There are some cleaning chores that actually have very little effect on the visible cleanliness of your home. If you never lift your cushions to vacuum the seats of your upholstered furniture, no one will know (until they reach for a lost remote). And if you never declutter your closets, well… the mess is literally behind closed doors. But there are other chores—even some very small ones—that, left undone, snowball into a much bigger mess and a much more annoying task to tackle.
To keep your home humming, pay attention to the following small jobs:

Folding the clothes when the dryer beeps

You might be great at washing clothes when they’re dirty, but do those baskets of clean clothes pile up while you’re waiting for a Netflix night to fold them all? Folding clothes when the dryer beeps and they’re still warm isn’t just cozy. It helps prevent wrinkles and having to iron (or wear wrinkled clothes, or avoid said clothes) down the road. Using the dryer cycle ending as your folding cue also keeps folding and putting away clothes a small, manageable task you can do in a few minutes rather than a monumental obstacle you have to set aside a whole day to get under control.
Tip: Try setting your wash cycle to start on a delay so you’ll be home to switch clothes to the dryer and to be there when it beeps.

Putting shoes where they go when you take them off

We’re definitely guilty of this! We don’t wear shoes in our house, and we all take them off by the front door. Having a home for everyone’s shoes – and making sure they are put away – keeps your foyer looking spic and span, and makes it easier when you’re rushing out the door in the morning. No more searching for that favourite pair of sneakers, because you know exactly where they are!
Tip: No matter how good you are at putting away the shoes, sometimes mud and dirt will still make it in to your entry. Keep the WOW Mop nearby so you can easily clean up any messes!

Washing dirty dishes

It’s easier to put just one or two more dirty dishes in a sink that already has a couple dishes waiting to be washed in it—but it should give anyone pause to put dirty dishes in a clean, empty sink.
Washing dishes right away keeps the sink clean and empty, and with any luck, reminds others in your household to do their own dishes. In addition, washing dishes right when they’re done being used keeps you from having to scrub off dried-on food and, again, makes most daily dish-washing a job that takes a couple minutes rather than a mini-marathon at the end of the day before it’s time to prep dinner.
Tip: Keep your favourite One Soap next to the sink, so that when you’re doing the dishes you’ll have a beautiful scent to enjoy.

Keeping counters and tables wiped

If there’s one thing that drives us nuts, it’s having to dodge sticky spots on counters or the table. To dispel the anxiety of wondering where you can sit something down (homework, mail, a casual cookie), keep the All Purpose Cleaner and a cleaning rag handy to take care of any spills or messes as soon as possible, and wipe the table down immediately after it’s used. This habit also keeps you from having to clean up the things that get dirty from being set down on messes as well as the spaces that get dirty from having those dirty things put away (such a snowball).
This habit will also save you from spreading the mess around. For instance: If you set a container down onto a splatter of syrup, and then put the container away in the fridge, you now have three sticky spots to clean up rather than just the one quick swipe you could have made at that initial syrup spill. This keeping-surfaces-clean habit has the out-sized reward of keeping the interior of your fridge and cabinets clean for much longer.
By staying reasonably vigilant to take care of clean laundry, doffed shoes, dirty dishes, and messy surfaces when they are small problems, you’ll empower your future self to enjoy a perpetually clean home. Next thing you know, your friends will be asking for your secret!

As the weather warms up, we’re transitioning our closet from winter’s heavy and dark knits to light and airier pieces. Whether you're spending your sunny days picnicking, running around with the kids, or having a friendly soccer game, it can often mean more stains to deal with! Thankfully, you don’t have to resort to harsh, toxic stain removers to lift the stains out, whether they’re grass stains, spilled wine, coffee, or blood (we won't ask why!). We’ve got the guide to easily removing tough stains on all fabrics, from your favourite light-wash jeans to light summer dresses.

