Blog Posts

It is a good habit to get into, and there are specific times when it is especially important to wash your hands. Here are some of the circumstances in which you should wash them thoroughly.

When You Should Always Wash Your Hands

After Coughing or Blowing Your Nose

First of all, you should cough and sneeze into the inside of your elbow instead of your hand. Children are learning the right way at school now, so copy a five-year-old (if you know one who remembers to do it).

But it is a good idea to wash your hands after coughing or blowing your nose either way. There are always tiny amounts of nasal mucus that stay on your hands after using a Kleenex that need to be washed off. If you don’t wash them off, this germ-filled fluid will transfer onto everything you touch, and will then expose everyone else to it.

Before Eating or Cooking

You should always wash your hands before eating. With all the germs that accumulate on your hands throughout the day, and the chance that you could have picked up microscopic pinworm eggs from a child who forgot to wash their hands, it is important that they be removed.

Otherwise they will pass onto your fork and food, and into your mouth where they can begin to wreak havoc on your body.

After Using the Bathroom

Always wash your hands completely after using the bathroom. Whether you are at home or in a public restroom, it is important to do this without fail. When you do not wash your hands after using the toilet, you are spreading germs from bodily waste that needs to stay contained.

After Touching Garbage

Taking out the trash? Be sure to stop at the bathroom to wash your hands on the way back indoors. Even the outside of the trash bag contains enough germs to pass a variety of illnesses on to you.

After Riding Public Transit and Being in Public

Whether you are seated and resting your arms and hands on the seat, or standing and holding onto a rail, public transit is loaded with germs and viruses. When you exit public transit, wipe your hands with a wet wipe or hand sanitizer. When you get home, do a thorough cleaning with warm water and soap.

Before and After Cleaning Wounds

Cleaning and treating wounds is essential and unavoidable. However, always remember to clean your hands before and after. Cleaning before prevents complications in the wound, and cleaning after prevents any blood-borne illness from reaching others.

After Touching Animals and Related Items

Animals are best friends to many humans, but they carry many germs that can make humans ill. After touching animals or cleaning up after them, give your hands a good wash. This is in the best interest of you and anyone else that is around.

And, as I constantly repeat to my children, don’t pat the cat (or dog) or pick it up while you’re getting meals ready or clearing the table. If you do, wash your hands before touching food or dishes again.

The Correct Way to Wash Your Hands

It is not enough to haphazardly rinse your hands and wipe them dry. When you wash your hands, it needs to be done thoroughly and carefully.

Use soap – but not antibacterial soap unless you have a medical reason to need it – and water that is as warm as you can tolerate. Wash and scrub for at least 20 seconds and then wipe them on a clean towel.

Many diseases and conditions could be eliminated or at least avoided if everyone washed their hands regularly. Do your part to cut down on illness by washing your hands every time you should.

Essential oils are oils extracted from various plants and botanicals, as simple as that. These are therapeutic grade oils that have medicinal value and are highly concentrated and pure.

Various processes are used to extract these oils, which include:
• Steam Distillation
• Expression
• Solvent Extraction
• Absolute Oil Extraction
• Resin Tapping
• Cold Pressing

Essential oils have been used throughout history as an alternative medicine for various conditions, and for general wellness and well being. While traditional, evidence-based medicine has experienced a decline in the use of essential oils, there are still many people who prefer to use them as a natural alternative, even if it is just to relax and create a certain mood.

There are many different medicinal uses for essential oils, but they are also often used to replace commercial chemical-laden cleaners and beauty products for homemade skin and hair care and household use.

How Essential Oils Are Used

Essential oils can be used in a variety of ways. They can be used topically to treat a variety of skin and pain conditions, or used in baths to treat aches and pains as well as colds and flu.

You can also use essential oils in cleaning products, cosmetics, aromatherapy, and even to flavor food and drinks.

Aromatherapy diffusers are used to infuse the air you breathe with essential oils for both their scent and therapeutic value.

Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Medical advice should always be obtained from a qualified medical professional for any health conditions or symptoms associated with them.

Essential oils are highly concentrated and not all of them are safe for internal use so be sure to check the safety of any oil before digesting. If you are pregnant, some oils can cause contractions, so always ask your doctor before use.

Topical application requires dilution with a carrier oil as some oils can cause skin irritation when used in their original high concentration form.

101 Ways To Use Essential Oils

Household Uses

Eliminate Shower Scum

Add 4 drops of eucalyptus essential oil, 4 drops of tea tree oil and 1/2 cup of baking soda to warm water in a spray bottle. Spray around your shower to eliminate shower scum.

Purify Air

Cinnamon essential oil contains anti-microbial properties making it a great choice to use in a diffuser to clean the air in your home.

Outdoor Furniture Scrub

In a spray bottle, combine 20 drops of juniper berry oil, 20 drops of lemon essential oil, and 20 drops of pine essential oil. Mix with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and top off with water. Shake well and spray liberally onto patio furniture.

Eliminate Lingering Cooking Odors

Place a pan of water on the stove, cook to a simmer and then add 4 to 5 drops of citrus, lemongrass or clove essential oil to the water.

Window Wash

Combine twelve drops of lemon essential oil with one ounce of white vinegar, and one ounce of water. Use in a spray bottle to clean windows and mirrors.

All Purpose Cleaner

Lemongrass and tea tree oil are natural disinfectants. Make your own natural cleaning solution by adding a few drops of these oils to warm water, works great for kitchen and bathroom counters.

Clean Sports Gear

Use 3 drops of tea tree oil and 2 drops of lemon essential oil mixed with one quart of warm water and 5 tablespoons of baking soda to wash foul smelling sports gear.

Better Smelling Laundry

Add 15 to 20 drops of your preferred essential oil into each load for fresh smelling laundry.

Refresh Your Vacuum Cleaner

Put 5 to 10 drops of your favorite essential oil into your vacuum’s bag or dust container.

Bathtub Scrub

Combine 5 drops of bergamot oil or lime oil with one-half of a cup of baking soda and one-half cup of vinegar. Use this mixture to scrub your bathroom sink, toilet, or bathtub.

Wash produce

Lemon oil is an antiseptic so you use 2 drops per large bowl of warm water to wash insecticide and dirt off your produce.

Freshen The Trash Can

Place 4 drops of lemon essential oil and 5 drops of tea tree oil onto a cotton ball. Place the cotton ball at the bottom of the trashcan to help eliminate odors and detoxify.

Grout Scrub

Combine ten drops of eucalyptus oil with one part castile soap, one part water, and four parts baking soda. Use to clean grout from anywhere.

Neutralize Pet Odor

Use 10 to 20 drops of either geranium, lavender, or lemon oil with apple cider vinegar. Shake well and spray around the room that you wish to eliminate pet odor.

Fridge Purifier

To keep your fridge smelling clean after you wash it, add a few drops of lime or grapefruit oil to warm water and wipe all parts of fridge. Do this regularly to enjoy the fresh smell all the time.

Cleaner Dishes

Place a few drops of lemon essential oil in your dishwasher before running to ensure a spot-free rinse.

Eliminate Mold

Place tea tree oil in your diffuser to kill mold and other pathogens in the air. You can also mix tea tree oil with water and spray on any mold spots around your home to kill the spores.

Remove Mites From Bedding

Place a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to your washing machine when you are washing your bedding.

Remove Cigarette Smoke Odor

Place four drops each of rosemary essential oil, tea tree oil, and eucalyptus essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water and spray around the house.

