Household Tips

The Consumer Product Safety Coalition published this list of wonderful advice for staying safe around the house this holiday season!

Trees and Decorations:

— When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label “Fire Resistant.” Although this label does not mean the tree won’t catch fire, it does indicate the tree is more resistant to burning.

— When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and do not break when bent between your fingers. The bottom of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.

— When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Because heated rooms dry out live trees rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic, and do not block doorways.

— Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.

— In homes with small children, take special care to avoid sharp or breakable decorations, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children who could swallow or inhale small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.

— To avoid eye and skin irritation, wear gloves when decorating with spun glass “angel hair.”

— To avoid lung irritation, follow container directions carefully while decorating with artificial snow sprays.

Lights:

— Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a nationally-recognized testing laboratory, such as UL or ETL/ITSNA. Use only newer lights that have thicker wiring and are required to have safety fuses to prevent the wires from overheating.

— Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets.

— If using an extension cord, make sure it is rated for the intended use.

— Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.

— When using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use and only plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protected receptacles or a portable GFCI.

— Turn off all holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

Candles:

— Keep burning candles within sight.

— Keep lighted candles away from items that can catch fire and burn easily, such as trees, other evergreens, decorations, curtains and furniture.

— Always use non-flammable holders and keep away from children and pets.

— Extinguish all candles before you go to bed, leave the room or leave the house.

Fireplaces:

— Use care with “fire salts,” which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that, if eaten, can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting. Keep them away from children.

— Do not burn wrapping paper or plastic items in the fireplace. These materials can ignite suddenly and burn intensely, resulting in a flash fire.

— Place a screen around your fireplace to prevent sparks from igniting nearby flammable materials.

Get a free brochure with holiday decorating and toy safety tips at CPSC’s web site http://www.cpsc.gov.

It isn’t terribly often that the CDC endorses a product, but they have basically done that. I have not been a big fan of hand sanitizers… This is making me think twice!

Every three minutes, a child puts a hand in his/her nose or mouth. Considering that some viruses and bacteria can live two hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks that children touch throughout the day, it is easy to see how clean hands are critical to avoiding sickness.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps in avoiding getting sick and spreading germs to others. With the common cold accounting for nearly 22 million school days lost annually, according to the CDC, this is a critical time for parents to teach–or remind–the whole family of proper hand hygiene.

“There are plenty of unwashed hands out there. Only one in five of us does the job properly,” says Dr. Charles Gerba, Professor of Environmental Microbiology at the University of Arizona. “Everyone needs to be sure they understand how to wash properly and how and when to use alcohol-based instant hand sanitizers such as PURELL(R).”

Effective hand hygiene practices include washing hands frequently with soap and water and, when soap and water are not available, using an alcohol-based instant hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol. PURELL(R) Instant Hand Sanitizer kills 99.99% of the most common germs that may cause illness.

Everyone, no matter what age, can benefit from a hand hygiene refresher during cold and flu season. It comes down to three basic steps:

1. Tell your children why clean hands are so important. Proper hand hygiene is critical to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.

2. Show your children how to wash hands properly, according to CDC instructions:
— Wet your hands with clean, warm water and apply soap.
— Rub hands together to create lather and scrub all surfaces (including between fingers and under nails).
— Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds (about the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday).
— Rinse hands under running water.
— Always dry hands thoroughly.

3. Help your children keep clean anywhere they are. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based instant hand sanitizers such as PURELL(R) effectively kill 99.99% of germs that may cause illness. There is no evidence that germs become resistant to alcohol — the main ingredient in PURELL(R) — or to other antibiotics as a result of using alcohol-based instant hand sanitizers. Show children how to use hand sanitizers properly:

— Apply alcohol-based hand sanitizer to the palm of one hand.
— Rub hands together — so that product covers all surfaces of hands and fingers — until hands are dry.

Then: remind, remind, remind. Encourage your children to wash their hands frequently throughout the day, particularly before eating, and after using the bathroom and playing outside. Check with your school to see if you can send your older children in with a travel-size container of PURELL(R) to carry in their backpack, for quick and easy hand cleansing when soap and water are not readily available.

Our friends at Crest (of all places), have come up with some interesting tips for building the perfect stocking. While my favorite source will always be the dollar store, there are some gread ideas in this list!

For many, the traditional stocking (and included stocking stuffers) is the best part of Christmas morning. Whether it’s tradition for you to open your stocking before or after the bigger gifts, the little surprises found inside often inspire laughter, kisses or yelps of excitement. Just as fun as discovering your own stocking is the opportunity to create the perfect stocking for friends and family.

