Ways to Easily Clean Pots & Pans

Alka-Seltzer
Say so long to scouring those stubborn stains off your ovenproof glass cookware. Just fill the container with water, add up to six Alka-Seltzer tablets, and let it soak for an hour. The stains should easily scrub away.
Aluminum Foil
Don’t have a scrub pad? Crumple up a handful of aluminum foil and use it to scrub your pots.
Baking Soda
Looking for a more powerful dishwashing liquid? Try adding 2 tablespoons baking soda to the usual amount of liquid you use, and watch it cut through grease like a hot knife!
Club Soda
Food tastes delicious when it’s cooked in cast iron, but cleaning those heavy pots and pans with the sticky mess inside is no fun at all. You can make the cleanup a lot easier by pouring some club soda in the pan while it’s still warm. The bubbly soda will keep the mess from sticking.
Cream of Tartar
Discolored aluminum pots will sparkle again if you clean them with a mixture of 2 tablespoons cream of tartar dissolved into 1 quart (1 liter) water. Bring the mixture to a boil inside the pot and boil for 10 minutes.
Denture Tablets
Stains on enamel cookware are a natural for the denture tablet cleaning solution. Fill the pot or pan with warm water and drop in a tablet or two, depending on its size. Wait a bit — once the fizzing has stopped, your cookware will be clean.

Content provided by: http://www.rd.com/home/20-ways-to-easily-clean-pots-and-pans/

Patio Vegetable Gardening

Most vegetable plants can easily prosper in a patio vegetable garden given the right amount of sunlight and care. Choose smaller or dwarf varieties for best results in container gardens. Vegetables to try your hand at include:
• tomatoes
• cucumbers
• bush beans
• lettuce
• potatoes
• carrots
• onions
• broccoli
• culinary herbs

Water
• The number one requirement for patio gardens is water. Vegetables need thorough watering every time the soil surface begins to dry.
• Good drainage is also critical. Check regularly that the plants are receiving plenty of moisture and drain holes are not clogged.

Control Pests
• Pests should be easier to control than in a full size garden. Be vigilant against invasion by handpicking or washing away the attackers.

Fertilize
• Potted plants are frequent feeders. Feed with liquid organic fertilizer every week or two, following directions on fertilizer container. Using a drip irrigation system, vegetables can be fed and watered at the same time. In colder climates, patio gardeners can sneak in a few more harvest days by protecting the vegetable garden from inclement weather. Use plant covers to protect cold sensitive plants through the winter.

To keep a patio vegetable garden in tiptop shape requires tender loving care. Vegetables can be trained to grow in the desired direction by pruning, pinching, or tying growth back. Add hanging baskets to create more vertical garden space. Grow crops skyward along fences, walls, or a trellis to take the most advantage of your available patio space.
Article courtesy of: http://www.vegetable-gardening-online.com/patio-vegetable-garden.html

Take a “Staycation”

With soaring prices at the pump and high-ticket prices at the airports, taking a vacation seems unaffordable, and therefore the first non-essential to be cut from the family budget.
But with a little creativity, you can create an affordable retreat in your own backyard (or at least within a few miles of it)…
Staycation” is the new buzzword in these tough economic times, and if done right, it can really be far more relaxing than any travel-based vacation. The idea behind the staycation is to take some time away from work to relax and unwind, to enjoy the things that you’ve worked so hard to attain, like your house or your yard.
Without the stress of packing, getting to the airport, waiting through delays, and arriving at your destination exhausted but obligated to see everything there is to see and to make the most of your hard-earned vacation dollars, you can really maximize your relaxation potential. The staycation also allows you to explore the activities in your area that you usually brush aside, assuming that one day you’ll have time for them.
Here are 10 ideas for a successful staycation:
• Unplug your blackberry and your work e-mail
• Hire a maid or a landscaper for the week, so that you don’t focus on chores
• Sit by your pool, or in your backyard
• Splurge on gourmet food that you’ll cook at home
• Try that new restaurant in town
• Schedule a massage or day at the spa
• Take that historical tour in your town that you’ve been wondering about
• Go for a bike ride
• Read that book that’s been laying on your nightstand
• Take short day trips within a few hours of your home

Courtesy of Stephanie Evans http://greenlivingideas.com/2008/10/30/skip-the-bus-station-take-a-staycation/

Organizing the Garage

Assess the clutter. Start by creating three categories: keep, donate and toss. As you go through the items, assign each one to a category. If you rarely use a piece, it’s probably a good candidate for the donation or toss pile.

