refresh Archives - One Delightful Life

Call me thrifty. I love to repurpose stuff. I save money and get to use something “new.”

If you’re like me, you appreciate finding new purposes for old household items. It comes as no surprise that I would think, “hmmm, how can someone re-use orange peels?” and then create 5 Ways to Use Leftover Orange Peels to Improve Your Home post just for you. Random? Maybe. Awesome? Definitely. Most people just discard the peel, which is a waste literally and figuratively.

AS A ROOM FRESHENER. Fill a small pot with water. Add orange peels, a cinnamon stick, and sliced apples to this stovetop potpourri (simmer on low) and your home is smelling phenomenal in no time. If you prefer the smell in cinnamon in fall and it’s July, add orange peels to a essential oil diffuser with a spring scent.
Just don’t forget to turn off the stove before you leave the house or go to bed!
USE THE ORANGE ESSENCE AS PART OF A CLEANING SOLUTION. Add the peels of 2-3 large oranges to a mason jar. Fill half way with white distilled vinegar. Secure lid and store in a dark place (like your pantry or cabinet) for at least two weeks. Strain the orange-infused vinegar and pour using a funnel into an empty spray bottle. Top off with water and you’re good to go! Spray countertops or the inside of the sink to clean it and add a pleasant orange smell.
REFRESH YOUR GARBAGE DISPOSAL. Use the old orange peels that you strained from the cleaning solution you made and put them down the drain. Run the disposal. Ahhhh the sweet smell of orange!
INFUSE VODKA. Add orange peels to a vodka bottle in your liquor cabinet, secure lid, and store unopened for a a few days to a week. It’s martini time. Yes, that improves your home! You deserve a martini after all that house cleaning, right? I like Chef Jamie Oliver’s how-to recipe post for Homemade Citrus-Infused Vodka.
STORE IN YOUR BROWN SUGAR. Don’t you hate it when your nearly full bag of brown sugar becomes rock hard because it wasn’t an airtight seal? Adding orange peels to your brown sugar will keep it soft and add a subtle orange flavor. You only need one or two peels for a bag of brown sugar.

You’ll never be able to toss an orange peel in the trash again! You’ve got the tools to make your house a citrus-happy home. Now, orange you glad?

Nothing gives me more pleasure then a clean home especially when I return from a summer vacation. Have you ever come home with a suitcase of dirty laundry after a family trip only to feel overwhelmed by a household mess?

Cleaning isn’t always fun and often drops to the bottom of your to-do list. (I confess that I enjoy cleaning thanks to growing up with a mom who was a professional residential housekeeper. I spent my summers cleaning houses and weekends at office buildings.)

Use this Ultimate Summer Housecleaning Checklist to return your home to a spic-and-span space where you’re proud host family and friends. Simply print this post and check off each item as you complete it. Maybe you don’t tackle all thirty-five items, but set your goal and seize the day!

Pull out your cars from the garage and pitch broken, aged, and unused items. Don’t forget to sweep or run the Shop-Vac over the garage floors. Organize!
Go through those boxes in the unfinished portion of your basement. Haven’t touched it in over a year? Pitch or donate it.
Recycle. Some animal shelters even collect cans and the money they raise goes directly to helping puppies and kittens.
Clean the inside of your oven. Line the bottom (under the coil) with foil to catch future food drips.
Scrub the inside of your microwave. Don’t forget the inside top area.
Use the solution in #2 and a sponge to refresh the inside of your dishwasher.
Shop-Vac your dryer’s lint trap. Prevent a possible house fire by keeping it clean.
Do the laundry but also include bed linens, bathroom rugs, and guest bath towels.
Wash your dog. It’s probably been awhile and your pup deserves a spa day, too.
Deep clean the inside of your washing machine by scrubbing that dirty agitator. Make a solution of baking soda, white vinegar, dish washing soap with hot water to use with a heavy-duty non-scratch sponge. Then run a small load rinse cycle.
Use glass cleaner to shine your windows inside and out. Vacuum the windowsills afterward.
Attack those closets and donate or toss any out-of-date clothes and accessories.
Open every bedroom drawer and get rid of shrunken shirts, old sweaters, and/or faded clothing.
Go through your purse collection and empty any contents. If possible, turn the bag inside out to remove any little trash.
Sit down at your desk with a recycling bin or paper shredder nearby and pitch any old bill statements.
Buy few dollar store bins and organize your bathroom vanity contents so you don’t waste time looking for items each morning.
Wash the pet bed.
Use a broom and run it around the wall corners of each room to catch any cobwebs.
Use a dry cloth to clean ceiling lights and fans. Make sure to cover your bed with an old bed sheet before you clean that dusty fan.
Run a moist cloth over dirty vents.
Clean dead bugs from overhead light fixtures. Replace any dead light bulbs.
Dust all furniture. Don’t neglect your furniture’s legs.
Run your dust cloth over the items sitting on tables, ledges, and countertops.
Don’t forget to use a cloth or handheld duster to clean up those window blinds.
Run the vacuum. Move the furniture first.
Trash old condiments bottles from the refrigerator, remove remaining contents, and clean the inside with soapy water and a sponge.
Run a wet cloth over inside kitchen cabinets shelves. Face your spice cabinets showing the labels out. Organize them by type.
Scrub any cutting boards with coarse salt, a halved lemon, and rinse it with hot water.
Deep clean the bathroom. Run a wet cloth over vanity items, which often get overlooked but they get dusty too.
Empty the trash around the house and place a new dryer sheet and an extra bag in the bottom of each can before re-lining it.
Head outside and grab the hose to spray down the front porch steps or deck. Careful to not remove deck stain with too much water pressure.
Spray for wasps or hornets and remove their nests from eaves or under the deck.
Use a degreaser spray to clean the outside of your barbecue grill.
Clean and refill any bird feeders.
Wash and refill any pet feeders.

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