Keys to creating fabulous stockings are to think outside of the box and have fun! Below are some tips from SpinBrush(R) for stuffing a stocking with care:

– Stockings can be inexpensive: Stock up when favorite items are on sale.

– Create a theme stocking: Create a stocking theme that matches the recipient’s personality or interests, such as:

* For your “HERO” - This stocking might include a ‘Greatest Dad/Mom’ mug, superhero apparel or figures and a DVD set of any superhero flick or show.

* For Travelers - For the person who is always jet setting, suggestions include an alarm clock, a Crest(R) SpinBrush(R) Slim, a manicure set, a passport holder, a pack of cards, a stress ball, luggage tags, a paperback and a journal.

* For Pet Lovers’ - This stocking might include stationery, a calendar, cat/dog socks, a picture frame, a figurine and fuzzy slippers.

* For the Foodie - Gourmet nuts, cookie cutters, the latest kitchen gadget, a wine cork, a potholder, dishtowels and mints make a stocking that would thrill any food enthusiast.

* The “Kid” - An ‘adult’ stocking that celebrates childhood. A
slinky, crayons, bubbles, coloring books, candy and animated movies will take the recipient back to a simpler time in life.

* For the Gym Lover - This stocking is stuffed with the latest in exercise accessories and equipment. Smaller, ’stuffable’ items include a pedometer, an exercise band, an energy bar, an mp3 player and a water bottle.

– Stockings aren’t just for mantles anymore: Tradition says that stockings are ‘hung by the chimney with care.’ To add festive cheer, however, display stockings on the Christmas tree, a coat rack, the front door, along staircase railings or in other open spaces throughout the house.

– Start a tradition: Every year, fill a stocking with a collector’s item that the receiver would appreciate, such as a limited baseball card, a charm for a bracelet, an action figure or a special coin.

And while you’re preparing, remember these handy tips for wrapping your gifts!

Here’s something I don’t usually think about…. With all the extra folks wandering around your house during the holidays, your home is sure to become a haven for germs. The Maids Home Services has some tips for keeping those pesky germs at bay and keeping your home safe from viruses during the holidays.

– Wash your hands regularly in warm, soapy water. Place antibacterial hand sanitizer in plain view for guests to use. Make an effort not to touch your mouth, nose or eyes without first washing your hands.
– Spray disinfecting spray on a cloth and wipe all hard surfaces — doorknobs, appliance handles, keyboards, remote controls, light switches, phones, facial tissue box covers, tables, chairs and counters. Viruses can live for up to 48 hours on hard surfaces.
– Keep germs at bay in the bathroom by stashing disinfecting wipes near the toilet and sink for easy, quick clean up whenever needed.
– Hosting overnight guests? Wash items like towels and bedding in hot water with soap. Be sure not to share these items until they are thoroughly cleaned.
– To keep children safe, an effective way to clean and sanitize toys is to put them through a dishwasher cycle. Make sure items are dishwasher safe and are placed securely on the racks away from the heat source. Turn off “heat dry” and run the wash cycle as usual.

Another tip for keeping germs at bay? Encourage kids to soap up by keeping “fun” soaps at their level. Whether you buy cute-shaped soap dispensers or bar soap with embedded Santas, giving kids something they’ll like to wash with will certainly improve your chances of getting them to suds up! For a fun soap product for kids that I loved, check out Squid Soap by the folks at Airborne!

I have started planning our annual (?) Christmas open house. We live in a historic district, and every year our district hosts a tour of homes, supplemented with luminaries. It’s quite lovely. A couple of years ago, I decided that this was the perfect night to host an open house, and so it began. We generally have about 30 people in our 2,400 square foot house. It’s pretty packed. We open up the outdoor seating areas, too, which helps. But it isn’t perfect!

That’s why I was excited to see these tips from furniture.com. I can actually USE some of these! Maybe they’ll help you, too?

– Make Small Nooks for Small Talk: Create cozy conversation areas by arranging nesting tables to hold guests’ food and drinks. And after the festivities, these space-saving tables will serve a million more uses, for snacks, games, craft projects, and more.

– Don’t Crowd: Face the facts: Ten guests won’t fit around a dining table made to seat four, no matter how you try. Either upgrade to a larger table, or spread out with a more casual buffet. Or, consider a bistro-style dining set to evoke a social atmosphere. The taller-than-standard table height makes it easy for guests to serve themselves drinks, buffet dinner, or even make their own desserts!

– Mix & Mix: Matching all the furnishings within a room is design passe. Experiment. Mix sizes, scales and textures to give your rooms a unique — rather than a retail showroom — style.

