http://taxonomysugar.com Home sweet home. en http://casasugar.com/1652986 Spilling coffee on a freshly dry-cleaned shirt during the morning rush is unfortunately such a recurring mishap for many of us that it's almost a cliché. Seriously — how many Kate Hudson/JLo/Sandra Bullock romantic comedies can you think of where it's a pivotal scene to the plot? If these chick-flick chicks had just had a little advice from yours truly (well, actually from Do It Yourself), they'd have won the guy, the ring, and popped out a first born well before the popcorn intermission. To hear how to send coffee stains to the curb, read more. Be it a coffee mug or a faulty Starbucks lid, whenever you spill, just make sure you don't allow the stain to dry. Blot the spill with a clean white rag or paper towel to soak up the liquid. Then, mix a teaspoon of dishwashing soap with a cup of lukewarm water, dab it on, and blot the area again. Then mix one-third of a cup of vinegar (white) with two-thirds of a cup of lukewarm water, dab it on, and blot the area again. Rinse, and then follow your normal washing routine for the item. Then, next time, try sitting down for your caffeine fix for a change. Source http://casasugar.com/1652986#comment Casa Quickie coffee coffee stain so fresh and so clean Thu, 29 May 2008 13:00:04 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1652986 http://casasugar.com/1573704 Got streaks? Use horizontal strokes when cleaning your windows inside, and vertical strokes outside. That way, if you wind up with streaks on your windows, you'll know automatically which side of the window they're coming from. You can also use household vinegar to get outdoor windows sparkling clean. But, don't wash them when it's really sunny; they'll streak if they dry too quickly. It's these little things that make life so much easier . . . Source http://casasugar.com/1573704#comment Casa Quickie cleaning household cleaning so fresh and so clean vinegar window Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:00:01 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1573704 http://casasugar.com/1141963 As you may know, deodorant stains are a big ole pain in the butt. But getting them out of that favorite top of yours is actually fairly elementary. All you have to do to get rid of those troubled stains is soak or sponge the fabric (if it's washable; i.e. not silk) in white vinegar for 30 minutes, and then wash it in the hottest water that's safe for the fabric. Or, mix a little dish soap and equal parts ammonia and water and soak overnight, and then wash. Voilà! Your laundry will look so fresh and so clean!Source http://casasugar.com/1141963#comment Casa Quickie deodorant laundry so fresh and so clean Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:00:45 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1141963 http://casasugar.com/1507924 Since I openly oppose gum chewing in the first place (smack smack), I find it quite frustrating when gum makes its way to my clothing, the soles of my shoes, or other fabrics in my house. My sister once wound up chopping off a chunk of her locks to rid herself of the goo — let's just say it wasn't a pretty sight, but she did her best to make it glam. Sticky and stubborn, gum is nearly impossible to remove by washing as usual.That's why I was so happy to learn a quick tip for removing it! All you need to do to get that gucky Double Bubble, Trident, or what-have-you out of your clothing or household textiles is brush it, using an old toothbrush, with egg white; let it sit for about 15 minutes, and then wash as usual. To get it out of your hair, hold ice cubes in a bag to it until it hardens, and then break it away. Or, massage it with some nontoxic oil (canola, olive oil), leave it for 20 minutes, and then comb it out. Source http://casasugar.com/1507924#comment Casa Quickie gum household cleaning laundry so fresh and so clean Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:00:58 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1507924 http://casasugar.com/1507971 In her book Green Housekeeping, Ellen Sandbeck notes that one simple way to avoid using chemical products when you clean is to use steam vapor instead, which loosens dirt, grease and grime quite easily, so they can then just be wiped off with a clean cloth. Here are some of her tips for the technique, according to the Housekeeping Channel: "To steam clean a wood, vinyl or tile kitchen floor, attach a clean terrycloth towel to the floor brush, then put the floor brush on the end of the steamer's extension tube. Use a mopping motion to steam the floor clean, moving quickly to prevent heat damage. When the towel gets dirty, turn it over or replace it with a clean towel." "Clean tile grout by using the steamer's detail brush, then use a towel-covered floor brush to remove excess moisture and residue. If the tile is very dirty, use the floor brush without a towel, then wipe the steamed area with a clean towel. You can use this technique for tiled counters as well as tiled floors." "Strip off old paste wax by using the floor brush to steam a small section at a time. Wipe off the dissolved wax before moving to the next section. When the job is done, clean the brushes with hot water before the wax has a chance to harden. Wipe down the surface with a clean dry towel before applying new wax." Source http://casasugar.com/1507971#comment Casa Verde Ellen Sandbeck green housekeeping housekeeping channel so fresh and so clean steam vapor Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:00:01 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1507971 http://casasugar.com/1506314 When getting our homes so fresh and so clean, don't overlook your silverware. If you've assembled your home cleaning kit you'll have most of the ingredients for this Recipe For Clean. Use it to make your silverware shine like the top of the Chrysler building. Supplies: 3-in. square of aluminum foil 1 tbsp. of salt 1 tbsp. of baking soda 1 cup of warm water To learn the steps of this recipe, read more. Here's how: Dissolve the salt and baking soda in the warm water. Then, submerge the foil and your silverware in the solution. Let it sit for one hour. Rinse the silver under the faucet, and then wipe it dry with a cloth. Or . . . Rub any tarnished spots on your silverware with a non-gel toothpaste (white paste kind) with a soft cloth, and rinse. Source http://casasugar.com/1506314#comment polish recipe for clean silver silver polish silverware so fresh and so clean Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:00:01 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1506314 