Air-Freshener

Add your favorite oils to an aromatherapy diffuser to freshen the air at your home and also enjoy the benefits of the therapeutic value of aromatherapy.

Mosquito Repellent

Add 1 drop of citronella oil, 1 drop of lemongrass oil and 1 drop of eucalyptus oil to 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and apply to skin.

Homemade Sunscreen

Combine coconut oil, Shea butter, helichrysum oil, zinc oxide and lavender oil, and store in a squeeze bottle.

Deter Flying Insects

Place two cups of potpourri in a decorative bowl. Place ten to fifteen drops of citronella essential oil in the potpourri and place in an area you want to deter flying insects.

Mouse Repellent

Mix two tablespoons of peppermint essential oil with one cup of water in a spray bottle. Spritz the mixture anywhere you have seen mouse droppings and especially behind appliances.

Deodorize Upholstery

Place a few drops of your choice of essential oil into one cup of baking soda. Sprinkle onto your upholstery and let set for fifteen minutes. Vacuum off.

Furniture Dusting Spray

Place one and three quarters of a cup of filtered water into a spray bottle. Add two teaspoons of olive oil, one-half of a teaspoon of lemon essential oil and one quarter of a cup of vinegar. Mix well and use to remove dust from furniture.

Flavored Water

Put two to three drops of lemon essential oil to your drinking water for a delicious citrus flavor.

Natural Dryer Sheets

Mix one cup of pure distilled vinegar with 15 drops of lavender or rose essential oil. Place cloth scraps into the mixture until they are moistened but not soaked. Add one cloth per dryer load.

Health And Wellness

Improve Sleep

Place a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow to help you fall asleep and sleep better throughout the night. Lavender is known for helping to alleviate insomnia.

Relieve Stress and Tension

Use lavender and chamomile oils in a diffuser, or place a few drops on a tissue and inhale regularly. Adding a few drops to a hot bath is wonderful for alleviating stress, tension and related body aches.

Massage Oil

Add a few drops of Cedarwood essential oil to an unscented lotion or massage oil and use for a relaxing massage.

Detox Bath

Adding lavender essential oil, Epsom salts, and sea salts to a warm bath will cleanse and rejuvenate the body.

Headaches

For migraines and headaches, mix rosemary, eucalyptus, peppermint, and/or sandalwood oils with a carrier oil, like Jojoba and rub into your temples or scalp.

Improve Depression

Adding rose essential oils to a bath, inhalations, and diffusers will boost mood and relieve depression.

Calm Children

Placing a couple drops of lavender of chamomile essential oils on stuffed animals can help to soothe and calm an upset child.

Lighten The Mood

Placing lavender, rose, ylang-ylang, chamomile, or orange essential oil in a diffuser brightens mood and improves positive energy in any room.

Stay Alert

To help you stay alert, inhale the scent of lavender, sage, frankincense, lemon, peppermint, lemongrass, and basil essential oils in any combination.

Foot Soak

To help ease sore and tired feet, place your feet in warm water that contains peppermint essential oil and Epsom salts.

Bolster Your Immune System

Rubbing oregano essential oil to the bottoms of your feet can help to bolster your immune system.

Relax Tired Muscles

A warm bath with eucalyptus, sage, and basil essential oils will help to relax your tired muscles.

Improve Circulation

Adding 8 to 10 drops of grapefruit essential oils to a warm bath will help to improve your circulation.

Lose Weight

To aid in weight loss, inhale peppermint, and cinnamon essential oils to reduce your appetite and balance your blood sugars.

Reduce Anxiety

Diffusing lavender essential oil around your house can help to combat feelings of stress and tension.

Control Anger

Diffuse jasmine, patchouli, bergamot, or rose essential oils around your home to help with anger management.

Increase Confidence

To help increase your confidence, diffuse cypress, grapefruit, or rosemary essential oils around your home.

Control Fear

To help with feelings of fear, diffuse frankincense, neroli, or sandalwood essential oils.

Cope With Grief

To help with the grieving process, diffuse Helichrysum, neroli, or vetiver essential oils. You can also include these oils in a warm bath to aid relaxation as you grieve.

Increase Memory And Concentration

To help aid memory and concentration while you are studying, diffuse black pepper, hyssop, or peppermint essential oils.

Beauty And Healthcare

Body Butter

Make a body butter by combining Shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and thirty drops of your choice of essential oils. This combination will leave your skin moisturized for days.

Lip Balm

A combination of coconut oil, beeswax, and lavender essential oil will help to heal chapped and dry lips.

Face Toner

For a natural face toner, combine eight ounces of water with two drops each of lavender, geranium, and frankincense essential oils. Apply daily.

Body Mist

Combine about ten drops of your choice of essential oils to fifty milliliters of water in a small spray bottle. Mix well before using.

Fight Acne

Combine aloe vera gel with a few drops of tea tree essential oil and apply to acne-prone areas twice a day.

Hair Growth Oil

Placing one to two drops of carrot essential oil to your hairbrush daily before brushing will help promote healthy hair growth.

Anti-Aging

Mix one to two drops of either almond, rosemary or lavender essential oils to your night cream and apply daily.

Perfume

Use one to two drops of jasmine, lavender, or vanilla essential oils on your wrist for a natural perfume. Cypress and clove essential oils are good options for men.

Shampoo

Combine lavender and rosemary essential oils to coconut milk and aloe vera gel to make a homemade shampoo that will last for two to four week. Use as a regular shampoo.

Freshen Breath

A single drop of peppermint essential oil works as a natural way to freshen your breath.

Deodorant

Coconut oil combined with beeswax and your choice of essential oil can be used as a natural deodorant.

Wrinkle Reducer

Add 4 to 6 drops each of geranium, sandalwood, lavender and frankincense essential oils to an unscented facial cream. Apply to face daily, avoiding the eyes.

Prevent Hair Loss

Combining your choice of burdock root, ginger, lavender, rosemary, thyme or yarrow essential oils can be mixed with a carrier oil and applied to your hair to reduce thinning.

Sugar Scrub

Make a homemade sugar scrub, which is economical and effective. Simply add 4 drops of your favorite essential oils and 4 drops of vitamin E or jojoba oil to ½ a cup of sugar and mix together. Use as an exfoliant for the face and body to scrub away dead skin cells.

Thicken Hair

Adding a few drops of rosemary to your favorite shampoo with help to naturally add volume to your hair and thicken it.

Relieve Dry Scalp

Place a few drops of lavender, Cedarwood or basil essential oils to your shampoo to moisturize your scalp and reduce itching.

Treat Dandruff

Add 5 drops of rosemary and lavender essential oils to 3 tablespoons of jojoba oil. Blend well, and massage into the scalp, let sit for 10 minutes, then shampoo as usual. Repeat weekly.

Reduce Age Spots

Massage frankincense oil directly on sunspots and age spots three times a day to lighten them.

Reduce Stretch Marks

Combine 5 drops each of myrrh, grapefruit, and frankincense essential oils into coconut oil and apply to stretch marks daily to reduce their appearance.

Hair Detangling Spray

In a spray bottle, combine eight ounces of distilled water, one teaspoon of aloe vera gel, two drops of glycerin, and five drops each of lavender and rosemary essential oils. Spray onto hair as needed.

Baby Shampoo

Combine two ounces of Castile baby soap, one-teaspoon jojoba oil, and 10 drops of the essential oil of your choice. Use as a gentle option to wash baby’s hair and skin.

