Few people like to clean, but when you decide to put your house on the market to sell, cleaning your home means dollars in your pocket. That motivation can make anyone start scrubbing, polishing and cleaning out cupboards with a sense of purpose. A home that appears clean and well-cared for with every surface gleaming is what every buyer hopes for.
I initially thought my green cleaning products couldn’t hold up to level of cleaning needed to get the shower, fridge, tub and counter tops to glisten in the sunlight for our first open house. So, I went to the store and bought bleach cleaners and started scrubbing. Within a few minutes I was coughing, and none of the surfaces were getting as clean as I needed. I decided it was time for some fresh air, and went back to my green cleaning products. I was delighted with the results.
6 Cleaning Tips that will make your house really sparkle.
- 1 Tbs of doTERRA “OnGuard” cleaning concentrate in a gallon of warm water and a soft microfiber cloth made every mirror and stainless-steel surface streak free. Make up, toothpaste, oils all vanished with a quick wipe. Use a dry microfiber cloth to dry the surface after washing and to prevent water spots.
- For removing sticky residue, apply 2 drops of doTERRA lemon essential oil to a soft cloth and rub over area. This removes gum, stickers, glue residue and permanent marker and smells amazing.
- Use 1 T of baking soda with a scouring pad to remove soap scum off shower tiles and doors. I love how well this worked even on grout. In a few places I ran a razor blade edge over the tile and soap scum just flaked off
- 1 T of olive oil on a soft cloth and rubbed over my stainless-steel appliances polished them beautifully and made them fingerprint resistance. My stainless sink and fridge door look brand new and they are over 10 years old. I’m going to try olive oil on other surfaces, and it seems like a great furniture polish.
- Run white vinegar through a rinse cycle of a high efficiency washing machine and pour white vinegar into the rinse compartment of your dish washer for cleaning the machines and preventing odors from lingering.
- I love this spray (recipe below) on my wood floor for cleaning up salty footprints tracked in by animals or anyone else in the winter. This could also be used like a spray and mop for regular floor cleaning or wiping down cabinets and dirty/dusty moldings. For small areas I squirt onto a microfiber towel. It also worked great on my bathroom tile as a squirt and mop cleaner.
Floor Cleaning Spray:
- To 16 ounces of warm water add:
- ½ t of liquid castile soap-vegetable based liquid soap found in health food stores
- ½ t of Borax powder
- a splash of white vinegar
- 4 drops of doTERRA essential oil, I used White Fir for a fresh pine smell.
- I prefer to put this in a spray bottle with a powerful stream spray so I do not have to bend over while mopping
I hope my experience gets you ready to clean and organize.