http://casasugar.com/1139806 Have you assembled your home cleaning kit yet? If you have, you're in luck, because I have a great Recipe For Clean for an eco-friendly bleach alternative. Use it to get spots and stains out of your laundry, so they look so fresh and so clean. Supplies 1/2 cup borax 2 gallons of hot water or Hydrogen Peroxide (3 percent) To find out the steps for this DIY, just read more. Soak the borax in the hot water for at least five minutes. Then, use as you would bleach. or . . . Spot clean with hydrogen peroxide. Let dry. Repeat if necessary. Source http://casasugar.com/1139806#comment bleach laundry recipe for clean so fresh and so clean Mon, 31 Mar 2008 05:15:03 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1139806 http://casasugar.com/1505043 Hey! Drop the sponge and move away from the sink. That's right: it's time to stop washing dishes by hand. According to the EPA, using an energy-efficient dishwasher uses less water than washing dishes by hand. An energy-efficient dishwasher, such as an Energy Star certified washer, uses only 4 gallons per cycle, saving as much as 5,000 gallons of water per year compared with hand washing. By using an energy-efficient dishwasher, you'll also save an average of $40 in energy costs and 230 hours of washing time. Take all of those extra hours and do something fun, like wallpapering that extra bedroom. Source http://casasugar.com/1505043#comment Casa Quickie dishes Dishwasher dishwashing household chores so fresh and so clean Fri, 28 Mar 2008 05:15:44 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1505043 http://casasugar.com/1502228 If you've been known to down a french fry or 100, you may have encountered a bummer of a grease stain on your Sunday best. Don't worry, this fashion crisis isn't unmanageable; it's actually fairly simple to repair. All you have to do to rid yourself of evidence of that munchie meal is sprinkle some baby powder or corn starch onto the stain, and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, brush it off and wash it as usual. The stain should disappear as quickly as those french fries did. Voilà! Now, off to In & Out burger for course two . . . Source http://casasugar.com/1502228#comment baby powder Casa Quickie grease grease stain laundry so fresh and so clean stain Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:00:53 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1502228 http://casasugar.com/1500557 If you don't have time to mix up my bath and tile recipe for clean, good news: There's another project that will get the job done. In a recent comparison study on environmental site Grist, writer and assistant editor Sarah van Schagen tested eight different green cleaners to see which one scrubbed the tub with the least amount of elbow grease and the most shine. And out of the fancy- and expensive - brands she tested, she ultimately found that a very simple product got the job done the best. The product? Borax. In case you're unfamiliar with this product, borax is made up of a naturally occurring mineral composed of sodium, boron, oxygen and water. It's biodegradable and green, and a great, economical choice for your cleaning and scrubbing needs. "Forget complicated ingredient lists, fancy spray bottles, and flowery fragrances," advises Sarah in the article. "We suggest you join Team Borax and use the power of 20 mules to get bathroom surfaces sparkling for little effort and even less moola." Less moola is right: A 76 ounce box of 20 Mule Team Borax costs an average of $4.49, while an 11 ounce box of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Surface Scrub will set you back $5.99. That's about 6 cents an ounce for the Borax, compared to 54 cents an ounce for the Mrs. Meyers. Source http://casasugar.com/1500557#comment bathtub borax Casa Verde eco household cleaning so fresh and so clean Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:00:20 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1500557 http://casasugar.com/1123610 No one ever said you shouldn't look fab while making your house So Fresh and So Clean. That's where designer dishwashing gloves come in. To perk you up while you're doing the dirty work, and resonate with your glam fashion sense, I've rounded up a handful (no pun intended) of designer rubber gloves to protect your paws, whether you're cleaning the oven, unclogging the sink, or washing windows. They are très chic, but don't forget to take them off before you leave the house. http://casasugar.com/1123610#comment dishwashing glove roundup rubber glove so fresh and so clean Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:15:40 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1123610 http://casasugar.com/1141506 When getting our homes so fresh and so clean, don't forget your the bathroom! If you've assembled your home cleaning kit you'll have most of the ingredients for this Recipe For Clean. Use it to get your tub and tiles squeaky clean. Supplies: 1 2/3 cup of water 1/4 cup of liquid soap 1/4 cup of baking soda 2 tablespoons of vinegar Optional: a few drops of essential oil To find out the steps for this recipe, just read more. Here's the steps: Add the liquid soap to the water and let it dissolve. Stir in the baking soda. Add the vinegar. Store the mixture in a nice olive oil bottle and shake before using. Be sure to rinse your tub and tiles thoroughly after use to avoid leaving a residue. Source http://casasugar.com/1141506#comment bathroom eco household cleaning kitchen recipe for clean so fresh and so clean tile tub Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:00:08 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1141506 http://casasugar.com/1139093 It's certainly always healthy to make your home as fresh and clean as possible. But, as you may have noticed, sometimes it's hard to find the time to get it all done. So, don't waste one precious notch on your clock, dust only what can be seen. If you have 12 foot ceilings, but all of your friends top out at under six feet, there's no need to summon for a ladder to get your dusting done. Just wipe clean the surfaces within arm's reach of your tallest pal with some microfiber cloths, and save the heavy dusting for a long weekend. For some tips on dusting in general, be sure to check out my How-To. Source http://casasugar.com/1139093#comment Casa Quickie dust dusting so fresh and so clean Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:00:28 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1139093 http://casasugar.com/1134957 While sachets aren't exactly a recipe for clean, they will