Deep Hair Conditioner

Combine 8 drops of an essential oil of your choice, lavender has a great scent, with three tablespoons of coconut oil and one tablespoon of olive oil. Allow to sit on your hair for fifteen minutes. Rinse, shampoo, and style as desired.

Toothpaste

Make a homemade toothpaste with a mixture of sea salt, coconut oil, baking soda, and peppermint essential oil.

Goodbye Cellulite

To help reduce the appearance of cellulite, combine 7 drops of grapefruit essential oil with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, and massage into affected areas.

Eczema Relief

A mixture of lavender oil and Shea butter is an effective treatment for eczema, psoriasis, and red dry skin.

Tinted Lip Balm

Combine 25 drops of your favorite essential oil with three tablespoons of coconut oil, two tablespoons of beeswax, one tablespoon each of jojoba oil and beetroot powder and you will have a naturally tinted lip balm.

Serum For Firmer Skin

Combine one and a half tablespoons of aloe vera gel, one teaspoon of strong coffee, two drops of cypress essential oil and one teaspoon of witch hazel. Apply this treatment to your face every morning.

Hand Soap

Combine a few drops of your favorite essential oil with five parts water and one part liquid castile soap and place in a foaming hand dispenser.

Homemade Hand Sanitizer

Combine 6 drops of lavender and 25 drops of tea tree essential oils with 1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil and 8 ounces of aloe vera gel, it’s fine to use gel directly from the plant.

Herbal Bath Salts

Add 20 to 30 drops of your favorite essential oils to one cup of Epsom salts and ½ cup of natural sea salt. Place in a glass container with a tight fitting lid. Add ½ cup to each warm bath.

Homemade Remedies

Homemade Vapor Rub

Combine 1/2 a cup of coconut oil with about ten drops of eucalyptus oil and fifteen drops of peppermint essential oil. Apply to the chest as needed.

Get Rid Of Head Lice

Mix 3 drops each of lavender, thyme, and eucalyptus essential oils with a carrier oil, like jojoba or avocado oil and message into the scalp. Put on a shower cap and let sit for thirty minutes. Shampoo out, and comb out nits and bugs from hair with a fine toothcomb.

Cure Nausea

To ease nausea, breath in peppermint oil through your nose. You can also apply peppermint oil to your neck and upper chest to alleviate nausea.

Relieve Menstrual Cramps

Combine 2 drops each of clary sage, basil, or rosemary essential oil with ½ cup of jojoba or avocado carrier oil. Massage the oil mixture into your abdomen, then cover with a towel soaked in warm water and let sit for 10 minutes. Repeat as needed throughout the day.

Insomnia

Diffuse chamomile or lavender oil in your bedroom, add a few drops to a hot pre-sleep bath, or place a few drops on your pillow.

Open Airways

Inhale the vapor of lavender and eucalyptus oils mixed with hot water to open the airways when you have congestion, a cold, or flu or really, anytime you wish to open airway passages and breathe better.

Disinfect Cuts

Dilute lavender or tea tree essential oils one to one in a carrier oil and use to disinfect cuts and scrapes.

Reduce Fever

Add equal parts of frankincense, peppermint, and sage to a warm bath. As an alternative, mix the same oils into lukewarm water and sponge onto feverish skin to reduce the fever.

Loosen Stiff Joints

Gently massage one teaspoon of a carrier oil mixed with a couple of drops of vetiver essential oil into stiff joints to encourage movement.

Cough Reducer

Mix three drops of eucalyptus and two drops of rosemary essential oil with one teaspoon of a carrier oil. Massage the mixture over the chest, back, throat and sinus area to relieve a cough.

Help Health Broken Bones

Apply fir and cypress essential oils to the area of a broken bone to support healing.

Heal Burns

Combine lavender essential oil and aloe vera to treat minor burns. Apply liberally to burned area.

Reduce Bug Bite Itch

Apply lavender essential oil to bug bites to help reduce the itch.

Boost Digestive Health

Clove oil taken with meals helps reduce digestive discomfort as it contains 95% eugenol that fights various fungal over growths that can disrupt healthy digestive function. It also helps relax the smooth muscle lining of the digestive tract to prevent gas, bloating, nausea and diarrhea, bloating, and gas. Clove oil is antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial so it can help kill pathogens that play a key role in digestive problems.

Treat Bruises

Add five drops each of lavender and frankincense to four ounces of hot water and soak a cloth in the mixture. Apply the cloth to the bruised area.

Teeth Grinding

Massage 1 to 3 drops of lavender oil to the bottom of the feet and behind the ears before bed to reduce tension and teeth grinding when you sleep.

Hangovers

To alleviate the symptoms of a hangover, take a warm bath with 5 drops each of Cedarwood, lavender, rosemary, juniper berry, and lemon essential oils.

Treat Cold Sores

Lavender is antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal as well as a natural pain reliever and an anti-itch remedy. Apply one drop to a cold sore as soon as you notice it forming to help heal the cold sore. Apply as needed.

Treat Ear Aches

Add 1 drop of lavender and chamomile essential oils to warmed olive oil and blend well, drop some of the mixture to a cotton ball and place on the outer ear canal. Add the rest of the mixture to another cotton ball and rub the external area behind the ear.

Treat Tendonitis

To help ease the pain from tendonitis, massage in a mixture of 3 tablespoons of a carrier oil, 5 drops of peppermint oil, 4 drops each of rosemary and eucalyptus oils, 8 drops of chamomile oil, and 3 drops of lavender oil.

Relieve Arthritis Pain

Add 2 drops of rosemary oil, 1 drop of lavender oil and 2 drops of chamomile oil to 1 to 2 tablespoons of Jojoba oil or any one of your favorite carrier oils. Massage the oil onto the area that hurts, and then place a warm towel over the area for 10 minutes.

Treat Neuralgia

First, apply an ice pack to numb the pain. Then massage the following mixture into the affected area: two drops of rosemary oil, one drop each of peppermint, chamomile, and lavender oils and one teaspoon of a carrier oil.

Allergy Relief

Rub one drop each of frankincense and lavender on your palms and inhale deeply. This will relieve itchy eyes and throat.

As you can see when you look through this list, there are many different ways you can use essential oils in your life.

You can add it to the bath, use it to affect the mood in a room and even remove mold.

From beauty care to mental health to first aid uses, introducing essential oils into your life will aid you in being healthier and removing the harsh chemicals that are in the products you get at the store.

Essential oils have been used by various civilizations for hundreds or years, and they are just as useful today!

Wondering how to remove labels from bottles or jars that you rescue from the recycling bin or thrift store?

It’s easy and you don’t need an expense label removing solution, either.

A simple ingredient from your kitchen will do the job!

Most of us eat three times a day. And a lot of that food comes in jars – sturdy, well-shaped jars that would be just perfect for home organization and crafts … if only you could get those labels off!

Now I’ll admit that we don’t actually buy a lot of food in jars. The one I’m cleaning in this tutorial, for example – if I want to eat dulce de leche, I’m going to make it myself at home, probably with goat milk so that my youngest son can have some.

But the jar had a lovely wide opening and the lid had no rust or problems, so I grabbed it. That jar and I have plans. (It is grateful for being rescued from the landfill, in case you’re wondering)

You’re going to laugh when you realize how easy it is to get labels and stickers off those jars.

