Playroom/Nursery
Wash Legos in the washing machine
Legos tend to live their lives on the floor along with dirt, dropped food, and germs of all kinds. Keep them sparkling and goo-free by tossing them in a large laundry bag and into the washing machine. Lay them out to dry on a sweater rack or an old towel. More…
Take crayon off the walls with baking soda
Anybody who has a toddler likely has had to tackle removing knee-level artwork from the walls. The challenge is trying to find a cleaning method that doesn’t remove as much paint as a crayon. Try making a paste with baking soda and warm water, and then gently scrubbing with a non-abrasive sponge. This should remove crayons without damaging the paint. More…
Remove permanent marker from the wall with hairspray or toothpaste
The only thing worse to remove from your walls than crayon is permanent marker. The name even implies that the only solution is to paint over the work of art left behind by your kids. But, with a little hairspray or toothpaste and some light scrubbing, even permanent marker doesn’t have to stick around forever. More…
Make sure you repel spiders and insects naturally
Especially in playroom and nursery, you want to watch out for spiders, flies and other insects. Preventing and killing spiders with natural remedies, is one way of keeping your house clean.
A great way to repel spiders is by using essential oils. Check out this article on how to repel spiders naturally here.
Clean and disinfect toys in the dishwasher
If you cringe at the idea of spraying down toys with Lysol or bleaching items that often end up in your kid’s mouth, load your kids’ plastic toys, tub toys, binkies, hairbrushes, and more into the dishwasher instead. Limit this solution to toys made without fabric or wood, and that don’t use batteries. Be sure to put small or removable pieces into the silverware holder. More…
Keep your diaper pail odor-free with DIY deodorant disks
The diaper pail can be the smelliest place in the house and replacing the deodorant disks that fit in the lid can be expensive. Making your own deodorant disks is easy and inexpensive. Mix baking soda, your favorite essential oils, and distilled water in a muffin pan lined with muffin papers. Each disk is good for a month and can be used in the washing machine to improve cleaning when it’s done. More…
Make toy clean up simple and easy with plastic organizing bins
Whether you have a dedicated playroom or your kids spread their toys all over the house, you can reduce the headache of toy clean up with dedicated storage space. Matching plastic or mesh bins make an excellent place to store toys. With a designated place for toys to go, even small children can help clean up toys efficiently. More…
Laundry
Clean your washing machine with vinegar
You’d think the machine responsible for cleaning your clothes would also be able to keep itself clean, but of course, some of what comes off your clothes ends up depositing itself on the walls of your washer. This can be easily remedied by filling the washer with water and adding two cups of vinegar. Let this soak for an hour and then run the machine through a complete wash cycle. Any leftover grime should be easily cleaned with a vinegar-soaked sponge. More…
Rescue clothes from stubborn stains with a simple DIY mixture
Bleach is notoriously not clothing friendly, but sometimes removing stains requires extra help. Try a more friendly mix of dish soap, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide. Scrub the solution into your stain with an old toothbrush and let soak for an hour, then toss the stained item in with the usual wash. More…
Battle grass stains with vinegar and a toothbrush
Even the toughest ground-in grass stains can be removed with this method. Pretreat the stain with a solution of one part vinegar and two parts water and scrub with an old toothbrush. Let this soak for an hour before laundering with enzyme-based laundry detergent. More…
Clean your iron with salt
How to restore your iron to its clean, shiny finish can be a puzzle. Wet cleaning methods are not an option, but a little heat and salt will clean it right up.
Sprinkle salt onto your ironing board and turn the iron on at the highest setting. Use the steam setting as you run the iron over salt to remove dirt and grime. More…
Make your own stain pre-treat spray
Combine a two-thirds cup of Dawn dishwashing liquid with two-thirds cup ammonia, six tablespoons of baking soda and two cups of warm water in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use, spray on stains, and allow to soak as you would with any stain-treatment spray. For stubborn stains, scrub with a toothbrush. More…