Pre-Treat the Stain

Made with natural ingredients and free from dyes and synthetic fragrances, the WOW Stick uses the power of nature to lift stains out of all fabrics. The WOW Stick contains lemongrass and sweet orange essential oils, which work in combination with the cleansing ingredients to combat any odours caused by the offending stain. You’ll be surprised at how powerful this little stick is!
To use, just wet the stained area of fabric, and then rub the WOW Stick onto the stained area. Agitate the stain under water, and repeat until the stain begins to fade.

Wash

Nellie’s Oxygen Brightener uses the oxygen to penetrate stains, stripping away dirt, odour, and grime – perfect for getting out these pesky stains! The Oxygen Brightener’s chlorine-free formula is colour-safe, septic safe, hypoallergenic, environmentally-friendly and biodegradable, so you can forget about toxic ingredients! Use the Oxygen Brightener along with the Laundry Soda for the ultimate stain-fighting clean. All you need is a tablespoon for a small-sized load, or 3 tablespoons for a large load. Use 3 tablespoons for super-stained clothing. Use on whites and brights, but not your favourite black jeans.

Dry

Dry your clothes as you normally do – hang dry on the clothes line, or toss into the dryer with your favourite Lamby Wool Dryerballs or Flyerballs! We love to use the Scented Wool Dryerball in Simply Fresh to give a subtle, beautiful scent.
No more stains, and all without using harsh chemicals. Your skin, your clothes, and the planet will thank you!

The first step in finding a cleaning routine that really works for you and your lifestyle is to determine your cleaning personality. Are you a bitsy cleaner that likes to do small cleaning tasks each day, or do you like to procrastinate before buckling down for a day-long cleaning spree? If you fall into the first group, we have got the time-saving tips for you! For those who want to make cleaning a seamless part of their everyday routines rather than a big daunting task they'll procrastinate doing, here are 6 little ways to work cleaning into your schedule. By introducing five-minute habits, like wiping down your kitchen counters before you go to bed and taking the trash out when you head out the door for the day, you'll be able to fit these micro cleaning moves easily into your life.

Clean the Dishes as You Cook

If you tend to leave dinner cleanup until after the meal is cooked and eaten, you run the risk of spending more time scrubbing caked-on food later. Or worse, you're tired and decide to leave it all for tomorrow. Ugh! Not nice to wake up to a messy kitchen. Instead, get in the habit of cleaning up as you cook. Find the downtimes in a recipe (like when you're waiting for the water to boil), and instead of reaching for your phone, wash a cutting board or start loading tools and utensils into the dishwasher. Once you get in the habit, cleaning as you go will become second nature.

Wipe Down Your Kitchen Counters before Bed

No one feels like cleaning right before bed—we get it. But if spending two minutes to wipe down the kitchen counters before you hit the hay means you get to wake up to a clutter-free kitchen every morning, it's a worthwhile addition to your nighttime routine. Just give a spritz of the All-Purpose Cleaner and give a wipe with a paper towel or cloth. Not only will wiping away sauce splatters and spills at night save you from scrubbing set-in messes the next day, but this way, your counter will be ready for breakfast prep and packing school lunches in the morning. Your morning routine just got a little bit easier and cleaner!

Take Out the Trash on Your Way to Work

Depending upon what time you leave in the morning and what time your local garbage pickup is, it might make sense to start taking out the trash into your morning routine. At night, remove the bag from the can, tie it up, and replace the liner. In the morning, all you have to do is grab the bag on your way out the door. This way, you can avoid carrying trash out to the curb when you're tired after work, or even worse, after you've already changed into your pajamas for the night!

Add a Cleaning Spray and Squeegee to Your Shower

Name your least favorite cleaning tasks. Did scrubbing the shower tiles land on the list? To make a shower deep-clean less daunting, add the Nellie’s Shower & Bath Cleaner to your shower stall. After each shower, spritz down the tiles and allow to dry. For a deeper clean, spray the entire area and allow the solution to set for 30 seconds to loosen the dirt. Scrub with a non-abrasive sponge if necessary, rinse, and then wipe clean. Soap scum won’t stand a chance!

