Spring cleaning
Kira Zabe
February 12, 2022
Birdsong, mild temperatures, and lengthening days indicate that spring is approaching. However, the official start of spring is not until March 20th. Nevertheless, now is a good time to take advantage of the season for spring cleaning.
Where does the concept of spring cleaning actually come from?
This dates back to a time when farmers and laborers had little work in the fields and farms in the spring. The rest of the year was scheduled for fieldwork and other related tasks. Therefore, the thorough cleaning was done in the spring.
For many people, this custom remains a fixed ritual. Moreover, due to the generally worse weather, we spend more time at home and can use this time to tidy up the apartment or house.
Countless cleaners that are not necessary!
Countless bottles and tubes - what are they actually for?
Whether for the balcony, bathroom, kettle, or in retail, there seems to be a specific product for everything. But do we really need these? Or can we manage with just a few items that are usually already at home? Baking soda and citric acid are natural household substances that serve as eco-friendly, sustainable cleaning agents without harming the environment. With this article, we want to show what they are capable of and how versatile they can be.
Decluttering creates space again!
The big clean-up...
Spring is not only great for cleaning. It's also a good time to declutter and tidy up. Even though household cleaning is a recurring process, it's rare that every surface is meticulously wiped down. Moreover, over a longer period of time, quite a bit accumulates. I experience this too. Inspired by many DIY ideas, I collect toilet paper rolls, Tetra Paks, and the like, to create something great out of them later. However, often there's a lack of time or desire and whoosh, the drawer is full. Implemented results = none. Therefore, the annual generous decluttering has become a fixed ritual in spring.
Unnecessary cleaners can be easily replaced with home remedies.
Which household cleaner should I use for which surface?
Limescale stains and rings: can be effectively removed with citric acid. For this purpose, cut a lemon in half and rub the affected areas with the cut side, then let it take effect. Lemon is also an odor-neutral choice for combating limescale. If the limescale rings are a bit more stubborn and the lemon couldn't remove everything? Then household vinegar is the better choice. Do not use vinegar essence! It is too aggressive and may damage the surface.
Would you like to make a lemon household cleaner in bulk?
This recipe is very suitable:
- Several bowls of lemons
- White household vinegar (not vinegar concentrate)
Pour into a screw-top jar or a glass spray bottle and let it infuse. It's important not to use a plastic bottle! The acid will leach components from the plastic over time. You certainly don't want that on your freshly wiped surfaces, do you?
For a one-time use of a lemon cleaner, you can also squeeze a lemon. Strain the juice through a sieve into an old cleaned spray bottle and add some liquid soap or dishwashing detergent. By spraying, you can treat larger areas in a time-saving manner. The added dishwashing detergent ensures that the surface tension is broken, allowing it to work better against limescale.
Shiny Surfaces: Require a gentle cleaning agent for delicate cleaning. Baking soda is very suitable for this purpose. Make a mixture of baking soda and water and fill it into an empty spray bottle. With this, you can spray windows, refrigerators, and doors, and everything will be cleaned without streaks.
Scouring milk or scouring powder, a versatile household cleaner
Scouring milk - hype from the 70s
Scouring milk became a common household item in the 1970s and remains an indispensable cleaning product. It is available in powder or liquid form. You don't have to rely on pre-made products; it can be mixed at home with just a few ingredients.
Use this for:
- 50 gr. baking soda
- 1 tbsp citric acid
- 1 tbsp of cornstarch (as anti-caking agent)
Mix all the ingredients and store it in a jar with a screw-top lid.
Make your own toilet cleaner. Affordable and free of environmentally harmful substances.
Make your own toilet cleaner - super easy!
Toilet cleaner can also be made super quickly from 3 ingredients.
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp crystallized citric acid
- 10 ml liquid soap or dishwashing detergent
- 500 ml cold water
- about 100 ml of boiled water
- essential oil (optional)
Here's how to proceed:
Boil 100 ml of water and set aside to cool. In another pot, stir the cornstarch into 500 ml of cold water. Briefly bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Make sure a thick, milky substance is created. Stir citric acid into the previously boiled, cooled water. Stir until all the crystals have dissolved. Add 10 ml of dish soap. Combine the resulting liquid with the water-cornstarch mixture. Insoluble citrate forms when citric acid is heated. Therefore, make sure all liquids cool down to below 40 degrees Celsius before mixing them together. If you prefer scented toilet cleaner, you can add 5-10 drops of essential oil. Tea tree, lavender, or orange are very suitable. The cleaning effect is enhanced and the cleaner also acts against germs in the toilet. Now fill the gel into an empty bottle from the old toilet cleaner.
Clean floors with ease!
Clean floors: For this purpose, you can also make something yourself. Add baking soda and citric acid in a 1:1 ratio to the mop water and use it to clean acid-resistant floors and work surfaces. Don't forget to do a patch test in a small corner before you mop the entire floor with it for the first time. Additionally, floors should only be mopped lightly damp.
Gloves protect your hands while cleaning!
Attention please!
