This Simple Dusting Spray Makes Surfaces Shine

PLUS: A clever way to use up every drop of lip gloss, how to wash delicates by hand, and more. PLUS: A clever way to use up every drop of lip gloss, how to wash delicates by hand, and more. March 9, 2022 [View Online]( TOGETHER WITH [Blinkist]( Good morning! Today’s newsletter has a little bit of everything, beginning with a tip that makes a widely dreaded chore a little less dreadful. Find out how to use 4 everyday ingredients to make a dusting spray that cuts through grime, leaves surfaces shiny, and smells great to boot. In a new Wash It Wednesday, we’ll be reviewing one of the most fundamental skills in any launderer’s arsenal. Plus, I’ll tell you about a great website to bookmark in case of writer’s block, mental fatigue, or even just for fun. Enjoy! Jillee TODAY'S GOOD THING This Simple Dusting Spray Makes Surfaces Shine [A photo of dusting spray being applied to a table.]( With just four simple ingredients, this dusting spray works like a charm and leaves behind a lovely citrus scent. When it comes to household chores, I think dusting is my least favorite. It's not exactly difficult to do, but it always seems to take an eternity. (I'm sure it would be less time-consuming if I did it more regularly, but that would require a degree of willpower that I just don't currently possess.) But when I do get around to dusting, areas with light dust are no match for one of my trusty [microfiber cloths](. But unfortunately, not all dust is of the “light” variety, especially in the kitchen and bathroom where it can mingle with airborne grease and hair products. Dust in these areas is sticky, so a dusting spray helps cut through the grime. And since dusting will definitely be on my spring cleaning to-do list, I thought it might be on yours too. So today I wanted to share my favorite 4-ingredient dusting spray with you, which not only works like a charm, but leaves any room you use it in smelling clean and fresh as well. (I also wanted to mention that the recipe for this DIY dusting spray is one of the 7 recipes included in [this set of spray bottle labels](. I have them on my own glass spray bottles at home, and every time I run out of one of my cleaners, I remember how convenient it is to have the recipe right on the bottle!) Get all the details about how to make this easy, 4-ingredient dusting spray by following the link below. Once you experience how well it works for yourself, you might find yourself wondering why you’ve been buying dusting spray all this time! [This Simple Dusting Spray Makes Surfaces Shine ➜]( Related • [9 Hidden Spots That Most People Forget To Dust]( • [14 Genius Dusting Hacks That Will Save You Time]( ⚡️QUICK TIPS⚡️ • As warm weather returns, so will the flies—but you’ll be one step ahead of them with a few homemade fly paper strips. [Read more ➜]( • Most of us know that too much screen time isn’t great for our eyes, but here’s why it’s not great for your skin either. [Read more ➜]( • If your low-flow toilet isn’t exactly a clean slate after flushing, the fix might be easier (and more affordable) than you think. [Read more ➜]( WASH IT WEDNESDAY Laundry 101: Washing Delicates By Hand [A photo of a shirt being washed by hand.]( Even seasoned laundry pros can benefit from reviewing the fundamentals. Like a child at a dance lesson or a student taking a test, we’re all occasionally tempted to look and see how the people around us are doing things. If it's roughly the same as what we're doing, that can be very reassuring. (And if it's wildly different, then at least we know someone’s doing it wrong!) The same thing can apply to household chores like laundry—a little reassurance that you’re on the same page as everyone else can be nice! So I thought we'd go back to laundry basics today by looking at how to wash delicate clothing items by hand. Here’s how to do it: Depending on how many items you'll be washing, fill either a bucket, sink, or bathtub with lukewarm water, then add a small amount of gentle laundry detergent. (If you're using powdered detergent, stir the water with a whisk or large spoon until the powder dissolves.) Submerge the garments and gently swish them around, avoiding wringing, stretching, scrubbing, or twisting them. After a few minutes of swishing, drain the sudsy water and refill your wash basin with clean, cool water for your "rinse cycle." Do a bit more swishing to rinse, then repeat if necessary. Gently squeeze out the excess water and lay the clothes out on a clean, dry towel. They'll dry faster if you roll them up in the towel and press down on it lightly to absorb more moisture, but if they’re very delicate, the safest option is just to leave them alone until they're dry. [See the full tutorial ➜]( TOGETHER WITH BLINKIST Tackle Your To-Do List And To-Read List At The Same Time Whether you’re waiting in line at the post office or folding endless piles of laundry, there’s no wrong time to feed your brain, and my latest find makes it easy. While I’m all for adding ingredients to your diet that boost brain health, I’m not referring to food here—I’m talking about ideas and information! With [Blinkist](, you can read or listen to the key ideas of a nonfiction book in 15 minutes or less. Use it as a tool to find the next era-defining title to add to your reading list, or to get the gist of books that interest you but you haven't had time to read. If you’ve ever thought “I should read that!” about a nonfiction book, but were deterred by the length or the giant pile of unread books on your nightstand, then the [Blinkist app is for you](. There are a few of my all-time favorites on Blinkist, like How to Win Friends & Influence People and The 7 Highly Habits of Highly Effective People. There are also a few I’ve been dying to dig into, like The Happiness Project and Atomic Habits. I love knowing that all I have to do is pick a book and hit “play” to jump right into whatever subject I’m feeling curious about that day! With 5,000 nonfiction books to choose from and over 121,000 five-star reviews, Blinkist is sure to become your favorite source of food for thought. Blinkist is offering OGT readers [30% off your first year](! For only $5.84 a month, you can learn anytime, anywhere. Ready to make any task twice as productive? [Start Your Free Trial Today ➜]( [Start Your Free Trial Today ➜]( Supporting our sponsors makes it possible for me to continue sharing the tips and tricks that make your life easier! [Check out Blinkist]( to get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours. - Thank you! BEAUTY Use Every Last Drop Of Lip Gloss [An image of a tube of lip gloss next to a mug.]