leave your lingerie drawers smelling oh so fresh. No worries, there's no need for a sewing machine in this DIY, but feel free to use one if you'd like. This is a perfect way to reuse that favorite tee you accidentally shrunk or pretty cotton clothes you've outgrown. But, if you're not up for it, just buy my recent Etsy Find instead. Supplies: Fabric scraps Fabric glue Potpourri (try lavender and spices) Scissors To learn the steps, read more. Here's how: Cut two 5-inch squares per sachet you'd like to make. Place the two squares back to back. Glue the edges of the fabric pieces together on three sides, putting the glue close to the edges to keep it from fraying. Let the glue dry. Fill the sachet with a half cup of potpourri. Glue the last side of the sachet closed. Let it dry. If you're giving it as a gift, tie three sachets together with some colorful ribbon or yarn. Source http://casasugar.com/1134957#comment DIY laundry sachet so fresh and so clean Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:15:37 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1134957 http://casasugar.com/1139344 If you don't have time to whip up some homemade deodorizer for your home, I bet you have time to order a bottle on Etsy, right? These room and linen sprays ($6.95 for a 4.75-ounce bottle), from WendyLousNaturalBath, can be made in a number of different scents. I'd order a couple and find out what scent works best for your home. Made with natural ingredients, no alcohol, and minimal preservatives, this is a natural home scent you can feel good about. http://casasugar.com/1139344#comment air freshener deodorize etsy find so fresh and so clean Tue, 25 Mar 2008 06:00:30 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1139344 http://casasugar.com/1139623 While Squeaky Green: The Method Guide to Detoxing Your Home ($16.95, Chronicle Books) won't be released until April 1, it's so perfect for this month's theme that I had to tell you about it. Written by Method founders Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry, the book comes in a hardcover binder format, with seven organizational tabs for each section of your home, from living rooms to bedrooms to bathrooms to pets.The introduction, from green guru Danny Seo, notes that, "Method's cleaning products are nontoxic solutions that really work and smell great and the packaging is, well, sexy. Yes, sexy." I definitely agree that Method's design-savvy green products have been a main reason that many people have converted to green cleaning, and this introduction of sleek design to formerly homely/hippie green products has helped to mainstream the trend. But Method's much more than a pretty face, as reflected in the pages of this book. Squeaky Green is chock full of excellent advice on how to clean your home thoroughly with green products. Some of the facts are just plain shocking: Did you know that there's beef fat in fabric softeners and dryer sheets (see page 114)? Or that women who work at home have much higher cancer rates than those who don't, most likely due to conventional cleaning products (see page 47)? This book offers both startling facts and easy solutions to making sure that your home is squeaky clean and green. You can order an advance copy here. http://casasugar.com/1139623#comment eco green living Home Library household cleaning Method so fresh and so clean Tue, 25 Mar 2008 04:30:05 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1139623 http://casasugar.com/1134437 When getting our homes so fresh and so clean, don't forget your floors! If you've assembled your home cleaning kit you'll have most of the ingredients for this Recipe For Clean. Use it to get your wooden floors gleaming. Supplies 1/8 cup paraffin wax 1 quart mineral oil 10 drops essential oil or lemon oil double boiler rag To find out the steps for this DIY, just read more. Melt paraffin wax in a double boiler. Add mineral oil and essential oil. Apply to floor with a rag. Let dry, then polish. Source http://casasugar.com/1134437#comment hardwood floor household cleaning recipe for clean so fresh and so clean wood floor wood polish Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:00:31 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1134437 http://casasugar.com/1134009 I get it. I know that the book Porn For Women, which came out in 2007 from Chronicle Books, is a joke. Still, it rubs me the wrong way. If you're not familiar with this little book of photos, here's a synopsis: Prepare to enter a fantasy world. A world where clothes get folded just so, delicious dinners await, and flatulence is just not that funny. Give the fairer sex what they really want: beautiful PG photos of hunky men cooking, listening, asking for directions, accompanied by steamy captions: "I love a clean house!" or "As long as I have two legs to walk on, you'll never take out the trash." Now this is porn that will leave women begging for more! I have a problem with this book for a few reasons (and believe me, I have a well-developed if dorky sense of humor, just ask GiggleSugar). One of these is the idea that what makes women hot isn't happening between the sheets with her man, but it's getting her sheets ironed by her man. And equally alarming, I think, is the idea that men still don't do their share of housework. At my house, my fiancé does at least 50% of the housework (and nobody gets the white kitchen countertops as sparkling as he does; really, he's some kind of countertop genius). Even when I was growing up, my dad was down in the trenches on Saturdays, our family's official housecleaning day, holding his own with the broom and the dustcloth. So tell me, Casa readers, has this been your experience with men and housecleaning, or is my experience the exception to the rule? And also, what's your take on the book? Tell me when you leave a comment below. Source http://casasugar.com/1134009#comment arousal Home Library household cleaning so fresh and so clean Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:27:26 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1134009 http://casasugar.com/1131543 Of course, we want to keep our homes smelling so fresh and so clean, so it's logical to think about taming the beast that is the garbage can. If you've assembled your home cleaning kit you'll have most of the ingredients for this Recipe For Clean. Use it to get your garbage cans smelling Spring clean. Supplies 1 cup baking soda 1 tsp. tea tree oil white vinegar water favorite herbal scent or essential oils (optional) To find out the steps for this DIY, just read more. Mix the baking soda, tea tree