It’s that time of year to scrub the BBQ grills and refresh outdoor furniture! Nellie’s has safe, planet-friendly cleaning products to get your patio ready for this summer’s grilling and chilling!

WOW! It’s been a long couple of years of hanging out at home. You’ve binge-watched The Home Edit and watched reel after reel of organizing and cleaning videos. If you are like us, we are ready to deep clean our spaces and head outside to enjoy everything Spring has to offer!

Spring Cleaning Tips with Nellie's

Alternate Uses for your Favorite Nellie’s Products

 
Since we’re all spending so much time at home these days, there’s no better time than now to start those big projects - and we have a few Spring Cleaning tips to help. While you might have started a few tasks already, it seems like there’s always more to do. If your “I’ll get to it one day” list hasn’t been ticked off in a while, it’s time to channel your inner Marie Kondo and tackle the items that you’ve put on the backburner.
 
Did you know that most Nellie’s products have many alternate uses? That’s right – Laundry Soda can be used for things other than laundry! We’ve put together a list on how to use your favorite Nellie’s products when tackling those big Spring Cleaning jobs, while encouraging you to use the products you already have at home.
 

Here are our top Spring Cleaning tips:

 

 

Reusable Water Bottles & Travel Mugs & Decanters:

For those impossible-to-reach-the-bottom items: your trusty Nellie’s Water Bottle, your Thermos, or that beautiful wine decanter with a red ring on the bottom from that time you left a tiny bit of Cab Sav in – no matter how long you soak them in hot water, they just won’t clean out. We have a solution!
To remove those tough stains that you can’t reach, add half a scoop of Oxygen Brightener and top with hot water. Let it sit for 1-3 hours, depending on the stain, then rinse thoroughly. The sodium percarbonate from the Oxygen Brightener will oxidize the stain and give you a cleaner mug. Be sure to place the item you’re cleaning in your skin as the powder/water combination might suds up and overflow!
*If you don’t have Oxygen Brightener, you can sub it for Laundry Soda or Dish Powder, however Oxygen Brightener will work best.

 

Kitchen Oven:

Another Spring Clean must-do. It seems like everyone has been spending their time during social distancing by baking sourdough or becoming master chefs. Safe to say, our ovens are busier than ever. Unless you do this regularly (kudos to you), chances are your oven has been in need of a deep clean for a while now.
For a non-toxic cleaning hack, make a paste with 1 scoop of Oxygen Brightener and hot water, and apply with a sponge or cloth. Let it sit for a few hours and rinse off with a sponge or cloth wrung from clean water.  The sodium percarbonate will oxidize the stain and lift off soil, while sodium carbonate will neutralize any fatty acid residue.
 
 

 

Bathroom Grout:

Tile is generally easyto clean, but cleaning grout? No thank you! Because of its porous composition and light colouring, grout is prone to staining. Depending on which rooms in your house have tiles, discolouration can be caused by dirt, grime, spills, mold or mildew.
To clean your grout, make a paste with 1 scoop of Oxygen Brightener and hot water and scrub (with a little bit of elbow grease). We recommend avoiding using an abrasive sponge/scrubber that may scratch the grout. Use a clean, soft cloth and clean water to wipe. Rinse well.
 

 

Shower Head:

Cleaning the things that clean you is a no-brainer. Think about how old your shower head is. Did it come with your house? Has it ever been replaced? While you generally don’t touch the shower head while showering, it can still get clogged with build-up from years of water running through it, get mildewed, and even develop some nasty bacteria. And if you live somewhere with hard water, chances are your shower head needs some descaling.
Combine 1 scoop Dish Powder + 2 oz of Shower & Bath Cleaner and hot water in a plastic bag. Tie the bag around the shower head and let sit for a few hours. The citric acid in Shower & Bath Cleaner will help unclog your shower head, clean off any mildew, and remove hard water deposits and rust scale.
* If you don’t have both Dish Powder and Shower & Bath Cleaner, you can swap one for 1 oz of distilled vinegar.
 
 

 

Porcelain (sink, toilet, or bathtub):

While porcelain is a highly durable surface, it’s susceptible to chips, cracking, and a dulling of the finish. If you use the wrong products, you will do more harm than good, potentially damaging the surface, so it’s important to know what not to use. Abrasive cleaners such as scouring powders, white vinegar (or other cleaners with a high acidic content), and steel wool should all be avoided.
Nellie's Shower & Bath Cleaner was designed for this surface. Apply the solution to a damp sponge or directly on the surface. Allow the solution to sit, then rub or scour. Avoid using an abrasive sponge that may scratch the surface. Use soft cloth to wipe. Rinse well.
* If you don’t have Shower & Bath Cleaner, you can use Oxygen Brightener. Combine 1 scoop and hot water to make a paste, let sit for 20 mins, and scrub gently. Sodium percarbonate will oxidize the stain and sodium carbonate will neutralize grease or oil.
 

 

Patio Cushions

As warm weather is popping up, it’s a great time to get your patio summer-ready! If your cushions have been sitting in storage collecting dust, or even worse, sitting outside during the entire winter, they’re probably in need of a good refresher.
To revive your cushions, add 1/2 scoop of Oxygen Brightener and warm water into a spray bottle and shake gently to mix the solution. Spray stained areas and scrub gently with a soft brush. For more serious stains, use a WOW Stick.
 
 

 

Baseboards

This is probably something you do regularly, but we have a trick to make it easier than ever. Even if your entire house is shiny and clean, if you forget about cleaning your baseboards, it’s quite the eyesore. Did you know you can clean them without even bending over?
Position your WOW Mop’s Scrub & Polish pads so they stick out about 3-4 inches on the same side. Angle them up at a 90-degree angle, turn your mop on, spray, and go! Make sure that the part of your pads covering your baseboards get a bit of Floor Care (or the solution of your choice) on them. Ta da!
 
 
Most importantly, keep in mind that not everyone needs to be super ridiculously productive while we’re dealing with an unprecedented health crisis. For some, crossing off a to-do list helps, but if you don’t get anything done, that’s fine too! Just remember the number one tip that we can offer: practice self-care and be kind to yourself. Now go ahead, pour yourself that glass of wine!
 

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!