Disinfecting sick bed laundry A big part of taking care of someone who is sick is making them feel as comfortable as possible. If they have something contagious, it’s also important to keep everyone else in the household healthy. These tips will help keep everyone feeling their best particullarly in Winter when there are lots of bugs going around. The best sheets for a sick bed are those that can be washed in hot water and disinfected with chlorine bleach. You will probably need to change the sheets everyday, if not more often. Sometimes just changing the pillowcases will make the sick one feel more comfortable. For your own protection, place the sheets in a laundry basket or hamper to carry them to the washer. If you carry them in your arms near your face, some germs can remain on your clothing or hands and cause problems. If you have blood, vomit or medicine stains, treat these first. Sheets should then be washed in the hottest water possible with detergent and chlorine bleach to help kill germs, bacteria and head lice. Line-drying sheets in the sun will also help to sanitize them. Posted by Elaine B → March 08, 2011 at 12:24 AM under Home Living Tips
How to Get Kids Do Laundry Laundry is a fact of life for everyone so it’s a good idea to get kids involved in the process as early as possible. Sure, they’ll make some mistakes but you’ll be teaching a life skill and getting some help for yourself. Persevere and it will help everyone in your household. Place laundry baskets or hampers in every bedroom and bathroom. Divided hampers are useful for sorting colors and whites. Give each family member a mesh bag for socks. The bags can be thrown in the washer and dryer preventing lost socks. Show children how to hang up clothes and install closet rods low enough so kids can reach them. Explain the difference between dirty clothes and those that have been worn but are wearable again. This will cut down on your loads and kids will appreciate knowing the difference when they are on their own. Clip clothespins to the side of every hamper. Teach family members to use them to mark stains. Ask each family member to be responsible for returning clean clothes back to his drawers. GOOD LUCK! For more products to help with your laundry needs go to; http://www.urbanclotheslines.com/ Posted by Marian T → March 07, 2011 at 8:19 PM under Clotheslines and Laundry
Launder Correctly to Reduce Dust Mites We spend a great deal of time in the bedroom with direct skin contact with bed linens where dust mites thrive. Bedding – sheets, blankets and bed covers – should be washed weekly in hot water (130-140 degrees F.) to kill dust mites. Cold water will not always remove the allergens. Pillows should also be washed frequently and replaced regularly. Follow the washing instructions on the label. Towels and Bathmats Even though the humidity of the bathroom helps reduce dry skin, dust mites can still thrive. Towels and bathmats should be washed in hot water after two or three uses . Stuffed Toys If you have a child with allergies, stuffed toys should be washed frequently – especially if the child sleeps with the toy. Curtains and Household Fabrics In addition to regular vacuuming and dusting, all fabrics that can be washed should be done frequently including throw rugs and curtains. Also try to dry all laundry on a clothesline outside in the fresh air and sunshine if you can, rather than in a clothes dryer. This is healthier and saves on your power bills. Posted by Marian T → March 06, 2011 at 11:42 PM under Home Living Tips
Folding Frame Clothesline is great for the balcony or any small space The Hills Supa Fold 70 Folding Frame is a totally new and revolutionary design in folding frame clotheslines. Hills Clotheslines have specifically designed the Supa Fold 70 for smaller living spaces such as flats, units and townhouses. With a handy 23 feet of drying line space, the Supa Fold 70 clothesline has proven to be a very popular product for those in need of dry laundry, but with limited space. Its powder coated steel design assures the utmost quality in strength and finish, plus the Supa Fold 70 is not only easy to assemble and install, but the design allows it to fold away neatly when not in use. For more information on this and other useful products go to: http://www.urbanclotheslines.com/hills-supafold-70-folding-frame-clothesline Posted by Leonie S → March 05, 2011 at 8:06 PM under Clotheslines and Laundry
