Love the smell that your Plug-In air freshener delivers? Most people do and rightfully so, they smell so good!
However, are highly toxic and full of VOC’s including methoxychlor. It Is a pesticide that can coat the nasal passages and de-sensitize your sense of smell, thus giving you the allure that you have fresh air. They also contain Naphthalene and formaldehyde, known to cause cancer in the lungs. I know they are wonderful and make the house smell wonderful, but they can be overly toxic especially to children. Asthma rates are on the rise as well, due to such ingredients being exposed into the air. A very safe alternative are essential oils and a diffuser. We started using them when our son was diagnosed with asthma. It helps to have the nice scent but will have health benefits vs chemicals being released.
We started using essential oils for each season (lemon in Spring and Summer, Cinnamon in Autumn, Pine and Christmas) and it is nice to have a smell for the season. I even drip essential oils on my furnace filter so when it kicks on you get a wonderful, non-toxic scent throughout the whole house. Oils and diffusers are available in many places. Young Living, Do-terra and even Whole Foods carry them. I also found a new essential oil room freshener that we love at Target.
Here is a great test in your home, plug yours in right below a mirror. We had some plug-ins placed below a mirror in client’s homes. The clients will always say there is a film that never goes away on the mirror, it is the film of chemicals being released into the air. It is a great test so that you can physically see the results on the glass over time. That would mimic what could possibly happen in the lungs especially in children.
If you are like most people, you have enjoyed the look of stainless steel. It is beautiful to look at....if it is clean. Unless you have the new "touchless" choices that are on the market, you may find your appliances challenging. No need to worry, we have a few tips to make life a little easier for you. Remember that you can use stainless steel cleaners that wax the appliance. You do not have to, however, once you start using them, you usually want to stay with them. The majority of the issue with the prints and smudges is especially around the handle. The oils from your skin tend to get on there as well as if there happens to be any food on your hands. Sometimes they need washed as well.
1. No matter what you choose to clean with, always go with the grain of the appliance and work in small sections. Never try to spray the whole appliance at once.
2. Clean microfiber cloths are your friend with these appliances. Have some of those on hand.
3. If you are waxing, spray the wax on your cloth not your appliance. This will keep from having it sit in one place too long.
4. If you don't want to use wax products, you can achieve a beautiful clean with Dawn dish soap and a microfiber. I recommend this as well if you have clouding, streaking or buildup. You can just lightly soap a microfiber and as you wash with Dawn, buff behind it in circles with a dry, clean microfiber buffing cloth. You should have it clear up any lines or streaking that you have. You may have to do it a few times.
5. Never use a multipurpose spray or glass cleaner on your appliance. Even the ones that say they are made for glass, stainless steel, wood etc... they do not do as well as waxes or Dawn.
6. Most hard water stains running from the water dispenser will never buff out once they have set in. Don't beat yourself up trying to change it. Nothing is going to change the stain.
Use these tips and enjoy your stainless steel!
I hate cleaning my microwave! I can't tell you how many times I have heard that! I dreaded the microwave too until I figured out how to clean it so easily. Whether it is the microwave at home or the one in the break room at work, it all comes down to everyone putting off cleaning it.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America www.aafa.org, 1 in 5 Americans suffer from allergies. That's over 50 million Americans. There are some great things that you can do to help relieve your allergies. Dust mites are a common culprit to those who suffer. Dust mites cannot survive in any extreme condition. That would mean that whether you choose heat (steam) or cold (freeze) them, both can get ahead of those pesky pests.