• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Flexitarian Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • Contact

Inspired Epicurean logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Flexitarian Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Flexitarian Recipes
    • Lifestyle
    • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Lifestyle » Hearth

    July 27, 2020 Hearth

    Spring Cleaning Year-Round

    cleaning products on kitchen counter | spring cleaning | hearth health happiness

    Three cleaning categories to add to the list

    Bummer of a blog post, am I right? Who wants more to clean? I'm over here trying to figure out how to make my cat enjoy getting Swiffer pads attached to his feet so he can start pulling some of the weight around here (that's a half joke, btw). Traditional spring cleaning only happens around my house a few times per year, which basically means furniture gets moved for the vacuum, mattress pads are washed, and other "big" items are checked off the list. Otherwise, I try to keep the cleaning as succinct as possible. Like most, I LOVE a clean house, but don't relish the process of getting to that point. 

    Interior Pathways of the Coffee Pot

    coffee maker | Photo by Ronan Furuta on Unsplash | spring cleaning
    Photo by Ronan Furuta on Unsplash

    I hate to admit that it took me a while into my 20s to realize that more than just the removable parts of a coffee maker need to be cleaned, or in technical terminology, decalcified every so often. But, using some white vinegar to clean the inner workings of the machine have proven to be both necessary and satisfying. What is particularly interesting is that we've needed to clean our coffee maker more frequently since moving to Birmingham, since the water here is particularly hard. After about 6 months, the drip slowed and the machine actually started making popping sounds. Once we cleaned it with some white vinegar again, that did the trick!  

    To deep clean your coffee maker

    • When cleaning a traditional, 12-cup coffee maker, add 6 cups water and 6 cups white vinegar to the reservoir. If your machine is a different size, just add equal parts water and vinegar to the reservoir. 
    • Add a paper filter to the basket (sans coffee, of course), ensure the pot is in place, and start to "brew." 
    • Once the vinegar-water mixture has brewed halfway, stop the pot and allow to sit for aboout 30 minutes before re-starting and completing the brew. 
    • Discard the liquid in the pot, add a new filter to the basket, and use clean water to fill the reservoir and brew once more to rid the machine of hints of vinegar. 
    • If your machine still feels slow or clicks due to residue buildup in the machine, repeat one more time. 

    Good Housekeeping has a helpful article on the care and keeping of your coffee pot, if you need any extra tips! 

    You can use a similar formula to clean your Keurig machine as well! 

    Reusable Shopping Bag

    I'm convinced that I was the last person to *officially* wash reusable shopping bags. Maybe I had been buying cheap bags that cracked and needed to be discarded faster than usual, but once the pandemic started - and I came into possession of some nicer bags, I realized this was a necessary step. (Don't look at me like that.) I should note that I would spot clean and line the bags when packing any type of meat, but I'm all about getting a little more thorough. 

    General rule of thumb for washing bags: follow the instructions on the tag. If the bag is made from nylon or polyester, hand wash in the sink with mild dish soap. Otherwise, wash in the washing machine on a gentle cycle and use cool water for the first few washings to preserve any screen prints. Of course you need to use your own judgement with frequency for cleaning the bags (not just spring cleaning); though, a good rule of thumb is after every few shopping trips. 

    Microgreens - yes, countertop herbs!

    microgreens | Photo by Devi Puspita Amartha Yahya on Unsplash
    Photo by Devi Puspita Amartha Yahya on Unsplash

    Random, right? This is a step that I've skipped one too many times, but it turns out (through research, not personal experience) that you do need to rinse microgreens or sprouts that you are growing in your kitchen. The youth of the greens makes them particularly susceptible to germs and other damaging microbes, so you just need to rinse thoroughly as they age and before use. 

    If you are keeping a jar of countertop herbs on your counter for more than a few days (though, that really should be the max amount of time), change the water in the jar and rinse the stems of the herbs under water before returning to the counter or fridge. 

    How frequently do you deep clean and do you have an official "spring cleaning" routine that you use once or more per year? Send me your tips! Until next time, cheers to your #hearthhealthhappiness! 

    3 random categories to add to your year-round spring cleaning list | Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash

    More Hearth

    • 4 Retail Trends to Watch for the Rest of 2020
    • Timeliness of Pantone Classic Blue Color of the Year

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Get the latest recipes, sustainable living tips, and more!

    Content straight to your inbox

    Thank you!

    Melanie Lorick Hair Half-up looking at camera

    Welcome! I'm Melanie - the founder and content creator of Inspired Epicurean. I share delicious vegan recipes (with a few flexitarian recipes from my pre-vegan days).


    Our lifestyle content is crafted to bring eco-friendly and sustainable ideas more mainstream. Learn more about what Inspired Epicurean has to offer in the about me section. Pull up a seat, friends. Cheers!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Banana Tahini Cookies (Vegan, Gluten Free)
    • 2-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
    • Air Fryer Bananas
    • Blackberry Lemon Bread (Vegan)
    Cookd Pro: A Genesis Child Theme for Food & Lifestyle Bloggers

    Footer

    Stay Connected

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit

    Copyright © 2022 Cook'd Pro on the Cook'd Pro Theme

    Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions