Adventures in Cleaning

Pinterest has been absolutely wonderful for helping me find cleaning solutions that were more natural and environmentally friendly.  I am not a maniac when it comes to being completely environmentally friendly, but if I can do something that will not have fumes or is not safe to breathe in or put down the sink, then I am all for it!!

My first project was to clean my washing machine.  I didn't want to take the whole thing apart, and it's pretty old, but I read that filling it up with hot water and adding 2 cups of bleach and putting it on the longest wash would kill the bacteria and other junk that might be lurking in the crevices we cannot see.  All I can say is WOW!!  I like a light smell of bleach, and the smell let me know it was cleaner than before :)  I have decided to do this once a month since the machine is so old.

 

 

 

 

This all started when I wanted to deep clean my towels.  They have had this really musty, mildewy smell after they get wet, so instead of throwing them all away and buying new ones, I tried a method of vinegar and baking soda!  Pinterest to the rescue!!  First I collected EVERY towel I owned.  Even the kitchen towels used for display because you never know when you are going to need them.  It took me a couple of days to do them all, but WELL worth it. 

 

I ran the washer on the hottest wash and longest cycle.  I added a cup of vinegar when it was full, and then waited for the load to finish.  As soon as it was done, I added a half cup of baking soda and ran them again.  Once that was done, I threw them in the dryer.  That was all!  Let me tell you, my towels smelled SO AMAZING!!!!  And...once they got wet in the shower and even a few hours after, they still smelled fresh!!  I was so so happy!!!  It's the little things :)

 

I can't tell you what a difference it truly made, my towels were not fluffy, they wouldn't soak up water as well as in the past, and I've had most of them for 7 years, but I love them.  And now, they are incredibly fluffy, they soak up tons of water (especially with my hair), and now I have decided to deep clean my towels every 6 months.  It is a LONG process, but SO worth it!!

 

Hope this helps you!!