Easiest Way to Clean Your Microwave- and Without Dangerous Chemicals!

I was cleaning my microwave today and was reminded that I should share with you all the way that I do it that is SO easy! It's so easy, you probably won't believe it until you try it. :D

Fill a medium size microwave-safe container 3/4 full with water, and add about 3 tablespoons or so of lemon juice. You may need more lemon juice if your microwave is very dirty. Place the dish in the microwave and heat it for 12 minutes. After the timer goes off, let the water sit in the microwave for 5-8 minutes. This part is very important, because the steam from the lemon-water mixture will fill the microwave and coat the walls, starting to work on the buildup. Then, simply wipe your microwave clean with a rag. If you have a stubborn stain, dip the end of your rag in the lemon-water mix (be careful, its very hot!) and wipe the stain with a bit of the lemon-water mix.

Sometimes my turntable has buildup on it that won't come off with a wipe or a good scrub. In that case, I let some of the lemon water mixture sit on the turntable for 5-10 minutes and then wipe it clean with no problems!

Try it out for yourself, and let me know how it works for you! :)

Cleaning in a snap!

If you are like me, you don't always have hours that you can spend on keeping your house spotless everyday. That's where 15 minute cleanups come in! I discovered this when my daughter was going through a phase where she would only nap for about 20 minutes at a time. My house was getting to be a disaster and I couldn't find the time to clean it all up.

The solution? Research 15 minute clean ups. There are 15 minute bedroom cleanups, 15 minute bathroom cleanups- pretty much 15 minute cleanups for every room in your home! Even 15 minute dorm room cleanups- and we know how bad those can be!

Some tips on making your 15 minute clean-ups successful (and even shorter!)
-Buy some wipes with cleaners already on them. I have some multi-purpose wipes, glass cleaning wipes, and pledge wipes. You save time by not having to spray, and you don't have the hassle of trying to figure out which rag goes with which chemical!
-Keep extra trash bags in the bottom of each trash can. You don't want to have to make a trip to take the trash out and then another to go get a new bag. Save time by having trash bags in the bottom of the can.
-Use baskets or bags to sort items that belong in other rooms. Rather than running all over the house putting items up, have a bag for each room. Baby's toys go in her bedroom bag; My husbands shoes go in our Master Bath bag, My coupon binder goes in the Office bag. When you move from room to room, put away only the items that belong in that room.

If you have more tips, post them in the comments!