Cleaning Your Refrigerator

Chefs always seem to talk about the stand mixer being the work horse of kitchen appliances.  While it certainly is a work horse, I would have to say that the refrigerator is really the ultimate work horse appliance in the kitchen.  When you take a moment to think about it, the refrigerator is the only appliance that never shuts off.  It's constantly in work mode keeping food cold or frozen in an effort to maximize the longevity of your groceries.  Being that this is such a critical kitchen appliance, it is important to keep this appliance in tip top shape so that your perishables are optimally stored.  For today's post, I am sharing my list of go-to cleaning supplies as well as my schedule for properly maintaining my fridge.  I know this may not be a top of mind cleaning chore, but when you stop to really think about the actual importance of the refrigerator in your home, I think you may gain an appreciation for the value of today's post. 

Refrigerator Cleaning Supplies

• Weiman's Stainless Steel Cleaner (I prefer the Spray, but wipes are fine to use too)
• Spray Bottle filled with equal parts Water and Distilled Vinegar
• Rubber Gloves
• Baking Soda Fridge Pack
• Mild Dish Detergent
• Paper Towels and/or Cleaning Rags
• Vacuum 

Suggested Cleaning Schedule

• Weekly
  • Wipe up any/all food spills
  • Clean out any food that is past its prime/expired
  • Polish Stainless Steel Exterior (if applicable) using a polish like Weimans
  • For refrigerators with a non-stainless steel exterior, clean using a mixture of distilled vinegar and water
• Monthly
  • Remove all food from fridge, clean all shelves and interior walls using distilled vinegar and water (*odors tend to absorb into soap detergents, so using a mixture of water and vinegar will not only disinfect but it will also prevent unwanted food odors from lingering)
  • Check expiration dates on all refrigerated condiments and discard any that are past their prime
  • Remove and clean exterior base grate on refrigerated with a mild detergent and water
  • Pull refrigerator away from the wall to vacuum any dust/debris that may have accumulated behind the appliance
  • Replace Baking Soda Fridge Pack (*baking soda will help to eat up any food odors and keep your fridge odorless)
• Additional Fridge Cleaning Resources
  • Apartment Therapy
  • Real Simple
  • Martha Stewart

Caring for your Bed and Bedding

Last week, while I was writing this post on how I went about designing my bed, I realized that in addition to the design aspect of the bed, there is a whole other element of bed care/maintenance that I needed to cover.  From protective layers for your pillows to laundering bed linens and everything in between, there are plenty of bed and bedding care tips to share with you all today.  What I love most about these tips is that they not only aid in keeping your bed clean and protected from allergens/irritants/mites (like bed bugs…yuck!), but these tips will also help to increase the longevity of your mattress and pillows.  Let's face it, every aspect of the bed is an investment, so why not make sure that you are not only protecting that investment, but also getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to longevity.    

Rotate your mattress every 3 months

This is a tip that I learned from (guess who) Martha Stewart and absolutely love it!  Rotating your mattress every 3 months will prevent indentations from forming in certain places on your mattress as a result of nightly sleeping, ultimately increasing the longevity of your mattress.  Simply take a safety pin and attach an index card with it to the bottom left corner of your bed with a card that reflects the month in which it was rotated, that way you will never lose track of when (and in which direction) you last rotated your mattress.

Use Pillow Protectors

I actually use 2 different types of pillow protectors on each of my standard sleeping pillows.  The first cover I use to encase my pillow is a Sleep Safe Pillow Protector.  This pillow case is an allergen barrier, bed bug/house mite protector and water proof to boot!  Preventing oils, mites and liquids from entering your pillows helps to keep them in tact improve their lifespan significantly.  

The next layer of my pillow is a basic linen pillow protector, which I can remove monthly to launder and provides a more comfortable layer of fabric over the heavy duty Sleep Safe pillow case.  I know this sounds like I am going overboard but living in the city, paired with allergies and the crazy cost of purchasing a high quality pillow are all compelling reasons for taking the extra step to adequately protect myself and my pillow/investment. 

Consider Mattress Protectors and Comforter Covers

In addition to pillows, protecting your mattress, duvet insert and even your feather bed are all extremely important.  Two of the biggest threats to these items are bed bugs and liquids.  So how have I outfitted my bed to combat these potential issues?  

Starting with the foundation (aka my mattress), I have encased it in a breathable all-in-one mattress protector.  This cover acts as a shield against bed bugs, house mites and various allergens.  I have actually included my featherbed in this encasement (since the mattress cover can fit both, why not save a little money??), but if you are looking to have separate protective layers, I would recommend this feather bed protector.  For a waterproof layer over your mattress, I would recommend this mattress pad (it's breathable, comfortable, functional and relatively inexpensive).  

While your duvet insert has an external protective barrier (the duvet cover), it is still susceptible to moisture, body oils and infestations from various mites/bugs.  I would recommend purchasing this duvet insert cover to not only aid in protecting your insert, but also to minimize the quantity of feathers that escape out of the blanket and into the room. 

