spring cleaning au naturel

On the back of Spring, comes my desire to totally, all-out, no holds barred, clean my home. Yep, that means scrubbing every corner and hidden crevice, washing and rewashing the floors and walls - cleaning the house from top to bottom.

I mentioned in a previous blog how addicted I am to homemade, all natural cleaning remedies.

If you're getting ready for your own cleaning party then you might enjoy using some of my favorite homemade recipes -

1) ALL PURPOSE CLEANER (I rarely use anything else)
In a spray bottle combine 1 tablespoon liquid dishwashing detergent (I use a natural soap like Meyers or Method) with 6 oz. tap water.


2) COUNTERTOP DISINFECTANT
Add three drops of Lemon Tea Tree Oil with warm water. Spray counters to disinfect naturally.


3) PAINTED MILLWORK AND WOOD FURNITURE (my go-to fav)
Mix equal parts Distilled White Vinegar with tap water, add 6 drops of Olive Oil. Soak cotton rags in solution. Wring the rags until damp. Lay out and add a few lemon rind peels. Fold/roll and store in a clean jam jar until ready to use.


4) GLASS/MIRROR CLEANER
Combine 2 cups water with 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon dish soap in a spray bottle.


5) HARDWOOD FLOOR CLEANER (be sure to dry the floors after)
Combine in a spray bottle one cup tap water with 3/4 cup Distilled White Vinegar, 3/4 cup Isopropyl Alcohol (Rubbing Alcohol) then top off with two-three drops of a natural Dish Soap (my preference is Meyers). Screw on the lid and shake well.


6) TRAVERTINE/LIMESTONE FLOOR CLEANER (use every time)
Mix one part Rubbing Alcohol with four parts tap water.


7) CARPET CLEANER
Combine 20 drops of Tea Tree Oil with Borax


8) BATHTUB/SINK SCRUB (toss rag in washer to freshen it up)
Mix 1/2 cup Baking Soda and 1/2 cup Distilled White Vinegar with 5 drops of Bergamot.


9) CLEANER FOR PAINTED WALLS (I like this but it isn't perfect)
In a spray bottle mix 1 part tap water and 1 part Distilled White Vinegar with 1/4 part Lysol Cleaner.


10) CLEANER FOR THE DISHWASHER (use once a month)
Spray the inside floor of your dishwasher with Distilled White Vinegar and wipe away with rag. Pour one cup of Distilled White Vinegar in the inside bottom of your dishwasher, then place one cup of Baking Powder in the bottom of your dishwasher, add three drops of Lemon Oil and run an empty dishwasher through a normal cycle.


11) KEEPING TRASHCANS ODOR-FREE
Place a Cotton Ball with two drops each of Lemon Oil and Tea Tree Oil at the bottom of the trashcan - helps clear odors and detoxify the can.


12) PURIFY THE AIR
Add Tea Tree Oil to a Diffuser to kill mold and other pathogens in the air.


13) CLEANER DISHES
Add a few drops of Lemon Oil to the dishwasher before starting.


14) REMOVE SOAP SCUM
Mix one cup of Liquid Fabric Softener with one quart of warm water - gently wash the glass in circular motion then rinse with warm water.


Well, I am off to do a little cleaning....until next time.

la chasse au bonheur

bring on the sunshine

After this gray and chilly winter, I'm ready for a little sunshine!  And even though spring is around the corner, there are no guarantees we'll see the sun in the northwest anytime soon.  So today, it's all about yellow.

Decorating with yellow is a great way to brighten up a space - whether with paint, fabric or a few 'golden' accessories. Yellow is the easiest color for the human eye to see and it is the one color people who are color blind can usually see. Yellow stimulates your memory, nervous system, mental process, and encourages communication.

I love how this sunny yellow chair
brightens up this moody corner!

Yellow can be bright-and-sunny, soft-and-buttery, bold-to-subtle, bright-to-dull, and big-to-little depending on how you use it, where you use it, and the tone you choose. 

Let's bring a little sunshine into your home, shall we?

ADD TOUCHES OF YELLOW - using pillows, drapery, rugs, and painted pieces
If you're not ready to fully commit to yellow, try adding yellow accessories to brighten up your interiors. 

Add a pillow to your neutral interiors for a pop of sun!

Pretty fabric at the window and corner
chair add some liquid happiness to this room!

Paint the back wall of a book shelf or cabinet.

Who doesn't like walking on sunshine?

Paint one piece of furniture yellow for drama!

A cheery front door makes a welcoming statement.

YELLOW WORKS WELL IN CERTAIN ROOMS

Have you ever noticed that certain colors work better in certain rooms? Yellow, for example, works particularly well in kitchens, baths, laundry and kids/nursery rooms.

This ultra charming farmhouse kitchen screams
yellow cake with buttercream frosting! YUM!

Painting the vintage tub yellow and adding fabric
at the window turns up the WOW in this classic bath

Yellow makes housework happy!

(ok, maybe not happy, but more pleasant?)

Love this wallpaper and the color of the tile!

Yellow is so versatile - it can go BOLD ...

... or subtle!

YELLOW PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS

Yellow works well with red - such a classic!

Another classic - yellow and navy!

Yellow blends with light greens and yummy corals.

Yellow works well with gray and oyster.

Yellow works well with black!

Depending on the tone, yellow works well
with colors like teal/peacock/aqua blue,

And yellow just works with yellow!

PAINTING WITH YELLOW

Ready to go all in? Choosing the right shade of yellow will be your key. Check out these colors to see which one is right for your current interiors, keeping in mind the amount of natural light in your room and how it feels at night. 

COOL/LIGHT

Hawthorne Yellow by Benjamin Moore

Butter Up by Sherwin Williams

COOL/DARK

Babouche by Farrow & Ball

Caramel Honey by Valspar

WARM/LIGHT

Butter Milk by Benjamin Moore

Sun Rays by Glidden

WARM/DARK

Summer Sunflower by Sherwin Williams

Roasted Chestnut by Valspar

SOME INSPIRATION:

Such a pretty blend of traditional and contemporary -
this yellow is a beautiful back drop to the teal runner,
dark blue door, ebony floors and rails, and white trim!

A pretty statement on cabinets!

So sunny - I'm not sure I would leave!

I appreciate (& love) the subtlety of this vignette!

My personal preference is a dialed back yellow, more of a mustard color and warm tones. Here's how I've incorporated yellow into my own home -

We wallpapered our tiny powder room
in this beautiful paper by Osborne & Little

and used fabrics in our living room!

I hope this has brightened your day, it sure has mine!

Until next time,

la chasse au bonheur