Jemma is increasingly becoming a little mama. She is so eager to mimic what I do and thus, spends much of her day straightening and cleaning alongside me.
For a three year old she is amazingly proficient. She watches closely and tries very hard. Many chores, she is fully able to complete on her own. Cleaning the kitchen table is one of them!
Recently, I had the opportunity to review a new book, Homemade Cleaners: Quick-and-Easy, Toxic-Free Recipes, by the brilliant Mandy O’Brian and Dionna Ford. One of the first recipes I whipped up was the Citrus All-Purpose Spray and it has become Jemma’s special spritz for her kitchen table duties.
For this Montessori activity, Jemma first assesses the state of the table. We’ve been talking a lot about observing lately – looking at a situation and processing its state. This has been key in minimizing the 1,432,827 questions she asks every day. If there are dishes or toys on the table, she first puts those in their proper place. Then she gathers the necessary supplies – her spritz, a rag and a little scraper for sticky spots. Although our table isn’t big, she usually spends a good 5 minutes scraping, spritzing and thoroughly wiping down the table in preparation for our meal or an activity.
Interested in making your own Citrus All-Purpose Spray? Here’s what you’ll need …
- 2 cups of water
- 2 cups white distilled vinegar
- 15-20 drops citrus oils (orange or lemon … my favorite is doTERRA’s Citrus Bliss)
Mix in a spray bottle and spray as needed. Note: If you use cleaning wipes frequently, try soaking cloth wipes in the solution and storing them in an airtight container.
This is just one of the 150+ recipes in Homemade Cleaners: Quick-and-Easy, Toxic-Free Recipes! If you have children, are striving to be more green or save money, this book is a must-have natural living resource. Purchase yours here
and enter for a chance to win a copy!
and enter for a chance to win a copy!To enter to win your very own copy of Homemade Cleaners, simply leave a comment with your best natural cleaning tip. A winner will be randomly selected on April 7th and emailed to claim their prize!
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How sweet! I'm noticing that Liam is concerned with the "rules" about any and every task, while Sylvi observes and jumps in to participate. She told me yesterday that she is going to be a mama just like me when she grows up. I *might* have cried.I use a lot of Dr. Bronner's castile soap, mixed with water and lemon EO. I only use about Tablespoon or so for my (recycled Method brand) spray bottle. But I tell you, it just cuts right through the ick on our glass stovetop! Which is great because I was grossed out by the thought of using the super harsh chemical stuff that came with it!
Lemon Juice, Baking Soda and water to clean grout. It works and my floors look so much better.
I use vinegar on glass!
I love baking soda to clean tile that is white :)
I use vinegar and baking soda for like everything!! Love that it unclogs drains to clean carpets.
Vinegar and water works WONDERS on stains in the carpet!!!
I use a lot of lemon/orange, baking soda and vinegar but also I like to use fresh dry lavender and sprinkle it on the carpet before I vacuum and it leaves the whole house smelling like a lavender field and so much better than artificial scents :)
I use vinegar and baking soda for almost everything. I use vinegar as a rinse agent in my dishwasher, and in the washer if I ever forget to take the laundry out and worry it might now smell so fresh. Instead of running the laundry through again, I do a quick rinse with some vinegar. There is no smell of vinegar on the clothes at all. I use baking soda to get everything off, including stuck on grease (especially around the range hood), and use it instead of buying Magic Erasers. It takes crayon and other marks off, just the same.
I don't use a whole lot of homemade cleaners, but I want to start so I'd love to win! We have used borax as a way to deal with pests. Living in the deep south there's no getting around having bugs, but using borax has helped!
I put a bowl of water/vinegar in the microwave, zap it for a minute and half, and start wiping with a damp towel!
Baking soda on stains, and putting whites in the sun to cut back on bleach.