Washing

Properly laundering your bed linens is critical for maintaining proper bed hygiene and increasing the bedding longevity.  In addition to laundering, I would also recommend having a second set of sheets on hand in order to decrease the frequency of replacing sheets.  Here is a breakdown of how often I launder/clean each aspect of my bedding:

• Sheets and Pillow Cases: Every 1-2 Weeks
• Pillow Protectors: Monthly
• Duvet, Blanket and Blanket Cover/Coverlet:  Monthly
• Quilt: Every 3 Months
• Pillow Shams: Every 6 Months
• Duvet Insert and Pillows: Every 6 Months
• Feather Bed: *Not necessary, but I do this-- steam every 6 months to kill any dust and/house mites that may be lurking*

A Few Additional Best Practices

Using protective coverings on the various components of your bed and regularly laundering your linens are the essentials for maintaining a healthy and long lasting bed.   In addition to the items outlined above, here are a few additional suggestions/tips for keeping your bed in tip top shape!

• Never place the following items on your bed:
  • Luggage
  • Handbags
  • Cellphones
  • Shoes
  • Clothes that you have been traveling in and have yet to be laundered
  • Dirty Clothes in general
• Make your bed every morning
• Use Downy Wrinkle Releaser to keep your sheets looking sharp (i.e. Freshly Ironed)

Thanks to these bed and bedding care tips I can honestly say that my bed is most definitely my sanctuary.  I love snuggling up in it after a long day at work and consistently wake up well rested.  It really is worth it to take the time to not only put your bed together, but also properly care for it.  If you have any bed care questions that were not covered in today's post please feel free to e-mail me at redefiningdomestics@gmail.com.  Sweet Dreams Everyone!

Removing Candle Wax from Crystal

We recently hosted a cocktail party at our home.  Very simple, just a few hors d'oeuvres, tasty wine and close friends.  At the end of the night my husband told me that he would take care of clean up and I could go to bed.  Such a sweet man.  In the morning I came downstairs to grab my coffee and put away the dishes in the dishwasher and noticed that our crystal votives looked uncharacteristically cloudy.  Upon further inspection, I realized that my husband had dumped the used candles in the crystal votives directly into the trashcan without letting the wax cool...as a result....I was now the proud owner of Jackson Pollack waxed crystal votives! 

As many of you may or may not know, crystal is extremely delicate and can be very sensitive to extreme temperature changes.  So what did I do?  Call my mom of course!  Her method for removing wax from crystal is genius! All you need is a hair dryer and a few paper towels.  

Directions:

1. Point hairdryer on "Hot" approximately 2inches from the affected area.  
2. Over the course of a minute or two you will start to see clear droplets appear, which indicates that the wax is now in a pliable state and you can start wiping out the affected area with paper towels.
3. Repeat this process until all wax is removed from your crystal.

NOTE- **This method is also safe to use on wood**

Thanks Mom!!!

When it comes to cleaning your house, don't forget to clean...

I have recently been sent into a major cleaning frenzy (aka Spring Cleaning in July) thanks to my recent closet cleaning/organizing project and the fact that my mom is coming to visit in a few days for her Mother's Day Girls Weekend (see this post).  While there are the routine items to clean (floors, surfaces, bathrooms, etc.), there are also many items that need to be cleaned with less frequency and often go overlooked.  Below I have compiled a list of 7 areas that fall victim to being overlooked when it comes to cleaning your home.  I have included a list of my suggested cleaning products for each item/area and the recommended cleaning frequency.  A huge portion of my cleaning knowledge is thanks to none other than the domestic queen, Martha Stewart, so I have included links some of my favorite Martha Cleaning Checklists and additional references that I have found to be extremely helpful when it comes to maintaining the various aspects of my own home.  

Cleaning Products and Resources

Here is a list (with links) of all of my favorite cleaning products to use and/or reference when tackling various household chores.  

• Kitchen Cabinet Degreaser- Greased Lightning 
• Washing Machine Cleaner- Tide Washing Machine Cleaner
• Lint Roller- Scotch-Brite Lint Roller
• Dust Cloths- Swiffer Dust Cloths
• How to Clean your Laundry Room Appliances
• Martha Stewart's Spring Cleaning Checklist
• Martha Stewart's Weekly, Monthly and Seasonal Cleaning Checklists

Yes, I am a self-admitted cleaning enthusiast, but these commonly overlooked areas that I have identified in this post are not gratuitous.  A huge factor for ensuring that your home appliances and furnishings stand the test of time is proper maintenance (aka cleaning!).  There is no denying that cleanliness is major part of an overall home aesthetic, so why not take a little extra time to make sure that your efforts are thorough.  Going the extra distance when it comes to cleaning will pay off in spades, so I hope these tips and resources have helped you to identify those commonly overlooked areas in your own home and get them incorporated into your own cleaning routines.