Make a Dusting Spray

Friday is cleaning day in my schedule - or one of them. You can find my housekeeping routines here.

Today I need to polish the furniture. It's usually done once a month, and that keeps it in good condition, but this month has flown by and with everything we've had going on, polishing the timber furniture just slipped off the to-do list and it will be June before I know it.

Our timber furniture is a mix of new, old, and antique, and it all takes a bit of work to care for it. I use this spray. It's a MOO, from way back in March 2018 MOO Month, and I've used it ever since. It is amazing!

I wipe the furniture over with a barely damp cloth, then I spray directly onto a clean polishing rag and wipe it all over the furniture. Spraying onto the rag makes it easier to get into the nooks and crannies and corners and carving on the furniture.

Then I let it sit for about 5 minutes, grab another soft cloth and polish until it gleams. It sounds like hard work, but it's not. If it was hard work I wouldn't be doing it!

It's really easy to make, and you will have all the ingredients in your cupboards so no need to buy anything.

I use a recycled spray bottle.
Pour in about 1 cup water.
Add 1/4 cup white vinegar and 2 teaspoons olive oil and up to 20 drops of lemon or lavender or orange essential oil.
Put the lid on and shake, shake, shake to mix the vinegar, olive oil and essential oil.  Do this before you add any water and you'll have less chance of separation. Once you add water, give it another good shake and shake it up before you use it.

You can spray this directly onto timber furniture, or onto the polishing rag - whichever suits you best.
 

Buff it off with a clean, soft cloth and your furniture will gleam.

This is a great in-between polish, I give all the timber furniture a proper oil polish just once a year.  I followed this program and it works:

Step 1. Polish your wooden furniture every day for a week.
Step 2. Polish your wooden furniture every week for one month.
Step 3. Polish your wooden furniture every month for one year.
Step 4. Polish your wooden furniture once a year.

In-between I use the dusting spray once a month. Our furniture isn't flash or fancy. It is what we like - solid and comfortable and well a lot of it is old. But it looks nice (well we like it!), because we take care of it.

This system will revitalise wooden furniture, and rejuvenate and protect it. Yes, it takes a while to get through but it will be worth the effort. Your furniture will always look great and stay in good condition and really - once a year isn't that hard to do is it?

MOO All Year Round Air Freshener

We've had two glorious days here this week.

I've put washing out, washed windows, washed doonas ready to pack away for the summer and pottered in the garden.

And I've had the doors and windows open wide to let some clean, fresh, spring air through the house - at least until it started to cool down in the afternoon.

But it is spring in Melbourne, and that means the weather is more than changeable. Today it is blowing a gale, drizzling rain and quite cool, so the doors and windows are closed.

On days like this, or during winter when the heater is going, the house can get stale, no matter how clean it is. The air just gets stale.

The solution is an air freshener, but commercial sprays just don't smell right to me. I don't want fake ocean breeze or synthetic lavender; I like clean, natural scents all year round. That means of course that I like to MOO the air fresheners used in our house, and this is one of my favourites, especially at this time of year. I shared it as today's tip of the day to Cheapskates Club members this morning too - that's how much I like it.

All Year Round Spring Fresh Air Freshener

You will need:
6 drops eucalyptus essential oil
10 drops rose essential oil
10 drops lavender essentail oil
250ml spray bottle
Water

Half fill the spray bottle with boiling water (if your bottle is plastic, let the water cool a little first).  Add the oils and stir. Fill the bottle with cool water. Spritz the air throughout your home for a spring fresh scent whenever you need it. Warning: don't spray directly on furniture or soft furnishings.

IT'S TIME TO WASH THE WASHING MACHINE FOR JULY

There is an easy, cheap and energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 26 years.

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine didn't, my new machine does, so check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it.

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up.

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk!

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!).

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls.

My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance.

Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly.

IT'S TIME TO CLEAN THE DISHWASHER FOR JULY

We're almost home, but the kids are still in charge of cleaning the dishwasher for this month. 

