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Teaching Kids to Clean with a Bathroom Cleaning Station
This Bathroom Cleaning has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.#ScrubTheMess #CollectiveBias

The last thing any pregnant momma wants to do is scrub the toilets, at least this one. I’ve been teaching my kids how to clean since a young age, and this year has been no different. So today I’m sharing with you my Bathroom Cleaning Station.

It was a jump for joy moment to find that there was a new Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubber on the market! There’s not much about bathrooms that make people shout for joy, but us Mom’s know the real victories in life. A clean bathroom, HELLO! It’s like one the best feelings in the world, am I right? The Disposable Toilet Scrubber means no more wet toilet brushes being left in the bathroom. A simple click of the button and the scrubber is in the trash.

After our rental with the moldy toilets, I get sensitive about having our toilets spic and span. So for the last few year I’ve been specifically focusing on teaching the kids how to clean the bathrooms. My 6-year-old happens to be the most fantastic bathroom cleaner you’ve ever seen, and when given the choice of cleaning her room or the bathroom, she’ll always go for the toilets. With a little supervision, like when we clean the toilet, she’s phenomenal.

Check out these Elegant Bathroom Ideas

So now that the kids know how to clean the bathroom, I decided it was time to make a checklist. With a wipeable checklist, I don’t have to hover when I send them to clean the bathrooms anymore. Instead, I can just hang out – haha – and wait until they finish everything before I head in and make sure it is all done. This awesome checklist allows the kids – and even forgetful grownups – to visually see what needs to be done, and double check that they got it all.

Click Image to Download and Print

I won’t lie, the kids are really good at spiffing up their bathroom. It’s organized and looks from the surface pretty clean. Sometimes, though, I will find rolled balls of wet towels in the corner from their attempt at wiping off the counter, or cleaning around the toilet. So to combat that, I created the Bathroom Cleaning Station. Hand in Hand with the checklist, the kids can now see which cleaning product should be used where, and I can make sure it all got done.

Bathroom Cleaning Station

Supplies
- Small box or Basket – same size as the back of the toilet works perfect
- Scotch-Brite Disposable Toilet Scrubber and Refills
- Wet Wipes
- Glass Cleaner
- Printable Checklist and corresponding Images
- Dry Erase Marker
Alright, so the kids have cleaned the bathroom -minus the toile – and grabbed me for an inspection. Things are looking pretty good, but the one area I let them skip is the toilet. Of course, they think it’s fun to do, but I prefer they get me before finishing it up so we can use the Disposable Toilet Scrubbers properly. The New Scotch-Brite Disposable Toilet Scrubber was designed to reach the messes we’ve been leaving behind – like under the rim – an often attempted spot to clean, but frequently missed.

Now if we ever live in a rental with those nasty moldy toilets again, I know I can trust Scotch-Brite in my bathroom cleaning arsenal. With its built-in bleach alternative cleaner with pumice – rust and hard water have no chance! You can pick up the New Scotch-Brite Disposable Toilet Scrubber and Refills at your local Kroger.

Right now there is an Instant Redeemable Coupon on the Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubber that will Save you $2. This coupon can be redeemed at the register during checkout!

Looking for more Bathroom Cleaning inspiration? Check out these other great ideas!
August 29, 2016
Get Ready for Holiday Guests

It’s Thanksgiving Week! Many of us may have family coming in to stay, while some of us may be the ones traveling to visit. If you are looking to add a special touch to make your holiday guests feel welcome, then I have the thing for you – Cute folded Towels!

We all love a fresh towel in our bathroom, and as a guest somewhere, it can really make the stay extra special. I thought this infographic was the perfect way to bring that extra love to your guest bathroom this season.

The Ultimate Towel Folding Guide by Terrys Fabrics.

What animal will you make for your guests?