Donate or toss. Contact local charities and arrange for a pickup of items to be donated; put the toss items out with the trash or recycling.

Edit the keep pile. Sort the items you’re keeping into new categories, such as sporting equipment, power tools, etc. Assign each category a location: Sporting equipment, for example, might go in a wall cabinet or a bin in a corner; power tools might be hung on a system of hooks on a large piece of Peg-Board.

Label items. Give anything that is not plainly identifiable a clear label. (Tuck a permanent marker and blue painter’s tape in a zippered plastic sandwich bag and have the kit handy for labeling anything and everything.)

Choose the right shelving. Consider installing metal shelving. It’s affordable, easy to assemble, and able to withstand heat and humidity better than wood. Shelves will also keep your valuables safe from any dampness on the floor.

Pick plastic storage boxes. Cardboard boxes, no matter how strong, bend and dent with frequent use and eventually succumb to dampness. Waterproof plastic containers protect their contents better, seal tighter, and are easy to carry or shift around on shelves (as long as they aren’t too big).

Hang items to save space. Think about putting up pegs or hooks for such items as bicycles, cords, hoses, tools, strollers, and shovels. String up a hammock in the corner of the garage to hold roly-poly gear, like basketballs.

Article courtesy of http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/organizing/more-rooms/garage-organizing-checklist-00000000002179/index.html

5 Tips to Cut Down Water Consumption in Your Bathroom

Water consumption in the bathroom is probably the highest, when compared with other locations in the house. Depending on the number of people living in a household, the water consumption in the bathroom may be very difficult to monitor, because of the varying frequency of how the people living there may use the bathroom. If you want to cut down water consumption in your bathroom, try the following tips in order for you to save up on your water bills.

Use food color as a leak indicator
Your toilet tank may be leaky and you may not even notice this, which can cause you to pay for up to a thousand gallons of water every month. In order for you to avoid this, do a routine toilet tank leak check by putting food color into the toilet tank. If the water in the toilet bowl stays clear, it means that your toilet tank has no leak and you can rest assured that you are not wasting up to a thousand gallons of water every month. However, if the food color seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, it indicates that your toilet tank is leaky and needs to be repaired as soon as possible.

* Conserve water when brushing
Some of us have the bad habit of leaving the faucet open when brushing our teeth. Letting water run while you do your dental hygiene, can potentially waste hundreds of gallons every month. Make it a habit to turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth. It is also advisable to get a glass of water when brushing in order for you to use only the necessary amount of water.
* Dispose of your trash properly
Do not throw used napkins, tissue paper, and even cigarette butts into the toilet bowl. Flushing these things can waste up to 6 gallons per flush. Provide a trash bin inside the bathroom and throw away these things there.
* Showers over baths
Take a shower instead of taking a bath from time to time. Showering takes lesser time and consequently requires fewer gallons of water. It will also help you cut down on your bathroom water consumption if you turn the shower off while you apply shampoo to your hair and while you apply soap to your body. Turn on the shower once you are ready to rinse.
* Check for drips and leaks
Oftentimes, when we are in a hurry, we do not properly turn off the faucet which can lead to water dripping from it. Make it a habit to always check for drips and leaks from the faucet before going to work and before going to bed in order to avoid unnecessary water consumption in your bathroom.
Article courtesy of http://www.greatgreenidea.com/5-Tips-to-Cut-Down-Water-Consumption-in-Your-Bathroom.html

Reuse Your Hotel Soap

When you take that tiny little, clean smelling, perfectly wrapped soap out of its wrapper in a hotel, use it for one shower and then leave it there, what do you think happens to it? Well, that’s right! It ends up in a landfill! And that’s probably a good thing because who would want to use somebody else’s reused soap while in a hotel? Bar soap is biodegradable, it’s true. But it takes a while to biodegrade (especially if it’s antibacterial), and, if it’s not well-made soap it may release lye.

So what should you do? Well, the first thing you can do is to not use small, disposable hotel soaps. Travel with a travel packet of your own soap. However, if you do use the hotel soap, then pack it up in a baggie or your travel soap carrier and take it with you to finish off the bar.

So, what have we learned here? There are three options to go green with hotel soap:

• Don’t use the hotel soap. Bring your own and finish it entirely.
• Use the hotel soap, but then pack it up and take it with you to finish it entirely.
• Use the hotel soap, but make sure you’re at a participating Clean the World hotel or that you get your favorite hotels onto the Clean the World program.

