By Maude Carmel
Finally, the month of March! The sun illuminates your living room later and later in the evening, announcing the return of nice days ahead . . . and highlighting, at the same time, the dust on your floor!
Yup, it’s time for some spring cleaning!
For years, my go-to when it comes to cleaning the house from top to bottom has been Pure, a small eco-responsible company located in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region. Their scouring cream with almond blossom may smell like heaven, but it deep-cleans the bath and kitchen sink like nobody’s business! Their multi-surface cleaner is also a must for my family, as it’s perfect for cleaning both our cabinet doors and the dirty patio door, where the dog loves to put his paws! When it comes to laundry, I have a soft spot for their almond blossom detergent, which is hyper-concentrated. It comes in a big container that I buy from Rachelle Béry, and I have enough for months at a time!
For washing dishes, I swear by Flonette’s Cake Vaisselle (dish cake), a zero-waste product that lasts for a very long time, also available at Rachelle Béry. So what exactly is dish cake? It’s a solid bar of soap that you keep next to your sink. You simply rub a sponge on it when it’s time to do the dishes, and you’ll have enough product on the sponge to wash a whole pot and 2 or 3 plates! You’ll see, it foams like crazy!
What I really love at Rachelle Béry is the wall of bulk soaps! It can be found in all grocery stores and even in some of the health spaces. I bring my own containers and choose the amount of each household product I need: less trash and no unnecessary waste! The soaps are all biodegradable and made in Quebec, two essential aspects when choosing household products.
When it comes to homemade recipes and simple ingredients, the main item I use during a big cleaning session is baking soda. Particularly versatile, I like it for its abrasive quality. Mixed with water and a few drops of essential oil (mint, sweet orange, or lavender), I make a paste that I use to get rid of old stains that have been lying around for some time on the oven or to clean the shower from top to bottom! Not to mention its scrubbing superpower, perfect for cleaning your oven bottom and removing stains from clothes! A must when you have a baby who eats with their hands! Plus, it’s economical!
There’s also white vinegar, excellent for making mirrors shine. Simply put a few drops on a microfiber cloth if you want to get rid of children’s fingerprints on the bathroom mirror!
Finally, a simple product that I cannot do without is sodium percarbonate. It’s an excellent stain remover, and I use it to keep my baby’s washable diapers white and clean. Half a cup in each load with a little Pure soap, and they come out looking immaculate!
