skip to main | skip to sidebar

Mini Manor Blog

    Tuesday, March 20, 2012

    Spring Clean Check List { & Homemade Linen Spray}

    Oh it's that time of year! I LOVE to spring clean. I love the way the house feels after I'm done.
    So here's my Inside Spring Cleaning Guide (it's still WAY to cold to Spring Clean outside).

    Spring Cleaning Must Haves:
    • OXO Brushes, I love these brushes. I bought them at Target a couple of years ago and I use them all the time. They are way better then using an old toothbrush, the angled bristles and pointy rubber end come in handy cleaning everything, but especially the bathroom drains and around the faucet.

    • Lemons
    • Rubber Gloves (so important).
    • Beeswax Wood Polish

    • Homemade Cleaners

    • Baking Soda
    • Vinegar
    • Vacuum (with attachments) 
     HOMEMADE LINEN SPRAY: 
    -3 Tablespoons Vodka
    -20-25 drops of essential oils (in any combination you choose) 
    -Distilled Water (around a cup to a cup and a half).

    Spring Cleaning To Do's:

    Everywhere: 
    • Windows . . . the bane of every spring cleaners existence. All the windows, and the windows sills.
    • Floors, all the floors! ugg. . .that's mean, taking area rugs outside, sweeping and mopping all stone and wood floors. I remove all the furniture that can be moved by me, if Lee's home I'll get him to move some of the larger pieces around. Bonus Points awarded for cleaning under large pieces like the couch.
    •  Dusting!! Double UGG . . . I always "dust" with the vacuum. I have some icky dust allergies to dusting the old fashioned way does not agree with me. I use the brush attachment and the upholstery attachment to dust everything!
    • Use the brush attachment on your vacuum to clean your baseboards. 
    • Wipe down all light switches with damp cloth and a bit of rubbing alcohol if your worried about germs.
    • Wash all window treatments . . . I don't wash them though, I just run them over with the upholstery attachment on the vacuum, then give them a spritz of linen spray!
    • Clean ,and re-pot if necessary, houseplants. I use a damp cloth and wipe the dust off the leaves.
    • Change the batteries in the smoke detectors
    Living Room: 
    • Vacuum your couch, inside and out. Seriously get in there! 
    • Clean slipcovers
    • Clean fireplace glass
    • Dust Picture Frames (I do that with a damp cloth).
    • Apply wax to coffee table.
    Kitchen: For a more detailed list, check out last years Kitchen Spring Cleaning Checklist found here.
    • Re-seal grout
    • Re-seal Granite
    • If you have an older fridge that has uncovered coils you should definitely pull out your fridge and vacuum the dust off of the coils. 
    • Take everything off of the counters and clean them (then re-seal them if they are stone).
    • Clean your stove top, I use a mild dish detergent and a sponge with a scrubby on the back. 
    • Clean your oven (hopefully it's self clean). 
    • Take everything out of the Fridge and clean everything, every bin, every shelf. Bonus points for cleaning off the bottles of sauce.
    • Disinfect the garbage bin, a cap full of bleach and some warm water should do it.
    • Wipe down Pendant lights, and any other surface that grease can land on.
    • Clean Microwave inside and out. (a bowl of water with Lemon slices, microwave for 30 seconds, and leave to steam in the microwave for 5 min, then wipe out with a damp sponge). 
    • Polish all stainless steel and the chrome faucet!
    Bedrooms:
    • Wash all bed linen. 
    • Vacuum Mattress
    • Flip Mattress
    • If your pillows are machine washable . . . wash them. If they aren't throw them into the dryer for 10 min or so to kill all the dust mites. Bonus Points for a quick spritz of linen spray before putting them into the dryer.
    • Vacuum under the bed!
    Bathrooms:
    • Use the little OXO Brush to clean around the faucets and the drains. 
    • Clean the mirrors.
    • Clean the Toilet
    • and the best tip I've ever found . . . to get all of the soap scum off of the shower glass, use a bounce sheet!!! Wet the shower walls and scrub with a bounce sheet, all the soap scum and water marks come off! It's amazing! But make sure to use gloves! 
    So there it is! Our Spring Cleaning Checklist!

    & Don't forget to Spring Clean the dog ;) A fresh groom and haircut was needed for Max!
    Posted by Maillardville Manor at 3:59 AM 24 comments
    Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
    Labels: Cleaning, Seasonal: Spring

    Monday, March 19, 2012

    A little privacy Please!

