THE RIGHT WAY TO VACUUM – 5 STEPS YOU MIGHT BE MISSING

It always seems to come to readers as a huge surprise that I ‘only’ vacuum once a week. I sweep daily and vacuum in between when needed, but part of the reason I only need to vacuum weekly is because the technique I use is thorough enough to get us through the week. Today I’m sharing the 5 simple steps I follow with you – maybe it will help you maximize the task of vacuuming too.

1. Use the crevice attachment (if you have one) on your vacuum cleaner first. Vacuum the edges in each room before you vacuum the carpet.

2. Vacuum horizontally in each room.

3. Vacuum vertically in each room. Yes, you are going over the carpet twice, but this technique ensures that the carpet is lifted and the dirt that may be embedded is removed. This is especially helpful if you have pets to remove pet hair and dander.

4. Vacuum from the furthest corner away from the door and vacuum your way out of the room. This will give you those beloved vacuum lines that say, ‘I just vacuumed’. (Am I the only one that loves those lines?)

5. Use a neutralizer if your carpet needs a little freshening. Here’s a recipe for my favorite homemade version or you can put a drop or two of essential oil on a cotton ball or tissue and put it in your vacuum canister or bag to freshen the air while your vacuum is running.

DIY HOMEMADE CLEANERS: CARPET FRESHENER

Making your own cleaners can be fun and economical. This series is all about must-have ingredients, recipes {free printable}, labels {free printable}, and how to make homemade cleaners. The carpet freshener recipe that I’m sharing with you today is my favorite homemade cleaning recipe because it’s so easy and because it has a few uses besides carpet freshening.

Carpet Freshener

2 cups baking soda

10-20 drops essential oil

container with a shaker top

Mix, put in container with a shaker top. Sprinkle on carpet and let sit for 15 minutes to absorb odors and vacuum up.