It's spring. With this season comes lots of pollen, but also super deep cleaning to prepare the home for a long summer of canning and cooking. I clean each room once a week, but in the spring I super clean. Today began with cleaning the dishwasher using baking soda and vinegar. The baking soda gets sprinkled on the floor then is swooshed around with a wet cloth along the sides. top, and bottom. The rubber seal gets a once over as do any cracks and crevices. Next comes out a scrub brush to remove any stubborn spots.
Another generous sprinkle of baking soda followed by a generous amount of white vinegar and the magic sound of chemistry is music to the ears. Replacing the racks, closing the door and running the washer on the shortest setting is the final step. Easy, quick, and rewarding.
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| Baking soda sprinkled on the bottom floor of the dishwasher. Next came the vinegar. |
Just to let you know I may use the dishwasher twice a month, but it was still dirty with a grease buildup on the arm and the short section that props up the arm away from the floor. Removing the grease lengthens the life of a dishwasher. To me being frugal does not have to mean going without. It also includes care of what we possess to have an object last as long as possible.
I would like to stress that I'm retired and can do these tasks whenever I feel the need. I don't need a schedule. If you are a young mom who works outside the home, you will need to make choices of what is important to you and/or creating a schedule will greatly benefit you. It may benefit you and your family if you used a vacation day to deep clean the home if at all possible. If not, please don't fret about it. You may only have the energy to focus on the personal needs of the family. Just do the best you can.
A peek into my history: My husband was in the ICU for days. (I can't remember how long.) Two friends dropped over to bring food because they knew I spent quite a bit of time at the hospital. Our eldest daughter watched her siblings after school and did light cleaning (dishes) until I could come home in the early evenings.
This particular day my mother (often referred to simply as 'Mary') came to visit. I sure could have used her support and maybe a couple of loads of wash done. She kept looking at me for a few minutes with disgust on her face. Then out of no where she told me how ashamed I should be because my house was such a mess. The shock of her statement had my mouth hanging open and tears welling up in my eyes. I was frozen. Normally she would keep her nasty side hidden from others, but this must have been too much for her to keep in. My friends came to my defense by shaming her for her attitude. So, yes, I've been there and it hurts not to be perfect 24/7. So please (I'm begging) don't worry if your life is full. Do what you can when you can. It's so much more important to show love and support to you family than have a clean dishwasher. Keeping the family healthy in the home environment includes keeping germs at bay in the kitchen and bathroom. Dust can certainly wait a while.
The only other item I cleaned this morning was the dryer lint catcher. I scrubbed it down in the sink and dried it before using it to dry Marley's bedding. That's it for the morning for me. If I feel energetic this afternoon I will tackle the freezer hoping to find a pork chop for dinner!
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| Not the greatest picture, but a clean lint catcher none the less. |
Stay safe.
