Healthy Cleaning with Tea Tree Oil

~*~Going green is popular these days and green approaches to cleaning typically include using cleaning solutions that do not include harsh chemicals or petroleum-based ingredients. In fact, some proponents of green cleaning advocate staying away from antibacterial chemicals. Tea tree oil is a natural antibacterial and antifungal essential oil. Although tea tree oil has a strong odor, it is an effective substitute for harsher, mainstream chemicals.

~*~Mold Killer: Make a natural solution that kills fungus by adding a teaspoon of tea tree oil to white vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray but do not rinse.

~*~Laundry Scent and Booster: Sometimes clothes and linens need a little more than just plain old laundry detergent. A teaspoon of tea tree oil in your wash water can kill germs.

~*~Insect Repellent and Bite Soother: Tea tree oil keeps mosquitoes, gnats, and other bugs away. Pour about one ounce of tea tree oil and four ounces of witch hazel into a spray bottle. Shake it up before applying. Both ingredients are soothing to existing bites.

~*~All-Purpose Cleaner: Tea tree oil is a great addition to homemade cleaners. Add 2 cups of hot water to 2 tablespoons of Borax, 1/2 teaspoon of liquid dish soap and 1/2 teaspoon tea tree oil in a spray bottle. Shake it and spray on germs!

~*~Gum and Sticker Remover: Tea tree oil can cut through sticky substances with ease! Pour a few drops on a cotton ball and rub away.

~*~Head Lice: Mix a teaspoon of tea tree oil with 4 teaspoons of either olive oil or coconut oil and rub into scalp. Leave on for 15 minutes. Use a nit comb before washing mixture out.

~*~Athlete's Foot and other Fungus: For athlete's foot, ringworm, dandruff and nail infections, mix a few drops of tea tree oil in a base oil like sweet almond, olive or coconut oil and apply to affected area. You can also add tea tree oil to your shampoo, or even to hot water for a foot soak.

When You Should Eat Organic Foods+

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When you eat organic food, you ingest fewer pesticides. You are also protecting the environment.
Research shows that some organic food is more nutritious.

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Organic fruits and vegetables have 25% higher levels of many nutrients than conventional produce.However, organic produce can be 20% more expensive than conventional. Organic meats and dairy products might be three times the cost of conventional items.

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Cut the cost of eating organic foods by:Buying in-season produce, which is plentiful and often cheaper at your local farmer's market.

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Selectively buy the produce that absorbs the most pesticide if not organic, like berries, which soak up more pesticides than other fruit. You don't really need organic bananas since they're protected by a peel. Buy organic for the foods you eat most often.

Marie Stegnar 03/05/2011

Cleaning with Salt

~~Did you know that salt’s granular texture makes it perfectly suited for scouring?

1.)Table salt, sea salt, and kosher salt can all be used, but table salt is the cheapest choice. Use salt to clean:

2.)Artificial flowers. Place the fake blooms inside a paper bag and pour in salt. Close the bag and shake vigorously. The salt will dislodge accumulated dust and dirt.

3.)Glassware. Salt won’t scratch the way a scouring pad can. To get out stubborn stains, add some salt for extra abrasion and scrub.

4.)Greasy pots and pans. Sprinkle salt on cookware to absorb excess grease. Dump out the salt before washing as usual. Do not use on nonstick cookware.

5.)Spills in the oven. Pour salt on the spills to soak them up. When the oven is cool, wipe with a damp sponge.

6.)Stained teacups and coffee mugs. Sprinkle salt on the outside of a lemon peel and rub the affected area until clean.

7.)Wooden counters and tables. Cover grease splatters with salt to absorb as much as possible. Wait an hour, then brush away the salt.

Is Breast Cancer linked to Enviromental Chemicals?

A groundbreaking research study recently published by the American Cancer Society found that synthetic chemicals have likely played a large role in the rising breast cancer rates around the world over the last half-century.The study identified 216 man-made chemicals, including those found in everyday products like pesticides, cosmetics, dyes, drugs and gasoline, which have been shown to cause breast cancer in animals. These substances, many of which "mimic" naturally occurring hormones once inside the body, are also to blame for the increasing prevalence of breast cancer.

Devra Lee Davis, epidemiologist at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health, says, "the more hormones cycling through a women's body during her lifetime, the more likely she is to develop breast cancer." Synthetic chemicals that mimic hormones increase that risk because the body doesn't know the difference between its own real hormones and other introduced chemicals.