Do you have sensitive hands or are you particularly careful not to let your skin come into contact with any cleaning agents? Then you should also be cautious with natural home remedies and wear gloves. Because vinegar, citric acid, and the like can irritate the skin and respiratory tract.
Now you have a wealth of knowledge to tackle your spring cleaning without any purchased cleaners. Which day are you planning for it? This coming weekend? Then let's go!
You love lists and wish for one to print out? No problem! We have compiled a list that you can request from us. Write to us at info@speisekammer.app.
Speaking of decluttering
Clearing out food, hygiene products, and medications should not be an issue. Because with the managed items in your pantry app, you are always up to date. This allows for more time for things that are truly enjoyable.
If uninvited guests are spotted while thoroughly cleaning the kitchen, do not despair. In this case, our relevant blog post, which we have linked here can help. This way, you can approach the matter without panic.
Spring cleaning not just physical
Decluttering doesn't always have to refer to objects. Spring cleaning is also done in the app. This involves tidying up codes in the background and removing unnecessary legacy burdens.
We wish you lots of fun with your spring cleaning and until the next post,
your Alice
🍂 Cozy Autumn Leftover Cooking – Comfort dishes made from what's available
When the rain taps on the window and the tea cup becomes a permanent guest, the most beautiful kitchen time of the year begins: autumn. And what could be a better match than stylish leftover cooking – dishes that are not only sustainable but also truly exciting.
Autumn leftover cooking means: use instead of waste, but with a touch of sophistication. Here are some more unusual ideas to turn leftovers into small culinary highlights.
🧀 1. Pumpkin Gnocchi from leftover roasted vegetables
Do you have some leftover roasted pumpkin or sweet potato from the day before? Perfect!
Mash the vegetables, mix them with some flour, salt, and grated Parmesan, shape them into small gnocchi, and briefly cook them in salted water until they float to the surface. Then toss them in sage butter and top with chopped walnuts.
→ Tastes like Italy, looks like fine dining – and it's all made from leftovers!
🥖 2. Rustic bread salad with grapes and goat cheese
Tear stale bread into pieces, toast in olive oil until golden brown.
Add a few grapes (wrinkled ones are especially sweet), arugula or lamb's lettuce, crumbled goat cheese, and roasted hazelnuts. Mix with a dressing of balsamic vinegar, honey, and mustard.
→ A fall twist on the classic Panzanella – sweet, salty, crunchy, perfect!
🧅 3. French onion tart with leftover vegetables and puff pastry
Got some leftover puff pastry in the fridge? Make a tart out of it!
Caramelize onions in butter, add some leftover vegetables (e.g., leeks, mushrooms, or spinach). Spread on the pastry, top with a dollop of sour cream or cream cheese, and bake until golden brown.
→ Wonderfully aromatic, especially with thyme or rosemary.
🍎 4. Apple Sourdough French Toast with Vanilla Rum Butter
A piece of stale sourdough bread is soaked in a mixture of milk, egg, vanilla, and a dash of rum, fried in a pan, and served with fried apple slices and a rum butter.
→ Luxurious, yet made entirely from leftovers – perfect for a Sunday breakfast in pajamas.
🥬 5. Risotto made from leftover vegetables with lemon and herb oil
Chop the vegetable scraps finely and cook with a handful of rice into a creamy risotto.
A dash of lemon juice and some leftover herbs (parsley, basil, arugula) blended with oil make a fresh herb oil as a topping.
→ The acidity of the lemon beautifully enhances the earthy autumnal notes.
☕️ Bonus Tip: Using leftovers in a dessert glass
A few spoons of leftover compote?
Some leftover cake or cookies?
Layer it all with yogurt or mascarpone in a glass – and you have an autumnal "trifle" that looks like it came straight from a café in Copenhagen.
🍁 Conclusion
Autumnal leftover cooking is not a last resort, but a playground for creativity. When you look at ingredients with open eyes – not as leftovers, but as opportunities – small, exquisite dishes full of soul and flavor emerge.
Why we never stop refining Smantry ✨
At Smantry, we don't believe in 'finished'.
An app that is meant to accompany people in their daily lives is never complete – it grows, changes, and evolves. Just like the people who use it. 💛
We regularly pay attention to every detail:
How does a click feel? Is the path to a function clear enough? Does the idea behind a new view come across intuitively?
Sometimes it's just tiny things that make the difference – a better-placed button, a simplified overview, or a sentence that suddenly becomes clearer.
What drives us is the idea that Smantry should feel easy, familiar, and meaningful.
We want you to open the app and feel: "Ah, this is exactly how it should work."
Of course, not everything always goes perfectly. But that's exactly the point: We take the time to listen, to observe, to reconsider. Every piece of feedback, every use case, every new idea helps us to understand a little better what really matters.
Smantry is not a rigid product for us – it's a living process. A collaborative project that grows step by step.
And every update, every small improvement is a sign that we are on the right track:
A path to an app that doesn't feel like technology, but like support.
Towards a daily life that becomes simpler. Towards clarity, structure – and maybe even a bit of ease. 🌿
We're staying on it.
Because we are convinced that good things take time – and that it's worth creating them with heart.
