Archive for October, 2007

October 9, 2007 | Cleaning tips

C’mon, it’s not that bad. Well, truth be told, I’m not much of a cleaning-lover either. You wouldn’t know it from reading the blog, but I don’t enjoy cleaning my home. It’s just not something that comes naturally to me. But I’ve found a few things that help. Take a look at mine, and if you’re like me you probably have some things you do to make it more enjoyable. Care to share?

• Music helps. A little upbeat music keeps me going when I feel like I just can’t conquer another task. Whether it’s an iPod or just the radio or CD player, music gets the blood flowing.
• Break it up. Limit yourself to 15 - 20 minutes so that you don’t get overwhelmed. Actually set a timer, and when time’s up, do something you enjoy. You can always return to scrubbing your bathtub later.
• Do tasks that give you an immediate sense of accomplishment. Shining your sink, vacuuming (if you have the plush carpet that shows your vacuum lines) - anything that gives you easily visible results, complete with instant gratification. Save things like cleaning the oven and the top of the ceiling fan for a day when you have help enlisted.
• Isolate the problem. If you hate cleaning because you don’t like the smell of bleach, then maybe it’s time to make the switch to all-naturals. Read more on this site to find out how to use vinegar, lemon juice, and other things to get most of your cleaning tasks done.
• Find help. Even if you can’t fit a maid into your monthly budget, you might be able to have one come a couple times a year to help you keep things manageable. If you’re in the Atlanta area, call us. We’re North East Atlanta’s green maids. Environmentally friendly, non-toxic, hypoallergenic. (Yes, that was a shameless plug. Sorry, but it had to happen.)

Now, come on. Tell me how you make cleaning fun.

October 5, 2007 | Allergies, asthma, Health, Lifestyle

Halloween is around the corner. Then Thanksgiving. Hanukka. Christmas. And that means autumn and winter holiday decorations. Does anyone in your family have allergies or asthma? Those dusty, musty decorations from the attic or basement could be triggers. When you get them down, take them out to the garage or the deck first. Remove them from their boxes there and dust them off before bringing them inside. Let the allergens stay outside so that you’re bringing the family memorabilia inside, free of triggers.

October 3, 2007 | Kitchen, Kids clean, Vinegar, Essential oils, Cleaning tips, Cleaning products

Shannon asked for this one. Now first of all, I can do this because my cleaners are 100% non-toxic, safe. If yours aren’t (like, if you use, say Formula 409) then I’d certainly recommend keeping them in their own ugly containers, locked in a cabinet that the kids can’t get to.

But, if you use safe household cleaners, like diluted vinegar with essential oils or Barefoot Home Essentials, most kitchen supply stores sell oil misters. I like to put some olive oil infused with fresh herbs in mine since my Calphalon cookware doesn’t like aerosol cooking sprays. But, you can also use one for your all-purpose cleaner (that is, if it’s non-toxic). The reason I caution you from putting anything toxic in it is simple. Your mother-in-law comes to visit and is cooking in your kitchen and !whoops!, or your kids are playing with what they found on the counter and —EEK— Call poison control!

The one pictured to the right is from Williams-Sonoma, but I’ve seen them in ceramic and all sorts of other pretty appearances in kitchen stores and even grocery stores.  If you use something toxic as an all-purpose, by all means keep it locked up tight. But if you use all-naturals, or if you’re willing to try it, put some diluted vinegar in there. Add some orange zest and a cinnamon stick, and you’ve got a pretty, sweet-smelling cure for most germs and grime.

That’s what works for me. Head over to Shannon’s place for more ideas.

October 1, 2007 | asthma, Health

So, your young kids have a cough and over-the-counter meds are now off-limits, thanks to the FDA’s recent announcement. So what do you do to get them to sleep at night?

I read somewhere that you can put Vicks VapoRub on your kids’ feet (or your own) to stop the coughing. Cover with socks or footed onesie pajamas, and you’re good to go.  I tried it last night - both on myself and my 3 year-old. And guess what? Her incessant coughing stopped. Coughing that the inhaler didn’t work on, and that the humidifier didn’t help. About 5 minutes after I slathered some on her feet she’d stopped coughing and was fast asleep. And me? I slept pretty well too, but then I wasn’t coughing to begin with. I’m just one of those weird moms that doesn’t like to try things on my kids unless I’ve tried it myself.

Anyhow, you can read more about VapoRub on the soles of the feet here (and other entirely weird uses for the Vick’s goop).