clean.

once i became pregnant with lily, i began agonizing about what products to use when cleaning my home. i became acutely aware of the chemicals i was using to clean and i became much more skeptical about what i brought into our home. i switched over to "natural" cleaners, but let's face it...they are expensive!

so, i vowed to myself that once my last bottle of cleaner ran out, i would try to make my own. i've read so much about the wonderful powers of vinegar and baking soda, but i have just been a bit unsure (and a bit too lazy) to make my own. well, we have run out of all conventional cleaners and our baking soda and vinegar are getting a run for their money. and so far, so good!

it is a lot cheaper and i feel confident using these products around my kids. and vinegar is naturally antibacterial but won't promote drug resistance bacteria.

i mixed one part white vinegar and one part water in a spray bottle and added some essential oil. the oil is the most expensive part of the whole setup. but, i have been using one tiny bottle of tea tree oil to wash our diapers since lily was born and still haven't run out. so, i think our new little bottle of lemon essential oil will be worth the money i spent on it. for dirtier areas, i sprinkle a little baking soda and then spray with my concoction...and lily loves the fizzy reaction!

i must admit, our house smells like lemon AND vinegar. i was hoping it might just smell lemon-fresh. but, as the vinegar evaporates, the smell entirely dissipates as well.

and i feel much better about cleaning around the kids or having lily clean with me. before i was always leery of lily touching the wet counter tops and such. and for as often as finn teeths on the table while we eat, i feel confident that he might just get a little taste of vinegar!


(lily cleaning vigorously...when armed with a spray bottle, all areas within a three foot radius are found to be a bit damp!)