Hi there! Welcome to Lemons, Lavender & Laundry.
Don’t Be Fooled
My house is not always clean. As you begin to browse around, you’ll notice a lot of my “before” pictures show an embarrassing amount of dust and grime. I am not going to pretend like I have every dust bunny under control… I most certainly do not. However, I have figured out how to clean a whole lot of stuff that many don’t even think about: shower heads and washing machine filters and refrigerator coils. The best part is, you can clean almost anything with a few simple items in your pantry.
It All Started In the Bathroom…
Back in 2015, I was cleaning my kids’ bathroom and had to walk out because I was choking on the fumes from the cleaner I was using. I remember thinking, “This cannot be good for me.” It was at that moment I decided I was going to start making my own cleaning products. Whenever something ran out, I would try making my own version.
Over the years, I have gathered all my best cleaning hacks and recipes to share with you here.
Ready to Make Vinegar & Baking Soda Your New Best Friends?
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Elizabeth Altringer says
Hi Erin. We have a fiberglass tub. It’s worn and impossible to get clean. Any suggestions?
Erin says
For shower and tub cleaner, I typically combine one part vinegar with one part Dawn dish soap and add it to one of those “wands” with the sponge at the end. If that doesn’t seem to be enough, the best thing I’ve tried for soap scum/stains is a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Hope that helps!
Linda Livers says
Hi!
I learned a lot from your time with Jason yesterday.
We have iron in our water and it stains the sinks and toilets.
Please advise, Linda
Judy Hazel says
Hello Erin,
I just discovered your blog this morning. I am going to love your blog for organizational ideas and I’m looking for how to turn my yellow shower to white again!. Also, I just want to say I worked for Head Start for 17 years and found MH practitioners invaluable. If you ever decide to enter that field again, there is plenty of room for you!!!
Jan Schmidt says
I love your blog. I can’t wait to try your new liquid DIY Laundry Soap. I thought at one time you had an Amazon list of your favorite things. I am looking for four sack towels and thought I saw these on your list. I f that’s try can you point me to your Amazon list??
Erin says
Hi Jan- I know exactly what you’re talking about. Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/shop/lemonslavenderlaundry
Judith Causey says
Very interesting, creative & useful. We lived in Wickenburg, loved our house, but the DUST – nothing ever stayed clean. Now we are “back East” in NC.; 40 yrs of psych nursing & just retired from UNC.
Keep good info coming. Am learning to “housekeep” in small steps. Btwn Pinterest & Hometalk, I’m in information overload. Your blog gives good, useable info for me. Thanks
Erin says
Glad to hear you’re finding some usable information on this blog. That’s always my hope. Have a wonderful day!
Joan says
Erin, you are my new bff! I really and desperately need $100 room decorating. Do you know how to cover red or navy wall paint with any light color paint? I think it will exceed my budget, but the free paint suggestion will help greatly!
Thanks for your blog..
Erin says
Thanks for putting a smile on my face 🙂 When covering really dark paint, there are two options that I know of; one is to get a tinted primer, and the other is to get a paint that has a primer in it. So, let’s say you want to paint your navy wall, light gray. Get a gray tinted primer, apply it to the walls, and then paint with whatever paint you got. If you get the paint and primer in one, you will still probably need a couple coats, but that would be the other option. I’m certainly far from a paint expert, so you could always talk to the paint department at your local store and ask them for ideas as well. paint from the recycle center is AWESOME! I have gone a few times where there are just no colors that I like, and other times it’s a gold mine of amazing paint colors, so it’s definitely hit or miss, but I’m willing to wait for the right color to come along, unless I’m on a deadline.
Michele says
Another great place to find paint is at Home Depot where they sell “oops” paint ( that customers/contractors have returned) for $9 a gallon, & $2 a quart. The paint colors change everyday. Sometimes you can even find 2 gallons of a color that you love. If the tints are slightly different, you can just mix them together. I have found very expensive premium niche paint many many times. They also have those 5 gallon barrels if you’re doing a big job.
Carrie Berg says
Love your blog! You sound alot like me (and my husband and my kids). My blog is new this year and was started as a way to keep my recipes organized. It has become a blend of life, food and travel. Keep up the good work!!
Erin says
Thank you so much Carrie! I think a lot of people start with one area of blogging and either narrow down their content to one specific thing, or end up expanding their content. I’ll have to stop over and check out your blog. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I love talking blogging with people…
Enjoy your day!
Erin says
Oh Mary-Thank you so much! It has been a blast so far! I’m not very computer savvy, so it probably takes me 5x as long as the average person to figure out what I’m doing, but I’ve learned SO much already, and I keep learning more each day.
Nancy says
Very helpful information. I have hard water too.
Mary Rekow-Braun says
Erin- this is fabulous!! Love your website & can’t wait for your many organizational ideas! You go girl!!!
Mary RB