Today is the final day of Cleaning Week. I have some remaining requests for topics including cleaning wood floors and composting. I'll work on writing about those topics in the coming weeks since Cleaning Week is at a close.
A simmer pot is simply a pot of spices or other good smelling items simmered on the stove to produce a pleasant smell. Below are a couple of my favorite recipes, and a couple of links to additional recipes. I almost always use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and anise and then vary the other ingredients including lemon and orange zest, vanilla extract, honey, and apples.
Suggested action steps:
Today's post is about simmer pots, to help your home smell as wonderful as it looks and feels after a thorough cleaning.
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Commentary:
Using natural and biodegradable cleaners will likely leave your home with less of a 'clean smell' than you are used to. Many people, myself included, associate the smell of materials like bleach, ammonia, and chlorine with cleanliness. Strong cleaner smells still remind me of elementary school and swirlies.
Natural cleaners often have little smell, or a less robust smell, than chemical cleaners. I've enjoyed using simmer pots when cleaning, when it's cold outside, or just for a nice surprise when Amelia returns home from work. I recommend starting the simmer pot before you start cleaning so it has time to work while you're cleaning.
-----------------
Commentary:
Using natural and biodegradable cleaners will likely leave your home with less of a 'clean smell' than you are used to. Many people, myself included, associate the smell of materials like bleach, ammonia, and chlorine with cleanliness. Strong cleaner smells still remind me of elementary school and swirlies.
Natural cleaners often have little smell, or a less robust smell, than chemical cleaners. I've enjoyed using simmer pots when cleaning, when it's cold outside, or just for a nice surprise when Amelia returns home from work. I recommend starting the simmer pot before you start cleaning so it has time to work while you're cleaning.
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| Recipe 2: Orange (zest), cinnamon, anise pods |
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| Recipe 1: Lemon (zest), cinnamon stick, cloves |
A simmer pot is simply a pot of spices or other good smelling items simmered on the stove to produce a pleasant smell. Below are a couple of my favorite recipes, and a couple of links to additional recipes. I almost always use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and anise and then vary the other ingredients including lemon and orange zest, vanilla extract, honey, and apples.
Directions:
- Fill small pot with water
- Add ingredients
- Set burner on low
- Add water as needed
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| Hardware: Small pot, zester / microplane (optional) |
Suggested action steps:
- Try one of the simmer pot recipes above (or try these or these) in place of chemical cleaners, aerosol sprays, plug-ins, or scented candles.
- Experiment with a recipe of your own
- Enjoy the fragrant smell (and humidifying effects) of using a simmer pot
Thanks for reading during Cleaning Week and if you have suggestions or questions on cleaning or other topics please let me know!
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