If you have carpet in your home, it will take a little work to keep it clean.  Here are some tips for keeping your carpet smelling fresh.

1)  Take off your shoes when you come into the house.  Your shoes have dirt, leaves, and germs from other places you have been.
2)  Have your carpets cleaned a few times each year.  You can do this yourself if you have a steam cleaner or you can rent a machine for about $30-40 per day.  If you’re able to, you can hire a professional to clean the carpets.
3)  Keep a rug over high traffic …read more

If your shower head doesn’t seem to be working as well as normal, then chances are it’s clogged.  Many shower heads get clogged with mineral deposits.  Rather than paying a professional to come in, you can try these tips instead.

Try to unscrew your shower head yourself.  Many of them can unscrew with your hands.  If this doesn’t work, you’ll need some plyers.
Wrap your plyers in tape (this is to keep them from scratching up your shower head).  Remove showerhead.
Use a toothpick to remove large clumps of build up.
Submerge the showerhead in vinegar.  You can use a bowl, bucket, etc.  Soak …read more

I was making coffee today and just realized something – I have never cleaned my coffeemaker.  I’ve only been using the coffee pot for about six months and I don’t drink coffee as regularly as some people, but it certainly is time for a cleaning!
You may be wondering why you should clean your coffee pot, especially when the only thing that goes in it is clean water.  The problem is, the water causes deposits inside the coffee maker.  The deposits can slow the flow of water inside the machine and they can alter the taste of your coffee. 

To clean your …read more

Sometimes our houses can be clean, but they just don’t look clean.  Most of the time it’s due to clutter.  This is my issue today.  Does it ever go away?  With three young and active children, it seems I can barely keep up with the daily clutter.

Today it started when I went into the kid’s room to vacuum and tidy up a bit.  Next to my son’s bed was a basket where he keeps his stuffed animals and such.  I picked it up to vacuum and noticed it was mostly filled with small toys and books.  No doubt they were …read more

Just in time for Earth Day, I’m giving away some Earth friendly products at Thrifty Mommy.  Included in the giveaway is an attractive reusable canvas bag and some coupons for Bright Green cleaning products.

Bright Green is a new line of home care products featuring cleaning and laundry soaps made with biodegradable and naturally derived ingredients, energy-efficient light bulbs and paper products made from 100% recycled content.  The Bright Green products are sold exclusively at Safeway stores. 
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment at Thrifty Mommy.

Have you ever come home from running errands to be greeted with a weird smell?  I know I have.  More times than I care to admit.  I’ve learned some tips to keep my house smelling fresh.  When I don’t follow them is when I have a peculiar smell.  Here are a few tips to prevent smells and then some for when the smell is already there.
1)  Wipe up spills and don’t let the dirty dishes sit around.  If you let something sit, you’ll have a sticky or crusty smelly mess.
2)  Take out the trash regularly.  I don’t let mine go more …read more

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, we moved to a new area recently and we’re renting a home.  It has taken me a few weeks to get everything cleaned to my liking.  The hardest cleaning came in the bathroom.  We have well water and I’m not sure if the stains/build up gunk in the bathroom were water stains, deposits, or lack of previous cleaning.
I tried bleach, Lysol, vinegar, Comet, and a scrub brush and we could not get these stains out.  Thankfully, the only visitors we have had were my hubby’s parents and hubby’s best friend.  I let them know that although the toilet …read more

Do you use natural cleaners such as baking soda and vinegar in your home?  How do you feel about natural cleaners?  Do you think they do a good job?
Please vote in the poll and/or leave a comment below.