Give Your Lawn a Spring Spruce!

It was Opening Day last week for all your favorite Major League baseball teams! But how’s the turf at your home field looking? If your lawn is in desperate need of a spring cleaning, take some time between innings this weekend to get out there and give it a spruce: 

1. Rake up the remains of last fall’s leaves and grass clippings.
2. Overseed your lawn to repair any damaged areas.
3. Follow with our sensational Spot Seed Tonic: Combine 1 cup of beer, 1 cup of baby shampoo, and 4 tablespoons of instant tea granules in a 20 Gallon Hose-End Sprayer, and lightly apply the mixture to the mulch covering your newly seeded areas.
4. Remove thatch from cool-season lawns. Then spread screened compost over the dethatched turf.
5. Follow the compost with a dose of our Kick-in-the-Grass Tonic: Mix 1 can of beer; ½ cup of Epsom salts; and 1 cup each of antiseptic mouthwash, dishwashing liquid, and ammonia in a large bucket. Pour the solution into a 20 Gallon Hose-End Sprayer, and apply the tonic to the point of run-off. After 2 weeks, administer another dose.
6. Sharpen your mower blade, or replace it with a new one, so you’ll be all set for the first cut of the season.

For more ways to grow, repair, and maintain the best lawn in the league, check out our bestselling book, All-American Lawns. You can even try it out FREE for a full 21 days with our Free Preview!

Spring Shed Cleaning

It’s official—spring has sprung! That means it’s also time for the annual rite of spring cleaning. So make a plan to get organized this weekend. And since gardening season is upon us, why not start outside with your shed?

Begin by sorting through all of the stuff you’ve accumulated. Then decide what items should stay, keeping in mind that your shed should be home to tools and equipment you use for the lawn and garden. Relocate any items that don’t fit into that category.

The last step in your de-cluttering mission is to store everything so it’s easy to find and is protected from dirt, dampness, and pests. But before you rush out to buy storage supplies, check out the list below. There are plenty of items you probably already own that you can repurpose to keep your shed organized. Consider these possibilities:

• Plastic sweater and shoe boxes—keep seed packets and gardening gloves clean and dry.
• A magnetic knife rack—perfect for holding trowels, hand rakes, dibbles, and other small metallic tools on a shed wall.
• Standing file holders—great for storing seed catalogs and garden magazines close at hand.
• A hanging shoe organizer—fill the pouches with twist ties, balls of twine, spray bottles, and other small stuff that can quickly turn into a cluttered mess.
• Ziplock plastic bags—stash seed packets, plant labels, and planting instructions in ‘em, then hang them with a binder clip on nails.

For more super secrets to clean up and declutter your whole house, check out our bestselling book, Can the Clutter! You can even try it FREE for a full 21 days with our Free Preview.

Suffering from Stuffy, Stale Smells?

Now’s the time to clear the air inside of your home after it’s been closed up all winter long. But if you use store-bought air-fresheners, all you’re doing is filling your home with chemicals. They also interfere with your sense of smell. Fortunately, there are many terrific natural alternatives to use instead:

Act with vim and vinegar. Just pour a little white vinegar into bowls, and set them around the problem areas. The acidic liquid will banish the unwanted smells pronto.

Burn your troubles away. Throw slices of dried citrus peel (your choice of flavors) into the fireplace. Your whole house will be filled with a wonderful fragrance.

Light a candle. Better yet, light several! But don’t bother with the fancy, scented kind. Like spray air-fresheners, they’ll add odor-masking chemicals to the air. On the other hand, a pure candle flame will simply burn away foul-smelling gases (even the ones that occur in bathrooms every now and then).

“Adopt” some houseplants. The more of them you have around your house, the cleaner and fresher your air will be. That’s because green plants naturally absorb and neutralize air pollutants. What’s more, they do an especially good job in small, enclosed rooms, where the air quality is usually the worst. Any kind of plant can perform this feat, but according to NASA scientists (who certainly know about tight spaces), the air-cleaning superstars are: aloe vera, chrysanthemums, English Ivy, fig trees, and spider plants.