– Create Walls of Inspiration: Give the walls a fresh new color, border, or mix of textures for visual interest. Express who you are with a new piece of artwork that encourages conversation. The most harmonious arrangements take cues from the room. For instance, try hanging pictures in a rolling up and down grouping over a camelback sofa.

– Add Color: A little bit of color can go a long way. Bright accent pillows, bold frames and coordinated candles in decorative candleholders can make a dull or sterile room more attractive and welcoming.

– Light Up Your Life: Bring a new look to a room by updating the lighting. Coordinate the look by making sure lamp heights are equal throughout, and all have the same color shade.

– Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize: Arrange accessories symmetrically for a formal look, or asymmetrically to get creative. Highlight a special item by placing it against a contrasting surface. Reflect the seasons and bring nature indoors with arrangements of leaves, stones and fresh flowers.

– Don’t Stress: Forget perfection. Anything “out of place” makes a home more cozy and charming. Go for what feels right. It’s your house — above all else, enjoy the party.

For more guest entertaining info, read this post!

If your house is anything like mine, you sometimes find yourself with helping hands on offer… But without any idea for what to have them do to help! Enter our friends at Whirlpool. They have some ideas for helping hands and for other ways to ease your holiday stress load!

– Chop, Chop: Get the kids involved sorting chopped vegetables for appetizer platters, soups and stuffing. With your supervision, let them take the lead by peeling carrots or washing potatoes.
– Baking Bonanza: Bake several batches of sweet treats at once and freeze extras or give them to neighbors and co-workers as festive platters.
– Pantry Raid: There’s nothing worse than realizing you ran out of an ingredient halfway through meal preparation. Take recipes with you to the store to make sure you get everything on your list. Also, substitute stale bread for bread crumbs, applesauce for vegetable oil or graham crackers for pie crusts when in a pinch.

Comfort in the kitchen? I am all about that. I’m not into animal skin patterns, though…. Anyone have one? Do they actually work?

Let’s Gel announced today it has released its new line of Chef’s Mats by Gel Pro that continue to revolutionize the kitchen experience. Expanding their wildly popular offering of ergonomically perfect basket weave-textured floor mats, the latest Gel Pro Mats feature exotic faux textures, including ostrich, rattlesnake and alligator skin. The mats have become the luxury standard for home and gourmet kitchens across the U.S. The mats not only provide a one-of-a-kind comfort experience, but due to availability in a variety of colors and textures, they have also been embraced by interior designers and home owners interested in augmenting their kitchen decor.

Gel Pro Chef Mat’s are a step above other anti-fatigue mats on the market because of their style and comfort. They are scientifically engineered with the following features:
— Soft gel absorbs shock and reduces pressure caused from standing for long periods of time on hard wood, tile, or cement floors for those with back pain, foot pain or arthritis
— Gorgeous and durable synthetic leather is stain-resistant and easy to clean
— Non-slip bottom keeps your kitchen floor mat from migrating
— An antibacterial additive to eliminate mold/mildew

http://www.gelmats.com

Sometimes I come across a press release that is just funny. Like today. I can name a number of good reasons to buy a new mattress. They all involve getting a better night’s sleep. According to a recent survey, though, you should buy a new mattress to improve your sex life!

Americans aren’t getting the satisfaction they deserve in bed. But according to a recent Better Sleep Council (BSC) survey, the secret to a better, healthier relationship may be hiding under the sheets.

In the BSC’s latest consumer poll, one out of every two respondents identified an old mattress as the culprit in an unsatisfactory night’s sleep and a leading contributor to increased irritability and stress in their romantic relationships.

According to BSC findings, an overwhelming 78 percent of respondents agreed that a new mattress could be the key to a better relationship with their significant others. Among leading relationship benefits, people noted that a new mattress could:
– Leave them more rested at night and more cordial to their partners throughout the day (52 percent),
– Reduce tossing and turning by their significant others, leading to fewer disturbances and annoyances during the night (40 percent),
– Encourage them to spend more time in bed with their partners (27 percent),
– Improve their sex lives (26 percent).

New BSC Consumer Resources Make Mattress Shopping E.A.S.E.ier

Wondering when and how to shop for a new mattress shouldn’t leave you tossing and turning. To determine whether your mattress is ready for retirement, and to learn the correct way to shop for a new one, the BSC offers the E.A.S.E. method. Here are a few tips to get consumers started (to view the complete mattress buying guide, along with entertaining video clips demonstrating the dos and don’ts of mattress shopping, visit http://www.bettersleep.org)

No one likes to think of the possibility of a house fire. But no one wants to be caught unaware by one either!