It's a simple household chore, that only takes a few minutes, to keep your dishwasher running properly, and that could potentially save you hundreds in repair and service costs, if not a new dishwasher before needed.

How to clean your dishwasher:

Step 1.  Place a dishwasher-safe cup filled with plain white vinegar on the top rack of your empty dishwasher. The vinegar will help to wash away the loose, greasy grime, sanitizes, and helps remove the musty odour.

Step 2. Sprinkle a cup of bicarbonate soda around the bottom of the dishwasher. The bicarbonate soda will help freshen the smell of the dishwasher as well as brighten up the look of the inside of your appliance by removing stains.

Step 3.  Using the hottest water available, run the dishwasher through a cycle – except for the cup of vinegar, the dishwasher needs to be empty.

Now that the dishwasher is clean and running right here are a few tips to keep it that way until the next cleaning.

Run a bit of hot water in your sink before running the dishwasher. You will get cleaner dishes if the water starts hot. You can collect the water you run and use it to fill the kettle or for watering plants or other purposes. Run the water until what comes out of the tap feels hot.

Make sure your water starts hot enough. Set the thermostat on your hot water service to 50 degrees Celsius. Water that is cooler than this won’t be hot enough to clean properly and water that is any hotter could scald.

A routine dishwasher cleaning is a good habit to get into. Mark it on the calendar to do regularly each month, the same day you do the drains and the washing machine.

IT'S TIME TO WASH THE WASHING MACHINE FOR JUNE

There is an easy, cheap and energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 26 years.

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine didn't, my new machine does, so check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it.

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up.

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk!

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!).

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls.

My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance.

Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly.

It's time to clean the dishwasher for June

Wayne and I are away at the moment, enjoying our trip to  Cape York, but the kids are home. Before we left I made sure they all knew that today was dishwasher TLC day - and the instructions for what to do.

It's easy, so give your dishwasher a little TCL today to keep it in tip top condition.

How to clean your dishwasher:

Step 1.  Place a dishwasher-safe cup filled with plain white vinegar on the top rack of your empty dishwasher. The vinegar will help to wash away the loose, greasy grime, sanitizes, and helps remove the musty odour.

Step 2. Sprinkle a cup of bicarbonate soda around the bottom of the dishwasher. The bicarbonate soda will help freshen the smell of the dishwasher as well as brighten up the look of the inside of your appliance by removing stains.

Step 3.  Using the hottest water available, run the dishwasher through a cycle – except for the cup of vinegar, the dishwasher needs to be empty.

Now that the dishwasher is clean and running right here are a few tips to keep it that way until the next cleaning.

Run a bit of hot water in your sink before running the dishwasher. You will get cleaner dishes if the water starts hot. You can collect the water you run and use it to fill the kettle or for watering plants or other purposes. Run the water until what comes out of the tap feels hot.

Make sure your water starts hot enough. Set the thermostat on your hot water service to 50 degrees Celsius. Water that is cooler than this won’t be hot enough to clean properly and water that is any hotter could scald.

A routine dishwasher cleaning is a good habit to get into. Mark it on the calendar to do regularly each month, the same day you do the drains and the washing machine.

IT'S TIME TO WASH THE WASHING MACHINE FOR MAY

There is an easy, cheap and energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 26 years.

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine didn't, my new machine does, so check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it.

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up.

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk!

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!).

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls.

My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance.

Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly.

IT'S TIME TO WASH THE WASHING MACHINE FOR APRIL

There is an easy, cheap and energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 26 years.

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine didn't, my new machine does, so check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it.

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up.

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk!

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!).

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls.

My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance.

Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly.

IT'S TIME TO WASH THE WASHING MACHINE FOR MARCH

There is an easy, cheap and energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 29 years.

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine didn't, my new machine does, so check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it.

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up.

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk!

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!).

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls.

My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance.

Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly.

It's time to clean the dishwasher for April

It's that time again - the day to give the dishwasher a bit of TLC. I did ours this morning and now it's sparkly and clean, ready to keep our dishes sparkly and clean.

How to clean your dishwasher:

Step 1.  Place a dishwasher-safe cup filled with plain white vinegar on the top rack of your empty dishwasher. The vinegar will help to wash away the loose, greasy grime, sanitizes, and helps remove the musty odour.

Step 2. Sprinkle a cup of bicarbonate soda around the bottom of the dishwasher. The bicarbonate soda will help freshen the smell of the dishwasher as well as brighten up the look of the inside of your appliance by removing stains.

Step 3.  Using the hottest water available, run the dishwasher through a cycle – except for the cup of vinegar, the dishwasher needs to be empty.

Now that the dishwasher is clean and running right here are a few tips to keep it that way until the next cleaning.

Run a bit of hot water in your sink before running the dishwasher. You will get cleaner dishes if the water starts hot. You can collect the water you run and use it to fill the kettle or for watering plants or other purposes. Run the water until what comes out of the tap feels hot.

Make sure your water starts hot enough. Set the thermostat on your hot water service to 50 degrees Celsius. Water that is cooler than this won’t be hot enough to clean properly and water that is any hotter could scald.

A routine dishwasher cleaning is a good habit to get into. Mark it on the calendar to do regularly each month, the same day you do the drains and the washing machine.

Happiness Homemade

 This is the title of a little book I was given before we were married, and I've referred back to it many times since then, for encouragement, wisdom and old fashioned advice.

When Hannah was three and four, if you'd asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, she'd happily tell you she wanted to be a shopper (I know - she's my daughter!). When I was little, then as I grew older, if you'd asked me what I truly wanted to be when I grew up I'd have told you wife, mother and homemaker. They were the jobs I wanted most of all, everything else came second in my career choices.

As it turned out I met, then re-met quite a few years later, my sweetheart.  We fell in love, married (and in 12 days we'll be celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary) and started our life together.

But before we were married we talked (a lot) about our future dreams and goals, and how they'd work in our marriage. Both of us came from somewhat traditional homes, with two parents: working father and homemaker mother, and that was the style of home we both wanted. We both wanted our children to have a parent at home with them, and we both wanted to raise our children ourselves; we wanted to be the main influence in our children's lives. We wanted to have the traditional home we'd both grown-up in.

It hasn't been quite that, though: we do live in the modern world and Disaster did Strike. I've worked both within and outside our home and now my "outside" work means I am able to fit it in around my work at home.

This is a big thing for me, because it means that I can still have my first career choice of wife, mother and homemaker, yet still "work" and contribute in more ways to our home.

But wife, mother and homemaker is still my first career, one I take very seriously, and one I'm not going to give up.

Caring for my family and our home is important to me and I'm proud to be able to do it.

I could work more hours and bring more cash into our household, although in reality that wouldn't necessarily be the case (working outside the home may bring in a wage, but there are costs associated with that wage, often costing almost as much or even more than you are earning - truly!).

I like doing my housework, I've never thought of caring for my family by caring for our home as drudgery, or a chore or a waste of my time or talents. It's something I take pride in, and an important part of my career.

I smile when I remember that when I clean our home, I'm saving at least $25 an hour for a cleaner. IIt doesn't take long, about an hour a day, usually in the mornings, every morning from Monday through Friday doing housework (I've put my daily routines here) keeps our home tidy and clean and comfortable. And by doing it myself, I've saved $125 a week from leaving our household budget and saved my husband from having to work an extra six hours. I'd much rather do the cleaning and have those six hours with him.

Working in the garden, ironing (although I try not to, it's not my favourite chore), baking our bread, making jam and marmalade, cooking our meals from scratch, shopping wisely to get the most from our money, are all things I do as a part of my job. And all these things make our home a happier, nicer environment for our family.

Taking the time to sew on a button or restitch a downed hem makes the garment owner feel loved and special, and that flows forward to making our home a happier, nicer place, somewhere we all want to be.

