Hi! I'm Christina Blackmon. Owner- well I should say co-owner, my husband, Jesse is the other "B"- at B&B Cleaning Co. but you can call me Christi. Or Chris. Or Tina. Or Mom. Well maybe not Mom. That might be weird. Unless you're one of my kids. Then it wouldn't be weird.
Can you tell this is my first blog post!?
Anyway!!!! I'm starting this blog to help people learn about cleaning. Natural cleaning. Effective cleaning. Safe cleaning.
Before I get into the real content of this post, I want to say THANK YOU for stopping by and taking a minute or 2 to read my very first, ACTUAL, B&B Cleaning Co. BLOG POST!!!! Ahhhhhh!! Eeeeeeeh!!! I've really been excited and nervous about this and have been putting it off for over a year now so enough is enough!!! My motto now and forever for the next couple minutes is "PROCRASTINATE NO MORE"!! I am biting the bullet and writing here. So laugh with me as I stumble my way through and hopefully you can find something useful!!! Enjoy!!!
Now to the protein: Ahem!
How many times have you looked in your cleaning closet or under your sink and thought "Why do I have so much junk in here??? I never use this stuff!!!" It's easy to collect cleaning items and products with good intentions, but if we don't use them or know how to use them effectively, then they are actually contributing to our mess. How counter-productive is that?!?!?!
So here in this, my first real blog post (aren't you excited for me?!?!?!), I am going to share with you 5 of my favorite, can't live without, cleaning tools:
-All Purpose Cleaner
-Microfiber Cloths
-Baking Soda & Peroxide
-Magic Erasers
-Essential Oils
I'm not saying this is all you need, but this will get your house pretty clean!!
*As with anything, test all of these things on an inconspicuous spot to make sure these suggestions are good for your needs.
Now let's just dive right in.
1. All Purpose Cleaner.
My recommendation is making this homemade and here is why. Store bought cleaners are expensive, they contain too many fillers and chemicals(even the "natural" ones), they aren't good for you and many times they will leave a film behind or they are only safe on certain surfaces.
I do have a fantastic All Purpose Cleaner recipe that I will share in my next blog post. I have customers and friends asking me for this recipe ALL THE TIME. And here's why. It's everything that the store cleaners aren't. It's super simple to make, it smells FANTASTIC (hello clean house, you smell like a spa!), it's actually good for you, it doesn't leave any films or residue and you can literally use it on any hard surface. Not gonna lie, I have used it on soft surfaces and had pretty good results too!
Why would you want an All Purpose Cleaner in your cleaning kit? Well because it cleans everything. Counters, tables, stoves, microwaves, floors, sinks, toilets, I mean I think you get where I'm going with this, right? It's one bottle that does most jobs. It's keeps the number of bottles under your sink to a minimum so it's also saving you space!!
The recipe I'll be sharing with you is non-toxic and contains dōTERRA essential oils that will also disinfect your surfaces. Did I mention it smells fabulous!?
2. Microfiber Cloths
I have tried so many different cloths for cleaning over the years. I've used bar towels, old t-shirts, paper towels, fluffy cloths, thin cloths and microfiber cloths! And I've tried lots of different microfiber cloths! Not all microfiber is created equally! Definitely my favorite cloths are Norwex. They catch the most dust and dirt, they clean up easily, they contain silver threading so they stay cleaner, longer. Here are my favorite cloths and what I use them for:
Envirocloths- for cleaning surfaces, toilets, showers, etc.
Window cloths- kinda self explanatory, but also great for mirrors and drying other surfaces. I love the streak free finish.
Dusting Mits- Yep, you guessed it, for dusting. We have found that they work really well when they are just slightly damp too!
Mop System- I don't sell these products, but let me tell you. You. Want. This. Mop. System. It gets your floors super clean and streak free using just water! It is so nice not having to go over floors multiple times to make sure streaks are gone!
I love using Norwex with my dōTERRA essential oils for extra germ fighting and for great smell when I'm cleaning! There are more of their products that I love but these are my favs! If you want Norwex products but don't know how to get them, let me know. I know a guy. Well she's not a guy. She's a girl. Well a lady. Yes, she's a lady. And my friend. And she can tell you more. Just ask me for her info. 
3. Baking Soda & Peroxide- Ok. I know this is 2 things but I needed to mention them both. Maybe I should have titled this 6 Must Have's for Your Cleaning Kit.....
Both of these items have multiple uses and they work really well together too!!!
