Monday, September 19, 2011
Organize Your Measuring Spoons and Cups
If you don't mind putting holes in your cabinet, this is a great idea to keep organized. I am always searching for my measuring spoons and cups.
Picture and idea from here. I might try this with that sticky picture hanger tape instead of screws
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Store Sheets Neatly Away
Sheets folded and stuffed into the matching pillow case.
If I could get them to fit, this would be a great idea!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Helpful Home Economic Tutorials
Super quick housekeeping instructionals to watch and read. Although they are not made specifically for young people, I think they are helpful for tweens and up, who are just learning to do housekeeping chores.
Indira Fernandez with Cinderella's Cleaning Services in Houston, Texas(videos and transcripts):
How to Vacuum Efficiently
15-Minute Bathroom Cleanup
How to Do a 15-Minute Kitchen Cleanup
Saturday, August 20, 2011
The War on Dust
Eight Strategies to Reduce Dust in the Home :
1. Keep closet floors clear for easy cleaning.
2. Upgrade your furnace filter
3. Rotate bedding weekly
4. Capture dust — don't just spread it around.
5. Beat and shake area rugs.
6. Take cushions out for a beating.
7. Clean the air while you clean house.
8. Match the vacuum to the flooring.
See entire article here.
I've begun vacuuming the beds as well. When possible, I air out the house while cleaning. What do you do to fight dust in the home?
Saturday, July 16, 2011
One Step Tile, Stone, and Grout Cleaner & Resealer
A salesperson at Ace Hardware recommended TileLab's One Step Cleaner & Resealer for my tile floors in the bathrooms. Our tile work is relatively new, and I wanted to keep the grout looking new. In the past, I've used bleach or bleach based products and a stiff brush on grout, but this product is much easier. I looked up the toxicity, and it's made with non-hazardous materials(low VOCs). All I had to do was spray it on and wipe up. It was easy on my hands as well. This was a great find and really delivers.
Amazon carries it, but unfortunately, there is no free shipping. Amazon customer reviews are five out of five stars for performance. This product may be available at the big box stores. I know the Ace and True Value hardware stores carry it.
Friday, June 24, 2011
DIY Carpet Dry-cleaning For Wool Rugs
I found a Capture carpet dry clean kit at Lowe's which contained a spray and powder. The spray goes on first followed by a lemon scented powder. I used a stiff broom to spread it around into the rug fibers, waited a half hour, and vacuumed with my heavy duty Rainbow vacuum. It worked quite well. The dirt from my bagless vacuum's water capture bowl was like mud! I had no idea the rug was that dirty. Tomorrow I'll use the Capture on two bedroom rugs, also Persian wool. I'd recommend this product for wool rugs. You do need a very strong suction vacuum to pick up the fine particulates. My bagless stick vacuum could not handle it(clogged), so I had to lug out my heavy beast vacuum.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Care of Painted Floors
Harper's Home Economics
Author Sarah Josephine MacLeod
Publisher Harper & Brothers, 1918
Some vintage advice for the care of painted floors:
Floors and Floor Coverings
"Fortunately the day of nailed-down carpets is almost gone. The sooner all carpets are replaced by rugs the better. Carpets which cover the entire floor hold dust and are hard to clean. Rugs take as much dust for the surface they cover, but the surface is not so great, and they are cleaned much more easily.
Even though a floor is of soft wood, the cracks can be filled and three or four coats of good paint applied. If this surface is covered with one large rug, or with several smaller ones placed where there is the most traffic, the finish will last well. Painted soft-wood floors are not as desirable as hard-wood floors, but they are preferable to carpeted floors.
Painted floors.—To keep these in good condition they should be swept with a soft-hair brush and dusted with a dry mop or duster. Occasionally they may be washed with a slightly moistened cloth."
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Eco-Friendly Household Bug Killer
I buy my Greens Works at Family Dollar. I got a huge stock pile of the stuff when they had a clearance sale, 50% off. A large dilutable bottle usually runs about $3.00.
