Thursday, March 26, 2009

How to Use Household Items for Cleaning

How to Use Household Items for Cleaning

These days the cost and dangers of typical cleaning products make them undesirable.

LEMONS - Lemons are very useful around the house for cleaning. I love the fresh clean scent they leave in my drain after I grind up the peels in the garbage disposal. Be careful lemons can actually bleach out certain items.

TEA BAGS - Have a stain in your sink. Throw your wet used tea bags on it and they will remove the stain! Tea leaves can also be ground up in your garbage disposal to remove odors.

BAKING SODA - From cleaning to brushing your teeth to deodorizing your carpets, baking soda is extremely useful even if you are not baking. Sprinkle on carpets or couches that need to be deodorized and then vacuum it off. Of course you already know to have one in your refrigerator and freezer, just remember to change it now and then.

VINEGAR - Don't mind the smell it dissipates quickly and you will not smell it at all. Vinegar is almost like a natural bleach, it is a very powerful cleaner. I also spray it in my shower after use to prevent mold and mildew from building up.

Another alternative use is dish soap to stop ants. They will not cross a line of dish soap.

An alternative use for windex is for gold and diamond jewelry cleaning. Your jewelry will shine and the windex will not (can not) damage your gold or diamonds.

How to Acclimate New Fish to Your Tank

How to Acclimate New Fish to Your Tank

Fish are very susceptible to shock and they can die if they are not moved very carefully.

PREPARE TANK - If you used tap water to fill your tank, make sure you use a water conditioner. Chlorine and other things in tap water can kill fish. The water conditioner will balance it out.

OTHER FISH - If you have fish in your tank, feed them prior to introducing the new fish so that they leave the new ones alone.

ACCLIMATE THE TEMPERATURE - Leave the fish in the bag they came in and float the bag in the tank without opening it. The water in their bag will slowly reach the same temperature as the tank water. TOTAL FLOATING TIME AT LEAST 30 minutes including step 4 below.

AFTER 10 minutes of floating the bag, add some of the tank water into the bag. About 25% more than is already in the bag. Then reseal the bag. Do this again every ten minutes.

AFTER 30 minutes of floating the bag, you can open the bag and roll down the top (like a shirt sleeve) so that the bag slowly floats down and the fish can slowly exit into the tank.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

How to Clean Your Microwave with Only Water

How to Clean Your Microwave with Only Water

Don't scrub your microwave until your arm is sore. That baked on, stuck on food can come off easily.

CLEAN DRY RAG - Preferably a 100% cotton dish rag or other cleaning rag that does not have any chemicals on it. The size of a medium sized kitchen towel, not a small wash cloth size. Freshly laundered. If it has a strong smell from a previous cleaning, don't use it.

SOAK - Soak the rag in water until it is sopping wet and place the wet rag in your microwave. Run your microwave for approximately 4 minutes, then let it set for another 10 minutes before you open the door. Be careful if the towel is still hot.

WIPE DOWN - The steam should have loosened all of the food in the microwave. Wipe it down with the towel. This method usually removes the toughest baked on food.

AVOID - Try to avoid the food build up by covering your food with paper towels or plastic wrap.

How to Wrap Tapeless Your Gifts

How to Wrap Tapeless Your Gifts

They are not actually wrapped without tape, however the tape cannot be seen. It makes your gifts look very professional.

CUT YOUR PAPER - Make sure you have cut enough paper without cutting too much.

WRAP - Assume you are wrapping a box shaped gift even if it is not. Place your gift upside down on the paper (if possible). Do not tape any of the paper directly onto your gift. Tape paper to paper only. Fold 1" of paper on one side like a hem. Roll 1" pieces of tape into rings, sticky side out. Place 3 tape rings on the hem that you folded. Stretch the paper over the gift that is opposite the hem side. Hold it in place on top of the gift. Then fold the hem side and attached it to the opposite paper.

