Cleaning the Bathroom Grout

Earlier in the week, I got lost in a Pinterest search and it resulted in a tip on how to clean your tile grout. Not something I was truly looking for, but it caught my attention. The "recipe" had zero chemicals, just common household products we all already own, which is something I'm incorporating into our daily life when possible.

My husband has been commenting that we needed to figure out a way to clean the grout for some time now, and I kept putting it off because I wasn't looking forward to the task. However, when cleaning the bathroom, I noticed how clean all the other aspects of my bathroom looked and the tile just looked dingy. So, I took to the floor and got to scrubbing. And let me forewarn you, this is not for the faint of heart or someone who doesn't have a lot of time on their hands. This task took me roughly four hours!

I found several different cleaning concoctions and decided to use just hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and Dawn liquid detergent. I put it all in a spray bottle, but found that the liquid was too thick for the spray nozzle, so I ended up pouring out a small amount and then spreading it out one small section at a time. That's key, folks. Work a small section at a time. I let the stuff sit on the tile for about five minutes and then started scrubbing away with a toothbrush. It didn't work as well as I had hoped, so I started goggling grout brushes and found that Libman offered one. Guess what? I purchased a Libman scrub brush for the kitchen and headed on down to the sink to grab it. I used the rough bristles along to the top of the scrub brush to continue the bathroom cleaning. Again, I didn't love how things were going, so I went a step further with my concoction.

The photo above was taken after working on the back half of my bathroom and you can see the difference from the grout on the right of the brush from the grout behind it. And it helps that a rug has been in front of the tub for years so that grout has been saved from wear and tear. I still worked on it though. 

Okay, so I mentioned earlier that the spray bottle concoction, along with the new scrub brush, weren't resulting on the gleam I was hoping for so I went a step further. I used the original cleaning liquid, but then added straight baking powder and poured straight peroxide on it all and created a thick paste. I then spread that paste onto the section I was working, focusing on keeping the paste more inside the grout, and allowing it to sit longer than the original five minutes. Done! I found the results I was looking for so I continued the process. Oh, and I failed to mention. To clean it all up, I used a sponge to wipe it all up. It did create a sudsy effect, but that's okay. It's just an extra step in the cleaning process. Warm water to rinse.

It's faint, but you can see a little bit of the foaming cleaner and how it's working.

 

 

Is it perfect, no? Is it cleaner, absolutely!! I think that continued cleaning, maybe every month or so, will help. But I love that it didn't smell of harsh chemicals. That I only had to look inside my cabinets to find the ingredients. And that I don't have to go the gym for the rest of the week because I can't lift my arm!! Seriously, my arm was throbbing by the end of the night and two Advil later it's still tender. Last tip. When using all of this cleaner, even thought it's all natural per say, use gloves!! I didn't, and as a result, my pour hands are peeling! The peroxide dried them out terribly and lotion is my best friend today!

I've found some other cleaning remedies on Pinterest that I can't wait to use. Like cleaning the inside of your oven door. How did that build up get there and how in the world am I supposed to get to it? Stay tuned!!

XO,

Andrea

Fingerprint Fun

How precious are kids fingerprints, when not on your walls, windows, or mirrors? From tiny prints to big ones, they look darling when used in kid crafts and art. Last year for Mother's Day, we made fingerprint floral magnets for the women in McKinley's life and we're extending the prints to clay pots as well!

April is just around the corner and so are a number of gift giving dates! Teacher Appreciation, Mother's and Father's Day, and Grandparent's Day later in the year! Make some of these cute things now and have them on hand when needed! And they look super cute on your own fridge or on your patio as well.

Here is what you'll need if you are making the magnets. Stamp pads for fingerprints are suggested, but I used high pigment, slow drying ink. The intense pigments allowed for a cleaner print. You also need clear glass gems, magnets, ModPodge, heavy white paper, E6000, and paint pens.

Start with your white paper and any array of ink colors.

Have your child pick their favorite colors, help press their finger into the ink, and allow them to stamp away. Make cute flowers, sweet hearts, or leave just a single print to be used for a cute surprise later!

  

Now that you have all the fingerprints you want, or as many as they will actually create, you are ready to start the magnet process. Use ModPodge from a squirt bottle versus the larger bottle you apply with a brush. It's easier to handle as you will see below.

Squirt a small about of ModPodge onto the glass gem and place over one of the fingerprints. Follow this same process for all of the magnets you are making. 

It's going to be cloudy and you won't be able to see the fingerprint. Don't worry! It's supposed to look like this. Allow to dry for 24 hours.

Ta-Da! It dried clear and you can see your darling finger prints through the gem! Do you see that cute chick, bunny, and ladybug? Simply create the cute characters using your black paint pen! Aren't they adorable! And to make your other fingerprints a little more vibrant, I added an outline to help define the fingerprint art. 

Cut out each of the gems from the larger piece of paper and then trim the paper so that nothing shows around the edges of the glass gem.

  

Using the E6000, adhere each magnet to the back of the glass gems. Again, allow to dry for several hours.

 

And there they are!! You're darling fingerprint art magnets! Perfect for any gift. Make them for any holiday too. How cute would little ornaments or snowmen be!

Come back this week to see how you can use fingerprints to doll up those clay pots for your patio or windowsill!

XO,

Andrea

Kindness Rocks

Several years ago, while on our annual trip to VA to visit family, McKinley found a rock at his feet. But this wasn't any ordinary rock, it was what we refer to as a Kindness Rock. It had a sweet little saying "Always Try", which was so fitting at that time. McKinley used to always tell us, "But we can try." So this rock was meant for him. It currently resides on his bookcase in his room.

Fast forward to earlier in the month when McKinley and I created several different kids crafts for a March segment on Better Kansas City. It's spring break in these parts, and we're all looking for kid friendly activities that help get us all off of our screens and doing something creative! McKinley and I discussed different types of projects we have worked on in the past, making a list of which ones would be better for the segment, and the Kindness Rock from VA was mentioned. And because of spring break, it was the perfect time to create a few rocks so that we can leave them at local parks around the neighborhood. Want to create your own? The read on to get a list of materials you need to complete the craft!

You need rocks, of course, so head out into this gorgeous spring weather and pick up some flat oval rocks. If you can't find any, pick some up at your local craft store. I found these at Michael's. They are smooth, flat river rocks in black. You also need acrylic paint in a variety of colors, paints pens, paint brushes, and any surface for painting. I love paper plates, but use what you have!

I painted all of the rocks white so that the acrylic paints would be vivid on the rocks. If you leave them black, that's fine, just know your paint won't be as bright in color. Paint the fronts and backs.

Paint your rocks in a variety of colors. Again, paint the front and back.

Next up, it's time to write on those rocks! We used paint pens, again found at Michael's. Pick complimentary colors, if you want, or go with whatever color speaks to you like McKinley did! No rhyme or reason for him. And let your kids get creative with their sayings. And if there are misspelled words, so what, it's the thought that counts!

Here are the completed rocks! I love them and I love that his heart is on each of these rocks! Again, he picked all the sayings, wrote them all himself, and I'm so proud of him! To finish them off, make sure you coat them with an outdoor  protectant so the paint doesn't run if they get wet. Head out to a local park and place them in friendly areas. Make sure they aren't in places that people will trip over them, but find them organically. 

If you decide to create Kindness Rocks of your own, please post all of your works of art on my This Kansas Mama Facebook page! We would love to see your inspirational sayings! Everyone needs a little kindness in their lives!

Check out the segment here for additional kid craft ideas or come back soon for more posts to come!

XO,

Andrea