oil, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil (optional) together. Make sure to get out any lumps. You can use the back of a spoon to squish out lumps. Take out garbage and garbage bag. Line the bottom of your garbage can with the mixture. Let sit for a half hour or more. Rinse pail with white vinegar and water. Let the garbage can dry in the sun. Source http://casasugar.com/1131543#comment deodorize eco green living household cleaning recipe for clean so fresh and so clean Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:15:42 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1131543 http://casasugar.com/1129066 Turn on some fast-paced tunes while you're making your house So Fresh and So Clean to help you keep up the pace. But, don't listen to the radio, which will go on forever. Make yourself a playlist at a set length of time, such as 40 minutes, or play just one album. Move on to your next task each time a song ends, and keep one song in mind (towards the end of the playlist) to remind you that it's time to finish up. Don't answer your phone or do anything aside from cleaning until the music stops playing. Otherwise, you may find yourself quitting before the job's done, or taking too much time to finish up. Source http://casasugar.com/1129066#comment Casa Quickie music so fresh and so clean speed cleaning Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:00:07 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1129066 http://casasugar.com/1129218 Fitting for So Fresh and So Clean month, these three prints ($20 each) are part of Artist John W. Golden's original "By Order of the Management" series of digitally made signs reproduced to look like letterpress prints. He created the series after realizing there are some things parents tend to repeat over and over, but he says, "many of these parental mandates are good rules for adults to live by too." They're a fun, cheeky, and helpful reminder to keep on top of your chores. And, smaller than 6 x 10 inches, you'll have room for less demanding art. http://casasugar.com/1129218#comment art digital art Etsy etsy find print sign so fresh and so clean Fri, 21 Mar 2008 08:15:04 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1129218 http://casasugar.com/1126532 No matter how you deodorize your home, it's good to have a few more tricks up your sleeve when it comes to getting your digs so fresh and so clean. If you've assembled your home cleaning kit you'll have most of the ingredients for this Recipe For Clean. Use it to get your rugs and carpets smelling Spring clean. Supplies 1 cup baking soda 1/2 cup cornstarch favorite herbal scent or essential oils To find out the steps for this DIY, just read more. Mix these ingredients together. Sprinkle on your rug or carpet. Allow to sit for several hours, or preferably overnight. Vacuum up. Alternately, you can use fresh, minced lavender flowers instead of essential oils. Baking soda and cornstarch are safe to use on all carpets, even ones that are naturally dyed. Source http://casasugar.com/1126532#comment carpet deodorize recipe for clean rug so fresh and so clean Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:15:40 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1126532 http://casasugar.com/1125750 Since it's So Fresh and So Clean Month, I figured I'd get down to business and ask you how you deal with one of the most crucial ways to create a fresh home: scent. Whether you have pets, cook often, smoke, or just have a sweaty housemate, you probably have encountered an unruly smell at some point. Take this poll to let me know how you defeat it. How Do You Deodorize Your House? Open the windows. Put in a plug in. Light a scented candle. Clean the house regularly. Wash fabrics often. Brew your own fragrance (cinnamon, etc.). Lay out potpourri. Other, describe below. http://casasugar.com/1125750#comment Casa Poll odor so fresh and so clean Wed, 19 Mar 2008 04:29:37 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1125750 http://casasugar.com/1117680 Sponges often have a hard time staying so fresh and so clean, especially when they're asked to do double duty. Who hasn't grabbed the dishwashing sponge at one time or another to clean up spilled milk on the kitchen floor? We've probably all done it, even though we know it's not a good idea. Mixing uses for sponges is a great way to spread bacteria. Instead of risking it, take a tip from my sister, who clips off a corner of her general cleaning sponge, which she uses for cleaning up counters and tabletops. By simply clipping a corner, she never accidentally uses that counter sponge for washing dishes, and thus, is able to keep her kitchen sparkling clean. Source http://casasugar.com/1117680#comment Casa Quickie clean household cleaning kitchen so fresh and so clean Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:00:40 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1117680 http://casasugar.com/1102084 Have you assembled your home cleaning kit yet? If you have, you're in luck, because I have a great Recipe For Clean for furniture polish. Use it to get your home so fresh and so clean. Supplies 4 oz. oil (2 1/2 ounces olive oil or jojoba, 1 1/2 ounces coconut oil) 1 oz. beeswax 1 oz. carnauba wax 4 oz. distilled water double boiler hand mixer To find out the steps for this DIY, just read more. Melt the oils and waxes in a double boiler over medium heat. Remove from heat, pour in water, and mix with a hand mixer until thick and creamy. Dab some cream onto a soft cotton rag and rub into the furniture. Buff and polish until the oils are well worked into the wood. This polish has a shelf life of six months to a year. Source http://casasugar.com/1102084#comment Casa Verde eco eco living tips furniture polish natural product recipe for clean so fresh and so clean Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:00:23 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1102084 http://casasugar.com/1118435 It's not hard to be so fresh and so clean, and it's fairly simple to be green when you clean, too. Here's a handful of tips on eco cleaning: Nix the paper towels, disposable wipes, etc., and go for a reusable rag, which you can wash with eco laundry detergent. Hang them to dry with some cute clothespins. Cut cleaning time and chemicals altogether with microfiber cloths, which can handle your sinks, floors, windows, tabletops, and mirrors with little more than water. Read labels. Buy eco-friendly cleaning products — look for words like biodegradable, phosphate free, and avoid ingredients such as EDTA, butoxyethanol, and bisphenol A. Don't be misled by greenwashing. Don't