ENDS - Fold the ends as you normally would, however, make a hem and place 3 more tape rings on the hem. Fold it up to seal. Repeat for the other end.

TIE THE RIBBON WITHOUT KNOTS - Unroll ribbon about 3 times as long as the gift. Stretch center of the ribbon over the top of the gift. Pick up the gift while still holding the ribbon across the gift. Flip it upside down on the table, so now the top of the gift is face down on the table with the ribbon running across it. Run the ribbon across the bottom of the gift until it meets in the middle. Cross the ribbon and run it down the opposite sides of the gift. Hold on and flip the gift over again, now tie the ribbon in a bow. Your gift recipient can untie the ribbon without untying a knot.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Flies Spread Bacteria Picked Up at Poultry Farms

Flies Spread Bacteria Picked Up at Poultry Farms

A new research study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows that flies may be the culprit for spreading drug resistant bacteria from poultry farms. It is believed that up to 30,000 flies may visit a poultry farm in a six week period, increasing the chances of spreading bacteria to humans.

Flies pick up the antibiotic resistant bacteria from poultry houses and stored poultry waste. Flies have been know to spread diseases such as cholera, enteric fever, salmonellosis, and other bacteria.

The researchers found the drug resistant bacteria on both the flies and the poultry waste. This has lead them to believe that the flies may be transferring the contamination to humans or human food products.

Crowded animal farms where animals are kept in close quarters and fed antibiotics to prevent disease is the perfect recipe for creating these drug resistant bacteria and the flies are the perfect mode of transportation.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt Erupts 5 Times Overnight


Alaska's Mount Redoubt

For those of you following erupting volcano's, you know that this one has not sent any emissions in the air for over 20 years. Today it has a plume nine miles long coming out of its top.

Local residents of small communities near Anchorage are being hit by the falling ash. Scientists believe that the ash will stop falling by noon Alaska time.

Recent eruptions all over the globe have scientists on their toes. Speculation about Yellowstone Park's super volcano have people all of the world shaking in their boots. If Yellowstone were to erupt it would have global consequences.

How to Do Your Part to Reduce Global Warming

How to Do Your Part to Reduce Global Warming

We hear about it every day, but what small things can we do in our everyday lives to help prevent pollution and global warming?

DON'T FALL FOR THE HYPE - When you hear of something that you can do to help with pollution or global warming, research it first because it may be damaging to the environment in other ways. For example, everyone is rushing out to buy compact fluorescent light bulbs, however, these bulbs are full of mercury which is poisoning our environment. Just read the warnings on the packages, it is scary and not a product you should use in your home, especially if you have small children.

REDUCE ENERGY USE - Recently Americans have reduced their use of gas and the price has significantly lowered. Reduce as much energy in every way you possibly can. Put an extra sweater on in the winter and turn down your heater, cover windows and doors where heat can escape and insulate any areas of your home that do not have sufficient insulation.

STOP USING PRODUCTS THAT DAMAGE - Wow, this covers a lot of ground. Research the products you use and found out what is truly damaging. Even some very innocent products such as soy products and cooking oils are damaging the environment because thousands of acres of the rainforests in South America are being cut down to grow them. If people keep buying soy products in large numbers, more and more of the rainforest will be cut down. The entire world depends on the health of the rainforests, we cannot afford to lose much more.

GET INVOLVED - If you have the time, energy, expertise or money to help, now is the time. There are many agencies that are fighting to keep poisons out the of oceans, stop the destruction of the rainforest and save our planet.

Do your part to stop pollution and clean our environment, leave the control of global warming up to mother nature.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

How to Keep Warm while Skiing

How to Keep Warm while Skiing

These items are actually easy to acquire if you have the money. I rated the article moderate because of the cost.

SILK UNDERGARMENTS - I have had the same silk longjohns, socks and gloveliners for 20 years. They last forever, they are very thin, soft, comfortable and boy do they keep you warm.

