I'm interested to see what combination of search terms will bring people to this post. And how many will end up here hoping for something much more scandalous that they are going to find. In any case, welcome to those of you who found this post by searching "naked" or "nude." Alas, it's not really going to be that kind of blog post. It seems spring has sprung here in lovely South Carolina. The daffodils have come and gone, the bees are a abuzz and my neighbors have returned to their porches to sip sweet tea (or spiked lemonade, depending on the time of day...) If you're a nerd like me, this can only mean one thing: spring cleaning season has arrived! Here is your excuse to run to the store and stock up on buckets and gloves, sponges and spray bottles.
Before I get to the list of a few of my favorite (cleaning) things, I need to make a confession. I fully subscribe to the theory that you cannot get a tub/shower clean if you don't get in it...nude. Yep. That's right. I clean my bathroom naked. Oh the (in)humanity! I used to clean the bathroom fully clothed, but in my junkiest clothes, I found myself hesitating to really get in there to spray and scrub like a tub needs to be cleaned. I avoided product (bleach stains, hello!) and didn't want to walk around in wet clothing. So that left me with one option. Strip down and get to work.
It's actually a fairly genius system. I can scrub and spray to my heart's content. When I'm done, I just rinse off. No bleach stains. No drippy clothing. Just a sparkling clean tub - and body.
I have a standard cleaning kit I use for the bathroom. Below you shall find a few of my favorite products...
Method Flushable Tub-n-Tile Wipes
Ever feel like certain people using your toilet could use a little…coaching? Practice? Aim? Set this hardworking package of our flushable wipes nearby, and you (or, ahem, he) can wipe and flush at any moment for an instant clean. Great for clean-ups all over the bathroom — sinks, countertops, faucets and tile — and they’re always septic tank friendly. Plus they smell like eucalyptus mmmmint.
Boston Warehouse Glamour Glove Set in Pink
I have a unique set of gloves for dishes, kitchen cleaning and bathroom cleaning. Call it OCD if you must, but quirky pairs like these ensure that the gloves for the toilet bowl are never confused with the gloves for the salad bowl. And that means we'll all live to see another day.
Alessi's Merdolino Toilet Brush
With a name like "Merdolino" (which I am pretty sure roughly translates to something along the lines of "lil turd") how could you NOT love this unforgettable toilet brush work of art. Alessi's take on toilet cleaning is an interjection of style fit for any throne, and far surpasses the crappy (pardon the pun) toilet brushes of yore. Style, however, does not come cheap. This brush will set you back $55.
You are probably looking at this packaging and thinking, "Egads! Their branding doesn't look like it has changed a bit since the 1970s." I wasn't alive in the 70s, but I suspect you are right. And that is probably because it was just as awesome in 1978 as it is in 2012. Actually I just did a google search, and it turns out Barkeeper's Friend has been around since 1882. I guess that means they're doing something right. Hit up your local dollar store and stock up.
What more can be said?
Squirt & Mop Hard Floor Cleaner
Another gem from Method. I love this product because my dog has yet to learn how to put on a pair of shoes. I feel better knowing his paw pads aren't being exposed to harsh, toxic chemicals. Now if only I could figure out a way to talk him into doing the mopping....
So what's in your cleaning arsenal? Has your cleaning routine gone green? Do you have a cleaning recipe for success? Share your tips in the comment section below, or send me a photo of your recent before and after cleaning job. Spring cleaning geeks unite!