Looking for the best deals on the things we need, making gifts instead of buying them, DIYing instead of paying someone else to paint or make curtains or repair something all save us spending money, so we can use it for the things we really enjoy.

My days are busy and sometimes they are non-stop and I get tired, but they are always fulfilling. At the end of each day I look back at what's been accomplished and smile, knowing that I've done my job to the best of my ability, that my family is happy and that my happiness truly is homemade.

Thursdays have always been household day here on the blog, and 2018 isn't going to change that.

What will change is the type of post on a Thursday. This year they'll focus on how we can make our homes happy, sometimes using old-fashioned methods, tips and tricks and sometimes using more modern ways.

And how a happy home can change your financial life, without you feeling deprived or poor.

I hope you'll join me, and enjoy finding that your happiness can be homemade too.

Cleaning the Wheelie Bin

Thursday is garbage pick-up for us, so each week out goes the small wheelie bin, and either the green waste or recycle bins.

We try really hard not to fill them up each week/fortnight, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.  Last week the small bin was full, Christmas seemed to increase the rubbish. This week it wasn't quite so full, but it was definitely

We also try to keep the bins clean. After all, especially in an Australian summer, there is nothing quite as disgusting as a stinky bin.

I make sure that anything that goes into the bin is wrapped. I also try to only put things that can't be composted or recycled into the bin - saves space and mess. And if there is anything to go into the bin that is going to stink before pick-up on a Thursday, then I try to remember to wrap it and freeze, putting it in the bin just before it goes out.

But even with all these steps, the bin can get a bit on the nose.

So each Thursday, after they've been emptied, I wheel them around the back and clean them. It's not as hard, or as erky, as you may think, and it only takes about 5 minutes.

I use Miracle Spray and an old long-handled broom, the hose and then surface spray. Now surface spray isn't something I use in the house and I try to minimise its use but we seem to be living on a giant ant colony and they infest the bin within minutes if I don't spray. I do only spray around the top lip - that seems to be enough to keep the ants away.

So I tip the bin upside down, turn the hose onto the stream setting and give the inside a good squirt. This shifts anything that may be stuck to the sides or bottom. Tip the bin upside down to empty, then I turn it right side up, pour in 1 cup of Miracle Spray and fill it about a third with water. I use the old broom to scrub down the sides and bottom until they are sparkling (or as sparkling as an old, green wheelie bin can be). Tip the bin upside down again to empty, then it's turned right side up again and put in the sun to dry.

I let it sit in the sun for a couple of hours - the sun is a good disinfectant and to make sure it is thoroughly dry.

Once it's dry the lip gets a quick spray with the surface spray and it's ready to be put away.

The recycle bin and the green waste bin get the same treatment when they are emptied.

I know some folk swear by kitty litter in the bottom to absorb leaks and odours - I find it too messy for me.

I've also heard that a sprinkle of bicarb in the bottom and over rubbish as it's added helps. Again, this is too messy for me and I just know that I'd be the only one adding the bicarb.

It only takes about five minutes a week to clean the bin and keep it as sweet smelling as a bin can be.

My Cleaning Stockpile

A few common household products can keep the house clean for a year - for around $20!

Not too many prepared cleaning products are used in our home. In fact aside from dishwasher powder and dishwashing detergent, and laundry soaker, everything else is made from ingredients I keep in the cleaning stockpile.

From these ingredients I can keep our whole home clean and fresh, and do all our laundry.

Yesterday I made a double batch of Miracle Spray. Wayne used it to clean some mildew off a tent we were given, with great results. It cleaned the mildew stains and didn't bleach the canvas.

This morning I filled a dishwasher detergent bottle with water and topped it up with full strength detergent - two bottles of dishwashing detergent for the price of one and it works just as well at half-strength as it does at full strength. As an aside, I noticed on Friday that Aldi have dropped the price of their dishwashing concentrate again - it's down to $1.59 a bottle.

Between Christmas and New Year I'll be doing my cleaning stockpile shop to see us through 2018, so a list of what's needed has been started.

So what's in my cleaning stockpile?