use antibacterials, sanitizers, and disinfectants unless it's absolutely necessary, such as in the kitchen to clean your butcher block after cutting raw meats. Otherwise, just use all natural cleaners or kill germs with a good soap and water scrubbing. Look for green-cleaning recipes in my Recipes For Clean! Source http://casasugar.com/1118435#comment Casa Verde cleaning eco how-to so fresh and so clean Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:45:31 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1118435 http://casasugar.com/1113715 If you have a dishwasher, toss your dish-cleaning sponge into the dishwasher on the top rack once a week. It'll keep your sponge and the pots, pans, and dishes that you wash by hand so fresh and so clean. That way, you can reuse your sponges over and over rather than buying new ones when they get yucky. Your sponges may look clean when you rinse them, but only a run through the dishwasher will kill off bacteria. Source http://casasugar.com/1113715#comment Casa Quickie Dishwasher kitchen so fresh and so clean sponge Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:00:27 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1113715 http://casasugar.com/1102168 Is your oven crusty and gross? Does it send up a smoke signal every time you try to bake cookies? Then take your home cleaning kit and whip up a batch of natural oven cleaner. This easy Recipe For Clean will get your oven looking and smelling so fresh and so clean. Supplies 1 cup or more baking soda A few squirts of liquid detergent Water To find out the steps for this DIY, just read more Sprinkle or spray a generous amount of water on the bottom of your oven. Cover all of the gross baked-on bits on the bottom of your oven with baking soda until it's covered. Sprinkle or spray more water on the top. Let sit overnight, so it will loosen. Use a sponge, with a squirt of liquid detergent on it, to clean up the mess. Use a heavy-duty sponge with an abrasive surface for best results. Source http://casasugar.com/1102168#comment DIY eco eco living tips household cleaning oven so fresh and so clean Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:45:08 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1102168 http://casasugar.com/1113768 . . . your guests refer to your house as "interesting." Do you know anyone who has a love affair with mess? Have you encountered a house that's clutter's best friend? Finish the sentence by leaving a comment below, and we'll all know what it means NOT to be So Fresh and So Clean. Don't be afraid to get creative! Source http://casasugar.com/1113768#comment so fresh and so clean you know you're Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:00:34 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1113768 http://casasugar.com/1106809 Leave your garments smelling so fresh and so clean with this set of three Pink Dixie Lavender and Spice Sachets ($10). Filled with cinnamon, cloves, coriander, rosemary, and some other spices, and made with flirty, feminine, textiles, these sachets will keep you calm and happy, and intoxicate passersby. The set is a much-deserved treat for yourself after all your hard cleaning work this month, but would also make a lovely housewarming gift for any of your gal pals. http://casasugar.com/1106809#comment Etsy etsy find laundry pink dixie sachet so fresh and so clean Sat, 15 Mar 2008 05:00:15 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1106809 http://casasugar.com/1110535 Butcher blocks might be the most unloved thing in your home. Butcher blocks and dirty socks. But even dirty socks get washed eventually. Since they can't be sealed or varnished, butcher blocks are breeding grounds for bacteria from your meat and other foods. So, it's important to love them and keep them so fresh and so clean. To learn some steps for caring for yours, read more. After you chop your meats on your butcher block, soak it with a disinfectant cleaner or a mix of 1/10 bleach and 9/10 water. Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes then run it under the faucet and let it air dry. Also after each use, wash it with mild dish soap, rinse, and let dry. But, make sure it's dry before you put it away in a cabinet, or you may encounter a mildew attack. Every once in a while, depending on how often you use your butcher block, squeeze fresh lemon juice on it to deodorize its surface. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, rinse, and let dry. To keep it from getting brittle, you should occasionally coat it with mineral oil. Then wipe off the excess oil, wash with dish soap, rinse, and air dry. Source http://casasugar.com/1110535#comment butcher block kitchen Primer so fresh and so clean Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:00:31 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1110535 http://casasugar.com/1102138 Have you assembled your home cleaning kit yet? If you have, you're in luck, because I have a great Recipe For Clean for getting your windows sparkling. Use it on glass surfaces, windows, and mirrors to get all of these reflective surfaces so fresh and so clean. Supplies 1/4-1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent 3 tablespoons white vinegar 2 cups water Spray bottle To find out the steps for this DIY, just read more Carefully pour all of the ingredients into a spray bottle. Put the bottle top on, and give the mixture a good shake. Use just as you would a regular glass cleaner! Source http://casasugar.com/1102138#comment DIY eco eco living tips household cleaning recipe for clean so fresh and so clean window Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:00:23 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1102138 http://casasugar.com/1102321 Of all the ick-worthy parts of cleaning my house, nothing makes me wrinkle my nose and say "ew" like mold does. Not only is mold gross-looking, it's also bad for your health, especially if you have asthma or respiratory issues. If you've assembled your home cleaning kit, you have all the natural ingredients needed to banish mold from your home. I have a great Recipe For Clean for getting your surfaces mold-free. Use it on tile, in the fridge, or on any other mold-ridden surface to get your house so fresh and so clean. Supplies 2 teaspoons tea tree oil 2 cups water Spray bottle To find out the steps for this DIY, just read more. Carefully pour all of the ingredients into a spray bottle. Put the bottle top on, and give the mixture a good shake. Spray on moldy surfaces. Let sit then gently wipe, but don't spray clean. If the mixture is too potent smelling