Let Garbage Time Cue Your Fridge Cleanup

When you go to tie up a bag of garbage, let it remind you to quickly check the fridge. Scan for cheese that's moldy and milk past the expiration date. If you take a quick peek every time you take out the trash, you'll avoid disasters like liquefied produce, while minimizing the amount of time potentially smelly items hang out in your kitchen trash can or compost bin.

Stash a WOW Mop in the Bathroom

In the bathroom, dust, hair, and towel fuzz tends to collect quickly. Store the WOW Mop nearby so you can do a quick floor cleaning after your morning shower or after styling your hair. Especially if you have a bulky full-size vacuum that's difficult to lug around, this trick will let you go longer between vacuuming and mopping sessions.
 

The flowers are about to bloom, the birds are singing… but the house still feels stuck in the winter blues! Spring cleaning is one of our favourite traditions – it allows us to freshen up our homes and get a head start on the hectic seasons of spring and summer. We’ve got a few tips to help you make this your easiest spring cleaning sessions yet!

Clean Room-by-Room

Approaching your home room by room is the most effective way to deep-clean your home no matter what time of year, but especially in spring. Use room checklists as a springboard for deep-cleaning the areas of your home that really need extra attention. Feel free to skip items that have recently been cleaned so you can focus on the parts of your home that have been neglected through the winter.

Organize & Clear the Clutter

One of the biggest parts of spring cleaning is getting rid of clutter you no longer need. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of that natural spring urge to get rid of items that are weighing you down and begin fresh with a more streamlined lifestyle. Sort your belongings into four categories: trash, donate, store, put-away. This is a perfect time to plan a garage sale or donate items to a good cause. Cleaning is so much easier with fewer things in the way!

Involve the Family

If you need a little help in your cleaning projects, get the whole gang involved! Even the most unwilling helper can make a difference in the workload. Put some music on or establish a family reward as an incentive to finish the job.

Tackle the Seasonal Chores

There are some special shores that must be done seasonally – time to bite the bullet! Even though those chores need only be done once or twice a year, they’ll help your home look better and run more smoothly. Outdoor chores like cleaning the BBQ, patios, and windows can be daunting, but you’ll be relieved once they’re done.

Keep Cleaning Products to a Minimum

You don’t need to resort to harsh chemicals and toxic cleaners to get your house into shape! Nellie’s makes just about everything you need, from the All-Purpose Cleaner to the One Soap and more!

We wash our clothes to keep ourselves, our families, and our favourite items smelling and feeling fresh, but there is actually such a thing as washing too much or too little! There are downsides to both: laundering your clothes more than necessary can shorten their lifespan and ultimately wear them out more quickly, and washing them too infrequently can be unhygienic and lead to bacteria growth. Yuck! When to wash? We’ve got you covered. Keep reading for our general laundry guidelines for you and your family!

For your clothes

Bras: After three to four wears
Underwear: After every wear, of course!
Stocks and stockings: After every wear
Sports and swimwear: After every wear
Jeans: five to six wears, although some advocate washing as little as possible
Tops: One to two wears
Dresses: One to two wears
Pants, skirts, and shorts: Three to four wears
Jackets and blazers: Five to six wears
Coats: Once every two months of wear, and before storing away for the season
Pajamas: Three to four wears
Get your clothes fresh and clean, but don’t sacrifice your health and the environment! Wash clothes (and towels, bedding, etc.) with Nellie’s Laundry Soda, and remove tough stains with the WOW Stick. If your clothes need some extra brightening or whitening, choose Nellie’s Oxygen Brightener instead of resorting to harsh and toxic bleach.

For your kids’ clothes

Washing your kids’ clothes doesn’t need to be a massive chore! Many experts say you can wash their clothing along with yours anytime you see stains or they don’t pass the sniff test. The problem is that kids tend to get dirtier more often than adults do, so those stains and smells come up more frequently. Here’s a handy guideline: the lighter and softer the fabric, and the closer it hugs the body, the more you need to wash it. But as long as you don’t notice dirty patches or stains, kids can wear clothes multiple times before they’re ready for the laundry pile, just like you.