Pella’s sage advice for fire safety planning begins with making sure that doors and windows all open easily! For the safety of your loved ones, make sure all windows and doors open easily and close completely before the winter months set in.

Safe windows are also critical to a safe escape in the event of fire. Less than 25 percent of U.S. families have developed and practiced a plan for exiting the home safely in case of a fire, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Adults practice fire drills at work, and children practice them at school, but the reality is that most deadly and frequent fires occur in the home.

“Take a few minutes now to reduce potential fire hazards and plan and practice a home fire safety escape route to help you protect what’s most important — your loved ones,” said Kathy Krafka Harkema, Pella Corporation’s fire safety educator.

Many home fires occur as temperatures drop and families spend more time indoors, lighting candles and fires, and using heating, cooking and other appliances. Most home cooking fires occur when ovens, stoves or other appliances are left unattended in use. For greater safety, never leave appliances unattended when cooking.

Begin a home fire safety drill by drawing a floor plan of each level of your home. Next, designate two exits from every room in your home — a door and a window. Make sure doors and windows open quickly and easily to help ensure a quick exit; if not, consider replacing them for safety’s sake.

In the event of a fire, train your family to gather in a designated meeting place safely outside your home. More home fire safety tips from Pella’s Close the door on fire! campaign are available at http://www.pella.com/about/fire.asp.

And don’t forget the pantry chart for emergency planning!

With the holidays approaching, it’s almost unavoidable. You WILL have guests, and some will probably even stay overnight. I entertain regularly — dinner parties and meals. So, when holiday meals come around, I’m not particularly bothered. I know where all of my entertainin If you’re one of those lucky folks with a spare bedroom (I am not), this may come easy to you. With two kids at home, guest planning can be a challenge. The following list of tips comes from our friends at Bed, Bath & Beyond (one of my favorite stores!) Read well, and apply at will!

And of course, don’t forget that you can prepare foods in advance and freeze them!

guests, party planning

I have to admit. I am NOT a trend-setter. I am not even a trend-follower. I may pick up a cute pair of shoes or a jacket to throw on with my jeans and t-shirt, but it’s hard for me to imaging re-decorating my house to the current fashion. That said, our friends in High Point have published their take on the latest home decor trends. So what’s in? Studs. No, not those. Those never went out of fashion! Nail studs on furniture! And the 20’s and 30’s Hollywood look. (I know, goes well with the studs, right?)

Color: Eco-colors continued to saturate new product introductions with earthy tones in various shades. Freshest now are combinations of brown and green. Grays and oysters serve as modern neutrals and are juxtaposed with bold metallics, orange-y reds, pink-y reds and saturated teals.

Print Patterns: Retro styling moves to the fore with geometric repeat patterns and oversized florals remaining strong. Animal-skin inspired patterns continue to serve as neutral counterpoints while stripes and linear polka dot variations abound.

Texture Trends: Patent, metallic, suede, leather, knits, inlay and paillettes along with “Gaudi-esque”-ornate detail were the key textures “on hand” in High Point. Along with faux bois styling and tactile designs, the trend is toward textures that beg to be touched.

Silhouette Status: When it comes to silhouette, today’s key shape is the long, lithe rectangle and structured styling with an origami edge is on the horizon. Even so, organic design still dominates in many manufacturers’ showrooms. The hottest home furnishings looks appear to have “sprouted” from Mother Earth.

Designer Details: “Stud-ly” style is coming to a store near you. Keep an eye out for furnishings embellished with nail-head trims used in interesting new ways. Reflective design is another crystal clear fashion trend shining through, with chandelier-like details popping up in unusual places. “Boho” is seen in small doses and amped up in attitude with a luxurious bent and more structure (think minimal shift dress versus flowing caftan as an apparel fashion correlation). Chunky furniture “jewelry” will be seen in the form of ornate legs and pieces “dressed” in oversized beads and crystals.

Era Inspiration: Global design, spanning a wide array of historic periods, is being brought forth in fabulous 21st Century style. From
Britannia and Celtic to Craftsman and Americana, and Old World Euro to Pan-Asian-there is a look to satisfy all tastes and pocketbooks. If new product introductions here are an indication of what’s to come in homes across the country, urbanites in particular will soon be “glamming it up” with furnishings reminiscent of Old Hollywood, 1920’s and 1930’s Parisian styling and very modern takes on Deco.

For more tips on decorating a small space, check out this post on dorm decor.

I had an e-mail today from a reader asking about sour towels. Can I say first of all, I love it when you write! It makes this blog SO much easier to write! And this is a great question.