November 25, 2013
Big Tiles in Small Bathrooms #GuestPost

Big Tile Designs for Small Bathrooms

It’s fairly common for houses to have smaller bathroom as many homeowners allot more space to other parts of the house such as the living area, kitchens and bedrooms as these are what guests usually see. Decorating these areas is also much easier as compared to the bathroom which usually requires simple tiling and some DIY tools.

However, the bathroom should also be treated as essential parts of the house as this is one of the places in the home where we spend time the most. If you’re frustrated over the relatively small size of your bathroom don’t worry! There are redecorating tricks you can use to give the illusion of a bigger space.

Photo Credit

One of the easiest ways of making bathrooms look more spacious is using neutral, bright and light colors. Using straight line designs and put up mirrors to make the rook appear larger. It would also be helpful to install ample light fixtures and add an extra window to allow more light to come in. Having a large mirror is also an effective way to create the illusion of a larger bathroom. But aside from these basic techniques, you can also use tile designs to make your bathroom appear bigger.

Tile Designs for Bigger-Looking Bathrooms

Generally, about 75% of a bathroom’s surface is covered with tiles. That is why it is important to choose the right type of tiles and design that works for your bathroom style and size. This way you can maximize both the functional and aesthetic elements of your bathroom tile design.

Laying square tiles on the bathroom floor in a diagonal pattern can certainly make the room seem larger. You should also consider going with lighter tile colors which easily reflect light. White is commonly used for bathrooms as it provides a clean and pristine effect especially if the tiles are well-maintained.

Photo Credit

However, white tiles can also make a bathroom look dull or even clinical-looking. That is why it would be better to stick to shades of gray or beige to at least give a bit more texture to the area. You may stick to white tiles but it would be best to mix in another set of tiles with a different color. Popular tile colors for bathrooms include palettes of blue, green, orange, and red. You may use these colored tiles for borders or as accents to make the design look more interesting.

As always, make sure the tiles you install in your bathroom are water-resistant to minimize slippage risks and dirt buildup which can damage the tiles. The most commonly chosen material used for bathrooms are glazed ceramic tiles but you may also go for metal tiles for a more contemporary look. If you do decide to use metal tiles, be careful not to overdo it as the room may resemble a metal chamber instead of a stylish bathroom. Add a couple of potted plants and floral designs to add a punch of color to the general space of the bathroom.

Another material you can use is glass tiles. They come in a wide array of sizes, colors, and shapes so you can find one which will best match the décor of your bathroom. When it comes to ceramic tiles, you can apply this to any part of the bathroom. However, when it comes to glass and metal tiles, most interior designers only use them for backsplashes.

Photo Credit

As for the countertops, ceramic or glass tiles work best. They are easier to clean which means they require minimum maintenance. You can go for a unique look by using custom shaped tiles. By following these tips, you can make your small bathroom look bigger and give it a beautiful design at the same time.

Roberta Madison hopes to have her own family someday. For now, she is happy to be the marketing manager of GlasTileStore which offers stone tiles, subway tiles, metal tiles and exotic tiles. Follow Roberta Madison on G+.

July 23, 2013
Potty Training with White Cloud Luxuriously Soft

This post brought to you by White Cloud. All opinions are 100% mine.
A funny thing happened recently. We’ve been trying and trying to potty train Princess R, but somewhat unsuccessfully. She would have a great day and I’d think “Yes we got this!”, only to follow it up with a day I wanted to buy more pull ups.
Then, last week we started trying out White Cloud Luxuriously Soft Bath Tissue. I kid you not, suddenly Princess R is going to the potty, only having accidents because it takes time to get that underwear down and up onto the potty. She stopped fighting us, and became suddenly aware of her body.
Now, can I really credit this success to White Cloud? I don’t know. Maybe. I would say it’s partly due to their Luxurious Soft Bath Tissue though. Let me tell you why in my first ever Video Review!