WOOL - Itchy, but that is why you wear the silk underneath! Wool really makes a difference. I can't even wear my wool coat very much because it is too warm, if you are someone that has a tendency to be cold, I highly recommend wool.

THINSULATE - It works, of course I combine it with my silk undergarments. The two work great together and I never feel bulky!

MODERN TECHNOLOGY - There are all kinds of new fangled feet warmers, etc. I do not recommend their use, however, for safety purposes you may want to have some kind of instant warmer in your backpack while skiing, etc.

Be prepared if you want to keep warm in the winter.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

How to Clean your Home with Green Products

How to Clean your Home with Green Products


There are many convenient and useful cleaning products, that are also safe and not detrimental to the environment. These are just a few suggestions.


VINEGAR is an excellent cleaner. At first the smell may be an issue for you, but you will soon realize that it dissipates quickly. It can be used in the kitchen on the counter tops, sink, stove top, etc. In the bathroom it is excellent in the shower, counter tops and floors. Anywhere you would use a traditional cleaner. You can purchase it in large quantities at the grocery store. I recommend white vinegar.

BAKING SODA is fantastic. Not only can it clean out your sink and drains, but you can brush your teeth with it also. I love the way it leaves my drains fresh an clean. You can also sprinkle it on your carpets and then vaccuum to get rid of bad odors. I have used it anywhere bad odors arise, including on furniture and baby mattresses. Just vacuum it off.

COOKING OIL - If you have ink on vinyl, you will love using oil to remove it. I thought the ink on my childrens vinyl toys was permanent until I used oil to remove it. I love it!

Do your best to always use green products to clean your home.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

How to Get Rid of Aphids Naturally

Don't you hate it when your beautiful flowers are covered with Aphids. Here are some tips to help you get rid of them without using poisons or pesticides.


BEST WAY - LadyBugs - LadyBugs are a natural way to rid your garden of Aphids. If you do not have some naturally, you can purchase them at your local nursery. While you are there, you may want to buy some plants that attract ladybugs, so that you will get some naturally next year.

SECOND BEST - Dishsoap and water. Squeeze a dollop of dishsoap into a clean spray bottle. Fill the bottle with room temperature water. Shake. Spray the water onto your plants that are infested with Aphids. Your plants will not be harmed, but the Aphids will soon go away.

IT WORKS - Water. Spray your plant with water while gently rubbing off the Aphids. They will come back sooner than the other methods, but at least you can enjoy your flowers for awhile.

Monday, March 16, 2009

How to Stop Ants Safely

Ants may enter your home for a variety of reasons, but you can block them safely and effectively without using poisons or toxins.

ONE - Liquid dish soap is an easy way to block ants. They will not pass a line of liquid dish soap. If the area that you need to block is small this is a good option. You can simply make a line around the front of your door and the ants will not cross it.

TWO - Ants will not cross deep water. If you have an item that is attracting ants into your home, such as a jar of honey, simply put the jar of honey in a bowl of water.

THREE - Orange peel spray. There are many natural fruit pest deterents on the market. If you have a large area, such as your entire house, you may want to use a commercial spray that has no toxins or pesticides and is based on fruit.

FOUR - Clean any area infested with ants with vinegar. Vinegar is a natural cleaner and will cut off the scents the ants are sending to each other.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

An Asteroid Almost Hit Earth On Monday


An Asteroid Almost Hit Earth On Monday
A surprise asteroid passed by Earth on Monday. Unfortunately, it may be pulled in by Earth's gravity and possibly come back for several other near misses.
The rock is estimated to be about 200 feet across. It was just located on Friday by Australian scientists. If it had hit Earth, it would have been like a nuclear bomb exploding.
Anyone in the Pacific may have caught a glimpse of it.
Most near hits are spotted by scientists ahead of time. We usually have a lot more time to try and divert its course. This is unbelievable that it came so close without anyone knowing it until the last second.