Urban Blog

 
Down comforters are precious and worth the cost but do you really have to dry clean them? According to Ashley Poskin, you don’t. Having your down comforter dry cleaned professionally can help you avoid the hazards of treating it too harshly or drying it insufficiently. However, the steps at Apartment Therapy show you how to wash your own down comforter while taking adequate care. If you have a great place to hang comforters or if your laundromat’s XL dryer is not too expensive for a long job, the method linked could save you money.
 
Get down.
 

 
Have you ever wondered about how your washing machine gets clothes clean? How about a a front loading washer in particular? How do they use less water and soap but often work better? Mary Marlowe Leverette has taken the time to explain how front loaders get clothes clean with better efficiency.
 
About.com Laundry
 

 
In your children’s opinion, the best place for toys is scattered all over the house. In case you disagree, head to the Clean Mama blog where she tours her family room toy storage and outlines the reasons and the ways she makes it work.
 
See also: colorful toys.
 

 
Laundry is one of those constantly renewing chores that you have to keep up with. As you and your family grow, so can your laundry workload. If you’ve ever seen your laundry get out of hand, visit Shifrah Combiths at Apartment Therapy for tips on how to stay on top of the pile.
 
It can be done.
 

Alternative power proudly goes where fume generating power cannot. SolaRoad is a bicycle path made of solar panels in Krommenie, Netherlands. The project is a space saver, using a road for two purposes and building solar infrastructure to serve the local neighborhood. This pilot project is 230 feet long and could later span the city.
 
Learn more at Inhabitat.
 

 
Adapting to a simpler lifestyle means change, which isn’t always easy, especially if you’re not sure where to start. At least you’re here; consider hanging your laundry to dry more often. At Be More with Less, Courtney Carver outlines five big areas where people have trouble adopting simplicity.
 
Clicking is simple.
 

 
Jillee’s posts always seem to be massive and useful resources. This article is on the different parts of your home to take care of when preventing and dealing with indoor air pollution. One tip is to make sure the space where you hang your clothing to dry is well-ventilated.
 
But the whole post is impressive.
 

 
You know those reusable heat packs full of beads that you put in the microwave or freezer and then lay over aching muscles? They are easy to make yourself. Just take a square foot of material from an old pillowcase, make a bag, fill it with rice, and sew it shut. There you have your made-in-America heat pack and you know what’s in it.
 
Details and ideas at Wellness Mama.
 

 

We already know that wind power is the most efficient clothes dryer. Of course its more famous use at the moment is, well, everything. Especially since wind power generation is surpassing expectations across the pond. For instance, this October Scotland met 126% of its household power needs on wind alone.
 
Details are on Inhabitat with Beverly Mitchell.
 
Wind turbine is cut from a larger photo that is CC 2.0 by Rob Faulkner.
 

 
Eczema is an awful, itchy skin condition to endure. Whatever treatments exist, it’s a good idea to also change to a more natural, healthy lifestyle. At the LooHoo blog, Eczema Company founder Jennifer Roberge outlines five ways in which she helped bring her son’s eczema down, including better ways to do laundry.
 
Hint: it does not involve using dryer sheets.