…most people have hydrogen peroxide in their cupboards so no need to go out and buy pricey expensive brands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Clean Cabinets

One of the other things I do on a fairly regular basis is clean my kitchen cabinets. One of my pet peeves is grimy surfaces. I just don’t like them. If I can feel grime then that’s a problem. Many times we will go out to eat as a family and there is nothing worse than a dirty tabletop or buffet. And let’s be frank, kitchen cupboards just get dirty…happens to the best of us. This is a great blog post on cleaning cabinet grime and it’s wonderful because most of the ingredients you will already have in your stash of cleaning supplies. 

Cupboards:

• 2 T Dawn dish soap
• 2 C warm water
• sponge
• Clean wet cloth

Keep It Fresh 

Last but not least I love a clean fresh smelling home. Many people can’t take the fragrant smell of candles or plug ins so here are some simple natural tips for making your home smell wonderful day in and day out. 

• Open boxes of baking soda and place them around your home
• In a spray bottle mix 3 parts vinegar and 1 part water
• A few drops of scented extracts on cotton balls and placed in dishes around your home
• Cinnamon and cloves combined with a cup of water brought to a boil on your stove
• Cut fresh lemons or oranges and set them out on your counter tops
• Add a few drops of essential oil to a bowl of water
• Also opening windows does a world of good especially in the Spring and Fall!

Here are a few other simple homemade cleaners for you to try around your home. You can even print this out and tape it to your cleaning caddy or cupboard where you keep all of your household cleaners. 

Check Your List

And finally I’ve included a Spring cleaning checklist in case you really want to get down and dirty and take this with the utmost seriousness. All of these ideas are on our pinterest boards along with other practical tips that will make your life easy peasy. 

 Hope you find these tips helpful - have fun cleaning!