How to clean a pack n' play.

Hello all,
 A lot has changed since I've last posted. I am now expecting my third child. A miracle in itself. And I've had a major life change happen.

Anyway upon finding out I was pregnant I realized that I no longer had any actual baby items. I got rid of everything. As in we thought we were done having children and there wasn't going to be another. Did I mention my kids outside of the womb are ages 10 and 8? So not only do I not have any baby stuff but it's been gone for years!

So I found myself in the position of needing to obtain the basics. Luckily I have some amazing friends that helped out and procured a few of those items in our time of need. One of those items was donated to her through an online source. And I am really, really grateful for it. A received a small pack n' play. It was used but it good condition. Me being the germaphobe I am, I still have to clean it. Ha, ha, ha I also have OCD and I'm nesting so let the fun begin!

Step one. Brake pack n' play down. Remove pad and put in a bathtub. Fill halfway with hot water and add a capful of laundry detergent I used Oxyclean. Then add half a cup of white vinegar and a cup of baking soda powder. Let soak for half an hour.

After 30 minutes turn it over and agitate the water a bit. Like a washing machine would. I also used this time to take a brush and scrub any set in stains or stuck on grime. 

Water looked a bit grimey after that. (Then the cat fell in and I was forced to clean cat and bathroom. She's so talented...) Let stand for another 30 minutes then either use your shower or a garden hose and rinse away any further residue. Let drip dry for about 15-20 minutes if you use your shower. Then take it all outside and set up pack n' play and the mat to dry in the sun for about 2-3 hours. Make sure that the mat is on a flat surface to dry. Some of the boards in the pack n' plays are card board. So drying flat is a must. The sun will help dry the mats and remove any stink or stain that may have naturally occurred. 

All the stains have come out and I couldn't be happier. They were just light stains from use. Something that happens to everyone. Even if this had been used by my older boys or if it had sat in storage I would be doing the same thing.

This is the mat now stain free. Smells good. The sun can do amazing things for your laundry. I recommend it for more then just pack and plays. It takes the funk smell out of washed bathroom rugs to. But that's a post for a different time. Hope all enjoy this post. It's something I never thought of with my other kids I would have thrown a sheet over it back then. Times have changed. 

Scentsy/Candle wax hack.

Ever tried changing out a Scentsy warmer while the wax was still hot and got it all over the wall? I'm a klutz. Seriously I trip over flat surfaces and walls just seem to come out of no where. So it's no surprise that I would get wax somewhere.

A while back I had spilled wax on the white wall in our kitchen. I scraped the best I could to no avail. The red wax was there to stay. Till I thought about heat. I tried a hot wet cloth and that did a little but didn't take it all off. Next I though about a iron. There's no way I could fit it where I needed it to go. Next I thought about the hair dryer that just about caught my head on fire it was so hot. Got it out and went to work on the wax. Literally within mere seconds the wax started to melt and come off the wall. On the down side every time I'd wipe it it would freeze again and smudge down the wall. So I took a wet rag with some vinegar on it and followed the wax with the hair dryer. Slowly but surely it all came off. BAM! Back to new!

The next one was harder. I have two kids and two cats. One knocked a warmer over on the the floor and carpet. I had experience once before with dun, dun, dun, a candle! I know I'm so old fashioned. 

I don't have a picture with me but this worked pretty well. Take a paper bag, and an iron. Put the bag over the spot of wax on the floor and put the iron on it's highest setting. Once hot, iron over the spot under the bag on the floor. The Iron melts the wax and the paper bag soaks it up. Keep moving around and repeat as necessary till all the wax is gone. It's worked twice for me. Be careful to do it as quick as possible if it's a dark color wax or a soft stain will remain.