( Getting low on your favorite lip gloss? Stretch it further with the help of this handy tip. When I start running low on something that I normally get online (which includes a few of my makeup products), I try to order more early enough that it arrives before the old one runs out. But I don’t always pull it off successfully, and then I’m out of luck for a few days until the new one arrives. But at least that doesn’t happen with lip gloss anymore! It turns out that there’s a very simple way to get a few more uses out of a seemingly empty tube of lip gloss: place it upright in a mug of very warm water for about 10 minutes. The gloss will become thinner and start to slide down the tube as it is heated by the water. It will collect at the bottom of the tube and you’ll be able to squeeze a few more uses out of it. Easy and brilliant—my favorite kind of tip! JILLEE'S PICK The $10 Solution To My Steam Stress [A photo of a silicone steam diverter over an Instant Pot steam release valve.]( I distinctly remember the first time I turned the pressure release handle on my Instant Pot lid after cooking a big pot of soup. Not only was there more steam than I was expecting, but it was shooting directly into the bottom of my cupboards in a very concerning way. As I’m pretty sure the cupboards in my kitchen are mostly made of particle board, I was half convinced they were going to crumble underneath the onslaught of steam. Luckily that did not turn out to be the case, but it did lead to my discovery of [this simple steam diverter](. I just slide it over the pressure release handle on my Instant Pot, and then when I open the steam valve, the steam comes out sideways instead of straight up. While I’m still not sure how much moisture damage my cupboards would have sustained over time, I’m glad I won’t have to find out the hard way! [See the InstaExtras Silicone Steam Diverter on Amazon ➜]( WHAT IN THE WORLD WIDE WEB Take A Break And Make Some Art [An image of a laptop screen displaying the Silk website.]( While I love getting to write this newsletter for you every day, sometimes my writing muscles get tired. When I’ve been working on the same paragraph for 15 minutes and haven’t made any real progress with it, I know it’s time to take a short break, and I recently discovered a great place to go for a much needed “mental reset.” It’s called [Silk](, and it’s an “interactive art generator” that has a very meditative quality to it. If you click the circle icon in the upper left corner of the screen, you can adjust different settings like color, mirroring, and spiraling. My favorite control to adjust is the rotational symmetry slider, which adjusts how many times your design gets replicated around the center. The 5-fold symmetry setting is great for making flower-like shapes, while 6-fold looks a bit like a snowflake. I’ve been finding it oddly restorative to spend a few minutes making cool designs, so [give Silk a try]( and let me know what you think! (It’s also available as an [app for iPhone and iPad](.) A FEW MORE THINGS... (Brain) Food For Thought: The best way to feed your brain is with new information, and nothing makes it easier to satisfy your appetite for big ideas than Blinkist. Join over 20 million subscribers benefitting from bite-sized insights from 5,000+ best-selling nonfiction books. [Start learning with Blinkist today](.* On Top Of Spaghetti, All Covered With Cheese: If you’re in need of dinner inspiration, consider this—it’s National Meatball Day. Everyone has their own idea of what should go into meatballs and how to cook them, likely because dozens of cultures around the world [have their own variation](. Celebrate by enjoying your favorite meatballs today (or try [these easy 3-ingredient meatballs](). On This Day: In 432 BCE, the [Parthenon]( was consecrated atop the Athenian Acropolis in ancient Greece. The temple was dedicated to the goddess Athena, the patron of Athens, and was part of an ambitious building project initiated by Pericles. The project also included other buildings that still stand atop the Acropolis today, like the [Erechtheion]( and the [Temple of Athena Nike](. 🤔 Wordle: [Solve today's 5-letter word](. *Sponsored by Blinkist. What did you think of today's email? [Not good]( | [Just okay]( | [Loved it!]( 🏠[Visit the By Jillee Shop]( 🤗 [Join OGT Free]( Let's connect! [facebook]( [instagram]( [pinterest]( [youtube]( If you have thoughts, comments, questions or a tip or trick you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you! My inbox is always open, so just hit "reply" and let me know what's on your mind. See you tomorrow! Sending you bright ideas and simple solutions to help you create a home and life you love. My mailing address is: One Good Thing by Jillee 841 S. Main St. Heber City, UT 84032 If you're not happy please reply to this email to tell me why. Update your email preferences or [unsubscribe]( [here](. View our privacy policy [here](.