Propagating Roses

Who Knew! Vinegar & Aluminium Foil Secrets

And the wonders of Vinegar!

Tips for Hot Weather

Well, when it is rainy and cold we have mould to contend with.  When it is hot, it brings other challenges -- not the least of all is hot temperatures inside.  Upstairs is usually ten or 15 degrees hotter as heat rises.  So, it is helpful if everyone could please be compassionate and develop some new habits.

KEEPING IT COOL INSIDE

Keep outer doors closed as much as possible.  Keep windows closed and the blinds drawn shut during the day when you are not here.  It will make such a difference.  By the time you get home at night, the weather almost always cools down and it is a relief to open the windows and get a breeze through the house. 

On the weekends, when it is really hot, keeping the doors, windows and blinds closed keeps the radiant heat (from the sun) out.  It helps keeps the hot wind out, too. 

ANTS, ETC.

Ants and flies and sometimes spiders, but mostly ants come inside during the heat for two things:  food and water.  They don't dive into a dish of water typically, but will look for little bits of water that has been dropped or a tap that is leaking. 

And food.  Keep the counters wiped clean especially of anything sweet.  It is time for everyone to take time to look at what they have in their food cupboards (well not Geroge, because I think he still has no food in there):

·         Take everything out

·         Put about 1/4 cup of vinegar in warm water (the blue ice cream plastic container under the sink (where the garbage bags are stored) is what I use). 

·         Then wipe down the shelves, sides, doors (inside and out)

·         Let it completely dry inside - leave the doors open

·         Before putting the food back in the cupboard, wipe the bottoms and check the lips and around the lids of any glass jars or plastic containers to be sure there is no spilled sweet, sticky stuff to tempt ants

·         Put opened food in plastic or glass containers or use clothes pins to shut the packages tight or rubber bands or plastic bags (grocery bags are good and if it is something small, there are ziploc bags that you can use to protect your food..

·         It may be a good time to check to see if everything is still fresh.

·         Then put everything back in.

·         Keep alert if you see little ant armies moving around or even a couple "scouts".

·         Ants love sugar, honey, fruit juice, candies and syrup. 

·         If you spill some, it is not enough to just wipe it up loosely.  It is sticky so you need to use a little soap or Windex and a paper towel to ensure there is nothing sticky to step in (such in front of the garbage bin)

·         The container next to the kettle, by the way should be no problem because it dispenses a teaspoon at a time and is "closed" otherwise. 

·         When you use sugar, honey, syrup be sure to wipe the lips and tops of the bottles to get all the drippy bits. 

·         Finally, ants are clean creatures, so you just have to shoo them away (move the object where they are feeding) and they will leave - but not if they can find something to eat!  

Spraying around food should not be done.  It can make you sick and Mandarin to be kind to.  Most bug sprays are toxic for pets (cats especially track through it and do not realise and then lick their paws).

OK, stay cool and safe!

New Vinegar Ideas to Keep In Mind

Thanks to everyone in the house for working so well together to keep everything clean and tidy for everyone else!  It has been a long time since we have had such harmony!

I found this YouTube today about more uses for Vinegar and it is great.  Enjoy!

The Washing Machine!

First of all this washing machine may be older than you are, so be kind to it.  Use cold water unless there is a REALLY good excuse to use warm.  Most detergents today work very well in cold water.  It saves energy too.  Some Guidelines:

1.    If you wash your clothes in cold water, fabric colours do not bleed against each other, so sorting whites from colours should not be necessary...UNLESS you just purchased something in a rather bright colour and it was a bargain.  In this case best to wash it the first time in cold water and alone (and with a half cup of white vinegar).

2.   Do not overfill.  It will take about 2 sheets, 2 pillowcases and the equivalent of about four towels.  Overfilling causes the machine to spin out of control and could break the springs inside from the weight, especially if everything in the washing machine has worked itself onto one side.

3.    If you do not have a full load, please wait until you do for three reasons:  it saves water, it saves energy and the washing machine doesn't handle one or two items well and may spin out of control and stop.

4.   If you use powdered detergent it is best to start filling the machine with water and then putting your detergent in, letting it dissolve a little or put in your towels on top of the soap powder as the water is running in.  WARNING:  If you put dark colours in and do not do this, you may find lots of soap power collects on the dark fabric.

5.    Do NOT put soap powder in the little cup in the middle of the washing tub.  It is ONLY for LIQUID fabric softener (like Cuddly).  If you put laundry powder in this cup it rinses completely away and no soap washes your clothes.  Finally, it clogs the machine with soap gunk and the inside of the column (in the middle) has to be scraped out to ensure the machine cleans the clothes in the future.

1. Press Power button once.
2. Press button above "water temperature" for cold.
3. Press Start 

When you press start water begins to fill the machine.  Then add detergent and other additives (such as Vanish).  Pour liquid fabric softener in the middle cup (I run a little water into the fabric softener cap and use it to dilute the softener so it mixes well with the clothes).  Let some water flow into the tub before adding your clothes.  If you use bleach, add it right at the beginning as the water flows in and wait till it is well diluted with the water before you add your clothes unless you are washing only whites.

Once your clothes are in, close the lid and go on your merry way.  It takes about 45 minutes to finish a load.  Please remember others may be waiting to use the machine, so if you do need to go off while doing washing, let someone know so they can take it out for you.