Get Started on Spring Chores

Spring is here, and it's time to get a jump start on chores. First things first, take care of these two top tasks. And if you're suffering from the seasonal sniffles, I've got an easy fix you can whip up quick!

First Lawn Feeding

Give your lawn its first “official” feeding of the season by mixing 3 lbs. of Epsom salts per bag of natural dry lawn food. Apply the mixture at half of the recommended rate, and then wash it down with this Lawn Snack Tonic: 1 can of beer and 1 cup of dishwashing liquid mixed in a 20 gallon hose-end sprayer, filling the balance of the sprayer jar with ammonia. Apply it to your lawn to the point of run-off to really get it off on the right root this spring.

Wash Your Windows

It’s also time for another spring chore—window cleaning. But rather than buy a pricey store-bought cleaner, whip up your own by mixing equal parts of ammonia and rubbing alcohol in a hand-held sprayer bottle. Just spritz it on the window, and wipe with a clean cloth to reveal a clear, streak-free window.

Got the sniffles?

If you've got spring allergies, you may have the ol’ stuffy nose to contend with. Now, don’t bother using medicines when there’s a safe, natural alternative. Instead of downing a decongestant, simply slice an onion in half, hold the cut side up under your nose, and take a big whiff. Your sinuses will be clear in no time flat! 

Officially Spring!

It’s officially spring, and you know what that means—time for spring cleaning! Mix up a batch of All-Purpose Cleaner with 2 cups of rubbing alcohol, 1 tbsp. of ammonia, 1 tbsp. of dishwashing liquid, and 2 quarts of water combined in a bucket. Then, pour the cleaner into a hand-held sprayer bottle. This concoction is perfect to clean the living room windows, kitchen counters, bathroom tile, and just about any other hard surface!

Make sure to also spend some time cleaning up your yard. Run any leaves, tree branches, and other compostable materials through a shredder, and use it to start a new compost pile. Then douse the pile with this Compost Feeder Tonic: 1/2 can of beer, 1/2 can of cola, and 1/2 cup of dishwashing liquid mixed in a 20 gallon hose-end sprayer. Give the pile a good dose of this tonic once a month, and it’ll turn into black, crumbly, nutrient-rich compost before you know it!

If all that work leaves you with an achin’ back, use a Homemade Ice Pack! It’s so easy to make – simply mix 1 part rubbing alcohol with 2 parts water, and pour into a heavy-duty zip-top plastic freezer bag. Squeeze all the air out, seal the bag up, and tuck it away in the freezer. Because alcohol doesn’t freeze, the contents will be slushy rather than rock hard—and all the more comfortable on your achin’ body. And when you’re sore-no-more, just pop it back in the freezer for next time.

Outdoor Chores

Hi there, folks!

Hopefully, you’re all enjoying any warm spring weather you’ve been having lately. If so, then you should take full advantage of the mild temperatures to get some much-needed outdoor chores done.

For starters, if your deck is looking really dirty, it’s time to clean it up! But rather than buying an expensive cleaner, just give it a good scrubbing with this homemade Deck and Porch Cleaner: 1 qt. of household bleach, ½ cup of powdered laundry detergent, and 2 gallons of hot water mixed in a bucket. Use a stiff broom or brush to scrub this solution into your deck. Then hose down the surface thoroughly, and enjoy the squeaky-clean shine.

Next, it’s time to get your lawn up off its “grass” for another growing season. So treat it to a dose of this Spring Wake-Up Tonic: 50 lbs. of pelletized gypsum, 50 lbs. of pelletized lime, 5 lbs. of bonemeal, and 2 lbs. of Epsom salts mixed in a wheelbarrow. Apply this mix with a broadcast spreader no more than 2 weeks before your first official lawn feeding. Your spring lawn will be up and at ‘em in no time!

Unfortunately, springtime chores in the great outdoors usually bring allergy symptoms right along with them. To clear your sinuses in a hurry, whip up this steamy soother: 1 tablespoon each of rosemary and eucalyptus mixed into 1 cup of boiling water. Place a towel over your head to make a tent, and sniff the fumes for 5 minutes to achieve blessed relief.