Now, incase you don’t want to watch me talk about Toilet Paper, here’s a little recap for you –
+ Princess R’s skin was drying out pretty bad when we put her in cotton undies and tossed the pull-ups. When we switched to White Cloud, her skin softened up again. I believe the comfort from this Luxuriously Soft Bath Tissue helped aid in potty training Princess R.
+ I too have very sensitive skin and as a kid would break out with the wrong type of toilet paper. It makes me a bit of a snob when buying Toilet Paper. I want quality, that’s inexpensive and leaves me rash free. White Cloud has done that for me.
+ This 2 ply Bath Tissue is strong, and stays together from the beginning of the roll to the end. No more TP strays hanging around the bathroom.
There you have it! Our family is making the switch to White Cloud Luxuriously Soft. Why not find out if it’s the right choice for you. Get a $1.00 off coupon starting June 10th.
White Cloud makes premium paper products without the premium price! The new luxuriously soft bath tissue is made with an innovative manufacturing technology called TAD or Through Air Dried. Using a special machine, air is blown through 1-ply sheets of toilet paper to create a 2-ply sheet. This explains how well the Bath Tissue holds up, while retaining it’s softness. White Cloud is sold exclusively at Walmart. Find White Cloud products near you

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June 12, 2013
Remodeling with Pfister Faucets {Giveaway}

I’ve mentioned a little on here, and some on my Facebook page that we are remodeling our bathroom. It started out as a small idea –

Get rid of the Walk-In Tub

(although I had 5 good reasons to keep that tub!)

Upon buying our new house, our realtor asked if we would sell the walk-in to her. She would take care of the removal and purchasing our new tub. That was the easy part. Mark and I like to dream with our homes. We truly love making a house into a home, and that includes making the layout fit (a reason buying new wouldn’t be such a bad idea). Ideas began to flow, plans were made, and walls started to come down. Remodeling is very exciting, but I’m also learning I’m not as handy as I wish were. In our current stage, I can’t do anything – it’s electrical work. Mark does that.

What I have been doing though, is design planning! I’ve already bought new towels for just Mark and I (the other ones are 7 years old, gasp!), and started looking at fixtures. The one thing that we took the longest to decide on, but are the most happy with, are our new faucets. Since we gutted the whole bathroom, we’ve been able to completely customize the fixtures to our style.

Before I show you the faucets we’re installing, let me show you a little of the reno plans.

OK, this isn’t quite accurate. We’ve made some more changes since this plan was drawn. But just take a look at the master bath. It use to be the only upstairs bathroom, and only have a tub. We are adding the walk-in shower, and turning the doorway to open straight into the master bedroom. I am so stoked about this little retreat we are creating!

We of course wanted to make sure we got quality faucets, and when I think faucets, I think Pfister. Top of the line quality! We are installing the Kenzo line into our shower. Isn’t it sleek?

Pfister has been an absolute pleasure to work with and has sent us all the components needed to make sure it is installed correctly, along with extras like the towel bar and tissue holder. I really can’t say enough good about the experience I’ve had working with Pfister.

So let me just share the experience with one of you! One lucky reader will be receiving their choice of Pfister faucet (up to a $400 value)!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

April 30, 2013
Conserving Water In the Bathroom

Earth day is fast approaching – next Monday to be exact – so let’s talk Water Conservation.

Why Water Conservation?

Water is a necessary part of survival for all living things. We need water, animals need water, and plants need water. Without it, we would all shrivel up and die. Gosh, that’s a little extreme isn’t it? Don’t we have a lot of water on this earth?

Well, sure we do. Take a look at this fun comparison of the size of the earth to the amount of water though. I was actually quite surprised

Source

Crazy right? I mean I thought there was a whole lot more water than that. The large blue circle is showing all of earths water, with a diameter of 860 Miles. To learn more just click on the Source link under the picture.

One of the first things I remember my mom teaching me about food storage, is water storage. We were always storing 2 liter soda bottles full of water in our basement. I remember thinking we were pretty crazy when we had close to 100 bottles. I tell you what though, those came in handy when we lost power, and had no water to flush our toilets – because we still did! We just had to manually add it from the 2-liters.

