Allergies

7 Vacuum Maintenance And Safety Tips

by Jennifer | No Comments Friday, November 2, 2012

Having a good vacuum is essential in keeping your home clean and well maintained. But if you find yourself needing to buy a new one more than every few years, chances are it is not being properly cared for. Keeping your vacuum in great condition is relatively simple, and does not require a great deal of time. Safety is also a very important factor, as it can be very easy to hurt yourself, others, and your belongings if not used properly.

-Check The Beater Bar Regularly

The beater bar is the long round bar at the bottom of your vacuum with the bristles all over it. Check it often and make sure there isn’t a buildup of hair and string wrapped around it that can affect the efficiency of your vacuum.

-If Your Vacuum Is Bagless, Empty The Cannister After Each Use

Emptying the cannister after each use will keep your vacuum from building up unsightly smells, and in some cases bacteria that can be redistributed throughout your home. Yuck! Also, if your cannister gets full while you are vacuuming, stop to empty it out. The more full it is, the harder the motor will have to work, and that will wear it out quicker than it should.

-Keep Your Filters Clean

Having a filthy filter, like having a full cannister, will cause your vacuum motor to work harder and will wear it down faster. After every time you vacuum, take the filter(s) outside and shake them out. Every once in a while you will want to wash them, but be very careful to make sure they are 100% dry before putting back in, or they will mildew and make everything smell.

-Never Yank A Cord From A Distance To Unplug

Always unplug directly from the outlet. Yanking the cord can bend the plug and/or wear down the cord itself, exposing wires that could lead to electrical shock.

-Don’t Vacuum A Wet Surface

If there is a wet area on the floor, leave it alone! Vacuuming over a wet area can cause an electrical shock to you, and do damage to your vacuum that will need professional repairs.

-When Using The Hose Attachment, Hold The Vacuum At An Angle

Leaving your vacuum flat on the floor for any amount of time will run you the risk of burning the carpet and possibly the hardwood/tile. However, there are some models that will automatically turn off the beater bar when the hose is used, so if you have one of those you should be good to go. But just to be safe, turn the vacuum on its side when the hose is out to make sure it is still working properly.

-Last But Not Least: Keep Away From Children!

Do not let small children operate your vacuum, or be within close vicinity when you are using it. Their clothing can get caught in it, and best case scenario will just damage the clothes.

For more great tips on keeping your vacuum in top shape, Check Out About.com’s Vacuum Care and Maintenance Tips!

 

 

Why I’m Glad I Went Green With My Home Cleaning

by Jennifer | No Comments Monday, July 2, 2012

Going green with the products you use in your home is a great idea for you, your family, and your pets. Something just happened in my life that is a great example of the benefits of using as little chemicals as possible, and I wanted to share it with you.

My sister-in-law Katelyn has this adorable little dog. Fleas are a big problem in their area, so she is diligent in keeping up with his flea medicine. On his last treatment, she went with a different brand because it was on sale, and almost immediately her entire body broke out into these painful, itchy welts. Flea medicine is designed not to be washed off easily and spread throughout the body, so before she knew it, there were traces of it all over the house. Everywhere she sat, even laying in her bed, made her break out more. So she spent the evening at a friend’s house so her mother could try to clean everything, and she realized that even being away, she was still having reactions to things that never used to bother her, such as fabric softener on bedsheets, and bleach that had been used in the bathroom.

In my home, we use a homemade all purpose cleaner with vinegar, water, and peppermint oil (Click Here for a guide to making your own green housecleaning kit.) We even make our own laundry soap, which you can cheaply and easily do by following These Easy Instructions. We have two children, so we like to keep our home free of unnecessary chemicals, especially when what we use is just as/even more effective. And the money we save is a great perk!

We invited Katelyn to stay with us until everything was ok for her to go back home, and during her stay here she has not broken out, and the welts all over her body are quickly subsiding and becoming less irritating. I’m glad we made the choice to stop wasting our money on standard cleaners, and the fact that my home is the only place Katelyn can be without breaking out is a testament to what a better choice it really is.

For other ways to green your home, check out our blog on Keeping Chemicals Out Of Your Drain!

How To Reduce Pet Allergens In Your Home

by Jennifer | No Comments Thursday, March 22, 2012

Even if you are not allergic to pets, they can still cause problems, especially in the springtime when every other allergy culprit is making it’s way to you. These issues are caused by dander, the loose, flaky skin that animals shed. But your furry friend still needs loads of love, so here are some ways to reduce the pet allergens in your home to keep everyone happy and as sneeze-free this spring as possible!

1. Keep Them Out Of Bedrooms

As sweet as it is to snuggle with your pet, the dander can settle into your bedsheets and clothes, making it impossible to avoid any reactions. Give them their own bed in another room of the house.

2. Let Them Play Outside Often

Most pets don’t want to be couped up in the house all day and night, and who could blame them, you wouldn’t want to be confined either! So let them outside frequently when the weather permits, so they shed some of that dander outdoors.