Only 1 in 10 women who develop breast cancer inherits a defective gene from their parents, which means that in 90 percent of breast cancer cases studied, external agents, like synthetic chemicals, contributed to the development of cancer.The U.S. government has not instituted restrictions on the production of synthetic chemicals, but European regulators are taking the issue very seriously by making chemical manufacturers selling anywhere in Europe to re-register and re-evaluate the potential health hazards, including cancer risks, of their products. I am hoping that American chemical companies will follow that lead with chemicals sold here.To reduce your risk of chemical exposure:Buy and eat organic foods.Avoid using pesticides and other synthetic chemicals whenever possible.Use non-plastic containers to reheat and store foods.

What do you look for in a Maids Service?

~A lack of hassle is one major thing to look for in a cleaning service; the other, sparkling results.

The Maids are the sole local pros in the tidying-up business who nail both every time. Armed with a serious stash of cleaning products, the uniformed crews deploy from their sunny yellow vehicles with a speed-oriented, no-fooling-around plan that leaves every corner of the target home immaculate. And unlike some experiences you may have had with other, larger services; the Maids have yet to mix up your keys with another clients, or let your "indoor" cat outside.

~Testimonial:"We aren't ones to cry over spilt milk, as our floors can attest; our couch has more hair on it than our cat. Without a speck of judgment, the Maids clean up our act month after month, dusting baseboards, degriming showers, and all but eliminating any traces of pet (except for, of course, the pet itself). They're quick, well priced, and unobtrusive. Aside from the preternatural sparkle and neatly triangled toilet paper, you'd never know they'd been there."

How can I prioritize my honey-do list?

~~If you are like most people, your honey-do list far outweighs your available time. To conquer the list, it is helpful to prioritize your home improvement projects. While you may be eager to turn that dreary basement into an entertainment room that is the envy of the neighborhood, it would be wiser to focus on some of the less glamorous items on your list first. Sure, fixing that leaky gasket won’t give you bragging rights in the way that your first bash in your new entertainment room will, but getting the structural repairs out of the way will ensure that your new pool table doesn’t become a swimming pool when your basement springs a leak.

~~Home improvement television programs can inspire you to tackle your own home makeover, but before you start knocking down walls, it is important to remember that those perfect transformations really are made for TV, with a team of experts directing the work and film editing making sure that the projects are wrapped up in an hour. In reality, home improvement projects can take unexpected turns, hit snags, and encounter delays. One of the best ways to trim that honey-do list is to call in reinforcements. Honey-do becomes honey-call-a-professional. Be realistic about your skills and determine which projects you can handle on your own and hire a professional for the rest. Once you’ve determined what needs to be done and who is going to do it, you’ll need to add some order to your list by prioritizing your projects.

~~Safety First:The top priorities on your honey-do list should be items that have safety implications. Some projects that fall into this category include installing/maintaining smoke alarms and replacing faulty wiring.While you can probably handle the smoke alarms on your own, hiring an electrician may be the best solution for faulty wiring.

~~Think Like A Builder:Home Builders start the construction process by pouring the foundation, framing the house, and installing the roof. Your next round of home improvement priorities should follow the same logic, with the goal of ensuring that the infrastructure is safe, solid and weatherproof. This outside-in approach will safeguard your home from water damage and eliminate any other problems that can ruin your future entertainment room of the year. Fix any cracks or leaks in the foundation and inspect and repair your roof.

~~Moving Inside:Now that the exterior elements of your home have been repaired, your next priorities should be addressing potential health hazards such as asbestos, lead, and air quality. You may want to consider hiring a professional for these items to ensure that all work is done to code. Examine bathrooms and kitchens for signs of leaking pipes and fixtures, and check drywall and subflooring for water damage and decay.

~~Now What?At this point, you will need to determine which projects are most important to you. If your goal is to save money, you should focus on projects that reduce energy and water consumption. If you can't look at the wallpaper in the bedroom one more day, then by all means get to work on tearing it down. If your desire for a state-of-the-art basement entertainment room just can't be contained any longer, then start creating the room of your dreams. After all the work you’ve done up until this point, you've earned it.

Tips for handling your maid's service from The Maids

~~*Establishing the proper rapport with your home cleaning service goes a long way to establishing an enduring and productive partnership.Be professional.

~~*Form a comfortable employer/employee relationship. Don't be overly personal, but do try to be on a first-name basis.

~~*Treat interaction and conversation as you would in the workplace.

~~*Don't hover

~~*Show them what needs to be done.

~~*Show them where things are stored.

~~*Show them how you like things to be done.

~~*Get out of their way.

~~*Addressing issues:
If unhappy about performance, bring it up immediately and discuss in a professional mannner. Either leave a friendly note or show them what the problem is.

~~*NEVER accuse anyone of a crime unless you have iron-clad proof. For example, a missing item may have been moved by someone else.
If pleased, let them know with a nice note or kind words. Think about how much you like a pat on the back for a job well-done.

**Bonuses
**A card on birthdays
**A gift or cash for Christmas