Clean the Deck & Outdoor Furniture

Sweep away dirt and leaves with a broom, then spray the deck down with a hose or power washer. Fill a bucket with water and add All-Purpose Cleaner, then use a brush to spot-treat the deck. Wipe down plastic, wicker, wrought iron, aluminum, wood furniture and vinyl cushions with solution, then rinse clean.

Get the Grill Ready

Remove any food with a grill brush. Combine a 3:1 mixture of Powdered Scrub and All-Purpose Cleaner in a bucket. Use a clean, retired paintbrush to coat the grill grate. Let set for 15 minutes. Rinse clean with a hose or power sprayer.

Wash Light Fixtures, Windows & Screens

Wash window and door screens with warm water, All-Purpose Cleaner and an outdoor brush. Don’t forget to give the frames a scrub down as well. Rinse thoroughly with the garden hose and air dry. For weekly upkeep, use a hand-held vacuum or a soft brush to keep screens looking clean. Porch light-fixtures should be removed and emptied of insects, then rinsed in a bucket of warm water and All-Purpose Cleaner.

Add Outdoor Style

Freshen up the patio with waterproof doormats, area rugs and lush potted plants. Create an outdoor living space with plenty of seating and over-sized benches; add bright pillows for a punch of color. String lights to keep nighttime entertaining going after dusk. Summer centerpieces should be low and hardy–chartreuse spider mums or checkered moss make easy additions to any table.

As pictured above: Bodum FYRKAT Pinic Grill in Lime Green

As the weather turns warmer and brighter we feel the urge to do a healthy spring clean–a sometimes daunting task. To make things easier we’ve spread the chores over seven days so you can focus on one job at a time. Gather your supplies and refer to our checklist to get it all done. Before you know it your home will be as refreshed as spring itself.

Day 1 – Windows

Throw open the windows to bring in the fresh air. Use a rag to wipe out the sills and a clean cloth to dry them. Finish by polishing window hardware.

Clean your window panes inside and out with glass cleaner or dish soap in a spray bottle filled with water. Make work easier with a squeegee. Dry with newspaper to keep the glass streak free, but pick a cloudy day so you can be the judge of that.

Day 2 – Walls

Dust your home from top to bottom. Start by dusting ceiling fixtures and crown molding then thoroughly vacuum under the cushions of all the furniture. Check and clean the air vents, too. Walls and corners collect a lot of dust throughout the months. If your walls are painted dilute a small amount of All-Purpose Cleaner in water and wipe down with a rag.

Day 3 – Floors

Clean floors with All-Purpose Cleaner diluted to 1/4 cup cleaner, one gallon water. Wipe down the baseboards. Launder your area rugs and shampoo your carpets. Rent a steam cleaner from a local hardware store to get a deep clean.

Day 4 – Kitchen

Clean out the refrigerator and wipe shelves with hot soapy water. Toss any expired food and check the pantry for the same. Take unopened packaged foods to local food shelves. Dust off condenser coils with your brush attachment and gently vacuum it.

Deep clean your stove with a paste of baking soda left on overnight. Remove using a plastic scraper, then wipe down with a damp cloth. Wipe down the hood with an All-Purpose Cleaner solution and dig out the owner’s manual for instructions to clean the exhaust filter.

Day 5 – Bedroom

Refresh your beds by dusting mattresses with baking soda which will gradually draw dirt and moisture and eliminate odor. Leave the windows open while the beds are bare to air them out. Hang your blankets outside. Vacuum the mattress and box spring completely. Wash pillows and down comforters. Plump them in the dryer with a tennis ball. Maybe it’s time to treat yourself to fresh linens.

Day 6 – Bathroom

Purge your bathroom storage of expired medications, sunscreens and cosmetics. Replace or launder shower curtains. Go through your closets; toss anything that’s stained or tattered and give away anything you haven’t worn all season. Store winter clothing to make room for spring and summer goods. Donate usable and household products to charity thrift stores, sell them online or swap with friends.

Day 7 – Final Touches

Be safe and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Check your fire extinguishers. Replace the furnace filter if you haven’t done so within the past three months.

Images from clockwise top left:

Sea Salt Neroli All Purpose Cleaner, window hardware, plastic scrapers, Sferra sheets, steele hamper, baking soda, pink gloves, vacuum, mop

Our products are made to exacting standards, they are ideal for anyone concerned about the impact of conventional products on the environment—yours and everyone else’s. Or simply for anyone who prefers products without compromise in scent, performance, aesthetics, or touch.

In honor of Earth Day on April 22nd we want to share the how and why behind our commitments to health & the environment.

For you:

Our products are free of parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, ammonia, chlorine bleach, phosphates and petroleum distillates. Preservatives are used at the minimum to accomplish optimum freshness, safety and utility. Occasionally, we choose not to use a plant-derived material for efficacy, consistency and safety.

For your home:

Caldrea products care for the most sacred spaces of all: our homes and ourselves. This is where we—and our children, pets and loved ones—live and breathe. And for this reason, safety is our number one concern. Our formulas combine long-trusted essential oils with leading-edge know-how to provide an effective alternative for people concerned about the effects of conventional cleaning and body care products.

For the Earth:

We are a member of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil, The Conservation Alliance and are Leaping Bunny Certified. Intelligent, responsible raw material choices are renewable when possible, often based in olive, coconut, corn or soy ingredients. All liquid products are biodegradable and powdered scrub breaks down into non-harmful decomposition products. Our bottles contain 25% post-consumer recycled materials and are recyclable where facilities exist.

More than a decade in the making, we’re excited to announce our new line of body care products. Edited and perfected, Caldrea Aromatherapeutic Body was made to satisfy the health conscious and is crafted to suit your daily routine. Each product formula contains four unique botanicals derived from plant based ingredients. These botanical extracts are certified organic and provide deep skin benefits that restore and revive:

• Linden Flower has fragrant blooms from ornamental trees with heart shaped leaves native to North America. The extract helps soothe and protect skin while offering anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant benefits. The result is calmed, hydrated, brightened and youthful skin.
• Angelica Root is a spring blooming herb native to northern and eastern Europe  The extract provides unique hydrating capabilities and tonic properties to help brighten skin and restore beauty. It was historically used in Chinese medicine for anti-aging properties.
• Chia Seed is a member of the mint family, native to Mexico. A rediscovered super food with high levels of omega 3 fatty acids that the body cannot produce on its own. The oil hydrates to help improve skin barrier function for optimal appearance and health. Also contains tocopherols/vitamin E for anti-oxidant properties and prevents free radical damage which can prematurely age skin.
• Rice Bran is a time honored staple of fine Japanese skin care regimens. The oryzanol in rice contributes to healthy appearance and smooth skin, it is a valuable anti-oxidant together with tocopherol and tocotrienol. This multi-source cocktail of vitamins E and B helps increase elasticity of skin by maintaining hydration. Rice Bran oil is a natural collagen stimulant that helps maintain skin tone and increase skin’s elasticity in a fine, light oil that absorbs readily without feeling greasy.

Caldrea Body products provide true hydration that never feels less than clean. Each morning, emerge smooth, radiant and gloriously touchable.