3. Don’t let them crawl all over the furniture.

Upholstry is a magnet for dander and hair, so unless you are ok with vacuuming your furniture every day, it is usually best to not let them on the couch.

4. Keep Them Cleaned And Groomed

If you can afford it, get your pet professionally groomed every week or two. If you have time, do it on your own. If you have a cat that will not let you put him in water, there are powdered shampoos you can try. And having good tools really helps, such as a brush with wire bristles that will lift the dander, and one with regular bristles to grab everything and smooth the fur.

5. Vacuum and Dust Often

With a pet in the home, the floors and upholstry should be cleaned at least 2 times a week or more, depending on how many animals and people reside there. Maintaining your home will keep the allergens to a minimum.

How To Deep Clean Your Bedroom In 8 Steps

by Jennifer | No Comments Thursday, March 15, 2012

It can be easy to skip out on deep cleaning your bedroom. After all, it’s not a kitchen or bathroom, right? Ok, maybe it’s not as intensive as deep cleaning one of those, but you spend more time in it than any other room, so it deserves some TLC here and there. If you are cleaning your home on your own, we recommend doing this deep clean quarterly, then keeping it up with dusting and spot cleaning in between. For this deep cleaning, we recommend opening your windows a little to keep the air circulating, so there will be minimum resettling of dust.

1. Use An Extendable Duster To Clean The Ceiling

Before you do anything else, dust the ceiling fan, crown moulding, and remove any cobwebs with an extendable duster. This way, everything will fall onto surfaces and your bed before they are clean.

2. Clean Your Bed

Strip your sheets and bedskirt, and throw in the washer. If anything is dry-clean only, take it a day or two in advance so that it will be ready today, and use your backup linens/comforter in the meantime. Take a spray bottle with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of baking soda filled to the top with water and spray on your mattress and pillows until slightly damp. This will remove unsightly odors and freshen up everything. You can add a little scent to the baking soda mix if you like, but if you are sensitive, just leave it as is. Make your bed at the very end of your deep clean, making sure the mattress and pillows are completely dry.

3. Clean Blinds, Windows, and Sills

Carefully dust your blinds and window sills with a microfiber rag, to minimize tossing dust up in the air. With a clean rag and a spray bottle with 2 tablespoons vinegar, a few drops of essential oil of your choice (optional) filled to the top with water, remove any spots from your blinds, windows, and sills.

4.  Doors, Door Frames and Switchplates

With the Vinegar solution, go around and clean all door frames, doors, door handles, and switchplates. These are commonly touched areas that can harbor viruses and bacteria. Vinegar is naturally anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal, so it will not only make those areas look sparkling, but will sanitize them as well.

5. Dust Wall Decor

With a microfiber rag, dust every item on your wall carefully. If possible, gently pull the decor away from the wall and dust behind it.

6. Dust Furniture

A good trick is to take every item off of your dresser and tables first. This way, when you put everything back, you are less likely to put everything back as clutter, and find a new home for everything you don’t need sitting out. Go around with a microfiber cloth and dust every piece of furniture, including the sides and any detail work. Don’t forget the headboard and footboard! As you put all decor and necessities back on your furniture, dust each item as well.

7. Wash Your Baseboards

Using the vinegar mixture and a rag, wash all basebaords. Move furniture away from the wall if possible.

8. Vacuum/Sweep And Mop Floors

If you have carpet, use the hose attachment of your vacuum to go around all edges, corners, and underneath all furniture before doing the main area. If you are sweeping and mopping, be sure and get every possible nook and cranny.

Healthier Alternatives For Common Ingredients In Baking

by Jennifer | No Comments Monday, February 27, 2012

Baking is all about experimenting. For those of us who don’t bake regularly, it’s great knowing that someone else discovered these great ingredient swaps. But we encourage everyone to at least be familiar with it, and do it as often as you can manage. While some of these substitutions are for people with food allergies, they are all healthier alternatives that will greatly reduce the amount of fat and calories in your recipe, without sacrificing any taste or texture. We regularly stick to these in my home, and you can’t tell the difference! These amounts are generalized to one cup, so you will need to convert them to fit your recipe. Bonus: if you are baking and find yourself without some of these main ingredients, you now know how to keep going without ruining the recipe!

-Applesauce for oil

Use 2/3 the amount of applesauce in place of oil. Example: 2/3 cup of applesauce instead of 1 cup of oil.

-Yogurt For Butter

Convert half of each half needed. Example: for every cup of butter needed, instead use 1/2 cup of butter and 1/4 cup of yogurt.

-Peanut Butter And Bananas For Butter

Convert evenly. Example: for every cup of butter needed, use 1/2 cup of peanut butter and 1/2 cup of bananas.

-Vinegar For Buttermilk

For every cup of buttermilk needed, simply put 1 tbsp. of vinegar in a cup, fill to top with skim milk.

-Half and Half for Heavy Cream

Supstitute and equal amount of half and half for cream.

Do you have any baking subsitutions that you swear by? We would love to know about it!