Isn't the pic above completely sick? That's my bathroom floor before getting the scrub down I am about to explain. In my defense I spilled charcoal on the already disgusting floor and let it rub into the badly manufactured faux tile crevices. (Note to all people about to install tile in their homes: DO NOT buy any type of tile flooring with tons of texture and tiny cracks, while they may look hot & earthy on the showroom floor it will forever gross you out in reality cause they shall never get fully clean again!)I am pretty sure if my mom sees this picture above she will get an OCD migraine and dream of bleach fairies coming to sprinkle droplets of sterilization on the disaster I have let unfold below my feet...but no can do. This is a job that can be handled chem free with a box of baking soda, lemons and vinegar! Personally I love the smell of lemons and the baking soda makes a great scrub - I only break out the vinegar for the extra tough jobs since I try not to have my house smell too much like a souring hippy on a raw diet. ;) The exact ratio of what to use depends on what kind of mess you are cleaning up, but I follow the volcano rule : whateva' makes the best bakin' soda volcano will clean the floor the best. 
I know this after pic above might not say volumes of the power of baking soda, lem and vin mix but trust me, this is as clean as they can get ... well 95% as clean. I am sure if I unleashed my mom + a scouring pad on this surface it could get at least 5% cleaner! ;) xoxo
I used to be a bit disappointed by the scrubbing power of baking soda on my slightly worn bathtub, until, that is, I added some salt! Then it beat out any other commercial product I'd ever been able to use in the past.
ReplyDelete"The bleach fairies"-- lol. Man, that floor looks really clean! I have that stupid textured tile in my kitchen but it's the same orange color as the dirt around here so it doesn't really matter.
ReplyDeleteI think we had a discussion on this blog awhile back about salt, didn't we? I scrub stuff with salt, too, rock salt.
Linda -
ReplyDeleteI have added salt before and somehow yesterday i totally forgot! Thanks for sharing the idea :)
Susie -
Lucky you, that they are the same color... lucky me I am only renting and get to move out and not deal with these floors forever! ;)
Oh, I've also noticed that some salt makes a nasty at first when you add water to it, so if you are extremely sensitive, turn your head or don't breathe for a moment or two... After that, it's fine.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clean-up refresher. Linda, Adding salt! Of course, that just might be what I need to add to clean that kitchen sink.
ReplyDeleteSusie ... bet those Meyer lemons in your back yard come in handy for your clean-up. Love those Meyers!
Fun post, Leslie. THANKS. Mokihana