• Bicarbonate Soda
• Borax
• Citric acid
• Dishwasher powder
• Dishwashing detergent
• Eucalyptus oil
• Laundry soap 
• Lavender oil
• Scrub buds
• Washing Soda
• White vinegar

Where do I buy cleaning ingredients?

Borax and dishwashing detergent come from Aldi (the borax is a special buy - keep an eye open in the catalogue for when it comes on sale as it's around half the price of borax from the supermarket and in a reasonably sized tub).

Laundry soap and dishwasher powder come from Coles. They are both generic. You'll find laundry soap in the cleaning aisle, usually on either the very top shelf or the very bottom shelf near the laundry powders.

Dishwasher powder is normally on the bottom shelf with the dishwasher powders.

Eucalyptus oil and lavender oil I buy direct from Bosistos. They have great sales and this year they had a 4 litre bottle that I was able to share with friends that brought the cost down to $23 a litre - the cheapest price at the time for pure eucalyptus oil.

Citric acid and washing soda come in 5kg buckets direct from Aurora Cleaning Supplies.

White vinegar I buy at Aldi.

Bicarbonate soda can be bought in 5kg bags from Costco. If you don't have a Costco membership then you can buy it from pool shops under the name "ph buffer". Just be prepared to have to buy it in bulk - perhaps you could share it with a couple of friends.

What do I make with these ingredients?

• Cheapskates washing powder
• Miracle Spray
• Super Strength Shower Cleaner
• Floor cleaner
• Weed killer

My Non-Food Stockpiles

Not everything in my stockpile is food related, although food was the reason I started stockpiling.

I stockpile toiletries, cleaning products, garden needs, gifts, clothes and lots of other things to save money, save time when shopping and to ensure that if disaster strikes again we will be able to eat and stay clean, keep the house clean, the garden growing and celebrate, amongst other things.

Right now in my non-food pantry stockpile you'll find:

Oven bags
Freezer bags
Foil
Clingwrap
Vacuum bags (for the Foodsaver, not the vacuum cleaner!)
Baking paper
Patty pans of various sizes
Freezer paper
Paper bags
Foil trays
Serviettes
Plastic tablecloths

In the cleaning stockpile you'll find:

Laundry soap
Borax
Washing Soda
Bicarbonate Soda
Citric Acid
Eucalyptus oil
Lavender oil
Ti Tree oil
Salt
Ocedar furniture oil
White vinegar
Dishwashing detergent
Dishwasher powder
Scrub buds
Matches
Spare gas lighters (2)
Bug spray

In the toiletries stockpile:

Toothpaste
Toothebrushes
Toothbrush heads (for the electric toothbrushes)
Mouthwash
Dental floss
Shampoo
Conditioner
Hair spray
Deodorant
Moisturiser
BB cream
Mascara
Lipstick
Lip balm
Razors
Shaving cream
Bodywash
Soap
Dove bars
Body cream
Handcream
Sunscreen

In the first aid stockpile:

Bandaids of various shapes and sizes
Burn cream
Burn dressings
Betadine gargle
Betadine
Dettol
Antiseptic cream
Antiseptic wipes
Peroxide
Bandages
Elastic bandages
Paracetamol
Ibuprofen
Zyrtec
Immodium
Saline
Eye bath
Water purification tablets

In the garden stockpile you'll find:

Lots of different types of seeds
Icy pole sticks to use as plant markers
Twine
Torn sheets to use as ties
Brass hose fittings (2 spare sets)

In the clothing stockpile (these days I only stockpile for Wayne and myself) you'll see:

Socks
Underwear
T-shirts
Long sleeved t-shirts
PJs
Nighties
Track pants (for Wayne)
Slippers
Gloves
Beanies
Scarves
Spencers
Warm winter jackets (bought at Aldi on half-price clearance - $9.95 each!)

