Soup casualty

I made the potato soup on my list of options for dinner which was a GREAT decision - it's delicious!  The not so great decision was deciding to heat it up in the microwave uncovered.  The microwave suffered casualties.

There was soup was already a dried on mess and was EVERYWHERE.

To the point I didn't want to heat anything else up in the microwave it was that bad.  So I combined some water with some lemon juice (the reason the water looks a little off), set the microwave to 4 minutes and let the steam do the work. You need a decent amount of water in the bowl so that all of the water doesn't evaporate and cause more problems, but not so much you are running your microwave forever to get it warmed up.

When the time is up, the microwave is a steamy lemony smelling mess, which is EXACTLY what you want!  I used a Magic Eraser while wearing gloves (because the lemon-water mixture is HOT) and dipped the Magic Eraser in the hot water prior to wiping down the side of the microwave.

I started with the door, then the ceiling, then the back of the microwave before the effects of the steam had worn off.  So I added some cool water to the bowl and restarted the microwave for another couple of minutes, then attacked the sides.  I washed the tray in the sink and finally cleaned up the floor of the microwave.

Total time? About ten minutes.

Outcome? I can use my microwave again!

What tricks do you use to clean your microwave?

Quick Tip: Timed Cleaning Motivation

Lacking the motivation to clean?  Aren't we all.

Try this Quick Tip: Set the timer for 10 minutes and do a rapid fire cleaning.

Some suggestions?

• Pick up anything you see out of place - blankets, coats, shoes, toys, papers, etc
• Do a quick dusting of the living room or bedroom
• Wipe up the mirror and the sink in the bathroom
• Give the windows in the main area of your house a quick spray of Windex
• Sort through the mail and file appropriately
• Make the bed - one of the easiest ways to make a bedroom look clean and organized!  Sorry Mom, I'm still awful at making my bed.
• Clean out expired food from the fridge or pantry
• Take out the trash from the kitchen and the bathrooms

Once the ten minutes is up, many of us will feel motivated to keep moving and tackle the next area! The hard part for me is ACTUALLY getting started, but once I get going, I feel more motivated and more focused on the task at hand. This is especially true for me when it comes to working out, cleaning, and studying.

You can set the timer in the kitchen, on your phone, or even online (I like the above website)!  Don't want to set a timer?  You can use other "non-timers" such as cleaning for two or three songs on Pandora or during the commercials of your favorite TV show! 

Truth be told, most times I just look at the clock and give myself ten minutes because the timer going off will inevitably set the dogs barking off, but I don't even notice when my ten minutes are up because I'm off cleaning another room or tackling the next item on my To-Do list!

If you are still lacking motivation after your set time period, at least you did something! 

I have found using the Ten Minute Motivation to be extremely helpful in getting me moving - what do you find motivating?

Quick Tip: Canvas Stenciling

Wall art can be expensive if you want to fill a large area.  Improvise by buying a large canvas (frequently on sale at Hobby Lobby or Michael's), a stencil, and a can of spray paint!

I bought this stencil (also from Hobby Lobby with a 40% off coupon) and used a can of gray spray paint I already had.  

Helpful tip: Use spray adhesive on the back of the stencil so it doesn't move on you. It won't adhere permanently or ruin the canvas if you press down lightly once, remove the stencil, then place down again.  I actually used the same "spray" for several passes with the stencil, so mildly "tacky" is plenty for the purpose of this project! 

I love working with canvases.  They are easily repainted or you can cover them up with fabric, or there are plenty of canvas inspirations on Pinterest! One of the ideas I've seen on several Pinterest boards uses puffy paint or glue to write a quote or personalized message.  The entire canvas is then spray painted one color.  I have seen similar tutorials with stickers to make unique subway art!

Have you ever spray painted a canvas?  What other ideas have you seen or done?   

Quick Tips: Vinegar and Laundry

 Adding Vinegar to the Wash  Cycle

It may seem counterintuitive, but adding a splash of vinegar to your wash cycle can remove the "oops I forgot I was doing laundry" smell from those clothes that sat too long in the washing machine.  

I have been guilty of this a few times, and tried the vinegar method after seeing it on Pinterest.  I literally added between 1/4 and 1/3 cup of vinegar (I eyeballed it) to my wash cycle in addition to my normal laundry detergent. I can attest - the clothes come out smelling CLEAN!  Absolutely no smell of mildew OR vinegar!