Very few candles burn so cleanly that they don’t leave any wax gunk behind in your candle holders. Sometimes it’s easy enough to scrape off, but other times – especially if you make your own candles out of old ones – it’s gross. And even when it’s not gross, even the cleanest burning candle tends to leave some residue behind ...Read More

Posted in Cleaning No Comments »

There are a surprising amount of things you can clean with Alka Seltzer:

Clogged drains: toss 3 Alka Seltzer tablets and a cup of white vinegar down the drain. Give it a few minutes, then run hot water. Clean a toilet: plot 2 Alka Seltzer tablets in the toilet bowl. Let them fizz for 20 minutes, then brush the bowl, then flush. Polish ...Read More

Posted in Cleaning 1 Comment »

Silk flowers definitely outlast real ones, but they can get dusty and dirty after a time – especially in high pollution areas where the “fresh” air from open windows contains little black microparticles of crud. There are a number of ways to clean them – most people try to dust them with a feather duster, or use a vacuum with ...Read More

Posted in Cleaning No Comments »

Copper pots and pans are wonderful for cooking, but over time they can develop tarnish. While tarnish doesn’t affect their performance, it’s not pretty. It’s worth mentioning that the tarnish patina actually protects the copper from corrosion. If you can live with the look of the tarnish, you may want to just leave it alone and continue cleaning your cookware ...Read More

Posted in Cleaning No Comments »

The kitchen is the heart of a home. Maybe that’s why it tends to attract clutter. The mail gets dumped on the counter, as does somebody’s homework. Small appliances seem to cover every inch of counter space. A dirty dish gets set down, and the next person to come in thinks that looks handy and stacks another on top of ...Read More

Posted in Cleaning, Organization No Comments »

National Geographic’s Green Guide has some recipes for DIY Household Cleaners you can make inexpensively at home. These cleaners will be less toxic than most mass-produced ones, which makes them also a good move for your health:

But as you open your windows to let in fresh air, don’t pollute it with lung irritants like ammonia and chlorine bleach or hormone-disrupting ...Read More

Posted in Cleaning No Comments »

Garbage disposals are awesome things. In theory, they prevent odor from decaying food because they chop it all up to the point that it can safely go down the drain. But once in a while, they smell. There are several reasons for this, and plenty of easy solutions. I’ve focused on ones that don’t involve specialized products or processed chemicals.

Why ...Read More

Posted in Cleaning No Comments »

Leather can be tricky to clean, which is why it’s never a bad idea to take it to a professional.  But can you safely clean it yourself?  Absolutely.  Here’s what you need to know.

Whatever method you try, always test it on a small patch of the leather that isn’t visible.  The inside of a zipper lining, for example.  That way, ...Read More

Posted in Cleaning, Featured Articles 1 Comment »

Ice can be surprisingly handy for some fairly weird things around the house.

You know those indentations your furniture makes in the carpet? Put ice cubes on them. After they melt, you can brush up the fibers. This works much better with pile carpet than berber, and may not remove the indentations 100%, but it does help. Put a few down a ...Read More

Posted in Cleaning 3 Comments »

Blissfully Domestic has some great tips for cutting costs on Swiffer cleaners. Turns out you don’t have to buy the replacement cleaning cloths. You can use high-quality paper towels (or dishcloths, to be more green) for dry cleaning and washclothes for the wet ones. There’s a bit more to it than that, though, so go read the original article for ...Read More

Posted in Cleaning, Frugal 2 Comments »