for you (tea tree oil is strong) then mix with some drops of essential oil. Source http://casasugar.com/1102321#comment DIY eco indoor air quality mold recipe for clean so fresh and so clean Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:15:15 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1102321 http://casasugar.com/1107352 Since it's So Fresh and So Clean month, I thought it'd be a good time to get the lowdown on your cleaning rituals. Aside from when you, perhaps, spill red wine on the carpet, do have a regular cleaning routine? Do you have a chore chart with your housemates? Do you tidy up before your maid comes once a week? Do you mop the floors and scrub the shower down once a week but sweep daily? Do you only clean when things look visibly dirty? Or, do you leave the responsibility up to someone else altogether? Fill me in on your habits of cleaning house by commenting below. Source http://casasugar.com/1107352#comment casa query cleaning so fresh and so clean Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:00:19 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1107352 http://casasugar.com/1107019 Your dryer sheets aren't only good for eliminating static cling and leaving your clothes smelling so fresh and so clean, you can reuse them for other household chores once your laundry is finished. They're great for picking up dust on your furniture and window blinds. You can also use them to remove food stuck on your pots and pans. Just fill the dirty pot or pan with water, toss in a used dryer sheet, and let it soak for about an hour. The sheet will help lift and loosen the gunky stuff. Then, wash the pan as usual. Presto! Pots and pans so fresh and so clean! Source http://casasugar.com/1107019#comment Casa Quickie dryer sheet dusting kitchen laundry pan pot so fresh and so clean Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:00:54 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1107019 http://casasugar.com/1102102 Have you assembled your home-cleaning kit yet? If you have, you're in luck, because I have a great Recipe For Clean for getting your bathtub sparkling. Use it to get your bathroom so fresh and so clean. Supplies 1/2 cup of baking soda liquid detergent bowl sponge To find out the steps for this DIY, just read more. Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl. Add enough liquid detergent so the mixture has a frosting-like texture Scoop the mixture onto a sponge and scrub your bathtub clean! Rinse thoroughly. You can add one teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to this cleaner if you want to store it in a glass jar. Source http://casasugar.com/1102102#comment bathroom bathtub DIY eco eco living tips household cleaning recipe for clean so fresh and so clean Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:00:26 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1102102 http://teamsugar.com/1087760 To kick off March's theme of So Fresh and So Clean, I thought it would be great to give away a tool that will make your house just that. That's why I'm giving away a Dyson DC24 vacuum ($399.99) to one lucky Casa reader. These vacuums aren't even available in stores yet! I recently tried one out and loved it. Not only is it lightweight and compact, but it's also super-powerful and has a great turning radius, so it gets into hard-to-reach corners of your home. If you're interested in winning this vacuum, just take our quiz! To enter, you must log in and take the quiz below. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just by completing the quiz once you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a TeamSugar member and log in before you take the quiz. If you're not already a member, just register here for an account. One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Contest ends Tuesday, March 11, at noon PST, and is only open to United States readers. Click here for Official Rules. Source http://teamsugar.com/1087760#comment casasugar giveaway Dyson so fresh and so clean vacuum Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:58:01 -0700 casasugar http://teamsugar.com/1087760 http://casasugar.com/1102195 If you've been searching for an all-purpose surface cleaner that doesn't send up noxious fumes with each spray then you've come to the right place. If you've assembled your home-cleaning kit, you have all of the natural ingredients you need to make an effective, natural surface cleaner. This easy Recipe For Clean will get all of your home's surfaces looking and smelling so fresh and so clean. Supplies 2 cups hot tap water 1/2 teaspoon washing soda A squirt of liquid soap A drop or two of either lemon juice or essential oil, depending on what scent you desire. Spray bottle To find out the steps for this DIY, just read more. Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake bottle until the washing soda has dissolved. Spray surfaces and wipe off with a sponge or rag. Source http://casasugar.com/1102195#comment DIY eco household cleaning recipe for clean so fresh and so clean Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:00:00 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1102195 http://casasugar.com/1102023 Do you love to keep your house so fresh and so clean, but don't like to use lots of toxic cleaners to get your home sparkling? Good news - you can use the same natural ingredients that your great-great-grandparents used to get their homes clean. Considering that DIY natural cleaners are up to 1/10 the cost of conventional cleaners, you'll also be saving a lot of money. Best of all, these cleaners are safer to use around children and pets than conventional cleaners, and won't compromise your home's indoor air quality. Take a look to see what supplies you'll need for your home-cleaning toolkit. And stay tuned, because I'll be bringing you a bunch of cleaning "recipes" to use. Supplies Washing soda Baking soda White distilled vinegar Apple cider vinegar Borax A good liquid soap or detergent Tea tree oil lemon juice olive oil essential oils (for scenting your cleaner) Spray Bottles Glass Jars carrying kit/bucket You can assemble these ingredients yourself. Take a look at my widget to get an idea of where to buy some of these products. Source http://casasugar.com/1102023#comment Casa Verde DIY eco eco-friendly cleaning products House Cleaning household cleaning so fresh and so clean Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:15:44 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1102023 http://casasugar.com/1096295 Drip coffee makers should be cleaned monthly to keep your coffee tasting delicieux. This