Living in the desert, with what seems like a constant drought here, our cities are very particular about how much, and how often we can water our gardens. Turns out water isn’t such a ready source, that will always be around. Who knows when we’ll see the opposite of Noah’s time, and find ourselves drying out. Fact is, if we don’t take charge, we could be doing this to ourselves.

What can we do?

I would say in terms of wasting water, our bathrooms, mixed with 3 kids, is the biggest culprit. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve gone to check on the girls only to find them all in the bathroom filling buckets and toys full of water to go dump somewhere else in the house. It’s gotten so bad, that at one point we completely shut off the water to their sink. Since it is also our only bathroom while we remodel our master, it meant a bit of inconvenience for everyone to wash hands and brush teeth in the kitchen. But it worked to keep the water use to a minimum, and our carpets dry.

Alright, so maybe you don’t have the same problem with your kids and water.

Perhaps you do suffer the problem of kids (or maybe even yourself!), leaving the water running while you brush your teeth, do your hair, husband shave their face, or whatever else you may use the water for. Perhaps you’re one of those people that need ultra privacy while using the toilet, that you run the sink water to mask any sounds (can’t say I’ve never done this…).

Did you know that turning the water off while you brush your teeth can save 3 gallons EACH DAY! That’s a lot of water per day. You can also save up to 700 gallons per month by shortening your showers by one minute! Imagine the savings if you shortened them by more.

Another way we can conserve water is by purchasing faucets designed specifically to save water, and be eco-friendly. Pfister is certified by the Environmental Protection Agency to “meet and exceed the highest standards of efficiency”.

We’ve been remodeling our guest bath into our master bath, we completely gutted it, and are replacing every fixture in the room. There’s no better time than now for us to replace our old water guzzling fixtures (I kid you not, these sprayed everywhere with the water pressure, and lack of quality design). We have been looking at faucets for months it seems. I absolutely love the look of Jaida and Ashfield bath faucets from Pfister. The design matches the flow of our tub faucet, and the plus side is these are both part of Pfister’s WaterSense certified line.

Which would you choose?

Pfister wants to Help you Conserve Water!

In celebration of Earth Day, Pfister is giving away 20 Faucets this week. 2 faucets each day to some very lucky people.

You don’t have to be remodeling your bathroom or kitchen to replace faucets – although that’s a good time to do it. Replacing the faucet is a simple change to the whole style of your room, and for those on a tight budget, can be the one change made that makes your house feel more like a home.

Enter Pfisters Faucet Giveaway!

*I am a Friends of Pfister blogger. All thoughts and opinions are my own here. I was not compensated for this post, although I will use it as an entry to win my own Pfister Faucet.

April 15, 2013
Choosing Bathroom Tile

It’s official – I don’t like picking tile. There are too many options that I love. We decided to go with a gray/yellow (very light not in your face yellow) for our bathroom colors. I had seen some inspiration for it on pinterest (can’t for the life of me find it now!). Mark was pretty easy to convince, but now that we’re looking at tile, all I can think, is maybe I should have chosen the colors after the tile.

Monday we had the plumbers in adding the line to the shower, and adjusting our vanity. Unfortunately, they had to turn the water off to the whole house for the majority of the day. When you’ve got 4 small children, 2 potty trained, and have a small bladder yourself – it’s just not great to shut off the water. So I took the kids, and we went window shopping all over town. Of course I just had to take them to Home Depot and check out tile.

I think Mark got pretty sick of me calling every few minutes with a new tile he should look at online, or a price to see if it was good, and hey should I just go ahead and buy some while I’m here? So I eventually stopped calling, and instead texted him my 4 top choices of tile.