In the gift stockpile you'll find:

Wrapping paper
Gift bags (new)
Gift bags (recycled)
Cards & envelopes (birthday, thank you, thinking of you etc.)
Gift cards  & envelopes
Gift tags
Sticky tape
Double-sided tape
Ribbons
Bows
Curling Ribbon
And lots of things for presents, but because the recipients read my blog, I'm not listing them!

As you can see by my lists, stockpiles aren't just for food, they can be for anything you use.

What non-food items do you stockpile?

Old-Fashioned Household Products for your Spring Cleaning Project

Back before chemicals and factories were the norm, cleaning products were composed mostly of household items for a natural, pure and wholesome cleaning effect. Nowadays, with women so busy working and taking care of family, grabbing a bottle of something store bought may be easier; but women today also realise and recognise the importance of all natural cleaning products for their household as well as their families.

Although there are a host of cleaning products that are made from all natural household products that are just right for your spring cleaning project, here are a few of the cheapest and most common:

· Vinegar has many uses other than just dressing salads. For cleaning purposes, vinegar is one of the best known and best loved old-fashioned household products for cleaning and shining mirrors and glass. Measure 2 cups of water and ½ cup of white vinegar and mix in a large bucket. Grab some old newspaper, scrunch it up, and dunk the newspaper in the bucket full of mixture. Go at your windows and mirrors like there is no tomorrow. You will receive a streak-free shine every time and using newspaper offers the benefit of no leftover paper towel lint.

· Vinegar is also an old staple outside the home as well. It can be mixed with dishwashing liquid and placed in a clean, empty spray bottle so that you can spray the weeds in cracks and crevices around the outside of your house. The vinegar causes the weeds to die off and the soap assists the vinegar in adhering to the weeds.

· Pouring vinegar down the drain once a month will shine and sanitize your sink pipes.

· Bicarbonate soda has many uses and one of the most common is to deodorise your refrigerator. Place an open box of bicarb soda (small box will do) in the back of your refrigerator and this will absorb odours, giving your refrigerator a clean, fresh scent.

· Bicarb soda mixed with water and used with a scrubbing brush makes an excellent paste for scrubbing away soap scum from your tub and tiles.

· You can also add lavender sprigs or lemon oil as well as dishwashing liquid to bicarb soda to create a nice smelling, all-purpose cleaner. Always spot test an area before using anything, whether store bought or naturally made, on fabrics, carpets, clothing and painted surfaces.

· Placing bicarb soda in a burnt pot or pan with water and bringing to a boil can assist in dissolving burnt on food.

While vinegar, bicarb soda, lemons and sprigs of lavender are earth friendly and non-toxic, they also add the additional benefit of being cost effective.

Being able to save money while saving the planet by using these items is a win/win situation for your home, family, the environment, and your purse as well.

What to do with potato water

If you boil or steam peeled potatoes, don't throw out the water!

Potato water is so handy and can be used for so many things - even cleaning stainless steel!

It's full of nutrients, which means it's good for you, so use it. I use it instead of milk in mashed potatoes, it makes them light and fluffy. I also add it to stock to make soup, or to make gravy. It's good for thinning a pasta sauce too.

You can use it in baking, especially breads (it is especially good in cornbread), to replace some or all of the milk.

If you boil peeled potatoes for any reason, don't pour the water down the drain. It's chock full of nutrients and potato starch, which means it's good food.

If you find you can't use it in cooking, use it to clean your stainless steel cooktop or fridge or pots and pans. Just dip a cloth in the potato water and wipe it over the stainless steel then buff with a soft, dry cloth.

Potato water will keep in the fridge for a two to three days before it starts to get slimy. It will freeze, and be perfectly fine to consume when thawed but it will go grey and look horribly unappetising so I don't recommend freezing.

And, if after all those ideas, you still haven't used your potato water up, use it to water you pot plants. They'll love the moisture and the nutrient boost.

Washing the Washing Machine

Monday I explained how to clean and maintain your dishwasher. Today I'm going to go over how to clean my next favourite household appliance - the washing machine.