How To, which is pretty similar to my tip on cleaning a microwave, will get rid of hard water mineral deposits, oils left over from previous pots, and any impurities that infringe on your coffee's good taste. There's no reason to put up with anything less than perfection; making your coffee maker so fresh and so clean is a cinch. To learn how to clean up your caffeine fix, read more Remove and toss your coffee filter, if there's one in there. Fill the water reservoir with 1/4 vinegar, 3/4 water. Run the coffee maker. Turn it off and then leave it to cool for 10 minutes. Repeat steps 2-4 with a new vinegar/water mixture. Run plain water through the coffee maker, and leave it to cool for 10 minutes. Repeat step 6. Remember to clean again next month! Source http://casasugar.com/1096295#comment coffee coffee maker how to so fresh and so clean Mon, 10 Mar 2008 06:00:41 -0700 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1096295 http://casasugar.com/1097351 If your home is looking so fresh and so clean, but your clothes are getting trashed in the process, I've got a great solution for you: wear an apron. I admit that I have a substantial collection of vintage and vintage-look aprons, and tying one on before I start a massive cleaning project makes me feel better prepared for the task ahead. This Spring Apron ($30) from Etsy seller DecorativeInstincts comes with an oven mitt, which is definitely more YumSugar's territory, but hey, once you get your house clean, you could try for true domestic goddess sainthood and whip up some cupcakes, right? http://casasugar.com/1097351#comment apron House Cleaning so fresh and so clean Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:00:00 -0800 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1097351 http://casasugar.com/1099417 TeamSugar member linb recently wrote, "I acquired two wooden end tables from a friend who smokes, and unfortunately the stench came home with the tables. I'm hoping someone knows of a miracle product or trick that I can use to get rid of the smell." I figured there may be more of you who need to remove cigarette odor for your wood furniture (inherited or not), so I've compiled a list of suggestions to make your wood furniture smell so fresh and so clean. To hear them, read more. Wash with solution of white vinegar and hot water, and then air dry. Vinegar is a natural odor neutralizer, so it should get rid of the smell rather than simply covering the up. If you remember, it also played a part in my two latest How-Tos. Fill the drawers or shelves with ground coffee, baking soda, or cat litter, and leave it for several days. Then place the furniture outside to air dry. Avoid direct sunlight, it may cause it to warp. Mix 1/4 cup of Witch Hazel and a couple of squirts of dish soap. Take a very soft piece of steel wool and gently scrub the wood. Then, dip a rag in warm water and wipe up. Wash with a mix of Murphy's oil soap and hot water. Since smoking actually leaves a residue on all surfaces in your home, another suggestion, although more expensive, is to have it refinished by a professional. If you have any other suggestions or experiences with removing cigarette odor from furniture, please leave a comment below. Source http://casasugar.com/1099417#comment furniture how to odor smoking so fresh and so clean wood Fri, 07 Mar 2008 06:45:25 -0800 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1099417 http://casasugar.com/1092156 Brushing your teeth and realize that the water level is rising dangerously high? Your sink is clogged, and with who knows (and wants to know) what. Not so fast! You don't need to hire a plumber or reach for a bottle of noxious chemicals to make your drain so fresh and so clean. You can handle the task with just a few household ingredients. Supplies: 1/2 cup baking soda 1/2 cup white vinegar 1 cup lemon juice To learn the steps, read more. Pour the baking soda down the drain. Then, the vinegar. Rinse with hot water. Plug the opening with some type of stopper and let it bubble away. Then, pour in the lemon juice. Easy as pie! The acidic reaction of the first two steps will eat away at whatever is down there, and the citrus will kick any gnarly scents. Source http://casasugar.com/1092156#comment bathroom how to plumbing sink so fresh and so clean Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:30:13 -0800 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1092156 http://casasugar.com/1093249 Would you pay a maid to make your mess so fresh and so clean? Source If Money Weren't an Issue . . . Definitely! It's a respectable job, and I'm kind of a slob. Maybe, but only the deep cleaning. No way! I can clean up my own mess. Other, I'll tell you in the comments. http://casasugar.com/1093249#comment cleaning if money weren't an issue maid so fresh and so clean Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:00:15 -0800 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1093249 http://casasugar.com/1093053 No matter how tidy you may be, I would bet big dollars that you have encountered a filthy microwave at least once. And you may have even heated up a meal in said microwave, despite the funky food cooked onto the ceiling. There's no reason to put up with this gross-osity; making your microwave so fresh and so clean is a breeze. To learn how to kick the ick, read more. Put a bowl in the microwave with a 50/50 combo of vinegar and water. Nuke it for two to three minutes. Then dip a sponge or rag in the solution and use it to wipe down the walls. Be careful, it will be very hot. The vinegar will kill off any smells, and the steam will loosen up the food. The gunk will fall right off. Source http://casasugar.com/1093053#comment cleaning how to microwave so fresh and so clean Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:45:40 -0800 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1093053 http://casasugar.com/1087787 Did you know that newspapers work just as well, if not better, as paper towels for washing windows? To wash your windows with newspaper, make sure to avoid glossy or colored paper to avoid running ink. Then, ball up the newspaper and scrub away. Be careful to get all of the traces of window cleaner off your windows to avoid streaks. If you want to get your windows even more sparkly clean, use a squeegee. Source http://casasugar.com/1087787#comment Casa Quickie household cleaning so fresh and so clean windows Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:00:44 -0800 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1087787 http://casasugar.com/1085226 FitSugar recently came to me with an icky