Summertime Cleaning
WORDS:: Chyka Keebaugh
PHOTOS:: Lisa Atkinson + Natalie Jeffcott
Lazy days in January call for a little sprucing up around the home…
The new year should always begin with a fresh start. With spring so far away it’s the perfect time to get in a little reorganising. Simple refreshers like a good pantry clean out, getting rid of all of those unwanted clothes and a good garden refresh can be done over a few days to get your home all cleaned out for a productive new year. So let’s start indoors, shall we?
Organise your wardrobe like a professional
My wardrobe is a little out of control.But, you know what? I wear nearly everything that is in there. And more than once! I love clothes, I love fashion and seeing as I have a whole room dedicated to it you have probably now worked out I am pretty serious when it comes to keeping it organised. Culling your wardrobe can be one of the most time-consuming jobs. There are always items you love that don't fit you - get them tailored or get rid of them, pieces that never fit perfectly - get rid of them, articles in need of hemming/darning/adding a button to - get it fixed. Little things that make items unwearable should be dealt with straight away.
The Lemon is the quiet achiever of the fruit world. Not only do I love adding to my cooking and drinks, but cleaning with it is a homegrown dream. Growing all year round, unlike most fruits, lemons can be squeezed drunk, boiled, grated, sliced, diced and candied. But did you also know that lemons are a mild disinfectant? With a little squeeze of lemon, you can fight off lots of dirt, grime and bacteria.
Eight ways to clean your home with lemons
- Pop half a lemon in your dishwasher cutlery drawer - the acidity in the lemon cuts through grease.
- Get your microwave extra clean by placing lemon slices in some vinegar infused water, microwave on high for two minutes then wipe out.
- To refresh your fridge dab lemon juice onto a cotton ball and leave it in your fridge for several hours. This will help remove any unwanted odours in your fridge.
- Prevent cauliflower and avocados from browning by squeezing several drops of lemon juice on them.
- Refresh your lemon board with a cut side of half a lemon.
- To help keep insects out of your kitchen squeeze lemon in between holes and cracks (e.g. tile grout) to deter the creepy crawlies.
- For a more powerful clothes wash, add half a cup of lemon juice to your washing.
- Lemon juice mixed with salt is the perfect cleaner for copper items.
Get outside and clean those windows!
Once I year I splurge on a professional clean, and in-between that I just have to do the job myself. Because there is nothing worse than staring through a dirty window, I drag myself out there at least once a month to get the job done, but being a cheat and only washing the ones that I really have to! I have made my way through a fair share of commercial window cleaners and always come back to the home made solution. It’s easy, and affordable to make, and anything you can keep it in a cute spray bottle is always a selling point for me!
What you'll need...
- 2 cups of water (bubbly is best as it won’t leave a residue)
- Two tablespoons vinegar
- Two tablespoons of methylated spirits
- 10 drops essential oil of choice- I use eucalyptus because it’s easy to get, I also like tea tree.
Method
Simply combine all the ingredients in a spray bottle and use as needed. A micro fibre cloth or newspaper is best to use; it won’t leave it’s thread behind, and you’ll get less streaking.
Let's get to it!