A Clean Cozy Homemade Bagel Brunch

This weekend, my family and I got together to celebrate my older sister’s birthday. We have a lot of birthdays to celebrate in the Fall, so whenever one comes up, we go through the debate between suburbs or city? Go to a restaurant or cook? Brunch or dinner?

After the week we all had, I was so glad we decided on a cozy brunch in the city. Especially when my brother and Ali offered to make the homemade bagels they made for Christmas ? That being said, having guests over (even if it’s just family) means that you have to clean your place before AND after!

Luckily, I’ve been wanting to share my new cleaning discovery: Lemi Shine. Have you guys heard of this brand? All of their products are powered by 100% natural citric extracts… aka safe products that you can feel good about. You all know that I like to read ingredients in my food, so why wouldn’t I start reading ingredients in my cleaning supplies? This whole line passes the test. Non-toxic, biodegradable, no weird chemicals. AND it gets the job done. BOOM.

Before I chat any more about Lemi Shine, I know I need to acknowledge these homemade bagels. How do I know? Because I got a ton of DMs on Instagram asking for the recipe on Sunday! You can see how we made them for Christmas in this post – but the recipe is originally from A Beautiful Mess. They are seriously so soft and chewy. Better than any other bagels here in Chicago! (Spoken like a true New York bagel lover ?)

But back to the party! As I mentioned, cozy get-togethers mean you have to clean before… but it also means you have to clean AFTER. And if you’re making bagels, you better believe flour is going to get all over your kitchen and you’ll probably need to clean during, too. But don’t stress! Lemi Shine’s Everyday Cleaner is perfect for all of those instances.

 

I mean, wouldn’t you want to go to this party?!

Want a quick laugh? When I first got these products, I saw the word “surface” on the Glass & Surface Cleaner bottle and assumed I’d use it on… well, ALL surfaces. Turns out this bad boy is meant for windows, mirrors, appliances, wood and tile. I would say ‘woops’ – except this mistake was kind of a bonus because it works on countertops beautifully, too!

I know non-toxic products aren’t at the top of everyone’s priority list, but when munchkins like my little nephew are coming to the party, it’s nice to know I’m using safe cleaning supplies. Any Mama followers out there? Do you guys look at the ingredients before purchasing cleaning supplies?

And last but not least, doing the dishes is easier with these Lemi Shine Dishwashing Detergent Pods. They come in those easy peasy pods you love, but these have 2 pouches. The “dual chamber” (one with powder/one with gel) creates magic in the dishwasher – I seriously have never found anything that works as well as these. AND they’re made from 100% natural citric extracts instead of all the harmful chemicals other brands use. I love that their tagline is “Dishes so clean you can eat off of them.” What a concept, right?!

Do you guys ever host cozy gatherings? How do you prep your apartment? Do you like the products you use to clean any mess up after?

And my last question…

Want to try Lemi Shine products?!

If you live in Chicago, they’re available at Jewel-Osco and Target. You can also use their store locater to find the retailer closest to you. And if you DO try them, make sure to use a coupon! There are some really good ones available – and who doesn’t like a good deal?!

*This post was sponsored by Lemi Shine, but (as always) all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Lake Shore Lady possible.