Wednesday, March 27, 2013

A little DIY project, served with a side of cleaning

We have a fireplace.  We have never used it, I doubt we ever will.  The previous owners covered the living room's slate floor with cream colored carpet and there isn't a hearth stone or room for a hearth stone.  Now, said carpet is definately NOT so cream colored now but still....there are likely no fireplace fires in our future.  In the meantime I had brass fireplace doors that I wasn't crazy about.  Yuck.  I looked at Lowes and found a set that I liked.....for the cool price of $380.  That was just the cheapest price in the finish I wanted, the ones I liked were more to the tune of $500+ Not happening.  So, one day, while perusing pinterest I came across a pin about redoing brass light fixtures using Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint....and that got me thinking.  I headed off to Walmart and bought my can of paint, I think it was about $7.  Then it got too cold for me to spray paint.  Bummer.  Yesterday it was a lovely day and luckily, plenty warm enough for a project.  I got Matt to haul those doors ourside and I set to work.  Now in theory, spray painting is easy.  I find that theory and reality are a bit far apart.  You really need to stay about 3-5 inches away and spray in a sweeping motion.  I started off great.  It was going super.  I had one coat done.  And then I got picky.  The pickier I got the more mistakes I made. UGH.  I ended up making a lot more work for myself but I kept at it...(ahem, no choice) and I am pleased with the finished product.  My once Brassy doors are now a nice oil rubbed bronze. It cost over $370 bucks LESS than new doors and it looks wayyyy better....even with a few mistakes :)


This morning when I went to warm up my coffee....for the second time, I glanced up with my barely open eyes and was grossed out by my microwave.  I don't use it alot, Matt tends to use it more and Im guessing he probably doesn't cover his food?? I should pay more attention.  Anyhow.  I hate cleaning, I hate the smell of cleaning products from the store and I hate how they make my throat burn.  There are hardly any IF any of those type cleaners left in my house.  But how to clean the microwave easily?  Pinterest.  Again.  I took about 2 cups of water, sliced a lemon and added a cup of vinegar and microwaved it for 10 minutes (the site suggested 5 but my microwave was gross) You should be able to see the grime in the top two pictures....yuck!  BUT after I took the dish out, I just wiped down the doors and inside and with a few exceptionally stubborn stains it DID wipe out!  For those other spots I just (carefully) dipped my cloth in the water lemon mixture and scrubbed those spots right off.  I was so pleased with the results I just had to share...cause who LIKES scrubbing?? not. me.!

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