It’s a dirty world, people. Stay clean and green.

http://tinygreenbubble.com/livegreen/item/870-eco-travel-tip-reuse-your-hotel-soap

Green Grilling

We’d all like to be a bit more earth-friendly, and there’s no reason it can’t start in your own backyard. These eco-smart tips might seem like minor changes, but they’ll make all the difference in the world. Lend a hand, save the planet, and have fun while you’re at it!

If you usually: Use charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid.

You could try: A gas grill, or hardwood lump charcoal started with a chimney device. This low-tech method gives off a LOT less CO2 and other chemicals, and it’s a great use for old newspapers. Also, commercial charcoal briquettes are steeped with potentially cancer-causing chemicals, and burn at temperatures high enough to promote carcinogenic charring on food. Stick with natural hardwood lump charcoal that burns at lower temperatures.

If you usually: Toss veggie peels, corn husks, etc. in the trash.

You could try: Composting them. It’s easier than you think, it’s great for your garden, and it’s an easy way to get your kids involved in saving their planet

If you usually: Buy pre-packaged, chemically treated vegetables.

You could try: Buying them loose, visiting a local farmers market or co-op, or growing your own. You could even use that compost you’ve been making! If you do go the pre-packaged route, gently scrub the outsides with a little bit of baking soda and water to remove any preservatives or pesticides.

If you usually: Use plastic utensils, and paper or plastic plates — which then get tossed out and don’t break down.

You could try: Using metal utensils and ceramic plates and taking your guests up on their offer to wash them in the sink. Also consider exploring various brands of bamboo and corn-based biodegradable utensils (we love Biocorp’s offerings) and recycled fiber paper plates like Chinet’s Casuals.

If you usually: Serve individual cans and bottles of juice, tea and soft drinks, and then throw out the containers.

You could try: Recycling any cans or bottles, making pitchers of drinks, or buying family-size bottles (which you then recycle). If you’re toting a cooler, bring fruit juice ice cubes or frozen fruit to use as non-diluting drink chillers.

If you usually: Rely on harsh cleaners to scrub the grill, containers and utensils.

You could try: Scraping the grill while it’s still hot so it’s clean for next time. Pre-grilling, clean the grate with baking soda paste and a wire brush. A cleaner surface makes for safer, tastier food.

http://www.kitchendaily.com/2010/04/19/green-grill/

How to treat bed bugs

Everybody loves to sleep undisturbed and it is quite disturbing and irritating if you are woken up from sound sleep by a bed bug bite. Bed bug is a small insect you most commonly see in some houses. It lives in houses, especially on the beds where people sleep. The main reason for this is that these bugs live on human blood and the most convenient time to drink blood is when the person is sleeping. That is why these bugs are active at night. But these bugs can be eliminated by various types of bed bugs treatment.   

 The bed bug, since it lives on warm blood, belongs to the family known as Cimicidae and the bed bug bite causes a skin condition known as Cimicosis.

These bugs usually feed at night, and more actively an hour before sunrise, by piercing the skin of the host with its feeding tubes which are hollow. The bug sucks blood through one tube and injects saliva through the other tube. Effective bed bugs treatment needs to be taken to kill these bugs, as it can cause skin infections and also spread diseases from one person to another.
Now you must be wondering how bed bugs have invaded your home. The main reason is through travel. These bugs are found in furniture’s and beds in theaters, hotels etc and a person traveling from there to your house can bring the bug through clothes or luggage. They are very small insects and the moment you locate them you have to adopt bed bugs treatment to eliminate them, because if a female bug has arrived in your home, it can have enough eggs to produce many offspring’s.

If you are looking for some effective bed bugs treatment, just read below.

Bed bugs can’t live in extreme heat. So the most effective bed bugs treatment is to put your mattress in the hot sun at least once a week and wash all your bed sheets, pillow covers and clothes in warm water. If your furniture is infected with these bugs, remove all the cushions and put it in hot water. Similarly wash you rugs and comforters in hot water and vacuum your furniture.
You can use fruit and vegetable insecticide which is made from a mixture of canola oil and pyrethin which is safe and harmless. Don’t spray insecticide directly on the bed or furniture where it comes to contact with your children. Certain organic and bio-pesticides are also available in the market, which you can use according to instructions. But avoid pesticides for cockroaches and ants and use only pesticides meant to kill bed bugs. You should be cautious about using chemicals because you or children can develop allergies or other reactions.
The most important factor is to keep your house clean with regular checking for bed bugs, before they live in your house and multiplies.
Article courtesy of bestbedbugstreatment.com

What are dust mites?