I love putting baking soda into a mason jar with a shaker top and adding essential oils to it and using this as a sink scrub, or as a scrub in the bathtub, or anywhere you need a little extra umph, or sprinkled on the carpet or a mattress as an odor eliminating powerhouse!
Peroxide is super effective against germs and bacteria and mold. I like using it with baking soda for removing stains safely, for cleaning toilets, and using it with dōTERRA essential oils to get rid of mold and mildew in showers or window sills.
4. Melamine Foam (aka Magic Erasers)- I mean what are these things made out of anyway!? They add elbow grease to every messy situation. What CAN'T magic Erasers do!? They are seriously like magic! Here's a list of things I love using them for:
Greasy fingerprints on walls and trim and doors
Used with baking soda and essential oils to scrub sinks and and grimy bathtubs and burnt stuff off stove tops and inside ovens
With lemon essential oil on sticky stuff
With lemon essential oil on pen and marker
Basically anywhere you would use a regular sponge, a magic eraser is just going to do a better job. Just test on a spot first. Matte paint doesn't really like them. You'll end up erasing your paint.
Another suggestion. You don't have to buy the magic eraser brand. I love to save money where I can and this is one of them. Look on Amazon or eBay or wherever for melamine foam. You can get large amounts for very inexpensive. Or just buy the store brand where you shop. Name brand doesn't really matter here.
Also, last thing about this, I like just the regular Erasers. I'm not really a fan of the "extra strength" or "bathroom" versions.
5. Essential Oils- I think you've noticed a trend in all my other tools. I use essential oils in every part of my cleaning. And again I'll tell you, not all essential oils are created equally. I use dōTERRA essential oils. I have many reasons for this, including that they are verified pure and safe, therapeutic grade oils. They have been rigorously tested by third party labs to make sure they are free of any contaminates, fillers and pesticides. Please DO NOT purchase your oils in a store. Other brands are full of fillers and other things and many times there isn't even essential oils in them! I, personally, only trust dōTERRA. If you'd like to hear more about that, I'd love to share! You can click here for more information.
But for now, here is why I love to use dōTERRA essential oils in my cleaning:
They are safe for you, your kids, and your pets. They smell really, really, really good! One reason people hate cleaning is because cleaners smell terrible and they make you choke. That's because the chemicals in them are so toxic for our bodies! When using essential oils, you won't have to worry about inhaling them. They actually have many therapeutic benefits! Double prizes! Clean home AND clean body!!!
They are more effective at killing viruses and bacteria than chemicals found in store bought cleaning products. I won't spout off a bunch of statistics here, I like to encourage people to do their own research. So I encourage you to look up some things. Look up the effectiveness of chemical cleaners, how commercial cleaners effect your body, long term effects of store bought cleaners on your body and so on.
I promise you, it's really disturbing.
One thing I will say. The viruses and bacteria these days have become very resistant to all of the man made chemicals that have been created to combat them. So the products that used to work, don't work as well now. Essential oils don't have this problem. Here is the short answer on why. Essential oils come from plants. Plants themselves grow and change to adapt to the changes in the environment. They are so complex that they are always going to be effective. Again. Do your research. And don't just look to blogs for answers. Find the actual scientific studies. They are out there and the results are amazing!!!
Now let's talk about which oils I love to use for cleaning! I've done an entire class on cleaning with essential oils so I'll save a lot of that for another day, but here is where I suggest starting.
Lemon-disinfectant, degreaser, sticky stuff remover, odor eliminator, mood elevator. Basically lemon essential oil is going to make your life cleaner, safer, great smelling and happier all at the same time. I mean who doesn't want that!?
Melaleuca-fungus fighter, laundry helper, and skin cleanser, but we aren't talking about that today.....
Purify- Odor eliminator! Like seriously. Areas I love to tackle with this oil include stinky trash cans, stinky laundry that I forgot in the washer....oops, pet odors, kid odors, gym clothes stink, bathroom odors, carpet odors, mattress odors, and airborne smells from cooking or otherwise. I also love diffusing (Oh man! I should have added diffusers as a must have! Oh well. We will save them for another day)Purify after my family has been sick to cleanse the air!
Wild Orange-super energizing. It cleanses surfaces and helps to uplift your mood. I also love to diffuse this with peppermint when I'm feeling unmotivated and like I wish my house would clean itself. The combination is energizing and focusing. It's just makes me happy and helps me want to get to work!