That was Monday. It’s now Wednesday, and I still don’t know which one I like best. The plan is to tile the shower walls the same as the bathroom floor, and then do a contrasting tile for the shower floor. I think the Crema Marfil and Desert Sunset would go absolutely gorgeous together, but it’s a little too much yellow…since we planned on painting the walls yellow as well. Am I right? Just a little too much. So maybe we’ll go with the Artisan Ghiberti, and find something else for the shower floor to contract a bit.

Thoughts? Opinions? Maybe share with me some of your favorite bathroom inspirations?

*FYI, this post DOES NOT contain any affiliate links or paid links. I just thought you might like to know where I shop tile, and check them out online 🙂 Have a nice day.

April 3, 2013
Spring Cleaning Day 5 – Bathrooms

You made it to Day 5! Congrats!

Today our focus is solely on the bathrooms. I put these last, because I dread cleaning bathrooms. Give me anything to clean, but please not the bathroom. Fact of the matter is, they need the most deep cleaning.

Print off your checklist, then read on for my deep cleaning routine.

Gather Cleaning Supplies

You don’t want to be running back and forth to where ever you keep your cleaning supplies, so gather them up and take them to the bathroom with you. I love this carrier my mother in law bought me years ago. It keeps everything organized and is easy to carry around.

You’ll want to grab 4-5 cleaning rags. I find the worst part about cleaning the bathroom is the lack of ventilation, mixed with the different chemicals. You don’t want to mix your rags with different chemicals – it is dangerous! (I am truly hoping this isn’t the first you’ve been told that though).

As I’ve mentioned throughout the week, when Spring Cleaning, I go deep. It’s more than just a surface cleaner, so I do tend to use harsher chemicals this time of year. You don’t have to, you can still keep it green and safe. This is just what I prefer.

I use Comet on the bath, toilet, and sink. Windex on the mirror. Ammonia and hot water on the ceiling, walls, and floor.

Wet Bath and sink. Spray with cleaners

Spray down the bathtub/shower and sink area. I find it’s easier to clean if the surface is slightly wet first. Once they are wet, I grab my Comet and sprinkle it over the sink, in the toilet bowl and in the shower. Let it sit for a couple minutes.

Scrub the bath/shower areas

I like to start with the bath tub and shower since once they are done, they will stay clean. Jump in if you have to to get a good scrubbing. An old toothbrush is also a handy tool for cleaning the grout. Don’t forget to clean the faucets as well.

Clean the Toilet

After the shower I rinse my rag out in the sink. Do not clean the sink yet! Move onto the toilet. I personally find toilet brushes disgusting. Having kids that used them as toys did not help either. So I have gone back to the old fashioned way of hand scrubbing the toilet. I find it more effective as well. This would be a great time to invest in some rubber gloves.

When cleaning the toilet, start with the outside. Wipe down the tank, and down the sides, right to the floor. Last clean inside the toilet bowl. Now that the toilet is done, you’ll want to switch rags.

Wipe down Ceiling and Walls

Fill a bucket (or the sink) with steaming hot water. Add a capful of Ammonia. With a new rag, wipe down the ceiling and walls. Bathrooms are notorious for growing mold. Especially if there is a lack of ventilation.

Clean Out Medicine Cabinet and wash Mirror

Pull everything out of the medicine cabinet. Using the ammonia water, wipe down the inside of the cabinet. As you put items back in, check expiration dates on medicine, and think about the last time you used it. A good rule of thumb – if you haven’t used a medication in the last 2 years, you’re probably safer to throw it out.

Once the cabinet is cleaned out, wash the Mirror. You can use a new rag for this, or grab some newspapers for a streak free cleaning. I use windex on the mirror, so once again – don’t mix rags!

Wash Sink and Vanity

I like to save the sink and vanity for last since I use it to rinse out my rags and wash my hands between cleaning products. Go ahead and give it another spray/sprinkle of cleaning products if you’ve rinsed the first layer off with all the rinsing of rags and hands.