shower curtain mold dilemma. The base of her shower curtain has been taken over by a gross pink mold. Despite efforts to tell it what time it is, putting it in the washing machine with a stain-killer, and letting it sit for hours, no dice. Unfortunately, mold thrives in the warm, damp environment of bathrooms, and the shower curtain is no exception. With a quick Google, I found that most of the advice recommended is just what Fit had tried, the washing machine. Then, I came across an archive of a Wall Street Journal article by Sam Schechner called "Testing Ways to Kill Shower-Curtain Mold." Success! To hear a summary of Schechner's techniques for battling that repulsive pink mold, read more. He tested five methods, slicing up the same nasty shower curtain into fifths. He sprayed one slice with bleach (Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover), one bleach free of chlorine (Seventh Generation Shower Cleaner), "soaked another slice in a bathtub with a bottle of distilled vinegar," dumped another "in a washing machine along with bleach and white towels (for friction)," and "scrubbed one slice with a mixture of water, dish soap, and tea tree oil." A pretty thorough experiment, huh? Here are the results: The spray with Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover trial, which cost $3.29 for a 32 fl. oz. spray bottle, was easy, requiring no scrubbing. The result? The curtain smelled "like a noxious swimming pool," but "came out practically bone-white." The spray with Seventh Generation Shower Cleaner, which cost $4.99 for a 32 fl. oz. spray bottle, required 14 minutes of scrubbing on just the one section of curtain. The result? The curtain smelled like "sweet lemon soda," but a "grayish pattern remained where the black mold had been," although not so noticeable from across the room. Soaking the curtain in distilled vinegar and water, which cost $1.29 for a 16 fl. oz. bottle of Heinz distilled white vinegar, required "slightly less elbow grease than some methods," but still took an hour to soak. The result? It smelled "like someone had made a salad in our bathroom," and still left visible gray stains. Washing the curtain with NOW tea tree oil and dishsoap, which cost $5.95 for a 1 fl. oz. bottle of oil and $1.99 for Palmolive, required what felt like nearly "a full upper-body workout at the gym." The result? The curtain smelled like "a massage parlor" but resulted in "minimal payback for all that effort." Bleaching the curtain in washing machine on a hot-water cycle, which cost $1.29 for a 24 fl. oz. bottle of Clorox Ultra Regular Bleach, didn't require any work aside from letting the washing machine do its thing. The result? It was left with a "light bleach odor," but "big rust-colored stains remained," even after a second washing. So, I guess the Tilex did the trick in the stain department, but is still toxic. Letting it air dry might get rid of the chemical smell, but still, who wants to inhale the smell of a "noxious swimming pool?" That can't be good for you or the environment. In terms of results, The Seventh Generation Shower Cleaner sounds like the second best option, but is 70 minutes of scrubbing time (14 mins. x 5) really worth it? It might be better to find a way to recycle, reuse, or repurpose your moldy nylon shower curtain, and buy a new one. Ahh it's hard to be So Fresh and Clean sometimes. Source http://casasugar.com/1085226#comment how to mold shower curtain so fresh and so clean Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:30:00 -0800 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1085226 http://casasugar.com/1088746 What better way to get your home So Fresh and So Clean this month than by going green? Etsy seller Shower Treat Soap helps make your green transition easy by offering a sample pack of three different scents of natural laundry soap ($6). Just choose your favorite three from their available stock and they'll send you enough soap for 15 large loads. This way, you can get a good sense of whether or not this soap is for you at a low investment. Shower Treat Soap also sells soaps in greater quantities as well. Not only is this low-sudsing formula good for your septic system and the environment, it also contains no dyes, phosphates, or artificial fillers, which means it's great for sensitive skin, including people who suffer from allergies, exzema, and other skin issues. It's also a great choice for laundering babies' and children's clothing. The soap is made through a cold-process method, grated, dried, and then powdered, so it will dissolve quickly, even in cold water. Only one tablespoon-sized scoop is needed for a large load, and only half a tablespoon is required if you use a front loading washing machine. There are a ton of scents to choose from, including Sweet Pea, Spearmint, Rosemary, Eucalyptus, Mandarin Orange, Lime, Rose, Hyacinth, Light Musk, or any combination of available scents. Another cool fact: 5 percent of the company's profits are donated to Women For Women International, an organization that sponsors women survivors of war. http://casasugar.com/1088746#comment eco green living laundry laundry detergent so fresh and so clean Tue, 04 Mar 2008 06:45:21 -0800 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1088746 http://casasugar.com/1073304 Got a stinky smell in your home? You might want to pause before turning to that can of synthetic air freshener. Did you know that most synthetic air fresheners - such as Lysol - do little to nothing to freshen the air? Instead, these chemical-laden products simply add more pollutants to your home when you spray them around your living room or bathroom. So, instead of making a bad situation worse, combat unpleasant smells with something that is derived from natural ingredients and won't detract from your home's indoor air quality. Take a look at the widget below for some of my favorite natural air fresheners. Source http://casasugar.com/1073304#comment air freshener home natural product so fresh and so clean Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:00:40 -0800 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1073304 http://casasugar.com/1084846 If you have dust and dirt in hard-to-reach crevices in your home, try using a paint brush to remove it. The fine bristles will successfully flush out dirt from even its most stubborn hiding places, and will do a more thorough job than a household broom. Source http://casasugar.com/1084846#comment Casa Quickie household cleaning so fresh and so clean Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:30:38 -0800 casasugar http://casasugar.com/1084846