Eucalyptus- really good at cleansing surfaces and the air because it's a natural germacide.
Rosemary-most people use Rosemary in cooking but it is also great for cleaning because of its antiseptic and antibacterial properties!
Lavender-super calming and great smelling but also a great cleaner! The word itself comes from the Latin word lavare which means to wash! It's naturally antibacterial. This is one of my favorites to diffuse and create a calm and soothing environment in my home.
If you would like more information about essential oils and how they can help you and your family, please click here. I would love to help!!
Ok! Thanks for reading my blog!!! I hope that you learned something and that this was helpful to you!!
I would love to know what your cleaning must have's are!! Please comment below!!
Can you tell this is my first blog post!?
Anyway!!!! I'm starting this blog to help people learn about cleaning. Natural cleaning. Effective cleaning. Safe cleaning.
-All Purpose Cleaner
-Microfiber Cloths
-Baking Soda & Peroxide
-Magic Erasers
-Essential Oils
I'm not saying this is all you need, but this will get your house pretty clean!!
*As with anything, test all of these things on an inconspicuous spot to make sure these suggestions are good for your needs.
Now let's just dive right in.
1. All Purpose Cleaner.
My recommendation is making this homemade and here is why. Store bought cleaners are expensive, they contain too many fillers and chemicals(even the "natural" ones), they aren't good for you and many times they will leave a film behind or they are only safe on certain surfaces.
I do have a fantastic All Purpose Cleaner recipe that I will share in my next blog post. I have customers and friends asking me for this recipe ALL THE TIME. And here's why. It's everything that the store cleaners aren't. It's super simple to make, it smells FANTASTIC (hello clean house, you smell like a spa!), it's actually good for you, it doesn't leave any films or residue and you can literally use it on any hard surface. Not gonna lie, I have used it on soft surfaces and had pretty good results too!
Why would you want an All Purpose Cleaner in your cleaning kit? Well because it cleans everything. Counters, tables, stoves, microwaves, floors, sinks, toilets, I mean I think you get where I'm going with this, right? It's one bottle that does most jobs. It's keeps the number of bottles under your sink to a minimum so it's also saving you space!!
The recipe I'll be sharing with you is non-toxic and contains dōTERRA essential oils that will also disinfect your surfaces. Did I mention it smells fabulous!?
2. Microfiber Cloths
I have tried so many different cloths for cleaning over the years. I've used bar towels, old t-shirts, paper towels, fluffy cloths, thin cloths and microfiber cloths! And I've tried lots of different microfiber cloths! Not all microfiber is created equally! Definitely my favorite cloths are Norwex. They catch the most dust and dirt, they clean up easily, they contain silver threading so they stay cleaner, longer. Here are my favorite cloths and what I use them for:
Envirocloths- for cleaning surfaces, toilets, showers, etc.
Window cloths- kinda self explanatory, but also great for mirrors and drying other surfaces. I love the streak free finish.
Dusting Mits- Yep, you guessed it, for dusting. We have found that they work really well when they are just slightly damp too!
Mop System- I don't sell these products, but let me tell you. You. Want. This. Mop. System. It gets your floors super clean and streak free using just water! It is so nice not having to go over floors multiple times to make sure streaks are gone!
I love using Norwex with my dōTERRA essential oils for extra germ fighting and for great smell when I'm cleaning! There are more of their products that I love but these are my favs! If you want Norwex products but don't know how to get them, let me know. I know a guy. Well she's not a guy. She's a girl. Well a lady. Yes, she's a lady. And my friend. And she can tell you more. Just ask me for her info.
3. Baking Soda & Peroxide- Ok. I know this is 2 things but I needed to mention them both. Maybe I should have titled this 6 Must Have's for Your Cleaning Kit.....
Both of these items have multiple uses and they work really well together too!!!
I love putting baking soda into a mason jar with a shaker top and adding essential oils to it and using this as a sink scrub, or as a scrub in the bathtub, or anywhere you need a little extra umph, or sprinkled on the carpet or a mattress as an odor eliminating powerhouse!
Peroxide is super effective against germs and bacteria and mold. I like using it with baking soda for removing stains safely, for cleaning toilets, and using it with dōTERRA essential oils to get rid of mold and mildew in showers or window sills.