Here’s what you’ll need

• a bottle or jar with a label <- our guest of honour
• a deep washtub or basin that will hold the jar
• warm water to cover the jar
• a box of baking soda (Arm & Hammer all the way … okay, when it’s on sale, then I buy a case!)
• a stick for stirring
• a clean towel

Pour the warm water into the deep basin. It will need to be deep enough to hold your jar.

Yes, it’s a Starbucks mug, another very inexpensive thrift store find. I’m not a Starbucks drinker, though. I’d say I’m a Tim Hortons coffee drinker, but mostly I’m a make-it-at-home-and-save-money coffee drinker.

Dump some baking soda into your washing basin. You’ll want it to feel soapy and concentrated, so depending on the size of your basin, you might want 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup baking soda.

I’m not really brand loyal, but Arm & Hammer is a good brand. When it’s on sale at a price that meets or beats the generic, I usually buy a case. It keeps a long time.

Baking soda is very inexpensive, and it’s necessary for this to work. So be generous.

Mix it, mix it, mix it. I asked Aonghus for something to stir with and he handed me a popsicle stick. I have no idea where it came from.

How many times have I looked at something in my house and said “Where did this come from? I don’t recognize this.” It didn’t happen before I had children.

Into the baking soda bath it goes!  If you have a big jar and a small basin, you’re probably now thinking you should have planned better. I did say it should be deep.

Next time I’ll listen to myself.

If the jar isn’t submerged, add more warm water.

If the jar can’t submerge because your basin is too small, join the club. This is totally a “do what I say, not what I do” moment. I do that a lot – show people how to do things after messing up! It’s easier if your jar will submerge, but it’s okay if it doesn’t.

That water jug isn’t speckled with rot – that’s right in the plastic’s colour. Another mystery of my life, why anyone would think that “looks like it’s covered in mold” is an appropriate colour for a water jug.

It amuses me, though, and reminds me that plastic lasts forever. That’s the catch-22 about plastic, isn’t it? The good news is that it lasts forever! The bad news is that it lasts forever, never breaking down completely, never actually going away.

If you have plastic or can reclaim it from the thrift store, take care of it and keep it from getting moldy and slimey and disgusting. Plastic in the landfill doesn’t ever go away. Even after you “get rid of it”, it’s still here.

If your jar isn’t completely submerged, rotate it a few times. You’ll want that baking soda to soak into the labels evenly.

All in all, you’ll want that jar to soak in the water for about three hours. The water will get cool. That’s okay.

Now start peeling the labels off. The baking soda should have broken the bond of the glue, so it should be very easy to rub it off.

If it’s being really stubborn, dump your water and refill the basin with warm water and baking soda. Let it soak some more.

Is it all off? Wash your jar and lid however you normally do. Rinse it well to get all of the baking soda off, and then dry it.

Have you ever noticed that people say “dry well with a clean towel”. I’m not going to tell you that because I’m assuming you know that you should be using a clean towel to dry your jar.

You do not need to store lollipops in your jar.  I’ve found that upcycled jars are great for storing almost everything, from pantry items to buttons to … well, anything.

EJ keeps a lot of them in the shed, too. I panic every time I see him putting nails and screws in a glass jar but so far none have broken. I won’t let him use my Mason jars for that – only rescued jars.

Next time you’re wandering through the thrift store and you see a jar that would be just perfect for your needs if only it wasn’t covered in stickers and labels, you’ll now know what to do.

You can also put some tags on the lid, or use a Sharpie to write on the jar itself, especially if you are planning to use these bottles or jars to store kitchen powders like cornstarch, flour or sugar. Maybe you’re like me and have several different kinds of salt? You don’t want to mix up fine salt with curing salt – not the same thing at all.

It’s April in Nova Scotia, that time of year that we pretend is spring … although it might be more accurately called ‘Sprinter’, a combination of spring and winter that can’t figure out which one it should be.

It’s that time of year when we can have all four seasons in a day. Maybe you live in a place like that, too?

The moment it warms enough to open windows (even if I’m wearing a sweater!), I get the urge to spring clean. The house has been closed up and stuffy all winter, with boots and coats and clothes … and dust … accumulating.

Whether you have a large or small space, every dwelling needs a good thorough cleaning on a regular basis.

Spring cleaning, even though it takes some time and effort, brings many benefits.

Happiness

Having a clean home is a great feeling.

A cluttered, messy environment can wreak havoc on one’s emotions. Being able to come home every day to a space that is tidy and organized is a great gift you can give to yourself.

One of my goals as we spring clean this year is to reduce our possessions by half – it’s the best way to ensure a clean, uncluttered home. Maybe YOU simply have too much stuff, as well? Here are the questions I’m asking myself this year as I spring clean.

Stress Relief

It is a depressing feeling to wake up to disorder every single morning. You wake up to a messy bedroom, with clothing that doesn’t fit in your closet. Down to the kitchen with counters full of dishes and other clutter ….

Even if you’re used to it, living in an untidy environment brings you a great amount of unnecessary stress.

Spring cleaning will ensure that your home feels peaceful, rather than the chaos that you may have been forced to become used to.

Pride

Have you ever heard of CHAOS – Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome?

It’s embarrassing when your home is in disarray, and someone calls out of the blue and asks to drop by.

Should I admit that I’ve sometimes apologized to the FedEx guy? “The porch doesn’t always look like this,” I mutter to the guy who really, really doesn’t care how my porch looks.

When your home has been through a detailed spring cleaning, you will feel proud about the way it appears. Inviting guests over will be a pleasure for you, and for them as well.

Time

Time is yet another benefit of spring cleaning.

I know, it might not seem that way when you’re sitting on the floor sorting out unwanted and unneeded clothes, but it’s true.

When you have to dig through a pile of clothing to find a small piece you have misplaced, or search yet again for the keys or shoes you lose on a consistent basis, valuable time is being lost.

Spring cleaning saves time, since it gives you a change to reorganize.

It forces you to sort through everything you own once again, and give each tiny item a place of its own in order to be easily found each and every time.

Oh – and at the end of it, you should be able to once again mentally run through your possessions and know exactly where everything is!

Organization

When you are organized, life runs more smoothly.

If your home is orderly, your family and visitors will feel the difference. It will be easier to go about your daily duties, and keep on top of everything you are responsible for.

Health

Spring cleaning is a great workout.

It may be surprising to some, but both light and heavy housework give your body a boost.

You may be surprised at what a sweat you work up while getting your home into tip-top shape. You can be sure to move your muscles, stimulate your lymphatic system, and even get a bit of cardio in while organizing items and scrubbing walls.

Generosity to Others

One of spring cleaning’s outcomes is finding things that we don’t need. I’m not even finished and I already have four large garbage bags full of clothes to go to the thrift store. Cleaning out the pantry and honestly acknowledging that I’d never use certain things means I can give them away whitel they’re still usable.

This is a great time to give away what we cannot use anymore to someone who can benefit from our unwanted items. There are SO many benefits to giving to others – not selling your excess, but generously passing it along to those who need it.

When you have sorted through clothing that no longer fits, appliances you no longer use, and books that your children have outgrown, you have a choice what you will do with it all. Consider donating to a charity or someone in need. The feeling of satisfaction will be worth all the time and effort you put into it.

There are many benefits of spring cleaning, and these are just a few. Consider all the bonuses that this yearly ritual will bring you. Keep yourself going through the hard work with the thoughts of everything you will gain.