If you have further questions, just ask me.

NEWS + USING THE DRYER IN WINTER

NEWS ITEMS:

• ·         Also remember to wring out the dish cloth and express the water from the sponge to ensure (especially at this time of year) bacteria does not grow.
• ·         It is flu and cold season.  Remember to wash your hands a lot, cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough and drink plenty of fluids.  Perhaps the worst is now over for Bobby, Asiko and Paul and the rest of us won’t get sick.

Finally Winter Drying

• ·         Winter means less sunshine
• ·         Winter means it is cold
• ·         Washing clothes must be done
• ·         Drying clothes is not always possible outside on the line.
• ·         When it is, please try to hang them outside
• ·         Or there are also two drying racks that are sometimes helpful.

             Here is how a clothes dryer works:

If you use the dryer:

1.   Be sure you check the filter first - all the fluff from drying will be stuck there.  Ask someone how to if you do not know how

2.   Do not throw the fluff outside the door, on the floor, behind the dryer or washing machine, or leave it on the bench in the laundry room, throw it in the bin.

3.   Be sure the "fins" of the filter are pointing toward the outside door (not the floor, not up and now toward the inside door)

4.   Be sure the windows in the bathroom and laundry room are open and the bathroom exhaust fan is on.  This is unfortunate for the boys as the dryer is not vented to outside and can't be helped.

5.   THE INSIDE DOOR NEEDS TO STAY SHUT AS IT MAKES IT COLDER IF THE MOIST AIR COMES INTO THE REST OF THE HOUSE AND IT WILL BE COLD ENOUGH!

6.   If it is not night and if it is not raining, open the back door (and do not bother with the windows and exhaust fan) to let the hot air go out (there is a latch behind the door you can fasten so it stays open).

7.   Please lock the inside door if you have the back door open for a while and you are not able to be here.

8.   Do not put metal or plastic objects or candy in the dryer.

9.   Try to always remove your dried clothes and clean the fluff filter before the next person uses the dryer.

10.        if you have any questions about using the dryer, please ask me.

Vinegar Benefits + Winter Mould

There are lots of good YouTube Videos

about cleaning with Vinegar and Baking Soda.

Here is one about mould on the walls.

Mold—that icky, fuzzy stuff that likes to lurk in high and low corners just a few feet beyond your reach or so out of sight (like beside the bed or behind the wardrobe) that you fail to even notice. That’s because the fuzzy stuff loves dark, warm, humid places to live.  

It especially loves leather and anything stuffed into plastic bags (where air is not circulating).  Winter is the time mould grows best in any home.  So now is time to take action and plan a regular inspection each week to ensure mould is not growing around you. When the conditions are right, mold can grow within 24-48 hours. 

If you have not read this blog article yet:  PLEASE READ THIS.

That article has lots of good information that will help us all moderate mould problems during winter and rainy times.  But before you grab a rag or paper towel to just wipe the dusty stuff away, know that is not enough to kill it.  Here are three, non-toxic, natural household solutions for truly eliminating mold.

1. Vinegar

Chances are, you probably already have vinegar in your home. This magic elixir makes meals taste wonderful and stains disappear with equal potency. Vinegar is a mild acid which can kill 82% of mold species. (Baking soda is often used along with vinegar for killing different species of mold.)

To kill mold: Use white distilled vinegar and pour it into a spray bottle without watering it down. Spray the vinegar onto the moldy surface and leave it to sit for an hour. Finally, wipe the area clean with water and allow the surface to dry. Any smell from the vinegar should clear within a few hours, but if it lingers, you can freshen up the space with bowls of lemon water around the area.

2. Baking Soda

Baking soda is a mild, white mineral powder, that can be used to kill mold in your home, plus it is safe for your family and pets. In addition to killing mold, it will absorb moisture to help keep mold away.

To kill mold: Add one quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda to a spray bottle of water and shake until it has dissolved. Spray the moldy area with the baking soda and water solution, then use a sponge or scrub brush to remove all the mold from the surface. Next, rinse the surface with water to remove any residual mold on the surface. Finally, spray the area again and let the surface dry. (This will kill any left-over mold and prevent the mold from returning).

All of these solutions are great non-toxic alternatives to chemical-based cleaners. Not only are they safe to use and safe for the environment, all of these products are inexpensive and easy to find in your local store.  Mold is something you don’t want to ignore.

3. Hydrogen Peroxide

When you want to know how to get rid of mold, know that hydrogen peroxide is your new best friend. Hydrogen peroxide is an anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial solution that kills mold effectively on a variety of materials such as kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures, floors and walls.

To kill mold: Pour 3% concentration hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle. Saturate the moldy surface completely and leave it to sit for ten minutes. Next, scrub the area to remove all of the mold and mold stains. And finally, wipe the surface down to remove residual mold and spores. You’ll want to take extra care if the mold is growing on delicate surfaces, as hydrogen peroxide can act as a bleach.

After you, vacuum and treat your walls, floor or wherever you find mould, be sure to let it dry well.  When you move your furniture back into place be sure there is a bit of space all around the furniture pieces so air can circulate.  

Finally, every room has a space heater to use when you are in the room.  Please do not leave it going when you are away from your room for any length of time and of course ensure there is nothing close to the heater that might ignite.

More stuff about the magic of Vinegar.