Cleaning: the never-ending quest!

I spend a decent amount of my time cleaning.

Well, okay, maybe a lot of time.

With 3 kids under 4, and two of them still "toddlers," there's a lot of messes. I used to be okay with using store-bought cleaning products. One day, however, that changed.


Because we're so close to farmland, when the weather begins to dip cooler, the mice flee from the fields and into whatever warm buildings are closest. Mice can fit through a hole as small as a dime, and, well, we ended up with one in our house the first winter after we moved in.

It was so gross. The mouse had found its way up through the kitchen drain area, into the cupboards, onto the countertop, into the pantry, and behind the fridge. I ended up donning gloves and bleaching, cleaning, and scrubbing everything that the mouse had pooped on. It took hours.

Since then, whenever I smell traditional store-bought cleaning products, I'm thrown back to the memory of that mess and can't help but gag. I had to find a way to clean without those harsh scents.

After trying a number of combinations from blogs online, I found something simple that works really well as an all-purpose cleaning spray.

2 tsp Dr. Bronner's Organic Castille Soap
2 tbsp baking soda
2 cups water
3-5 drops of essential oil (optional, for scent if preferred)

Mix all of the ingredients. If the baking soda clumps, run solution through a strainer before pouring into a spray bottle. Spray onto desired areas and wipe away with a damp cloth.

Just a heads-up, the spray does look a little cloudy in the bottle. That's normal!

The Dr. Bronner's is strong enough to clean, but scentless and gentle enough that I feel perfectly fine using it on the kids' stuff... which is really often. The baking soda functions as a deodorizer and mild abrasive. This spray does not sanitize, but the reality is that sanitizing everything all the time might not actually good for our immune systems. What it does do is clean away dirt and grime where needed.

That's my workhorse cleaning spray in this house. I still use products like Windex for cleaning glass, and occasionally use lemon-scented Lysol or bleach for actual sanitizing, but this spray is my go-to when the milk hits the wall. Or floor. Or toys. Or wherever my little monsters decide to throw it. 💙

P.S. Please note, I've updated some of my pages today to include some of my favourite products! Check them out!