Then get out there, and kick some grass!

Spring cleaning starts NOW with 4 fantastic tonics!

It’s time to turn your thoughts to the annual scrub-down of your home, otherwise known as spring cleaning. Here’s a room-by-room rundown of family-friendly DIY formulas to help you get the job done efficiently:

In the Kitchen:

If your cozy cabinets are looking a little too “lived in,” perk ’em up with this deodorizing Cupboard Cleanup Formula: 

• Mix 1 cup of ammonia, 1 cup of white vinegar, ⅓ cup of baking soda, and 1 gallon of water in a bucket, then use a sturdy sponge to wash your cupboards — inside and out.
• Rinse your sponge with clear water between swipes, so the stuff in your bucket stays potent.

In the Bathroom:

You don’t need a different cleaner for every surface in your bathroom — all you need is this Easy All-Surface Cleaning Elixir:

• Combine 2 cups of rubbing alcohol, 1 tablespoon of ammonia, 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid, and 2 quarts of water in a handheld sprayer bottle, and go to town.

Family Room and Bedrooms:

It’s easy to forget that baseboards need to be spruced up along with everything else. Vacuum them with a hose attachment, then wipe them down with this Baseboard Bonanza:

• Measure a tablespoon of cornstarch into a handheld sprayer bottle, then carefully add 2 cups of boiling water and stir until the cornstarch has dissolved.
• Add ⅓ cup of white vinegar and stir.
• Now take aim and fire the spray on baseboards, wiping them clean with a soft cloth or damp sponge.

Floors:

Perk up your carpet’s high-traffic zones with a batch of this Can-Do Carpet Shampoo (you may never buy a bottle of the brand-name stuff again):

• Mix ½ cup of powdered laundry detergent, 1 teaspoon of ammonia, and 4 cups of warm water in a bucket, stirring vigorously until you get a thick froth. 
• Dampen a large sponge with the froth only, and rub the entire carpet lightly. You’ll have to stir the solution frequently to keep the froth from settling. 
• When the carpet has been cleaned, let it dry, then vacuum accordingly.

 

Spring Cleaning Tips for Canning Bathroom Clutter!

Are you ready to tackle this year’s spring cleaning? Why not start in your bathroom? It’s a small area, so you’ll finish in a snap. Plus, it’s a room you spend a lot of time in, and seeing it spiffed up and organized will motivate you to take on a more daunting area, like (yikes!) the basement.

The first step is to sort your stuff. Figure out what to keep and what to toss. Next, analyze your available space, then organize the keepers in such a way that clutter-free living becomes a no-brainer. The final step is to store everything so that it’s out of the way when you’re not using them and easy to grab when you need them.

Make sure you don’t hang on to any toiletries that you haven’t used in several months, even if they’re still fresh. After all, if they’ve just sat around all that time, they can’t be very important to you. But don’t toss ‘em—give them new careers in other parts of your house or around the yard. Consider these nifty examples:

1.   Aerosol hair spray. It kills flying insects on contact—indoors or out. It’s also perfect for keeping wooden tool handles smooth and splinter-free. (Just spray a thin coat onto the wood, and let it dry.)

2.   Antiseptic mouthwash. Maybe you don’t care for the taste of the stuff, but cut flowers love it! To make their glorious show last longer, simply add ½ teaspoon of the tangy germ fighter to each quart of water in the vase.

3.   Hair conditioner. This stuff is one of the best lubricants you can find. It can keep drawers, windows, and sliding doors from sticking; make refrigerator racks glide smoothly; or silence squeaky hinges and screeching faucets.

4.   Perfumed bath powders and soaps. These are classic deer-chasing weapons. Just put the powder or soap into pouches made from old panty hose feet, and hang them from the branches of trees and shrubs that the deer are gunnin’ for.

For more terrific tips and tricks for clearing out clutter in every room in your house, check out my Can the Clutter! Book—FREE for 21 days! It’s filled with step-by-step S.O.S. secrets that’ll help you dig in and dig out.