How to Clean Your Love Nest

Use the February Cleaning Checklist to clean your love nest!

It is hard to focus on your spouse when you are having a date night in and the house is messy.

Love is in the air this month, and we have more cleaning and decluttering to get to! While we are going to touch base all around the house we are going to head into the bedrooms and give some special attention there. We don’t have to wait until spring to get our homes in order or ready for a hot date night!

Tips for Cleaning the Master Bedroom

Let’s start with the master bedroom because nothing kills that loving feeling better than a pile of laundry sitting on top of your bed!

Dust lampshades and bases in bedroom- Wipe down wooden bases with wood cleaner, polish up glass or porcelain with window cleaner. Be sure shades are dust-free, some can be wiped down with a slightly damp cloth.

Clean out bedside table drawers, return items to proper homes– This is one of those areas in our home that odd items end up when we are tidying up in a hurry, this is a great time to put everything back to order. Toss scrap paper, return paperbacks to their shelves, and return other odds and ends to their proper location.

Remove and wash bedroom drapes and rehang or clean your blinds.

Flip mattresses, sweep/mop or vacuum under beds- Flipping the mattress will freshen it up and keep it from sagging in certain spots.

Sanitize mattress with baking soda- Combine a few drops of your favorite essential oil into 2 cups of baking soda, stir well. Shake all over the mattress. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes, then vacuum it up.

Wipe down bedroom blinds with a damp cloth.

Wash or replace bed pillows in all bedrooms- Freshen up pillows by washing them or if they are flattened and beyond a freshening replace them with good quality hypoallergenic ones. Give the same treatment to throw pillows as well.

Clean out your bedroom drawers of items you no longer wear – Set aside your pretty slip and undergarments now for date night but get the rest of your drawer items in order. Get rid of anything that doesn’t fit, has stains, or doesn’t make you feel awesome.

Spray bedroom fabrics, including rugs with DIY Febreze (recipe below) – This is a great finishing touch to get your love nest in order and bring a clean and calming air to your bedroom. Try out this simple recipe for making your own Febreze with a romance-inducing scent.

Add a couple of baskets or bins to your closet for organizing- You will be picking out some accessories for your Valentine’s date go ahead and get your items organized with a couple of baskets.

Go through all shoes, toss or donate any unloved or overworn-While you are picking out a sexy pair of pumps for your date there is no better time than now to go through your shoes. Long before warm weather hits this is a great time to purge shoes for all seasons. Consider putting a shoe rack in if you don’t have one to get them off the floor.

Tips for Cleaning the Living Room for Date Night

Let’s move onto getting the living turned into a sweet and freshened up for quiet nights with family or snuggling up on the couch with your love!

Clean the soot out of fireplace/woodburning stove- While winter isn’t quite over yet it doesn’t hurt to give a mid-season cleaning to keep those cozy evening fires going.

Spray living room rugs, curtains, pillows with DIY Febreeze (recipe below)- After the holidays and many bodies that have been lounging on them, some even overnight, it’s time to give all your living room fabrics a good freshening.

Pull out couches, sweep and mop or vacuum beneath them- Get those dust bunnies out and clean those hidden areas we like to forget about.

Tips for Cleaning the Master Bathroom

And before you take that long leisurely soak in the tub that you totally earned after entertaining family for two months we should give the bathrooms some attention…

Clean out the medicine cabinet, dispose of expired medicines. Check with your local physician or pharmacy to see if they have a disposal program.

Wash or replace shower curtain liner, wash shower curtain – Over time shower liners build up mildew, you can periodically soak it in a tub of soapy bleach water but it will need replacing every once in a while as well.

Give tub and shower grout a good scrubbing – Use a simple paste of water and baking soda, spray with vinegar and allow to sit 10 minutes, rinse away. For stubborn mold and mildew use a toothbrush. Treat yourself with a yummy new body wash or bubble bath to enjoy your clean tub!

Soak shower heads in vinegar –A great trick for keeping the spray steady and strong in your shower is to slip a vinegar-filled bag over the nozzle and secure with a rubber band or tie.

You are likely going to be getting that face dolled up for date night even if you normally, like me, don’t wear makeup often so sort through makeup, toss out old or broken ones. Makeup is no good for your face when it’s expired or your compact is shattered into bits. The rule of thumb for each makeup item is…

Lipstick- 1 year
Eyeshadow/Blush- 2 years
Mascara- 3 months
Foundation(oil-free)-1 year
Eyeliner-2 years

Take stock of personal care items, toss nearly empty bottles-If you have 10 bottles of lotion with less than 1” in the bottom it’s time to clear it out or combine the same brands into one bottle and toss the empties.

Take bathroom trash cans outside, rinse, and sanitize- Even if they look clean, you should do this several times a year. Spray down with Lysol or your favorite homemade sanitizer.

Printable February Cleaning Checklist

You can print out a copy of the February Cleaning Checklist here.

DIY Febreeze Recipe

This DIY Febreze is the perfect way to set the mood in your little love nest, be it the bedroom or the living room so you can cuddle up with a good romantic movie. It contains some of the best essential oils for sparking that lovin’ feeling and will leave your linens with a heavenly scent. The best part is that this version is all-natural and safe for everyone in the house. You can leave out any essential oils that you do not like.

Ingredients:

¼ cup rubbing alcohol
¼ cup distilled water
4 drops lavender essential oil
4 drops sandalwood essential oil
4 drops clary sage essential oil
2 drops vetiver essential oil

You will also need a small dark glass bottle.

Directions:

Combine alcohol, distilled water, and essential oils in your bottle.
Shake well to combine.

How to Use DIY Febreeze

Shake ingredients before each use so that they blend well and you get an even scent.

Spray a light spray over the items that you want to freshen up.

How to Clean Your Love Nest – February Cleaning Checklist