Dust mites are microscopic animals related to other mites, and ticks, in the class Arachnida, which also includes spiders, scorpions, harvestmen (daddy-longlegs), and similar eight-legged creatures. Classification of mites is always changing, but dust mites are currently placed in the order Astigmata, family Pyroglyphidae, and genus Dermatophagoides (translates to “skin-eater”).

One of the barriers to the identification of house dust mites is their literal invisibility. Even the adult mites cannot be detected with the naked eye. They measure a mere 1/100th of an inch, or:
• 250-300 microns
• one-fourth to one-third of a millimeter
The larvae and nymphs are even smaller. What dust mites lack in size they make up for in sheer numbers. Densities of dust mites in the typical used mattress can range from 100,000 to ten million individual mites.
What Dust Mites Eat
House dust mites feed and grow almost exclusively on the dead, shed skin cells that we humans shed daily by the hundreds of thousands.
Where Dust Mites Are Found
While your bed is the chief place the majority of house mites reside, the mites can also survive in pillows, overstuffed furniture, even rugs and carpeting. The place where your pet sleeps is also a hot spot. Fido and Fluffy shed skin cells (dander), too.

Do Dust Mites Bite?

Dust mites do not bite in the sense that they do not inflict a wound to obtain food. Dust mites feed exclusively on the dead skin cells that we shed every day in the form of dandruff and other flakes and particles. They are essentially scavengers, not predators or parasites.

Dust mites require certain conditions beyond a food supply in order to thrive and reproduce. Temperature and humidity are the most critical factors, but dust-collecting floor-coverings and objects give them cozy refuges. That is why your bed can be such a good home and cause you to have allergies

Article courtesy of www.dustmites.org

What to Compost

Ingredients that can make good compost include:

Browns= High

Ashes, wood          Bark
Cardboard, shredded           Corn stalks
Fruit waste            Leaves
Newspaper, shredded         Peanut shells
Peat moss             Pine Needles
Sawdust                Stems and twigs, shredded
Straw                     Vegetable stalks

Carbon Greens= High Nitrogen

Alfalfa                 Algae
Clover                Coffee grounds
Food waste      Garden waste
Grass clippings         Hay
Hedge clippings      Hops, used
Manures            Seaweed
Vegetable scraps    Weeds

Materials to Avoid

• Coal Ash – Most ashes are safe to mix into your compost pile, but coal ashes are not. They contain sulfur and iron in amounts high enough to damage plants.

• Colored Paper – Some paper with colored inks (including newsprint) contain heavy metals or other toxic materials and should not be added to the compost

• Diseased Plants – It takes an efficient composting system and ideal conditions (extreme heat) to destroy many plant diseases. If the disease organisms are not destroyed they can be spread later when the compost is applied. Avoid questionable plant materials.

• Inorganic Materials – This stuff won’t break down and includes aluminum foil, glass, plastics and metals. Pressure-treated lumber should also be avoided because it’s treated with chemicals that could be toxic in.

• Meat, Bones, Fish, Fats, Dairy – These products can “overheat” your compost pile (not to mention make it stinky and attract animals). They are best avoided.

• Pet Droppings – Dog or cat droppings contain several disease organisms and can make compost toxic to handle.

• Synthetic Chemicals – Certain lawn and garden chemicals (herbicides – pesticides) can withstand the composting process and remain intact in the finished compost. Poisons have no place in the natural micro-community of your compost pile.

Speeding Up the Compost Process

Compost decomposes fastest between 120 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit, so anything that will increase the heat will “cook” your compost faster. Here are four tips for fast composting:

1.) Chop and shred larger items, which makes it easier for the bacteria to break them down. For example, one easy way is to slice and dice garden waste is to run your lawn mower over leaves and other garden waste. Take scissors to newsprint or cardboard.

2.) Turn, turn, turn.

3.) Give your compost heap a “big meal” versus small snacks. Collect all your organic waste over a couple of days and then add it in one big bunch. The more you add at one time, the more your compost will heat up.

4.) Keep your compost pile in the sun. The heat will speed up the process.

Article courtesy of http://www.composting101.com/what-to-use.html