I find cleaning very cathartic. When everything feels chaotic, cleaning helps to calm my mind. (maybe there’s something wrong with me?!) But whatever works right! I have a handful of must-use items in my cleaning arsenal, and am always looking for new, inexpensive, safe ways to clean. As I talked about in another blog post about cleaning, I use Method products for most of my cleaning duties, but there are a few others that rely on.
Here are some tricks I use:
1. Ring Cleaner
On my 10 year wedding anniversary, my hubby bought for me my dream ring. It is a platinum diamond ring from Tiffany’s that we saw one year on a trip to New York City. I love this ring with all my heart. ALL of my heart. It will have to be cut off my finger. Anyhoo, about a year after I wore it, I developed a strange, itchy rash around my ring. I had always been diligent about cleaning it with a store-bought ring cleaner, so it couldn’t be dirty? Maybe other household cleaners I was using were irritating it? Maybe I had developed an allergy to the platinum? I was heart broken. It was almost to the point where I considered taking it off. Then I took to the internet in search of some solution. And over, and over again, I saw the same thing: clean it with a solution of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. No way this could work. But it did! I now have no problem at all with my ring. So I threw out my store bought cleaner and went with this homemade solution. If you have the same problem, try it! It saved me!
- 2 parts vinegar, and 1 part Hydrogen Peroxide (in the right dilution – I use a 3% solution)
- I use 2 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp peroxide
- Let it sit in the solution for at least 10-15 minutes
- I do this once a week.
2. My Veggie and Fruit Cleaner
** NOTE: I now use a vinegar/water solution to clean my fruits and veggies. Fill your sink about half-way with lukewarm water, add 1 cup vinegar. Add your veggies/fruit (don’t overfill your sink with your veggies/fruit). Soak for 10 minutes. Rinse well. **
- 2 cups of bleach in an empty load
- run one more empty load to rinse
9. Vinegar
The old tried and true, trusty Vinegar. When all else fails, old-faithful here is great! (and it’s cheap) Makes everything sparkle!! Just make a 1:1, vinegar:water solution in an old spray bottle.
Well that’s all for my cleaning lesson. Hope you found it a little useful? Maybe I’m just a little crazy! ;)
Happy Cleaning!
Hi I'm Jo-Anna! I mom. I blog. I cook. I craft. I like pretty things.
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Vinegar is amazing! To this day my Mom uses a vinegar/water solution to clean her wood floors.
I ADORE Shaklee products and use them almost exclusively. I like them so much that I have been thinking about becoming a distrubutor!
Jo, you’re inspiring me to get cleaning! I use vinegar in the dishwasher and poof – cloudy glasses – gone!
I love Shaklee products too! I have been using (and selling them) for almost a year now and I LOVE THEM!
I love your blog. Just discoved it today. The cleaning part rocks and is economical. I also love your chore incentive program for your household. I love it when everyone is contributing and happy.
Elaine Mundy Pry
epry@insightbb.com
I was on a hunt for a ring cleaner, as I’m sitting here with a massive itchy, red, inflamed rash from my wedding ring. I’ve had my ring for 7 years, and just in the past 2 years I get this stupid rash! It’s HEARTBREAKING!!! I finally just bought a cheap-o ring to wear while my finger heals in between wearing my actual wedding ring. So hearing that you had a rash too, and you don’t anymore due to this cleaning method – you just might have saved me! After my finger heals I’m going to try cleaning it this way. Thank you!!! :)
Hi Jen! I hope this works for you! Honestly since I have used this solution I have never had that rash again! Crossing my ring fingers for you! ;)
Jo-Anna
Can you make a big batch of ring cleaner? I was thinking to dump the store bought and reuse the container. My husband has wedding ring rash too!