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Cleaning my kitchen is never something that excites me and I think most people can agree… it’s a chore, but if you’re anything like I am and you have a high standard for cleanliness in your home, then it’s something that needs to get done frequently.
If you are in the position to hire a cleaner, that is your best bet so that you don’t have to do it yourself! If you're looking for a great cleaning company that also does home organizing jobs, check out our friends at Lemon and Pine Cleaning Co. Just make sure they are using natural products, especially on your counters and floors as these are areas we touch frequently with our bare hands and feet. Even with a house cleaner, sometimes you will need to clean in between and if you are doing it all on your own (like I do!) then you’ll want to keep reading to make this chore a little bit easier.
I am going to share with you my favourite cleaning products to get the job done fast and effective, plus my go-to all natural and you guessed it… toxin-free cleaning recipes that you can make yourself.
The first thing I do when starting to clean, is I tidy up. Put away things that are lying around, do the dishes, and put everything away that is on the counters that shouldn’t be there. Once that’s done, then you can actually clean. I’ll start by wiping down all surfaces and counters. I’ll spray counters or any dirtier surfaces with a natural multi-purpose cleaning spray, such as The Multi-One from Mama Bare Naturals that smells oh-so delicious and works AMAZING or if you’re feeling adventurous you can make a quick one yourself by combining 2 cups of water with 2 Tbsp Castile soap and 15-30 drops essential oil (such as peppermint, thyme, tea tree, orange, lemon, clove, or rosemary). ** This is not the recipe for the multi-purpose one at Mama Bare Naturals. Mix all together in a measuring cup, then transfer to a 16oz glass bottle with a spray nozzle. This mixture will last about 4 weeks since there isn’t any preservative in it.
DIY Multi-Purpose Cleaning Spray
2 cups water
2 Tbsp Castile soap
15-30 drop essential oil (such as peppermint, thyme, tea tree, orange, lemon, clove, or rosemary)
In a large measuring cup add in 2 Tbsp Castile soap. Add the essential oil to the Castile soap and mix with a whisk. Slowly add in water to equal 2 cups and gently whisk together, trying not to create too many bubbles. Slowly pour into a 16oz glass spray bottle using a funnel to avoid spilling.
**Using a glass bottle rather than a plastic one is important as essential oils will cause the plastic to leach into the solution over time.
I’ll then wipe down all appliances, inside the microwave and clean the sink with Mama Bare Natural’s cleaning paste, The Mighty One or even their solid dish soap, The Sudsy One. If you want to use your homemade multi-purpose spray here you can too or even sprinkle some baking soda and vinegar in the sink and give it a good scrub! I always polish the sink after with a good window cloth. Then spray any dirty windows with a window spray (recipe below) and wipe dry with your window cloth.
Natural Window Spray
2 cups distilled water
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp rubbing alcohol
6-7 drops peppermint essential oil
Add all ingredients to a 16oz spray bottle and shake well. Spray onto window or mirrors and wipe dry with a window cloth. Store in a cool place for 1-2 months.
Lastly, I vacuum the floors and then mop them. Keeping floors toxin-free is super important as we are often walking around barefoot on them, or our kids and pets are. I use a quick, cheap and easy floor cleaner recipe I make myself, you can find the recipe below:
Natural Floor Cleaner Recipe
1 gallon warm water
1/2 cup white vinegar
4 drops essential oil (either lemon, peppermint or orange)
Fill your mop bucket with about a gallon of warm water. Add 1/2 cup white vinegar and your essential oils to the water. Mop the floor.
Pro Tip: our most favourite mop to use (and we’ve tried lots) is the Vileda UltraMax Mop, you can find one here. We find that it’s the easiest to use, doesn’t just move dirt around like a regular round mop does, it’s affordable and you just throw the mop replacement head in the washer afterwards for an easy clean. They also have a replacement handle or replacement mop heads if needed. They last a long time, but eventually you will need to replace these. I had my Vileda mop with the 3 piece handle for about a year and finally the ends that screw together are getting brittle, so I've upgraded to this mop handle and I am loving it! It's a different style, so won't eventually got brittle and get sharp edges.
Once everything is clean my favourite ritual is to spray the space with a natural room spray! Mama Bare Naturals has 4 different room spray scents to choose from or make your own with the recipe below:
Natural Room Spray
4oz spray bottle (amber glass)
Distilled water
1/8 cup witch hazel
10 drops essential oil of choice (see below for combinations to try)
Fill your glass spray bottle up with 1/8 cup witch hazel, then add your essential oil, swirl to mix and fill to the top with distilled water. This will last about a month as there is no preservative in it.
Essential Oil Combinations to Try:
Chai Tea Latte (Fall Scent):
- 3 drops Ginger Essential Oil
- 3 drops Cardamom Essential Oil
- 3 drops Nutmeg Essential Oil
- 2 drops Clove Essential Oil
- 2 drops Cinnamon Essential Oil
- 2 drops Black Pepper Essential Oil
Citrus Bliss:
- 3 drops Wild Orange Essential Oil
- 3 drops Lemongrass Essential Oil
- 3 drops Pink Grapefruit Essential Oil
- 3 drops Lime Essential Oil
- 3 drops Litsea Essential Oil
Peaceful Warrior:
- 7 drops Lavender Essential Oil
- 4 drops Bergamot Essential Oil
- 3 drops Frankincense Essential Oil
- 1 drop Vetiver Essential Oil
Sit back and enjoy your clean, beautiful smelling space!