Twofer Tuesday Tip

With all of this time being home, I'm surprised that my house isn't sparkling clean by now...

via GIPHY
Did anyone else assume staying at home would lead to a thorough Spring cleaning? I've definitely done a lot of tidying, but since I'm staying in place I am constantly creating new messes. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Fortunately, I have some tips on making the most of day-to-day tasks! Let's kick it off with....

Coffee! Because it gives us the kick we need to be productive! It's a good idea to occasionally clean your coffee maker for many reasons: for starters, the machine can be a breeding ground for mold and other nasties; then there are probably stray grounds and mineral build-up affecting flavor and how well your machine is working. So let's take care of it!

First: give the whole thing a nice wipe-down on the outside! Wipe down the burner, make it all shine!

Second: Get some White Vinegar. You can also buy cleaner that's made especially for your machine, but for the purpose of this two-fer you are going to need vinegar. Also, I can rest assured it's just vinegar! Fill about half the reservoir with vinegar and top it off with water. Vinegar is still very acidic, so be cautious if it's splashing around! I usually like to fill the pot with water and vinegar and then pour it in the reservoir so the solution is a little more diluted as I pour it in.

Step 3!: Hit that clean button! That's what it's there for! You aren't going to see all of the liquid stream through like a regular brew. This function is holding the cleaner in the lines and letting it work it's magic. Once you get about half of the liquid through, turn it off and hit the "Brew" button to finish the cycle.

Okay, here come's my hot tip:

We are going to use the hot vinegar to clean our drains!

Grab some baking soda and sprinkle it into some drains. For added effect, you can add a few drops of essential oil to make it smell nicer. I am using lime today for citrus freshness!

Next step!: Start a kettle/pot of water to boil on your stove. Then take that coffee pot and pour it down the drains over your baking soda.

awww yisssss

 Take that, ye limey bastard

Once your water has boiled, pour it down and flush the drains!

Sparkling coffee-maker and drains! What a treat! 

I also usually run a pot of plain water through the coffee maker once more to rinse out all of the vinegar. You can flush that water as well, OR: let it cool down and water your plants with it! Vinegar can be harsh, but it's pretty diluted by now and some species (like azaleas, rhododendron, and gardenias) like a little acidity. Guys, I gave you a three-fer. You are welcome!