The truth is, there are lots and lots of great laundry products on the market. I personally swear by the Kirkland detergent at Costco. That plus some Oxyclean in every load is my basic routine! But I can relate to the sour smelling towels.

Towels by their nature spend a lot of time damp, and dampness encourages mildew. So, let’s get to the root of the problem.

Laundy Rule One. Always take the laundry out of the washing machine as soon as the spin cycle completes. Then immediately throw it in the dryer or hang it outside.

If you’re already obeying rule one, and you still have sour smelling towels, you can probably still blame mildew. Your towels hang around damp. A lot. So what is mildew’s number one enemy? The sun!

Laundry Rule Two. The sun can be your laundry’s best ally!

If you can, spread your towels out in the sun for a morning or an afternoon, but remember, that the sun is also a natural bleaching source! So, don’t leave them out so long they’ll lose their color. The sun will destroy the mildew and hopefully freshen your towels.

Laundry Rule Three. Vinegar or baking soda really can cure almost everything.

If washing and sunlight don’t work, revert to you grandmother’s picks. For a baking soda cure, Place an open box of baking soda in the bottom of a plastic bag. Place the towel in with the open box of baking soda. Seal the bag. (You can do this just by tying it!) Now, let it stand overnight, or better yet, for a day or two.

To use vinegar, simply fill your washer with hot water. Add a cup of white vinegar. Add the towels and soak for a half-hour. Vinegar is also a great color-setting agent! (Hence, the reason you use it for Easter eggs!)

Laundry Rule Four. If all else fails, revert to the fast food laundry cocktail!

It is that time of year. Time to carve pumpkins. Or if you’re like me, time to take the kids to buy pumpkins, then lock them and your husband outside on the porch until the deed is done. I HATE pumpkin carving! If you’re smart, you’ll talk yourself into painting a pumpkin or putting stickers on one INSTEAD of carving. You can always oooooh and aaaaah over the neighbor’s carved pumpkin, right? But you’re likely not going to do that. You’re going to carve one. And if you’re like millions of Americans, you’ll use your garbage disposal for all the pumpkin-y goo.

Bad call.

Halloween drives lots of business to your local plumbers. Lots. That ooey, gooey, pumpkin-y goodness wrecks disposals and clogs plumbing. According to our friends at Mr. Rooter, all that pulp hardens and clogs your drain.

“A pumpkin’s stringy, slimy substance is too much for the garbage disposal to handle,” said Mary Kennedy Thompson, president of the Mr. Rooter Corporation. “Your thoughts should be on Halloween costumes, trick-or-treaters and giving out candy — not calling a plumber to clear your drain.”

Mr. Rooter(R) offers these tips to keep pumpkins from haunting the plumbing system:
– Carve pumpkin on a newspaper instead of over the kitchen sink.
– Do not dump pulp and seeds into the disposal or toilet.
– Instead, throw all pumpkin-related material and newspaper in the garbage.

Better yet, use the seeds! I actually buy roasted pumpkin seeds in little packets during the “down-time” of the year. Roasting them yourself at home is easy and healthy. Check out the recipe at Elementary Chef here

I am all in favor of remodeling kitchens and bathroom. My current kitchen project involves refinishing my cabinets. I looked into replacing them all, but I figure I can be happy with refinished cabinets for another 7-10 years (and save myself about $12K!) My kitchen cabinet (in my 80 year old house) were handmade by the man who owned this house before us. The cabinets aren’t bad at all. They just look beat up. Amazing what a good cleaning with Murphy’s Oil Soap will do for that. Even more amazing what some sanding and staining can accomplish! But then, I’m an avowed do-it-yourselfer. (And did I mention that I’m TERRIBLE about actually finishing those projects?) I suppose I SHOULD just follow the advice!

For those of you who are looking into Kitchen remodeling, SEN Design Group has some recommendations.

Educational Approach
— Interview several potential candidates, especially firms that focus exclusively on kitchens and baths
— Confer with friends and neighbors on their past remodeling experiences
— Request to see a copy of the contractor’s certificate of insurance
— Ask for a list of recent references and make follow-up phone calls

Planning
— Envision what you want - begin by collecting images from magazines and newspapers
— Write down your ideas, thoughts and concerns; prioritize your needs
— Create a general plan and budget for the entire project
— If available, visit a designer’s showroom
— Ask to see design layouts and several case studies
In lieu of the month, now is a great time to start thinking about
making home improvements. With the immense amount of resources available,
homeowners can be prepared prior to the start of the process.

For more information on remodeling, visit the archive here.

Need a fast and cheap solution for dingy copper around the kitchen? Clean it with equal amounts of ketchup and water.