Cleaning a Mattress

Name: Cleaning a Mattress

Time: <15 min

Money: $

Project Planner: Kristin

Well, we are finally starting to decorate our master bedroom and I am so excited!  We started by purchasing new bed linens and so I decided to freshen up the mattress before putting on the new sheets.  I've seen this idea all over Pinterest so I'm not going to cite a specific project.  

I started by stripping all the old linens off of the bed.  Like so.  

I grabbed a box of baking soda and added in some grapefruit essential oil.  Smelled delicious!  I sprinkled it all over the mattress and let it sit for 10 minutes.  

I then pulled out the vacuum and discovered this handy extension tool.

It worked awesome and sucked up all the baking soda like a pro.  I can't really tell if this technique "worked" because our mattress did not have a smell or anything beforehand, but- in my head- it feels cleaner!  

I put the new linens back on the bed and we are continuing on with decorating our bedroom.

Did you notice that the wall color changed?  We painted it the same day as this project so I snapped a picture of the linens with their matching grey rather than the old tan walls.  Also, don't pay attention to the boxes (yes, boxes!) that we are using for a nightstand right now.  Just taking the time to find the perfect tables!  

Hope this inspires you to try out the project!  It was fun and easy!

Have a great day!

Kristin

Homemade Air Freshener

Name:  Homemade Air Freshener
Time: < 5 minutes
Cost: $
Planner: Kristin

It's Wednesday!  Are you ready to tackle a project?  How about a homemade air freshener?  I found my inspiration from the following Pinterest project originally posted by The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking.

I decided to do this project on a complete whim when I realized that I had everything needed lying around the house.  The first step is to gather the following items: a mason jar, fresh baking soda, essential oil, a nail, and a hammer.

I was nervous about punching the nail into the lid, but it was surprisingly easy.  The best way to do this is to leave the lid screwed onto the jar when you nail it.  

The next step was to pour the baking soda and grapefruit essential oil (my favorite!) into the jar.  I didn't use exact measurements and instead just dumped them both in and then stirred the mixture with a spoon.  I probably poured in 7-10 drops of the essential oil.  It smelled delicious!  For fun, I added a ribbon.

 

I had two mason jars so I made another one and placed it in the basket behind the garbage.  The below picture is a bit dark but the jar is next to our extra trash bags.

I'm so glad that I finally tried this project because it was so easy!  If it works {I'll report back!}, it'll be so simple to throw out the old baking soda every month and add in a new mixture.  I also like the idea of not using store bought air fresheners with all their chemicals.  

I hope you give it a try!  Have fun and let us know how/if you put your own spin on the project!  

Update (04/17/13): This air freshener worked... for like three days!  I can't smell it anymore when I walk into the bathroom or open the garbage cabinet but my hope is that they are still sucking in smells.