Valentine’s Day is finally here, and we’ve got some festive ways for you to sweeten up your cleaning routine. Here are the ways to add a little sugar to your day in perhaps an unexpected way.
1. Get those sweet but messy chocolate stains up and out!
Nothing says “I love you” quite like a huge box of chocolate candy. So go ahead, eat some candy, share it with your children, and don’t worry about those lovely chocolate candy stains the kids got on their white t-shirts, we’ve got you covered!
Chocolate stains may look hard to remove, but they are not. A few non-toxic homemade ingredients mixed together can get those chocolate stains out safely and effectively and get those t-shirts looking brand new. No need to use harsh chemicals for stains anymore!
- To remove chocolate from clothing, get started on the stain right away. Rinsing the fabric in cold water is usually all it takes. However, if the stain is still there after rinsing it in cold water, try dabbing a small amount of liquid castile soap directly on the stain. Rinse again in cold water. If the stain is still present, sprinkle some baking soda on the fabric, rub gently, and rinse again. Voila! No more stain!
- To remove the stain from the crème-filled chocolate candy piece that accidentally made it onto your beautiful carpet, try removing the stain with ice cold water. After carefully picking up the remnants of the candy, pour ice cold water onto the stained area and dab with a dry microfiber cloth to soak up and the chocolate. Repeat until the stain is gone. For tougher stains, mix 1 tablespoon borax, 1 tablespoon baking soda and some club soda together and blot on stain. Rub gently and rinse.
- For chocolate stains on the furniture, dab some liquid dish soap onto the stain. Using an ice cube, rub the dish soap into the stain. Blot with a dry cloth first, then rinse with a wet cloth until the soap is gone. Repeat if necessary.
2. Sweeten up the smell of your cleaning routine with essential oils.
This can easily be done by adding essential oils to your homemade cleaning solutions. Essential oils derived from plants can add a wonderful smell to your green cleaners. Not only do they smell good, but many essential oils also have natural antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic properties giving you even more cleaning power. Just five to ten drops of your favorite smelling oils can add a burst of freshness throughout your home. Here are my favorites:
- Chamomile essential oil is a calming, soothing scent of fruits and herbs. It goes very well with citrus, floral and lemon.
- Cinnamon essential oil is spicy and sweet. It goes wonderfully with tangerine and orange.
- Geranium essential oil has a rosy scent that blends well with rosemary, lemon, lavender and orange.
- Lavender essential oil has a fresh, floral scent which soothes and relaxes your senses. It goes very well with floral and citrus oils.
- Vanilla essential oil has a sweet, warm, vanilla scent. It is one of my favorite smelling oils that blend very well with lavender, rose and lime.
- Almond essential oil is cold pressed from the seeds of the sweet almond tree. This oil is rich in vitamins E and A to help keep you looking young. A good substitute for almond oil is coconut oil.
- Sweet Orange essential oil has a sweet, fresh fruity scent. It blends very well with geranium and citrus essential oils.
- Rose essential oil, you guessed it, smells like roses, which goes perfectly with Valentine’s Day!
3. Sweeten up your self-cleaning routine as well with a honey-based face wash!
Honey is a natural sweetener that nourishes the skin with nutrients like vitamins B and C, amino acids and minerals. It has antibacterial properties that help speed up healing and prevent infection. Honey also has natural antioxidant and anti-aging properties which keeps skin looking younger.
To use raw honey as a face wash, simply add a quarter size amount of honey or more to wet hands and massage into your skin. That’s it — it’s that easy! Rinse your face, and moisturize as usual. You can also leave honey on your skin for as long as you like as a honey mask, or combine it with other ingredients for more cleansing and brightening.
May your Valentine’s Day be as sweet as you want it to be!
