So we’re on mandatory lockdown here--essential travel only--which is as it should be and a little scary. If you’re like us when things are tense, you do projects or you clean. We’ve been doing both. At the various Green Goo homes, we’ve got gardens started (more about that later this week), we’re painting, we’re reorganizing closets, and we’re cleaning all of the things.
As luck would have it, we have a handy dandy multi-purpose cleaner on hand that’s concentrated, plant-based, and effective. If you haven’t tried our liquid castile soaps yet, you need to check them out. Having said that, here’s a quick list of chores we’ve taken on (or that we’re about to) and the castile-to-water mixtures we use to get them done.
Dishes
The dishes never end, and, now that we’re home all day, there are even more. We’re in the lucky position of having a broken dishwasher too. I know, great timing, right? For this regular task, we use a mixture of one part soap to 10 parts water. We tend to reach for the Lavender Castile Soap because the scent is wonderful. This mixture may not be as sudsy as you’re used to, but it works just the same.
Cleaning out the fridge
When was the last time you tackled this big job? It’s never too high on our list because you have to take everything out and stack it all over again; inevitably there is something sticky or moldy or both. Then there are all the cracks and crevices and the bottoms of the drawers...uuugh. Ours wasn’t as bad as we feared, even with a middle schooler in the house, which was nice. We used a mixture of one cup of soap to one quart of water. The Double Mint Castile Soap emits the smell of clean itself, so that’s what we tend to use.
Giving the dogs a bath
We’re pretty sure we’ve been noseblind where our dogs are concerned. Either that or we’ve been ignoring that smell, which is hard to believe because it’s not good. Add to this that they hang out in the middle schooler’s bedroom and there is definitely a funk that needs to be addressed. For pets, we tend to use one part soap to four parts water. The Geranium + Lavender Castile Soap might even make you forget how they used to smell. Probably not, but we can dream.
The laundry
Speaking of funk: this house is full of boys and pets and we’re over it. All the bed linens and clothes could use a wash and the sock smell around here is just awful. Adding 1/4 cup of castile soap to the washing machine is perfect for most loads. We add just a bit more for tough loads. Be sure not to add too much or you’ll find yourself swimming in suds like you’re in some bad 80s movie. We tend to like the Lavender scent for clothes and towels, but Double Mint is really fresh and invigorating, so you can’t go wrong.
Washing your car
It has been beautiful outside lately. It’s the perfect time to wash the car. The late winter in Colorado is pretty sloppy, so it definitely needs it. We’re going to grab a bucket and a sponge this weekend and give the Millennium Falcon (that’s my Jeep) a bath. For a job like that, we’ll probably create a soap mixture of one part soap to three parts water. We hear it might snow though. Is it wrong that we’re sort of hoping for that?
There are more projects going on here. Doorknobs and cabinet doors are getting tightened. Faceplates and switches are getting wiped down. What’s on your list? Do you have any cleaning or home maintenance tips to make things easier or safer? Let us know in the comments and we’ll tackle these lists together, even though we’re separate right now. It helps us to know that you’re out there facing the same challenges we are. Stay safe. Be kind to each other. We’ll talk to you tomorrow.