Spring cleaning is a great opportunity to clear out everything that you do not need.

Often times it is not only your home that needs a yearly scouring, but also other parts of your life.

This is a time to analyze what is working for you and what is not. Here are some areas to keep in mind when making these changes.

6 Areas In Which to Spring Clean Your Life

Mental/Emotional

This may be one of the most important areas in need of spring cleaning. If we do not take care of our mental or emotional health, we will find it difficult to maintain health in any other area.

Spring cleaning in this area may include analyzing which things in your life make you happy, and which things have the opposite effect.

If possible, make a decision to change situations that are not contributing to mental wellness.

Spring cleaning this area may also include making time to speak with a counselor or therapist.

Physical

Most of us have a desire to live well, and to treat our body right.

However, over time this resolve may slip.

Indulging in an unhealthy treat every now and then may become a regular occurrence, and our diets and lifestyles can slip drastically.

Take a look at everything you do in regards to eating and exercise.

Are you supplying your body with the nutrients it needs to thrive and feel energetic?

Exercise is essential to prevent a wide variety of diseases… are you making time for it?

Spring cleaning is a great time to do a lifestyle overhaul.

Schedule

How busy are you?

Is your schedule manageable, or do you find yourself with never enough time?

Being involved in too many things is not supportive of your health and wellness, and you may need to cut out a few activities to find time to indulge in some healthy relaxation.

Relationships

What kind of relationships are you involved in?

From family to friends, do your relationships build you up or destroy you?

Spring cleaning is a good time to take stock of who you are spending your relationship currency on.

You may find that you wish to spend less energy on someone who does not have your best interest at heart, in order to have more of yourself to give to those who do.

Career

Are you where you wish to be career-wise?

When you think about what you want most in life, is your career helping you achieve that dream?

Spring cleaning is a good time to take a look at even this area of your life, and decide whether you should keep on going, or look for another more personally gratifying way to bring in an income.

Goals

What goals have you been working toward?

Are the things you strive for still a good indication of who you are inside?

If your original goals no longer reflect the real you, now is a great time to make some changes to your list, and begin to pursue things that truly reflect your authenticity.

Spring cleaning is a perfect opportunity to make a move from things that are no longer serving you well. It is a time of reflection and taking every detail in your life into account.

Use this time to clear out the old habits that are holding you back.

You will soon be on your way to a new lifestyle filled with the things that bring you energy and joy.

When we talk about healthy homes we often focus on key elements like toxins, pollutants, and chemicals that can cause harm to the people we love. It’s also common to focus on cleaning products, natural remedies and eating healthy foods. And all of these are important!

But one of the important elements of a healthy home, one that’s often ignored or forgotten, is the practice of sustainability. A sustainable home, meaning a home that embraces environmentally-friendly practices, is a healthy home.

Energy Efficient

The more energy efficient your home is, the more sustainable it is.

When you can keep the hot, or cold, air inside your home where you want it, you’ll run your heating and cooling system less often. This means reduced dependency on gas, electricity, coal or oil, depending on your system. There are energy-efficient heating and cooling systems and that’s a great place to invest your money.

And if you’re planning to upgrade your HVAC system, be sure to choose a sustainable, energy-efficient option. When our very old furnace died, we purchased a highly efficient propane furnace. Not only did our fuel costs drop drastically but the insurance company gave us a safety discount. But the best part was something only noticed by people (like me) with multiple chemical sensitivity – the propane furnace didn’t have the strong smell that came from the old oil furnace!

However, simple things like regularly having your furnace and air conditioner serviced can also improve performance and extend the life of your system. Energy-efficient and insulated windows and doors also help keep the temperature the way you want it, and programmable thermostats help you raise and lower the temperature automatically so you’re not heating or cooling the home when you’re not there.

Let’s not forget about energy star appliances and LED light bulbs which can last more than twenty years and use much less electricity than traditional bulbs.

Sustainable Materials

Whenever you’re remodeling or replacing items in your home, look to use sustainable materials.

For example, rather than replacing your floor with hardwood, consider bamboo, cork, or even cement flooring which is sustainable, durable, and beautiful.

Countertops, carpet, and other building and design materials can also be found at recycling centers and second-hand building supply operations. It’s possible to get creative and enjoy quality design without spending tons of money on brand new materials.

Clean Water and Reduced Consumption

Consider creating systems where you reduce the amount of water you use.

You might install a timer on your shower faucet and use reduced capacity toilets in your home. These help control how much water goes to waste.

You can also place rain barrels in your yard to collect water for your garden and start harvesting rainwater.

And consider how you throw water down the drain. For example, if you don’t finish a glass of water, do you dump it down the drain or do you use it to water a plant?

Environmentally-friendly practices support a healthy planet and a healthy home.

Choose one priority or area to focus on and start making changes to your lifestyle. The impact on your home and your lifestyle will be a positive one.

To improve the health of your home, it’s important to routinely check each room and fix any issues that may arise.

This checklist will help guide you in what to look for in each room as well as how to improve the health of the room and safety of you and your family.

Keeping Your House Safe and Healthy – A Room by Room Checklist

Attic & Crawl Spaces

Look for:  mold, mildew, rodents and pests

Tips: Keep the rooms clean so bugs and rodents have fewer places to nest.

Seal any gaps around the windows, doors, roof and exhaust pipes to reduce areas in which rodents and bugs can enter the home.

Prevent excessive moisture by having proper ventilation.

Basement, Laundry & Utility Rooms

Look for: Household products that contain toxic chemicals, mold, radon and carbon monoxide.

Tips: Remove any products that may be hazardous to your health.

Test for radon gas and carbon monoxide.

Repeat the above tips for rodents and pests.

Set your water heater to 120°F and have your heating and cooling system checked annually by a professional.

Vent the clothes dryer outside the home to prevent mold and mildew as well as possible fires.

Bathrooms

Look for: Areas that may cause falls, drowning or poisoning. Watch for mold and mildew.

Tips: Bring expired medications to your pharmacy for safe disposal. Do NOT flush them or toss them in the garbage.

Keep the rest in a locked container or out of the reach of children.

Install grab bars in showers and bathtubs as well as next to toilets.

Use nonslip mats in the tub and showers.

Keep cleaning products behind locked doors or out of the reach of children.

Never leave a child unattended in a bathtub.

Install and use a ventilation fan to remove excess moisture.

Bedroom

Look for: Fire hazards and common allergen areas

Tips: Check all electrical sockets and cords to make sure there is proper free space around them and there are no pinches, kinks or pressure that may cause shorts or overheating.

Purchase and maintain safe cribs and beds for children.

Vacuum or sweep daily to remove allergens.

Use mattress and pillow covers to reduce allergens.

Don’t smoke in bed. Wash bedding regularly to reduce allergens.

Garage / Shop

Look for:  Toxic chemicals, rodents, pests and anything that may be releasing carbon monoxide.

Tips: IF you use them, store pesticides, fertilizers and other toxic chemicals out of the reach of children and in an area where the temperature stays relatively cool.

Eliminate sources of food and water that may attract pests and rodents.

Seal around windows, doors and other areas that may allow pests to enter the building.

Never run motorized vehicles such as automobiles, lawn mowers, tractors, ATV’s, etc. inside the garage or shop or near windows or doors of the home.

Kitchens

Look for: Fire hazards, standing water, mold, mildew, pests, rodents, toxic chemicals and places that may collect germs

Tips: Keep flammable objects away from the stove.