4. Melamine Foam (aka Magic Erasers)- I mean what are these things made out of anyway!? They add elbow grease to every messy situation. What CAN'T magic Erasers do!? They are seriously like magic! Here's a list of things I love using them for:
Greasy fingerprints on walls and trim and doors
Used with baking soda and essential oils to scrub sinks and and grimy bathtubs and burnt stuff off stove tops and inside ovens
With lemon essential oil on sticky stuff
With lemon essential oil on pen and marker
Basically anywhere you would use a regular sponge, a magic eraser is just going to do a better job. Just test on a spot first. Matte paint doesn't really like them. You'll end up erasing your paint.
Another suggestion. You don't have to buy the magic eraser brand. I love to save money where I can and this is one of them. Look on Amazon or eBay or wherever for melamine foam. You can get large amounts for very inexpensive. Or just buy the store brand where you shop. Name brand doesn't really matter here.
Also, last thing about this, I like just the regular Erasers. I'm not really a fan of the "extra strength" or "bathroom" versions.
5. Essential Oils- I think you've noticed a trend in all my other tools. I use essential oils in every part of my cleaning. And again I'll tell you, not all essential oils are created equally. I use dōTERRA essential oils. I have many reasons for this, including that they are verified pure and safe, therapeutic grade oils. They have been rigorously tested by third party labs to make sure they are free of any contaminates, fillers and pesticides. Please DO NOT purchase your oils in a store. Other brands are full of fillers and other things and many times there isn't even essential oils in them! I, personally, only trust dōTERRA. If you'd like to hear more about that, I'd love to share! You can click here for more information.
But for now, here is why I love to use dōTERRA essential oils in my cleaning:
They are safe for you, your kids, and your pets. They smell really, really, really good! One reason people hate cleaning is because cleaners smell terrible and they make you choke. That's because the chemicals in them are so toxic for our bodies! When using essential oils, you won't have to worry about inhaling them. They actually have many therapeutic benefits! Double prizes! Clean home AND clean body!!!
They are more effective at killing viruses and bacteria than chemicals found in store bought cleaning products. I won't spout off a bunch of statistics here, I like to encourage people to do their own research. So I encourage you to look up some things. Look up the effectiveness of chemical cleaners, how commercial cleaners effect your body, long term effects of store bought cleaners on your body and so on.
I promise you, it's really disturbing.
One thing I will say. The viruses and bacteria these days have become very resistant to all of the man made chemicals that have been created to combat them. So the products that used to work, don't work as well now. Essential oils don't have this problem. Here is the short answer on why. Essential oils come from plants. Plants themselves grow and change to adapt to the changes in the environment. They are so complex that they are always going to be effective. Again. Do your research. And don't just look to blogs for answers. Find the actual scientific studies. They are out there and the results are amazing!!!
Now let's talk about which oils I love to use for cleaning! I've done an entire class on cleaning with essential oils so I'll save a lot of that for another day, but here is where I suggest starting.
Lemon-disinfectant, degreaser, sticky stuff remover, odor eliminator, mood elevator. Basically lemon essential oil is going to make your life cleaner, safer, great smelling and happier all at the same time. I mean who doesn't want that!?
Melaleuca-fungus fighter, laundry helper, and skin cleanser, but we aren't talking about that today.....
Purify- Odor eliminator! Like seriously. Areas I love to tackle with this oil include stinky trash cans, stinky laundry that I forgot in the washer....oops, pet odors, kid odors, gym clothes stink, bathroom odors, carpet odors, mattress odors, and airborne smells from cooking or otherwise. I also love diffusing (Oh man! I should have added diffusers as a must have! Oh well. We will save them for another day)Purify after my family has been sick to cleanse the air!
Wild Orange-super energizing. It cleanses surfaces and helps to uplift your mood. I also love to diffuse this with peppermint when I'm feeling unmotivated and like I wish my house would clean itself. The combination is energizing and focusing. It's just makes me happy and helps me want to get to work!
Eucalyptus- really good at cleansing surfaces and the air because it's a natural germacide.
Rosemary-most people use Rosemary in cooking but it is also great for cleaning because of its antiseptic and antibacterial properties!
Lavender-super calming and great smelling but also a great cleaner! The word itself comes from the Latin word lavare which means to wash! It's naturally antibacterial. This is one of my favorites to diffuse and create a calm and soothing environment in my home.
If you would like more information about essential oils and how they can help you and your family, please click here. I would love to help!!
Ok! Thanks for reading my blog!!! I hope that you learned something and that this was helpful to you!!
I would love to know what your cleaning must have's are!! Please comment below!!
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