Pinterest FTW: Dawn/Vinegar Miracle Bathtub Cleaner

I have a problem with my bathtub. It's never clean.

My home sat vacant for 4+ years, and during those years my bathtub 

just had a mental breakdown. The last occupants left the chain to the tub

stopper on the tub so I now have a nice rust spot in the bottom of the tub.

Also...I'm pretty sure my tub is from the seventies meaning that the finish 

is just GONE (meaning it is impossible to clean properly).

So, when I stumbled across this nice little picture on pinterest, I 

was intrigued.

Now SUPPOSEDLY this miracle occurred by the simple application of

a dawn and vinegar solution, a lengthy wait, and an easy wipe down.

I didn't believe the pin.

This is the original pin:

from: life, crafts & whatever

So I waited for my tub to get filthy, it didn't take long. The hubby loves to take

long baths and so there is a perpetual ring around my tub. 

When you see the "before" picture try not to judge...or scream.

Remember! Remember! 4 year vacancy!

And I did NOT pick out the blue tile...I just wanted to throw that out there.

I followed the oh-so-simple directions:

Items Needed:

1-Spray Bottle

1/2 cup of White Vinegar

1/2 cup of BLUE Dawn Dish Soap

Everyone seems to specify the Blue dawn...I'm not sure why. 

So! You preheat the white vinegar in the microwave for two minutes

add the dawn to the hot vinegar

pour the vinegar/dawn mixture into the spray bottle 

gently shake

spray down your filthy tub and walls

**I would like to take the time to warn you that this mixture stinks...

like really...really stinks. Like you might want to go see a movie...

as in I ran (waddled) out of my bathroom just to take a breath

Seriously, the vinegar is overpowering**

Then you wait two hours. 

I came back in two hours and my tub did not look any cleaner. I will

admit...I was distraught. I did a little bit of a wipe down and I was still not

seeing this miracle of housekeeping happening. 

I had to scrub. And scrub I did! I was 39 weeks pregnant and dying to 

get this baby out of me so the scrubbing was good for me (I think).

I took the rough side of a sponge and went to TOWN on that tub.

I was going to take a shower in a clean tub that night, by god!

After a fair amount of scrubbing I started to see progress and then

I started to realize that stains I thought would never come out...started to 

come out. 

I seriously could not get a good enough picture of how much my tub sparkled.

So my verdict:

WIN!*

*My disclaimer is that this is NOT a no-scrub solution as advertised. I did have

to scrub but I will say that this dawn/vinegar combo cleaned my tub in a way

I have never seen before. Now, to be fair, this pin was saying this solution

is for soap scum and since soap scum isn't really my problem I can't really say 

how it works against shower doors, etc. 

So take it as you will, it still worked. 

-Ri

Preggers: Week 28-31

-How far along are you: 28-31 Weeks, Third Trimester (I made it!!!!)

-Total Weigh Gain:  20 lbs. 

-Fruit/Veggie of the week: Eggplant, Acorn Squash, Cucumber, PINEAPPLE!

-How are you sleeping: Sleep is out of the question. Not only can I not GET to sleep, I can't STAY asleep. There are at least two potty breaks a night combined with not being able to sleep on my back, and I feel like I have sleep apnea. It's weird because if I lay a certain way I feel like I can't breath. Plus, like I've said before, rolling over on a soft mattress while hugely pregnant is an Olympic Sport. AND I've just recently started having really bad indigestion in the middle of the night. Just one more reason to wake up. 

-Weird Dreams of the week:

     -Weird fish dreams are persisting. 

-Stretch Marks: Oddly enough, I think the stretch marks on my butt are gone. Not sure how this happened but I'm not going to complain about it! And I've been using Bio Oil religiously and there are still no stretch marks on my tummy so I am suuuuper happy about that. 

-Symptoms: The list is endless lol. 

-Fetal Movement: I'm still having a TON of movement. He still doesn't like to have anything rest on my stomach. I've also figured out that he hates the belly bands that come on maternity jeans so he kicks me when I have the bands up.  The ultrasound tech told me that he has lots of hiccups which is supposed to be good because he is working his diaphragm. 

-Food Cravings: None! It is really aggravating.

-Anything making you queasy:  Nope

-Innie or Outie: Still 100% Innie, although I think it is getting shallower.

-Emotions: The mood swings are getting serious. :) One minute I'm happy, the next, Barry has made some benign, non-threatening comment and I. am. FURIOUS. I try to reign it in and just walk into another room before I say something mean but the first few times he followed me and I had to explain to him what was happening. :)

-Missing anything: Energy, alcohol, a flat tummy. :(

-Best Moment of the Week: Getting another ultrasound done! I didn't really want to do the 3D Ultrasound...I kind of wanted to wait to see my baby when he got here but Barry wanted to see him so there ya go. :) Baby Bear had his hands in front of his face for the most part but we were able to trick him for a second, just long enough to get a picture.

-Milestones: Starting the third trimester. Thank god! I'm ready for this nonsense to be over! :) I know I should be enjoying the glow of pregnancy but I'm just not feeling that "glow". I has a fussy and that is all there is to it. :) But I know that when I'm done being pregnant...I'm going to miss it.

-Ri

21 Day Cleaning Challenge

I'm finally on maternity leave, yay!

So I've decided to FINALLY do the 21 Day Cleaning Challenge

by A Bowl Full of Lemons. I've seen this blog button on Pinterest and I've

always wanted to do it but talked myself out of it due to work - now I don't have

that excuse!

Here are how the days are going to go: (no sundays)

Day 1: Junk Drawer

Day 2: Computer Desk

Day 3:  Tupperware Cabinet

Day 4: Linen Closet

Day 5: Under the Kitchen Sink

Day 6: Dresser Drawers

Day 7: The Pantry

Day 8: The Coat Closet

Day 9: Toy Organization

Day 10: Laundry Room

Day 11: The Freezer

Day 12: Spice Cabinet

Day 13: Medicine Cabinet

Day 14: Under the Bathroom Sink

Day 15: Medicine/Vitamin Storage

Day 16: The Fridge

Day 17: The Mail

Day 18: Keepsakes

Day 19: Master Closet

Day 20: Photos

Day 21: You Pick!

Now, I fully intend on doing as many of these challenges as I can before the 

baby gets here. In general I love challenges so this will be awesome for me!

Some of these days wont really apply to me since I've already cleaned out 

some of these places (thank you flylady!) but I'll post the finished organization 

as it is today and then I'll pick some other section of the house to organize. 

Also, I think this will be the first time I've ever linked up to another blog. 

How exciting!

-Ri