Printable 50 cent off coupon here.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Free ebook: Homestead Simplicity: A Primer
HT to Pawpaw Holler
Friday, January 22, 2010
Housekeeping workbook--how to do it--house care and cleaning
Author Lydia Ray Balderston
Publisher J.B. Lippincott company, 1935
Length 98 pages
To Make Dustless Dusters
cheesecloth to size of dusters. Prepare mixture:
One pt. hot water (very hot).
1/4 c. lemon-oil.
Stir oil in hot water.
Press in 4 or 5 pieces of cheesecloth.
Work oil and water into cloth.
Squeeze dry.
Hang to dry.
Read more tips here(Table of Contents). In public domain, and free to read online or download.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Saving Money with a Wringer Washer
And just when you thought there wasn't anything more that you could cut back on in your budget. Don't laugh, but supposedly these old washers save time and money! See this article by Pat Veretto over at the Dollar Stretcher.
Pat reports that wringer washers use much less water, less detergent, and take half the time of a modern washer to clean the clothes.
Check ebay, craigslist, and Google for reconditioned or working wringer washers. Lehman's sells new wringer washers if you don't mind the expense.
Something to consider: A few commenters mentioned that some of these old wringer washers can be dangerous, especially for children in that the wringer can pull your hand through if you are not careful. Lehman's sells a "safe" wringer. They don't mention how it is safer than other wringers, but they do answer questions.
And there is always this option.
How to Use a Washboard and How To Wash Clothes On a Washboard
Pictured: Lehman's Washboards and see
The Columbus Washboard Company which "has been making washboards since 1895 and is the only manufacturer still operating in the United States of America today", and they double as musical instruments, Yeehaw! Interesting links at this site. Includes a U.K. link to a soap and washboard site.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
More Canning Jar Labels
Click on images to enlarge and copy.
More here.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Update: Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap in the Dishwasher?
I was too lazy to make up the recipe(see original post), so I placed a few squirts of my 50/50 Dr. Bronner's Castile soap mixture which I use for the bathroom in the dishwasher's detergent dispenser. I refilled the rinse dispenser with vinegar, and the dishes came out fairly clean. I had more plastics than glass this time, but the few glasses that were washed came out clean without any film, and no spots. I did find one glass bowl in the back which still had a bit of oatmeal film. I plan to add more castile soap(70/30) to the mix in order to see if this improves the cleaning power. It still did a good job.
I just got an awesome new dishwasher, so that maybe a contributing factor to the great results here. It's not an expensive one, but it's a nice new Kenmore with lots of fancy jets. I run my dishes on the ecocycle, so it's less water than the normal or heavy wash cycle, and still they look great.
I think what I'll do is use the Sal Suds for the really greasy jobs, and continue to use the castile soap for everyday dishes. I'll keep using these products because of their cost effectiveness and eco-friendliness, not to mention other factors which made me feel good about this product. Dr. Bronner's is certified organic and fair trade, American made, and is still a family owned business that has not sold out to big corporations. A company with integrity, a rare gem, and I'm happy to help them with my purchases of their quality products.
Note: Don't try regular liquid soap, it will bubble too much and possibly break your dishwasher.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Review: Dr. Bronner Eco-Friendly Sal Suds in the Dishwasher
I picked up Dr. Bronner Sal Suds at a local health food store primarily to use on the floors, in the kitchen, and as an eco-friendly replacement for dishwasher and laundry detergent. So far I'm loving it as a laundry detergent, and tonight I tried it in the dishwasher. I had been mulling over the idea of using Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap in the dishwasher until I discovered his Sal Suds which is a better grease cutter, more effective on greasy dishes. From the bottle:
Sal Suds is a balanced formulation of naturally derived surfactants with pure fir and spruce essential oils: it cleans and rinses with exceptional power, yet is mild and gentle on the skin. Sal Suds is not soap-based and is formulated especially for all-purpose hard-surface cleaning.
--Perfect for general household cleaning: dishes, floors, laundry, etc.
--Equally effective in hard or soft water, rinsing freely, hot or cold.
--Concentrated and self-preserving: no hidden preservatives or ingredients.
--No synthetic dyes or fragrances: all ingredients fully disclosed and described.
--Biodegrades rapidly after doing its job. Pure high-quality fir and spruce essential oils: no cheap harsh pine stump oil.