Check electrical sockets and cords to ensure they are not overheating or shorting out.

Keep toxic chemicals behind locked doors or out of the reach of children, or better yet, get rid of them.

Always run cold water for several seconds before filling your glass to allow standing water in pipes to flush out.

Properly store and prepare foods.

Always use a meat thermometer.

Wash hands frequently.

Properly clean and disinfect food prep areas during and after meal preparation.

Follow above tips for mold, mildew, pests and rodents.

Clean appliances regularly to remove built up foods, dust and debris.

Living / Family Rooms

Look for: Areas that may cause falls or injuries as well as common allergen areas.

Tips: Do not smoke in your home. V

acuum daily to remove allergens.

Tie or pin up blind cords so kids cannot reach them.

If you’re living in an old home, paint over any old paint before it starts to peel or chip.

Pad sharp edges or corners to prevent injury to small kids and the elderly.

Replace area rugs that no longer lay flat and may cause falls.

Remove broken furniture and replace worn carpet that may be breaking down and releasing harmful chemicals into the air.

Stairs

Look for:  Clutter, poor lighting, missing or broken rails

Tips: Repair broken or missing stair rails. Replace poor lighting with something more appropriate. Keep stairs free of clutter. Use safety gates or install a door to prevent young children from getting hurt. Sweep or vacuum regularly and watch for any torn carpet areas that may cause falls.

Many of the tips above should be used in multiple areas of the home. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on every floor of the home, perhaps more than one per floor, depending on the size of the home.

Most of us do not clean our homes to impress visitors or to make our friends envy our shiny floors. Those of us under fifty rarely care if our laundry on the line is white enough to be seen from the road or if the neighbours admire our sparkling windows.

We Still Want Clean Homes

The motivations today are often different from that of our parents, but the end desire is still the same.

Our grandmothers and mothers wanted – and we still want – a healthy, safe environment in which to raise our children and enjoy our lives.

And we want a home clean enough that our friends and visitors feel comfortable and safe, too!

The typical home, and certainly the ones most of us grew up in, is filled with strong cleaning products. Bathroom cleaners, kitchen cleaners, products that remove stubborn grease, and ones that keep our clothes static-free. insect killers, and laundry detergents.

What’s in Modern Cleaners?

But have you ever considered what is actually contained in these products? Or more importantly, why products meant to keep our home environment safe and clean had warning labels telling us what to do if we accidentally swallowed, were splashed with, or even touched the products?

All that inhaling, wheezing, sniffing, sneezing ingesting and suffering from asthma, colds, flu, aching joints, etc. could in all likelihood be caused by chemically toxic cleaning products.

Actually, what is contained in those products is almost certainly impacting your health and life, and that of your children, too.

Using toxic cleaning products is similar to smoking

Scientists from the University of Bergen, Norway have been studying, for over 20 years, the impact of cleaning products on the health of humans.

They reported back that when we use chemical-containing cleaning products in our homes, we might just as well be smoking 20 cigarettes a day – IN the house.

A study done by the European Community Respiratory Health wanted to look at the impact on people’s lungs from using cleaning products. They selected candidates from over 22 locations in the world.

Those who participated were questioned on how often they used cleaning products – then the functioning of their lungs was tested and measured.

The study proved that women who did cleaning at home or cleaners whose professional job was cleaning showed a more rapid decline in their health against women who did no cleaning.

The researchers suggested that in a matter of 10-20 years, it was equivalent for those women to be smoking a pack of cigarettes a day over that time. Further findings also reveal the link between cleaning products, asthma, and respiratory problems.

The typical average household houses around 60 chemicals which are toxic and really have no business being around our children.

The manufacturers argue that the toxins are in such small amounts that they are not harmful, but most of us are realizing that long term exposure to even a small amount of toxins can cause serious damage.

A few exposures to these chemicals may not cause any lasting harm. The trouble is that they build up in in your body, causing harm over time, and which can trigger off other diseases.

The pollution in our air and water that you want to escape from is already in you. None of us can avoid being exposed to nasty toxic chemicals, but we can start to reduce them in our home.

Before showing you wonderful natural solutions to these chemical products, you need to know which ones are the worst offenders.

Phthalates

You can find this chemical in many of the lovely aroma products like soaps, air fresheners, and scented toilet papers.

Because of certain proprietary rules, some companies don’t even need to disclose the fact that their products contain phthalates.

Look at the label though and see if you notice “fragrance” appearing on the bottle – that’s probably got phthalates in it.

It’s definitely something you want to avoid. If you’re buying soap, make sure it does not contain the very toxic phthalates.

Perchloroethylene (“PERC”)

You will find Perchloroethylene in spot removers, carpet cleaners, dry cleaning and upholstery products.

Did you know that Perchloroethylene is a toxin which works on your nervous system?

If you live in a building where a dry-cleaner operates, you are exposed to this chemical which can cause coordination loss, dizziness, etc.

Triclosan

Triclosan is found in soaps which say ‘antibacterial’ on them. Your dishwashing liquids contain this as well.

Triclosan is actually a very aggressive agent to fight bacteria. It promotes drug-resistant bacterial growth.

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (“QUATS”)

Those lovely smelling softening liquids that smell of fresh apples or tiny powdered babies contain this dangerous chemical.

You will find these also in products marked “antibacterial.” QUATS is suspected of irritating the skin and causing asthma and respiratory conditions.

2-Butoxyethanol

You will find 2-Butoxyethanol in multi-purpose and window cleaning products.

It forms part of the powerful solvents. Again, laws don’t require that this chemical is listed on the labeling, but yet it contributes towards sore throats, narcosis, severe kidney and liver problems or pulmonary edema.

Ammonia

Ammonia is found in cleaning agents for places like your sinks, in the bathroom and fixtures. It gets used for cleaning jewelry and glass.

Ammonia cleans windows and glass making it sparkle, but underneath that sparkle is strong ingredient which causes irritation to those who suffer from asthma and lung problems.

Chlorine

Chlorine is used for cleaning swimming pools and toilet bowls, etc.

It makes the laundry nice and white, it removes mildew and it’s even added to the city water systems to keep the water clear from bacteria.

That means when you bath or shower or when you take a drink from the tap, unless you are on well water, there is probably chlorine in the water. Chlorine can even cause problems to your thyroid.

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Hydroxide is found in drains and oven cleaners.

Another name for this chemical is lye and it is very corrosive. If you get some of this on your hands or worse, your eyes, you can be seriously burned.

Lysol

Lysol is like a deodorizing spray – it does a good job of cleaning and deodorizing the air.

This sticky spray is sprayed into the air and it doesn’t actually diminish odors but it masks them.

You inhale them and because they are sticky they coat the hairs in your nose, so all you can smell is Lysol. The sticky participles also get inhaled into your lungs, which will produce mucous to try and rid itself of the Lysol.

All the excess mucous causes coughing and wheezing, and if you have an asthmatic reaction, you could find yourself in some emergency room at your nearest hospital.

Don’t use it! People buy it for in their bathrooms, and yet is it classified by the FDA as a pesticide!

What does green, natural and biodegradable mean?

Seeing pleasant-sounding words like ‘green’, ‘natural’ and ‘biodegradable’ doesn’t mean the product is non-toxic.

Several years back, in 2010, a company by the name of TerraChoice Group, submitted a report, titled ‘The Sins of Greenwashing’ – reporting that more than ninety-five percent of products were found faulty of being greenwashed.