Clean out the under sink cabinet. Treat it the same as the medicine cabinet. Wash down shelves and drawers, and then put everything away – tossing out anything not being used, or expired.

Sweep and Mop

Finally, sweep and mop. I again use a bucket of hot water and ammonia, and a new rag. If you didn’t get it with the toilet, make sure you really get around the toilet edge. It can get pretty gross there.

You’re done! Add a candle for a nice smell after all the chemicals, and enjoy using a clean bathroom.

We’ve had a great week Spring Cleaning! Thanks to all who joined me. Remember is you’ve already done your spring cleaning this year, joined us this week, or are going to Spring Clean next week – you can grab extra entries into the Affresh Giveaway. It has been extended for another week, so there is still time!!!

March 22, 2013
5 Awesome Reasons to own a Walk-In Bath

I love baths. There’s something about sitting in a tub of hot water that just completely relaxes me. So when we bought a house with only a walk-in tub, I did a little complaining. Then I decided I needed a more positive outlook – until we remodel – so I decided to try out the walk-in. As I sat there soaking, I realized there were 5 pretty good reasons everyone should own a walk-in tub.

Reason #1
The very obvious, is if you are elderly, these tubs are safe and easy for you to get in and out of. No attempting to step over the edge and catching your foot. No more broken hips because you slip in the tub. A walk-in tub has high sides, a water sealed door, and half of it is taken up with a seat.

Reason #2
Hello pedicures! Have you ever owned those small foot soakers with the little jets, that splash water all over your house? Get rid of them, and go with a walk-in tub – with jets of course. Sit down, relax, and soak those tired mama feet. Then save money and give yourself a pedicure in the comfort of your own home, splash free!

Reason #3
Have you ever tried to shower a 2 year old? Or maybe you’re just sick of the tsunamis made while the kids bathe. My solution is a simple one – walk in bath tub! At first I was a little skeptical of this option. Hey that’s pretty deep, and there’s the whole drowning fear with little kids. But if you get a handheld shower head to go with your walk in tub, then you can easily shower them. Sure you might be taking the simple joys of childhood away, but you won’t leave the bathroom soaking wet, and your toddler literally can not escape getting cleaned.

Reason #4
Pet baths. I have not (and will never) give our new dog Tank a bath. That is Mark’s job. From what I can tell though, bathing the dog in the walk-in tub has it’s benefits just like the children. The water will stay in the tub, and there is no escaping in there.

Reason #5
And the last and probably best reason why you should go out and buy a walk-in bathtub is for the sole purpose of playing Hide and Go Seek. See, no worries, you can still keep those childhood joys alive. Don’t lie to me, you know you’ve hidden behind that shower curtain, or curled up in a ball in the bottom of the tub as you try to hide from your kids. Maybe it’s during an innocent game, and maybe it’s to eat your chocolate in peace, either way – a walk-in tub makes this task so much more comfortable. And you’d better believe I need a place to hide after making Chocolate No Bakes.

February 6, 2013
Avon: Gifts for Women {2012 Holiday Gift Guide}

Back around Halloween I got the chance to review and giveaway some Avon items. Prior to that I had never used anything from Avon. I’m excited to be bringing back more Avon for you!

Kim started selling Avon this year, and I can tell she really enjoys what she does. I wanted to get to know more about why Kim likes avon, so I asked her what her favorite product is. Here’s her response:

“My favorite product that Avon carries are the Glimmersticks Diamonds Eyeliners. It’s hard to pick just one thing that I love, but eyeliner is one of those things I don’t like to leave the house without putting on first. I love the Diamonds Glimmersticks because they have a slight glitter to them. Just a little flashiness to them, which I love! My favorite colors are the Brown Glow and then Black Ice.”

You can read my review of Avon’s Spider Earrings Here.

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Kim is giving away my favorite item, Cucumber Melon Bath Set, in the 2012 Holiday Gift Guide.

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Avon with Kim

December 6, 2012