Your
Smantry-Team
🌱 Staying on track made easy: How to stay motivated to create order and avoid food waste
We all know it: Initially, the motivation is high! You finally want to get your kitchen organized, keep an eye on your supplies, and shop more consciously. But after a few weeks, everyday life creeps back in – and the good resolutions start to falter.
With Smantry we want to support you not only in getting started, but also in sticking with it in the long term. 💪✨
1. Be aware of why you are doing this
Order and sustainability are not short-term trends – they grant you freedom, time, and a good feeling. If you know why you want to keep your supplies in check or throw away less food, it becomes much easier to stay consistent.
👉 Tip: Write down your 'why' in the app note or as a reminder.
2. Set small, achievable goals
Nobody becomes an organizing pro overnight. Start small:
- Today I'm just organizing the spice rack.
- Check the fridge this week.
- On your next shopping trip, purposefully buy only what you really need.
Small steps lead to success – and success motivates!
3. Make it easy for yourself – with smart helpers
Smantry automatically reminds you of expiring products, helps you keep track of your inventory, and assists you with shopping. This way, you have to think less and can enjoy more.
👉 The less effort required, the easier it is to stick with it!
4. Celebrate your progress 🎉
Creating order or avoiding waste is a process, not a sprint. Regularly review what you have already accomplished – you may already see that you need to throw away less or that your supply is finally manageable. That's great!
5. Make it part of your routine
Schedule fixed 'Smantry moments': for example, briefly check the inventory on Sundays or update the shopping list before going shopping. Routines provide structure and make sustainable actions a matter of course.
💚 Conclusion:
Motivation is not a perpetual flame – but with the right tools and habits, you can reignite it time and again.
With Smantry, you have a smart companion by your side that helps you stay organized, consume more consciously, and incidentally do something good for yourself and the environment.
More clarity when shopping: How Open Food Facts and the Smantry app make nutrition transparent
Many foods look healthy at first glance – but what's really inside them? Are the nutritional values balanced? How processed is a product? And what impact does it have on our environment?
This is exactly where the Smantry-App comes in: It uses the globally open database Open Food Facts, to give you immediate clarity when scanning your items. But what's actually behind the colorful labels like Nutri-Score, NOVA or Eco-Score, that you encounter in the app?
Let's take a closer look at the background.
Open Food Facts: From the Idea to a Global Database
The journey began in 2012 with the founding of Open Food Facts – a non-profit organization that collects, analyzes, and makes food information freely accessible worldwide. The goal from the beginning was to provide consumers with scientifically substantiated information.
What started as a small project has now become a global platform with millions of products. And it is precisely this data that the Smantry-App uses to give you a clear overview directly on your smartphone.
An overview of the most important scores
1. Nutri-Score – how healthy is my product?
Since 2016, the Nutri-Score has been legally established in France – and it has quickly spread throughout Europe.
- A (green) means: very balanced.
- E (red) means: unbalanced, enjoy in moderation.
The rating is based on calories, sugar, salt, saturated fats – but also on positive factors such as fiber, protein, and the proportion of vegetables.
👉 So in the Smantry app, you can see at a glance whether a food item fits into your everyday life – or perhaps should be on the table less often.
2. NOVA-Score – how processed is it?
Not only the ingredients, but also the degree of processing plays a significant role for health. This is exactly what the NOVA-Score (integrated into Open Food Facts since 2018) shows you:
- 1 = unprocessed or minimally processed (e.g., fresh fruit, plain yogurt)
- 2 = ingredients such as vegetable oils, sugar, flour
- 3 = processed foods (e.g., bread, cheese, canned goods)
- 4 = highly processed products ("Ultra-Processed Food"), often with additives, flavors, and industrial processes
👉 With the Smantry app, you can instantly tell if a product is still 'close to nature' – or if it falls into the category of being highly processed.
3. Eco-Score (soon to be Green-Score) – how sustainable is my shopping?
Since 2019, Open Food Facts also includes an environmental assessment: the Eco-Score. It takes into account, among other things:
- CO₂ emissions from production and transportation,
- Packaging and recyclability,
- Origin and seasonal factors.
The rating is – similar to the Nutri-Score – from A (very eco-friendly) to E (less sustainable).
By 2025, this will become the Green-Score, which will take into account even more detailed data and thus provide you with even better guidance for sustainable consumption.
👉 For you in the Smantry app, this means: You can see not only whether a food is healthy for you, but also whether it is good for our planet.
What this means for you as a Smantry user
Currently, you can scan your products in the Smantry-App and view many details. The scores themselves are not yet integrated – but the integration is planned.
This means: Soon you will be able to see not only the nutritional values of a product but also how healthy, processed, or sustainable it is – all directly in your app.
Conclusion: Your Smart Nutrition Compass
The colorful labels are much more than pretty symbols. They are your quick compass in everyday life – whether you want to shop with health consciousness, reduce highly processed products, or pay attention to the environment.
With the Smantry-App you already have strong support for more transparency while shopping. And with the planned integration of the scores, it will become even more valuable – your smart nutritional compass for the future.