Apples to Oranges {to raspberries to carrots to...}

I was in the produce section of the grocery store this afternoon, and was faced with a perplexing dilemma... Both the organic apples AND the organic oranges were on sale! What to do?!?

I held up a 5-pound bag of each and (innocently) asked Little Bear to pick one. He hesitated and muttered, "uhm, uuuuhhhhmmm, uhm." Then, realizing the obvious hilarity of my request, giggled out loud and said, "I know, dude, it's like choosing between apples and oranges!" Hee hee hee. I'm so funny. The other Kroger shoppers gave me "really?" Looks out of the corners of their eyes, but at least I amuse myself, right?

We ended up getting both, because can one really compare apples to oranges?? {yep, still funny}

Ok, so, there is a reason for this rambling.

Didja know... A quick post-purchase, pre-refrigerator water-vinegar rinse (like 4-to-1) kills mold spores on the surface of fruits and veggies and prolongs their shelf life? {it is especially helpful for berries!}

One Ingredient Crayon Remover!

As random as this post is... it works!  Little Bear took some creative license with the concept of "coloring book" and graffitied up his play room.  and the kitchen.  and the living room.  and the master bedroom.  and... yeah.  I learned that you really can color on carpets if you desire.

While there was no removing the crayon from the walls (thank goodness for the can of touch-up paint that we hold on to), and the carpets came clean with one run of the shampooer, the doors and white leather sofas were not such an easy clean.

After several trials and errors, I stumbled into a magical crayon remover:  almond oil!  

I wish I had better pictures for you, but it was pretty dark in the house, and by the time I was able to successfully remove all of the crayon (he's an efficient little graffiti artist...), I was too apathetic to finagle with the camera settings to get a better shot.  Maybe mommy needs photography lessons for Christmas, hint, hint :)

Before

After

It actually worked on all of the harder to clean, non porous surfaces, too (doors, tile, etc.)!  It also did a number on the scuff marks that were all over the back of the sofas from when they were moved into the house.  I was curious, so I tried different oils after I realized that the almond oil was such a good cleaner.  I had zero luck with olive, coconut and vegetable oil, though.  There really is something magic about the almond oil!

Do you have a stumbled-upon cleaning/housekeeping secret to share?

Kitchen Spring Cleaning

Spring is here!  Time to clean!

I like to clean.  I like things to be clean.  I don't like the seemingly obligatory chemicals that come with a good clean.  I used to go into the bathroom with big ol' yellow gloves and an old t-shirt tied around my face (true story), because I've never been able to stand the smell of conventional cleaners.  Something just seems wrong about inhaling those obnoxious fumes.

Now that I have an omnipresent little helper, using anything that requires gloves and a t-shirt gas mask is just not an option.  If mommy is cleaning the kitchen, you better belive Little Bear is right behind me with his dishcloth, mini swiffer and mop...

I've phased-out of the icky chemical cleaners in my house and have slowly replaced everything with natural, non-toxic products.  Often, the best replacements are really easy DIY mixes which can be made extremely cheaply.

I kicked-off spring cleaning around my house this week by scrubbing my kitchen top to bottom.

Here's the cleaning solution that I used:

Ingredients

• 1 quart white vinegar
• 3 quarts hot water
• 1/4 cup natural dish soap

Directions

1.  Mix all ingredients together in a small tub or bucket.
2.  Fill a spray bottle (I use an old Windex bottle that's been washed well) with the solution.  Use this for heavier stains, as needed.
2.  Wet a sponge or dishcloth in the cleaning solution bucket.  Use the wet rag to wipe down almost any surface.  Rinse and rewet your dishcloth as needed.  I use it on the kitchen cabinets, countertops, back splashes, baseboards, appliances, and underneath the cabinets.  It literally cleans almost any surface!
Bonus Tip
I cannot stand the feel of dipping my hand and rag into a cold bucket of cleaning water, so I use a heating pad to keep the bucket warm until I'm done cleaning.  Just remove any removable cover from the heating pad, and make sure that there aren't any rips or tears that could cause an electric shock issue if it gets splashed.  (My heating pad actually is made to work while damp, so I know it's extra safe!)  Plug the heating pad in, and set your cleaning solution bucket on top of it.  Turn the heat up and BAM - you'll have warm cleaning solution for as long as you need it!

What have you done to avoid chemical cleaners around your house?  I'd love to hear your tips and tricks!

Tipsy Tuesday - Ring Cleaning

Here's how I clean my gold jewelry naturally:

1. Fill an empty container with plain white vinegar. I poured out the chemicals in a store-bought jewelry cleaner and refilled it.

2. Place your jewelry in the vinegar and let it soak for 15 minutes.

3. Fill a small container with baking soda. Dip a small brush in vinegar and then in the baking soda. A toothbrush would work, but I used the brush that came with my store-bought cleaner.

4. Remove your jewelry from the vinegar and scrub with the baking soda covered brush. Re-dip if necessary.

5. Rinse with clean water and dry. BLING!