Unfortunately, there are many companies who realize that it’s much cheaper for them to claim that their products are health-protective, environmentally friendly and safe to use than to actually live by their claims.

This is called greenwashing – when a company deliberately misleads customers about the real impact of its products and practices.

Fortunately, you can detox your home with natural DIY cleaners that are safe, cheap and which do a splendid job.

A general sink cleanser

Mix up 1/2 cup baking soda with 6 drops lavender, lemon, rosemary, orange or lime essential oil. Rinse sink out, using hot water, then add the above mixture to sink.

Pour 1/4 cup vinegar over, allowing mixture to fizz. When the fizz has settled, scrub the sink with a cloth or a sponge, rinsing once again, using hot water.

Oven cleaner

Place a heat proof dish in the oven, filled up with water, turning oven heat on so that the water steams, softening up any hardened grease.

When the oven cools down, make a mixture out of equal portions of salt, vinegar, and baking soda and scrub well.

Get rid of bathroom mildew

Remember that a well-ventilated room is one of the best ways of preventing mold and mildew.

But if and when it does occur, get a plastic spray bottle, enough for 2 cups water to which a ¼ teaspoon lavender essential and tea tree essential oil has been added. Shake bottle and then spray on the mildew and mold spots. These essential oils are quite good at eliminating the mold and mildew.

Natural shampoo for carpets

Take 3 cups water, adding 3/4 cup liquid soap. Next, add ten drops Peppermint essential oil.

As it gets rubbed into the carpet, the foam will appear; rub this well into the dirty parts of the carpet with damp cloth or sponge, allowing drying naturally. Then you can vacuum.

Other methods of keeping your home clean naturally

Ditch the chemical laundry soap. I know it SAYS it’s “mountain fresh” but that smell is pure chemicals. If you are careful about the brand, you can get safe, organic laundry soap that will not harm your skin or the environment.

You could also get soap nuts – they’re the dried fruit of the Soapberry tree. Toss them in the laundry with your clothes and re-use several times.

A microfiber cloth safely replaces furniture spray and polish. If you need a bit of gloss, use olive oil or pure lemon oil.

A high-quality air purifier goes a long way because the filters are excellent at removing tiny pollutants like dust, pollen, and tobacco smoke.

Good activated carbon filters absorb volatile organic compounds or VOCs and chemical particles from the air. Look for air purifiers that have both the activated carbon filter as well as the HEPA filter.

Buy plants for your home that are good at cleaning toxins from the air. Good examples are Chrysanthemums, English Ivy, Gerbera Daisies, etc.

Chemical cleaners are made to look and smell good

Manufacturers of chemical products churn out products that have tantalizing fragrances; there are rose smells, vanilla smells, lavender field smells, potpourri and so much more.

But these are definitely not natural aromas – they are chemicals that you breathe in, smelling like Nature itself, but which are actually affecting your health negatively.

It is far better to smell real cinnamon or real vanilla pods that you can simmer on your stove to bring out the lovely aromas, saving your brain cells from getting damaged as well!

Essential oils, too, have fantastic scents and you can add a couple drops of essential oils to your homemade cleaners. Always ensure that the products you buy and use are natural and not chemically-derived scents.

Today, people are realizing the bad effects that chemical cleaners can have on their lives; floors and surfaces that they once cleaned with toxic chemicals and which they prepared food on and allowed their children and pets to play on. These same people are determined to go natural, opting now to clean their surfaces with a mixture of water and vinegar, adding in natural scents of essential oils. In fact, you can just about clean anything with vinegar, water, borax, lemon juice, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and natural soaps like hemp and Castile.

Start stocking your home cabinets with the above products – if you don’t like that sour vinegary smell, then you can always add in drops of essential oils such as lavender.

Essential oils provide aromatherapy benefits too.

Lavender essential oils have a soothing, calming effect on the brain. Or take lemon or orange essential oil – fresh and clean.

It’s wise not to ignore what essential oils can do for your cleaning and health!

Bathrooms

People might think that essential oils will never be suitable for cleaning the bathroom – after all, how do you cut through all those germs and dirt, right?

But no.

Essential oils like eucalyptus, tea tree and oregano are proven essential oils to even work against viruses in the body such as influenza, norovirus and horrible Staphylococcus aureus.

Everyone also knows about the wonders of baking soda and vinegar to scour your bath and absorb grease.

All you need to do further is to add a favorite essential oil mentioned above to enhance the cleaning experience.

Lemon, lime, and orange are noted particularly to be natural degreasing agents, plus they all have antimicrobial properties. It might be hard to get excited to clean a bathroom, but you will get excited when you see what a difference essential oils make.

The bedroom

Bedrooms contain dust and plenty of airborne microbes that can cause linens and more to take on a musty smell.

But you can freshen up the bedroom with things like essential oil mattress sprays such as eucalyptus, tea tree, rosemary, lavender, or Siberian Fir.

All you have to do is add a few drops of any of these essential oils in a spray bottle that has water added and spray liberally onto the mattress.

Kitchen

Look here for an excellent kitchen cleaner using hydrogen peroxide – remember you can add essential oils too.

Black pepper essential oil goes well with this cleaner. Research also shows how effective black pepper essential oil is against many bacteria.

Floors

Whether it is carpets or hardwood floors, essential oils are excellent for effectively cleaning floors.

For tiles and hardwood floors, the lemon essential oils added to your natural cleaner goes a long way in dissolving marks and dirt.

Furniture

High quality and antique wood and furniture requires regular but gentle cleaning.

Natural cleaners with a natural essential oil such as lemon, cedarwood, and sweet orange are excellent for this purpose, leaving behind gentle and soothing aromas.

Kids’ and pets’ toys

You can’t be too cautious when it comes to pets and children. Lavender essential oil does wonders for cleaning and working against nasty bacteria and viruses. Homemade deodorizer sprays with essential oils will come to the rescue too when the kids are older and you are looking for an excellent sanitizer and deodorizer for all the sport equipment.

Today, there are over 80,000 chemicals used in cleaning products that are toxic and detrimental to people’s health. Millions of people are impacted by these on a daily basis.

According to the American Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside your home can actually be 2-5 times more polluted than the air outside because of what we use to clean and decorate our homes. Opening the windows helps but it’s not enough.

It cannot be soon enough to make a clean sweep today, starting with natural products – your body and home will thank you.

Does it seem like cleaning your home, and keeping it clean, takes more time than you want? The secret to fast and easy cleaning rests in your hands – literally. Create your own cleaning checklists!

When you create a systematic, step by step cleaning checklist, it’s so much easier to get everything done.

Checklists offer other benefits too.

In addition to providing structure to an often overwhelming task, a checklist helps other people (ahem, children and spouses are you listening?) clean effectively and efficiently too.

Delegation is a lot easier when you can give them a detailed list of what they need to do.

Here’s How To Create Your Own Cleaning Checklists

List what needs to be done for each job or room.

For example, if one task is to take out the recycling then the list might look like this.

• Remove bag from recycling container Monday morning
• Empty bag into large recycling bin
• Take bin to the curb for pickup
• Make sure recycling container is clean
• Replace bag in recycling container
• Return recycling bin to garage after pickup

Go through each task and room that needs to be cleaned and make a simple list of what needs to be accomplished.

Get it In Order

In most cases there is a logical order to the cleaning process.