Floating Solar Panels Designed for Inland Bodies of Water Israel-based Solaris Synergy and French EDF Group are planning to develop a new system of floating solar panels, called AQUASUN, which has the possibility of being installed on the surface of existing bodies of water. The panels use silicon cells, which unlike other types, are less expensive but also prone to inefficiency caused by overheating. However,this is not a problem as the water on which they’re floating acts as a cooling system. Users have the option to add or remove panels in order to tailor the power output to their requirements. A single modular panel is capable of generating around 200 kW of clean energy. This kind of system will not be installed in ecologically-sensitive areas or in open seas, but rather on reservoirs already in use for agriculture and industrial purposes. The water will not become stagnant because the panels are designed to allow oxygen to permeate through. So far, the companies have released a prototype that has been presented at the 4th International Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Conference in Israel. The designers have great plans for the future. They’re planning to install AQUASUN for a nine-month test period on a basin at a hydro-electric facility in southeastern France by the end of September. Posted by Jarrod M → March 04, 2011 at 7:46 PM under Alternative Energy Home Living Tips News and Events
Republicans recycle an old idea: the foam plastic coffee cup It’s a pity that this recycling iniative seems to have been overturned because of politics! Polystyrene makes comeback in US Congress building after Republicans reverse green initiatives brought in by Democrats A bit like the Republican party, they are white, seemingly indestructible and bad for the environment. But after an absence of four years, foam plastic coffee cups have made a comeback in the basement coffee shop of the United States Congress building after Republicans began reversing a series of in-house green initiatives undertaken by Democrats. The about-turn was announced by a press aide to John Boehner, the speaker of the House of Representatives, who tweeted on Monday morning: “The new majority – plasticware is back”. When the Democrats held the house, the former speaker Nancy Pelosi put the cafeterias at the centre of a plan to hugely reduce the carbon footprint of Congress. The ancient power plant in Washington DC a few blocks from the Capitol building, which provides heating and cooling for Congress and the supreme court, was converted from coal to natural gas. Compact fluorescent lighting and energy-efficient vending machines were introduced. In the cafeterias, polystyrene packaging was replaced with trays and utensils made of biodegradable corn starch. Four separate stations were installed for recycling and sorting. A healthier menu was also introduced in 2008, offering cage-free eggs and antibiotic-free beef. Items deemed compostable waste, such as coffee cups, were sent to a pulper in a lower basement, which squeezed out all the liquid before dispatching the material by truck to a commercial composting site in the suburbs of Washington DC. To read the full article go to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/28/republicans-foam-coffee-cup-environmentally-bad Posted by Chris H → March 03, 2011 at 12:19 AM under Environment
BMW to Make At Least 30,000 i3 Electric Cars German car maker BMW has recently announced that it plans to sell around 30,000 units of its i3 electric car in order to serve the growing market. BMW’s newest two models, i3 and i8, will be launched by the end of 2013.“We are targeting volume production for the i3,” said Ian Robertson, BMW’s global sales and marketing boss. The i8 two-door coupe is based on the 2009 BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept study. It also combines the fuel consumption and emissions of a small car with the the performance of a sports car. Whilst BMW has not officially announced the price of the i3, but according to some sources, it will have a price of about 40,000 euros in Europe. “As with all BMW Group products, the BMW i3 will be a premium car,” Robertson said. The i8 and i3 also will share parts for powertrain electronics, electric motors and lithium ion batteries. The models will be built in BMW’s plant in Leipzig, Germany. After their official launch, the automaker will expand its BMW “i” lineup to include more vehicles. Posted by Sam T → March 02, 2011 at 11:33 PM under Alternative Energy Home Living Tips News and Events
Kiss Red Wine Stains goodbye! Here is how you get rid of red wine stains. Pour cold water onto the stained area as quickly as possible. Blot with a cloth and sprinkle salt onto the red wine stain. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Rinse with cold water while rubbing out the red wine stain. Repeat steps 1-3 until no more red wine stain can be removed. Rub with liquid laundry detergent and allow to stand for several minutes before rinsing thoroughly with cold water. Apply a spot stain remover stick, spray, or gel and wash according to clothing directions with liquid laundry detergent. Cheers & Good Luck! Posted by Brian C → March 01, 2011 at 10:53 PM under Home Living Tips