    So I'm just going to come right out and say it . . . "I'm pretty sure half of the neighborhood has seen my butt" ~ Lee February 2012 ;) hehe
    Here's the spec's: 
    ~At the top of our stairs there is a BIG window.
    ~It's west facing and we're lucky not to have a house on that side.
    ~We can use all of the natural light we can get.
    ~The view was Less than desirable
    So we needed something that wouldn't block the light, but would give us privacy (so that the other half of the neighborhood doesn't see Lee's butt!).
    Vinyl Window Film was the perfect solution.
    You can buy it on Amazon, or Walmart has it sometimes, we bought ours from Canadian Tire. It's part of their Debbie Travis Line.
    It cost around $20 and we were able to cover the whole window.
    It was really easy to install, first, wash you window. Next spray window with water. Cut Vinyl to size and place on top of wet window. Squegee out the bubbles! DONE! Seriously so easy!

    Here's how it looks at Night, we chose a Bamboo Pattern:


    Sorry I had to take the photo at night otherwise you wouldn't be able to see the pattern, here's how the window looks during the day:
    We're really happy with it. It blocks NONE of the light and  gives us complete privacy, definitely a great alternative to blinds!


    Posted by Maillardville Manor at 3:59 AM 27 comments
    Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
    Labels: Decorating, Hallways

    Friday, March 16, 2012

    St. Patrick's {Cupcakes} Day

    I'm a closet cupcake maker. I haven't really mentioned it before but I've made 1000's of cupcakes over the last few years. I make them for every holiday, friends weddings, family weddings, every birthday party, bridal showers, I've even made them for a bachelor party! It's something I LOVE to do!
    So with it being St.Patrick's Day, I did the 'oh so predictable thing' and made cupcakes!
    A simple Rainbow Sprinkle Cupcake, with a butter cream icing, and a little sugar 4 leaf clovers!

    I iced them 2 different ways:
    1) a simple spiral

    2) a random spiky pattern (it kinds of looks like hydrangea leaves to me).


    Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

    p.s I'm working on a cupcake decorating how to:, keep an eye out for it in the next few weeks!! :)
    Posted by Maillardville Manor at 3:00 AM 22 comments
    Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
    Labels: Holiday: St.Partick's Day, Holidays, Meal Plan Monday, Seasonal: Spring
    Home
    Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

    LinkWithin

    Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
    Advertise with IZEA Media

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner



    stacey ann
    ~ ~ ~ ~ Open Floor Plan ~ ~ ~ ~
    For more Orthopaedic Mattresses
    ~~~~~Visit this website~~~~

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


    Cutlery Tray for Jewelry!
    I LOVE Jewelry, real jewelry, costume jewelry, all of it . . . almost as much as I love shoes! I have a small jewelry box for my "re...
    Homemade Cleaners: Green Cleaning Recipes
    Since we started making our own Laundry Soap it only seemed natural to start making our own cleaners too. Not only for the natural aspect o...
    Bookcase Tutorial
    I LOVE built ins. I Can't afford Built-ins. But, I do have a husband and he's willing to work for food :) Here's how we turned ...
    Billy Bookcase all trimmed out!
    I love to read and as soon as you enter our home you can tell. The first thing you see on our main floor is all of my books. We use Ikea Bi...
    Slow Cooker Asian Garlic Chicken
           Since the arrival of Hudson in our lives . . . I have been cooking with either the phone (i.e. takeout) or the slow cooker. :) I thin...
    Also Featured Here!

    Promotional Codes

    • Shop Top Brands
      • Murad Coupons
      • Aliexpress
      • Pottery Barn Coupon Code
      • etnies Online Coupons
      • Famous Footwear

    • ▼  2014 (7)
      • March (7)
    • ►  2013 (99)
      • December (1)
      • November (2)
      • October (6)
      • August (4)
      • July (5)
      • June (9)
      • May (14)
      • April (19)
      • March (13)
      • February (13)
      • January (13)
    • ►  2012 (215)
      • December (14)
      • November (13)
      • October (18)
      • September (16)
      • August (17)
      • July (20)
      • June (20)
      • May (20)
      • April (18)
      • March (21)
      • February (19)
      • January (19)
    • ►  2011 (229)
      • December (11)
      • November (16)
      • October (18)
      • September (18)
      • August (22)
      • July (23)
      • June (16)
      • May (20)
      • April (20)
      • March (29)
      • February (19)
      • January (17)
    • ►  2010 (155)
      • December (17)
      • November (8)
      • October (13)
      • September (27)
      • August (24)
      • July (26)
      • June (40)

     

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Fish
    • Vegetarian
    • Dessert
    • Kitchen
    • Living
    • Office
    • Bedroom
    • Bathroom
    • Laundry
    • Garage
    • Flowers
    • Lawn
    • Vegetables
    • Valentine's
    • St. Patrick's
    • Easter
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • New Year's