We are in an interesting space between summertime and back-to-school. My girls have gone back to school already, but the weather here in the midwest is still so hot and is screaming summer!
The minute my girls went back to school, I got busy and focused in on home organization, cleaning and tasks that I had put off all summer! I’ve been trying to keep the slow living attitude of summer while being pro-active and efficient, getting busy and getting things done around here!
I made myself a handy “Keeping a Clean Home” printable checklist that divides tasks into Every Day, Once a Week, Once a Month, Once a Season, and Once a Year. This checklist allows me to focus in, know exactly where I am at and what needs to be done. Would you like to print one out for yourself too? Just use the link below.
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE ‘KEEPING A CLEAN HOME’ PRINTABLE HERE!
The chart is keeping me on track and I’m slowly working through it. Something that was really needing to be done on the seasonal checklist, that I had procrastinated on all summer, was my refrigerator. Especially the outside of my refrigerator, namely the water dispenser area!
We drink a ton of water, especially during the hot summer months! I rarely buy juice or sugary drinks, so water is my family’s drink of choice. This means we are constantly getting ice from the ice maker and filling up water bottles from the water dispenser on our refrigerator door. Some of our water bottles have narrow openings, which can make it hard to aim the water flow and water can splash all over.
Over time, this splashing has resulted in calcium deposits on our refrigerator, mainly in the dispenser water catch area, but also some streaking down the refrigerator onto the pull-out freezer drawer. Scaly white residue can build up over time, and everyday cleaners often fail to remove the build-up from hard water.
The build-up on our dispenser has been bugging me all summer! Not anymore! Thanks to a little DIY Calcium Deposit Cleaner, Coconut Oil Polisher & Viva Paper Towels, my dispenser, refrigerator door, and freezer drawer front are all sparkly clean!
Can I tell you why I love Viva Paper Towels for jobs like this? They are amazingly absorbent and don’t leave any residue behind. They are so strong and durable that you can actually wring them out several times & wash dishes with them! Viva Vantage has a scrubby texture and is great for shining stainless steel and glass or scrubbing counters. Viva towels are smooth and soft, almost like an undershirt material, and are so gentle and yet strong that they can wipe little faces clean! They come with the handy ‘select-a-size’ and have made my summer season cleaning so much easier.
DIY Calcium Deposit Cleaner
White Distilled Vinegar (1/2-1 cup)
Juice of One Lemon
Bowl
Scrub brush or Old Tooth Brush
Baking Soda
Step One:
Put vinegar in a bowl. Fold up a few sheets of Viva Vantage paper towels. Put them in the bowl and let them soak up the full-strength vinegar. You will be amazed at how absorbent Viva paper towels are! Drape them over any areas that have mineral deposits. I draped them on my refrigerator water & ice dispenser, and also around my kitchen faucet. Let sit for a few minutes, then use the paper towels to wipe away anything that came loose.
The above picture was taken after Step One. It took off a ton of the residue, but not all.
Step Two.
Empty the bowl of any remaining vinegar, and squeeze the lemon into the bowl. I use a fork poked into the middle of the lemon, then use a twisting action to get maximum juice out.
Dip a scrub brush or an old toothbrush in the lemon juice, then sprinkle the bristles with baking soda. Apply to any remaining deposits and scrub until clean. The acid in the lemon juice naturally removes mineral deposits. The vinegar loosens the deposits, so scrubbing should be minimal. A smaller brush will easily reach into crevices, and using these all natural products will keep your mind at ease as you clean around the area where water is dispensed from. No harsh chemicals to worry about getting into your next cup of water!
Wet another Viva Vantage towel. Wipe off lemon juice and any residue, then use another dry paper towel to polish to a shine!
**Tip: After cleaning, fold a Viva Towel into thirds (or whatever size fits best) and place on the water catch area of your ice and water dispenser. This will catch and absorb the drips and keep things clean! Change it out at least once a week. This tip will keep it looking great between seasonal deep cleanings.
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DIY Stainless Steel Polisher
Water
Coconut Oil
Clean your stainless steel appliances as you normally would. I just use water on a textured Viva Vantage paper towel. Then put a spoonful of coconut oil onto a soft and smooth Viva Towel, and give them a good rubdown.
Rub into the surface until it’s not greasy to the touch, but all of the stains and streaks have disappeared. No need for expensive, harsh stainless steel cleaners!
What about you? Do you have issues with hard water mineral deposits in your home? Where?
How is your seasonal cleaning going? What would you like to get to with the help of Viva Towels?
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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
{My no makeup ‘after’ picture. I’m months away from 40, so not bad, huh? Do you see a bit of a glow?}
{I had to end the post with this picture. It made me smile. It has been in our bathroom for years, and she is now my little bee is almost 16 years old! I thought it was fun to put my products by this photo.}