Category Archives: Cleaning

We all lead busy lives. Between work, school, family obligations and general needs like running errands on the weekend, it can seem like the chance to sit down and take a breather isn’t going to happen anytime soon. When you’re looking to make your life easier, consider trying these.

You hear about it on the news, especially this time of year. It’s something that lurks on shopping carts, door knobs and gas station pumps. It’s something that can make you and your loved ones sick. Yes, it’s germs. Bacteria, viruses and e-coli thrive in these areas, but you know that already, so you take precautions not to touch your face while pushing the grocery cart. But those aren’t the only places where germs hang out. Here are 10 places in your home that are among the germiest – some may be places you have not even considered.

When you think mildew, you probably also think mold.  And while they are similar in nature and both thrive in damp environments, they are actually two different types of fungi.  Mold is easily recognizable as dark gray or black spots of varying sizes.  Mildew, on the other hand, is light gray or white in color and more powdery in texture.  It is also less harmful than mold, which can cause respiratory ailments and trigger allergies.

Pianos have the unique quality of being both a musical instrument and a piece of furniture.  Whether it’s an upright or a grand, the amount of work and craftsmanship that goes into building a piano is extraordinary.  As such, pianos need to be treated and cared for more delicately than other pieces of furniture so as not to damage or alter the quality of their sound.

Ah. Candlelight. So pretty. But, it’s not so great when you turn on the lights and discover that you have a candle wax spill or puddle. Here are some tips for cleaning up candle wax drips.

Let’s start with candle wax on clothing. Oops. Don’t you hate when you drip wax on your favorite blouse or blazer?

You spray, scrub and scour your shower, but did you ever think to look up and clean that showerhead?  Just like the rest of your shower, the showerhead can fall victim to vicious mineral deposits, soap scum, mold and mildew.  The water that you are cleaning yourself with comes out of the holes of that showerhead.  Don’t you want it to be clean?



We’ve all been there.  You come home after a long day at work or from shuttling your children around and the phone rings.  It’s your husband calling to say that he is bringing a work buddy home for a drink.  Or, perhaps it’s your mother-in-law who wants to pop by to see the kids.  Either way, you feel compelled to tidy up your house just a bit.  After all, you don’t want people to think that you live in complete chaos all the time. 

Ten minutes is all you need to transform your house just enough to leave a favorable impression. 

While doing laundry in modern day isn’t as grueling as dragging clothes against washboards, the task of washing clothes can be dull and sometimes frustrating. With random stains, unbeatable wrinkles and the time consumption of the chore, there just has to be an easier way to make the dull job go a little faster and easier.

With some helpful hints, you can make laundry less frustrating and a little more refreshing.

Hand washing a sweater isn’t as difficult as you might think.  In fact, if your sweaters are cashmere, wool or silk, it’s an absolute necessity (unless you are willing to pay $7 a pop at the dry cleaners). 

Don’t even consider placing them in the washing machine.  These fabrics are far too delicate to hold up.  You risk shrinking, tearing and perhaps a misshapen garment if you do so. 

Have you ever stopped to consider whether the toys your child bathes with are clean?  I think most of us assume that since the toys are sitting in warm soapy water they can’t be that dirty.  Wrong!  I was horrified when I learned that bath toys and infant baby toys in general are among the dirtiest and most germ filled items in your home.