Phase 2 of The House Behind The Trees ~ The downstairs #TeelsBuildaHouse

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So we are starting the downstairs ... I HATE to say basement because we had a basement in our old home, where you opened a door and went down stairs separated from anything else. It was a finished basement complete with a bedroom, craft room, family/game room and we spent a lot of time there ~ our oldest son moved down there in jr high and stayed through high school ... until we finished the master suite in the attic then he moved back up to the bedroom floor with his brother and sister.  So here our downstairs is open to the rest of the house, you can see through to the outside from the top of the stairs going down because we have a wall of windows down there as well.  We really didn't plan to have a kiddo down there but since we are having to do a switch-a-roo with rooms (I'll explain later) he is moving home soon and will be downstairs. Anyhoo, our downstairs will house our main family room, our middle sons room, a full bath and kitchenette.  I thought it would be fun ...
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It's Almost SPRING 🌷🌸🌺🌷🌸🌺🌷🌸🌺 BUT that also means preparing to spring clean! Here are some awesome cleaning hacks to add to your Spring Cleaning Bag of Tricks to make the job less daunting! These clever ideas will help you be a better, faster cleaner just like those that came up with these "Oh So Creative", "why-didn't-I-think-of-that" tools and techniques.

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 Clean Your Cabinets ... with your vacuum. Use your vacuum's brush attachment to  pick up dust and crumbs inside. Outside,  concentrate on the area around the  hardware using a cloth dampened with  warm water and Murphy Oil Soap. source:  Debra Johnson, merrymaids.com


Clean Your Dishwasher ... with little effort. Add 1 cup baking soda to the bottom of your empty dishwasher and let it sit overnight. Run the hottest possible cycle using vinegar instead of detergent to clean and deodorize your dishwasher. Remember to remove debris from the filter. Bye-bye, dirt and odors. source: Melissa Maker, cleanmyspace.com



Use Your Dishwasher ... to clean light fixtures. Run removable glass pieces, such as domes, through the dishwasher. Run a drying cycle, too, to reduce spotting. source: Amanda Thomas, moxie-girl.com










Use a pillowcase ... to clean a ceiling fan. Slip a pillowcase over ceiling fan blades, one at a time, then wipe. Dust falls into the pillowcase, not on your furniture and floors. source: Leslie Reichert, greencleaningcoach.com













Spot-Clean Fabrics ... with baby wipes. Baby wipes are surprisingly effective because they contain very little moisture, have gentle cleaning agents, and dry quickly. Just don't confuse them with cleaning wipes, which might contain bleach or other harmful chemicals. source: Derek Christian, cleaningbusinesstoday.com







Clean Faster with these four things:

A 50-foot, 16-gauge extension cord lets you plug in your vacuum at a central location so you can clean a whole level without stopping to find another outlet. 
A microfiber mop with an extension pole dusts ceilings and walls quickly and easily. When you're done, just remove the cover and toss it in the wash.
A double-sided squeegee is the best tool for cleaning windows. Dip it in your cleaning solution of choice and work in a tight S-pattern from top to bottom. 
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers make short work of soap scum, scuff marks, wayward crayon scribbles, and lots more. 
Secret Weapons to add to your shopping list:

ZEP Heavy-Duty Citrus Degreaser cleans  cooking oil from cabinets near the stove. Look for it in the paint section at your home center. 
Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser has a combo of mild abrasives and oxalic acid that removes baked-on food, tea and coffee stains, and rust.
I Can See Clearly, Wow! Natural Glass Cleaner is solvent free, so you can clean the window trim, sill, sash, and tray without damaging painted or vinyl surfaces.

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