The cooler than expected days of last week kind of kicked our feathers a bit, but we had our taste of spring and we are going to keep it! Almost everything is showing its greens and the flowers with their spring colors are peaking. A wise person always keeps a few of the past season’s clothing handy when the seasonal setbacks act up.

Spring cleaning is getting to be a very popular word being tossed around this time of year. I have never been a firm believer in that but I think it is an excellent idea. It’s just that I have a hard time responding to it. But guess what! I can give advice! Maybe even a little of my own advice will stay with me and be used.

First of all, an important message of making your own cleaners at home. NEVER combine ammonia based cleaners with chlorine bleach such as dishwasher powder. You do not want a deadly chemical reaction going on when you think you are doing a good thing. Read directions, double check labels and then label the products you create so you know what you have on hand.

Lemons have so many uses, there are books written about them. Most of us know that they are a must for lemonade and fish. One use you may not know of is cleaning your cutting boards. Sprinkle coarse salt on your damp cutting board and then rub with a half lemon, cut side down, over the surface. Let sit for 15 minutes, rinse and wipe with a clean towel. Let it dry before storing away.

Regular and Diet Coke are common beverages for drinking but you can also do a nasty cleaning job with a can of Coke. Remove most of the water in your toilet. Open a can of Coke and try to splash it all around the interior. (Some people put it in a spray bottle). Let it sit for at least an hour; overnight is better. Flush away the Coke mix and if not perfectly clean, give a light brushing. The carbonic and phosphoric acids do the cleaning. I WILL NOT go into what it may do to our own bodies.

Keep those sinks shining like new with this easy cleaner you can make and keep in a spray bottle. RECIPE: 1 cup Dr. Bonner’s Castile Soap, 3 and 1/3 cups baking soda, 1 cup of water and ¼ cup of vinegar. Whisk together the soap and baking soda. Add the water and vinegar and whisk to combine well. Store in a spray bottle and label.

Oven cleaner! Now that leads to lots of bad memories of smells, scrubbing and scraping! Start with making a paste of ½ cup baking soda and 2-3 Tablespoons of water. Remove any big, loose pieces of “stuff” from the oven. Apply the paste to areas to be cleaned are well covered. Let sit overnight. Use a cloth dipped in warm water to wipe off. Might need a little scraping and/ or re-coating for a second time around if really caked on “stuff”.

Natural Marble Cleaner can easily be made at home and you don’t need to tap into your 401k. Mix 2 drops of mild dish washing liquid and 2 cups warm water. Sponge over marble and then rinse completely to remove any soap mixture. Buff with a soft cloth DO NOT LET AIR DRY. Never use vinegar, lemon or any other acidic cleaners on marble or granite surface; it will eat into the stone.

Cleaning Windows: Not on a hot sunny day. (As far as windows go I think every day is that)! In a spray bottle combine 2 cups water, ½ cup white vinegar, ¼ cup of 70% rubbing alcohol, 2 drops of orange essential oil if desired. To do mirrors, apply the mixture to a soft cloth and then wipe it onto the mirror. Use another soft cloth to wipe it down. I will re-read this 10 times to see if it kicks in any window cleaning hormones. Thanks to Marilyn for help in ideas for the article. Her cleaning hormones are active!