I wash every day except Saturday. Some days I do two loads a day to get bedding and towels clean, or those extra stinky sports clothes or like yesterday Wayne's super filthy, mud stained clothes from our day out on Sunday (he was on his back under a friend's four wheel drive a couple of times - and in a good shirt too!).

My washing machine gets a good workout, but it is a newer HE machine and frankly I really do long for my old Hoover. It didn't need to be babied and coddled like this one does. A once-a-month clean kept it going for almost 30 years.

My new machine needs to be cleaned regularly, it tells me when it needs to be done, and the process takes three hours and uses three loads of hot water.

There is an easier, cheaper and much more energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 26 years.

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine doesn't, check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it.

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up.

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk!

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!).

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls.

My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance.

Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly.

Dishwasher Stuff

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love my dishwasher. I view my dishwasher as the one essential I can’t do without in the kitchen. I can’t stand a dirty, cluttered sink and I really hate washing dishes, so the dishwasher is a genuine need.

Now, I've had this same machine for over 10 years and it’s still going strong, doing wonderful things to dirty plates, glasses and cutlery and pots and pans and definitely saving me money, time and energy. Oh, it was cheap too – we only paid $400 for our dishwasher, it’s by no means a whiz bang fantastic machine. It is exactly what I want: a dishwasher I can put dirty dishes into and pull clean dishes out a short time later. Bliss!

There are a few tricks you can use to keep your dishwasher doing a top job, ensuring your dishes and glassware are properly washed and dried (no rough bits or spots!). And they are simple, easy and inexpensive, too.

1. Connect your dishwasher to the cold water. There are a couple of advantages to this: you’ll use less energy and the cold connection actually improves the wash performance of the machine. This is because with the cold connection, the water in the cabinet has to be heated and while this is happening, the dirty dishes are actually soaking. This softens food particles, especially those such as egg, which would “cook on” if they were rinsed with hot water immediately. Of course, if you are after speed, hook the machine to the hot water and the washing time is reduced.

2. Dishwashing detergent: It’s a personal choice, but I haven’t had a problem with the Homebrand Automatic Dishwasher detergent. I've also used ALDI dishwasher detergent (which has been discontinued) and of course Finish with great results. Your water will determine how much detergent you need to use. For soft water areas, 10 - 20 grams of detergent will do the job, in hard water areas, double it. I use two teaspoons of dishwasher powder for a normal load. If the pot or plates are particularly greasy, burnt or sticky then I use three teaspoons of powder. And yes I measure it out. The container of powder has a teaspoon in it just for this purpose.

TIP: Don‘t ever be tempted to use your ordinary hand-washing detergent it will cause way too much suds, giving an unsatisfactory wash and could even harm the machine.

3. Detergent substitutes: Use 1 tablespoon of bicarb soda with 1 tablespoon of borax. If you will be using this mixture on a regular basis, add vinegar to the rinse cycle every few loads.

TIP: Stretch your regular detergent by mixing it with the bi-carb/borax mixture.

4. Don’t rinse. Scrape off the chunks of food, but never pre-rinse items for the dishwasher. Automatic dishwasher detergent is highly alkaline and needs the acidity of the food to reach optimum cleaning action. Besides, rinsing wastes time, energy and water.

5. Stack it properly: Follow the instructions in the manual for loading the dishwasher. Make sure that dishes and cutlery allow the spray arms move freely. With cutlery, stack some up, some down in the basket.

TIP: For safety s sake, make sure pointy knives are point down in the basket.

6. Rinse aid: A rinse aid improves the sheeting action of water and leaves dishes sparkling clear, but it can be pricey. There are a number of generic rinse aids available, and they seem to do a reasonable job.

TIP: White vinegar is a reasonable substitute. Fill your rinse aid dispenser with straight white vinegar. Occasionally toss a cup of white vinegar to the last rinse to keep everything looking good!

7. Save water: It takes less than half the amount of water to run your dishwasher that it does to wash them by hand. So, give yourself a break and save water and money, too and let your dishwasher do the job for you!

Are You a Pack Rat?