--No animal testing: Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics certified
Directions
1. A few drops in a gallon of water removes all sprays from fruits and vegetables.
2. 1/4 oz. does a sink full of dishes.
3. 1/4 oz. in a basin of warm water cleans all your undies.
4. 1 oz. in a pail of water will clean your house and car from top to bottom.
5. For extra heavy jobs, cut it in half or use it straight.
6. Pour some on a fabric stain and watch it disappear.
7. Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds will also disappear-naturally-after it has done its job, without affecting nature's balance.
Don't drink!. Keep out of eyes!. Sal Suds is an all-purpose cleaner, and is not intended for everyday body-washing use.
Results: Excellent! I winged it on the amount to add, and squirted about a teaspoon and a half into the detergent dispenser, then I filled the rinse dispenser with vinegar. The dishes are as clean as if I had used Cascade. There was no film on the dishes or glasses. I'm not even sure they needed the vinegar rinse, but it can't hurt. I'll try it without next time to see if there is a difference.
An excellent place to buy Dr. Bronner's online is Vitacost. Their shipping is a flat fee of $4.99 within the Continental U.S. only, excluding Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico. I noticed that they ship Internationally as well.
Here is the link for finding Dr. Bronner's products outside of the U.S. It is sold by distributors in the U.K., Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Norway.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Bon Ami: An Old Fashioned Favorite and Non-Toxic All Purpose Household Cleaner
Bon Ami is non-toxic, allergy and earth friendly made of mild natural abrasives: sodium carbonate(washing soda), calcium carbonate and feldspar. Non-abrasive Bon Ami cleanser can be used for all household cleaning. First made in 1886, it has been a household staple for many years. Check Bon Ami's availability at stores here. Prices average about $ 1.50 for a 14 ounces can.
More information for multiple uses for this green product here. There are two products, the original 1886 formula( no detergent or bleach) and the polishing cleanser( biodegradable detergent and no chlorine). These products are phosphate free. The polishing cleanser is easier to locate in brick and mortar stores.
Collection of cute Bon Ami vintage advertisements.
Health and safety information on Bon Ami, rating of one.
A October 31, 2007 interview with Lynn Tondat Ruggeri, Ph.D. via Townnews.com, author of "Safer for Your Baby: A Guide to Living Better with Fewer Chemicals: When asked what parents should do to handle serious cleaning situations, such as blood, bathroom substances and raw poultry, Ruggeri said, "Between Bon Ami, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and castile soap, you can clean most everything from pans and ovens to countertops, walls and floors." Bon Ami, French for "good friend," is a 120-year-old powdered cleaner made from the mineral feldspar. Read more here.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Dr. Bronner's Soap in the Automatic Dishwasher?
Has anyone tried Dr. Bronner's Castile soap in their dishwasher? I was thinking of trying just a smidgen with some baking soda.
Wait! I finally found a recipe after searching Google forever:
Method:
Stir all ingredients together until blended. Store in a squirt top bottle. Use 2 tablespoons per load of dishes, shake well before use.
*A similar recipe from Flylady(see link below) lists 1/2 cup of castile, not 2 cups. I'm not sure which is appropriate, so I'd experiment with less rather than more.
Although I've read some criticisms of Dr. Bronner's All-Purpose Castile soap as a shampoo, mainly that it left the hair with a greasy film, one very interesting comment mentioned that Dr. Bronner's may work best as a shampoo on curly haired folks. Hmmm, maybe that's why it's been working well on my curly top daughter. I just began using it on my curly hair as well - no greasy film. I liked the tip about adding tea tree oil(blemishes, oil control) and/or glycerine(moisturizer). I've got both on hand, so I'll try this.
Here's another Bronner's Natural Dishwasher Soap Recipe , and check out her Natural Carpet Cleaner Recipe using Bronner's!
I also saw the recipe over at FlyLady.
We've been phasing in Dr. Bronner's All-Purpose Castile soap for our household and personal cleaning needs some time now. The children use it for their hair and body, and my son cleans his bathroom with it. I'll be adding it to the liquid soap dispensers after I've used up my soft soap.
I'm going to try this recipe for the dishwasher just as soon as I get a chance. See update.
See more tips at Work-for-me Wednesdays.