Spring Cleaning the Natural Way
Finally, here in Virginia, we can leave the barn windows open and start the tiddying up process called Spring cleaning. While searching for ideas I came across this blog post from SmartBarn which had so many great ideas and recipes I had to share it. So get ready to get cleaning!!
Ingredients/tools list:
- Baking Soda
- White Vinegar
- Olive Oil
- Lemon Juice
- Liquid Castile soap ( natural dish soap will work too)
- Essential Oil (optional)
Keep that fresh scent going and to help deter insects
- Bucket, sponges, rags, scrub brush, tooth brush, newspaper, spray bottle, old plastic containers with lids.
You can pretty much clean anything with this recipe but for other areas she offers more "green cleaning" .......
Drain cleaner- For clogs use 1 cup baking soda followed by 1 cup vinegar (yes, it will create a volcano) allow to do its thing for 15 mins. and follow by really hot water- boiling is best. You can do this periodically for maintenance, and double it for the drain in the washrack.
Windows- 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup H2O, 1/4 cup lemon juice. Mix in spray bottle. Spray on, wipe of with newspaper for a streak free shine! P.S. Always do your windows on a cloudy day.Stall walls- Grab your bucket and scrub brush. Add to a bucket of warm H2O: 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup baking soda and some liquid soap. Now get scrubbing- you may have to let it sit for a few minutes to get the really "crusty" stuff off. Rinsing is easier the less soap you put into your mixture. Play around with the ratio and find what works for you. I like to rinse using a spray bottle.Stall fronts and other wood surfaces- This is a cleaner and conditioner. 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 vinegar, 1 tsp. (this is where I like to add essential oils like lavender and peppermint to help deter flies). Mix in a container or spray bottle, apply and rub down with a rag. Brushes and totes- In your bucket add warm H2O, 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup vinegar add a bit of liquid soap. Swish it around and add your brushes, swish them around. Let them sit for a couple of hours, take them out, rinse them off and set them out to dry in the sun. Clean and disinfected! Save the H20 from your bucket and dump it into your plastic brush tote and use the same process.
Stall, rug, and dog freshener- Strip your stalls and let them air out for a while; before rebedding sprinkle baking soda liberally around the stall. This will help to neutralize the odors. Now for the rug and the dog. Sprinkle baking soda, let sit for and hour, and throw it over the fence and beat it with a broom- not the dog- the rug! For the dog, just dust him and leave it on. It will not bother even the most sensitive of skin.
Bits, irons, sinks, and countertops- In your container make a paste out of baking soda and a bit of vinegar, to the consistency of your liking and get polishing! Use a toothbrush for bits and irons; a sponge for the sink and countertops. For stubborn stains let your "soft scrub" sit for a while- the vinegar will bleach them out.
Appliances
- For the microwave set a cup of vinegar inside and "cook" for 1 min. Let it sit in there for a few mins. The vinegar steam will loosen the petrified splatters enough to wipe clean. For anything that is still remaining, use your paste to scrub it away. For the coffee maker run a solution of 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 H2O through a cycle to remove the lime scale build up. Run 2 rounds of just H2O through after that to rinse it clean. Finally, use your paste and the window cleaner on the refrigerator to make it sparkle. Leave an open box of baking soda in there to keep that funky smell away.
Hope this got you inspired and check out the other posts on her blog and her great plant-based grooming/health products. http://www.smartbarnsolutions.com/blog
Til we meet again,
The Horse Hippie
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