For example, when you’re cleaning the bathroom you don’t clean the toilet and then turn around and use the same cleaning rag on your counter tops.

Yuck.

But you can reverse the steps safely.

Likewise, if you’re cleaning the kitchen it saves time if you wash down the countertops and the kitchen table and appliances all at the same time.

If you stop in between each of the steps and wash dishes or sweep then it breaks up the flow.

We’re talking about creating the most efficient cleaning process possible. Take a look at your list of tasks and steps for each cleaning job and reorder the steps to make the most of your time and energy.

Make it Formal

Turn on your computer and open a word processing program.

Most programs provide you with the ability to make bulleted lists. Those bullets can be changed which means you can choose empty check boxes to place before each step on your list. Create a new document for each task or cleaning job.

Print them out.

You can now either laminate them or slide the list into a sheet protector.

Using a dry erase marker you, or anyone else, can quickly work through your checklist. Consider hanging the checklists on a peg by your family chore chart so they’re always handy.

Everyone has places in their home that need cleaning. These places don’t get the attention they need because they’re somewhat out of sight and out of mind – unless they smell or you have company.

And THEN you notice.

But, if you add these overlooked places into your calendar, you won’t ever have issues and your home will be much cleaner and fresher.

My regular readers know that I have never claimed to be the greatest homemaker. I struggle with it and would rather be doing … well, pretty much anything other than scrub a toilet.

My most popular post, which will tell you a lot about me and housework, is How to Keep House Like a Mennonite, with tips like teaching your kids to do housework and getting a dog.

And you there muttering about the state of my back porch, I’ll remember that muttering next time I make Chicken Cordon Bleu … or Corn Chowder … or Sugar Pie! (I’ll still cook for you, but you can do the dishes.)

My point is that I’m not JUDGING your mess.

I have plenty of my own.

If your mother says “Well, you just clean where it’s dirty” and your mother-in-law says “I never let my house get like that in the first place,” then I’m here to help you figure out where it’s getting dirty so you can clean up before either of them visit.

Stove Exhaust Vent

Most stoves have an exhaust vent above the stove with a fan that helps move smells and smoke out of the house.

That is a GREAT thing and useful and totally and completely overlooked by pretty much everyone.

That exhaust vent gets very dirty.

It’s even covered in old food and grease that are in the steam and smoke escaping. And if you bought a house that someone else had already lived in … you have their old food sitting there above your stove, getting steamy and hydrated every time you cook.

To clean the vent, first read your manufacturer’s directions if you can find them.

Having said that, normally you can just pop out the screen or unscrew it. Mine pops out.

Soak the screen in hot soapy water, brush with a soft brush, and then dry thoroughly. Using a soft cloth with a 50/50 vinegar and water mixture, wipe down the outside and inside of the vent.

If you need to get a new one, they’re not expensive – just make sure you get the right size.

You probably only need to do that about once a year unless you notice it looking disgusting again.

Dishwasher

The dirty food going through the dishwasher sometimes gets stuck in the filter.

Many people don’t realize that the dishwasher has a filter that can be removed, emptied and cleaned to keep the dishwasher fresh.

We learned that the hard way. Our dishwasher wasn’t working, nothing was getting clean, so I bought a new one. A friend offered to take the old one away “to see if I can get it working”.

Turns out it just needed a really good scrubbing inside – and now they have a perfectly good dishwasher.

There are a number of ways to clean the inside of your dishwasher. Some people recommend running CLR through it but I can’t breathe with chemicals like that in the house. Instead, I use citric acid or a cleaner containing it.

Mattress

The best way to protect your mattress is to keep a good waterproof mattress cover over it. Considering how much a good mattress costs, it makes sense to spend a tiny bit extra and protect it.

And get two – they need to be washed, after all.

But, if something happens, you can still get it clean.

Here is my daughter sprinkling the mattress with baking soda combined with lavender oil and tea tree oil.

Sprinkle the baking soda all over the mattress, let it sit for a few hours and then vacuum well. I love having a mattress that smells slightly of lavender.

If you get stains on your mattress of almost any kind, you can use Resolve carpet cleaner to remove them.

If it’s possible, one of the best ways to clean and freshen an older mattress that is still good is to put it outside in the sunshine on a very dry day.

Floor Vents and Air Return Vents

Many people who have central air have vents on the floor and also on the ceiling.

Plus, your AC has an air return vent – usually right near it.

These places get dusty and dirty and also need to be cleaned. It won’t take long if you give them a quick cleaning and then wax them with car wax. Dust will be repelled for months.

To clean the vents, just use a soft cloth soaked in hot soapy water. Wash, then rinse, then dry completely before waxing.

Washer and Dryer

Because the washer is cleaning dirty clothing, and there are small holes, it can become smelly if not properly cleaned. Dryers can collect tons of dust and can become a fire hazard without proper care.

Each machine has factory recommendations, so follow those. But in general, to clean your washer you can run an empty load on hot with vinegar, baking soda, or a special cleaning packet you can get at the store put out by different detergent companies.

To clean the dryer, always clean the filter before use. Monthly, you will want to use a special lint cleaner for the dryer to get any lint out that didn’t get into the filter. You should also use a damp cloth to wipe down the inside of the dryer at that time, drying fully before running another load.

Baseboards

This is the area in every single room in the house that is near the floor – usually with some sort of molding around it.

When you mop, take the extra time to also wash this area. Just use a soft cloth with a vinegar/water solution and wipe it down.

And tackle the door frames while you’re at it, at least if they’re painted white. Take a look at yours – if you haven’t been consciously attending to them, they’re sure to be covered in dirty finger marks.

If yours aren’t painted and the wood is getting dry, you may want to add some olive oil to the solution.

And if you have baseboard heaters (oh, how I hate baseboard heaters), don’t forget to wipe the dust off them.

Sink Drains and Garbage Disposal

If everything seems to be working right, we tend to ignore drains and the disposal.

However, this area can easily become very smelly.

The fastest and least expensive solution is to pour baking soda down the drains, then follow with vinegar.

Let sit for about an hour, then pour a full kettle of boiling water down. You may have to do it more than once if you haven’t done it in a long time.

Because we have hard water, I often boil white vinegar in my kettle or run it through the coffee maker in order to clean them out. Pouring that hot vinegar down the drain does double duty!

Ceiling Fans and Light Fixtures

Nothing is worse than having a party and realizing you have a lot of dust and cobwebs on your ceiling fans and light fixtures.

It’s simple to clean them, but it’s best to do this weekly so that it’ll go faster each time.

Just take the sconces off the lights and run them through the dishwasher if they’re just regular glass.

If they have a coating that might get ruined, soak them in the sink in hot water and vinegar, then wipe down and dry. Using a dusting tool so that you can reach safely, wipe down the surfaces.

Cobwebs

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a spider in my house but we must have them because we have cobwebs. They’re simply abandoned spiderwebs that have become covered in dust.

The best course of action here is to use a long duster to get into all the corners of your house on a weekly basis before you dust the rest of the house.

If you see a particularly large one, go ahead and tackle it with your vacuum cleaner. Cobwebs also happen under furniture, so be sure to turn over your furniture on at least a monthly basis to run a vacuum on the surface of the bottom of chairs, couches, and beds.

Keeping your home clean involves a lot of thought and work, and these parts of the home are often overlooked.

However, they still need cleaning, and your mother (or mother-in-law) DOES notice if they’re not done. Better to get them on your chore list and set reminders so you won’t forget them again.