Are you sitting there, surrounded by clutter, running out of space, unable to put your hands on what you need when you need It? Where does all this clutter come from? Does it just appear overnight, is someone deliberately trying to bury us under mountains of clutter? Let's pinpoint some sources so we can be on guard (and one step ahead of the clutter!)

Where Does It Come From?

1. Hobbies - equipment and papers, partially completed projects.
2. Clubs and organizations - Scouts, Brownies, P&C, CWA, CFA, SES and so on.
3. Holidays - souvenirs, brochures, itinerary, matchbooks.
4. Gifts - all those lovely little souvenirs family and friends give you as mementoes of their holidays, the wonderful artwork that comes home from school or kinder everyday etc.
5. Inheritance - no need to say more.
6. Breakage and Loss - the cup with the broken handle, the button your found under the chair etc.
7. Worn out but still good - old faded curtains (maybe they can be dyed), old clothes (they may be good for gardening)
8. Out of Style - old fashioned, but too good to give away or throw out
9. General paper - junk mail, school newsletters, church bulletins etc.
10 Kids - and I don't mean the children themselves, just the stuff they attract (mini meal toys etc.)
11 Religion - it's hard to throw away religious stuff, isn't it?
12 Home decorating - old pictures, old wall papers, old ornaments, soft furnishings, old paint etc.

What do I do with it?

Firstly, don't confuse collecting with cluttering or collections with clutter. There is a distinct difference. Collectors are usually much more restrained, know exactly what they are collecting and collect  only it, and are much more organized than the average packrat. Collectors are selective, packrat keep anything and everything.

To deal with clutter successfully, you will need to decide whether you are a collector or a packrat. If you are a collector, find ways to display or store your collection safely, weed out the junk and get rid of it.

If you are a packrat it's not so easy. You will probably have years and years of ingrained habits to overcome. Start by sorting (I know that its hard) into groups - use, save, throw out, sell, give away. Neatly put away the 'use' items, store the 'save' items, immediately get rid of the 'throw out' items - don't even think that they may come in handy, and take the 'give aways' to the Salvos straight away.

Now, I don't expect that this will happen immediately, and it may take more than one session. Be diligent, follow the steps, your clutter will disappear and in its place, you'll find a collection.

MOO Greasy Stain Lifter

I don't know how it happens but I always seem to have a grease stain or two on something that goes through the wash, and we all know that usually sets the stain.

I try to get them before anything gets tossed into the machine but sometimes I'm just not quick (or observant) enough.

The latest disaster was a brand new top of mine, worn once and stained. Not a huge stain, I think it is was probably from the barbecue because I usually wear an apron when I'm in the kitchen.

Anyway I wanted to rescue this top, I like it, it's new and far too good to relegate to a garden shirt.

I tried my usual stand-by of dishwashing liquid and it faded it a little but it was still there. Not having any stain removing soap made (that'll teach me to procrastinate) I thought and thought until I realised the answer was probably right in front of me: eucalyptus oil.

I was a little wary of putting any more oil on the top but I really didn't have anything to lose. If the stain didn't shift the top was ruined anyway.

Here's how I treated the stain:
1. Took my bottle of pure eucalyptus oil and poured five drops onto the stain.
2. Turned the top inside out.
3. Gently rubbed the stain by folding the mark over on itself and very, very gently massaging the oil into the stain.
4. Let it sit for five minutes then tossed it into the whites load.
5. Hung it on the clothesline to dry in the sun.

Why did I turn the top inside out to rub in the eucalyptus oil? Because I was taught years ago that rubbing the stain on the face of the fabric would make it penetrate right through the fabric, making it almost impossible to remove. So I turn things inside out and rub from the back, forcing the stain out of the fabric.

And the good news is it worked! The stain is gone, the top is saved and wearable again, I'm happy and determined to never forget to put on an apron again!

The top I treated is 100% cotton knit and while it has a very light stripe it didn't fade or run. If your garment is coloured or patterned do a test patch first, just in case the eucalyptus reacts with the dyes and causes  fading or running.