cleaning Archives - AKAMom Magazine

Feel Good About Clearing Clutter

wmanning — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 16:26:15 +0000

Whether spring or summer, extended breaks from the day-to-day routines are great for making new family memories. They are also great for taking some time to recall previous ones often found in items around the house.

From those old baby clothes and toys to books and dusty tech you haven’t touched in years, these “memories” may be cluttering your home. Spend some time as a family and clear out what you no longer need. For some extra motivation, approach your cleaning with a fresh perspective: donating your gently-used items will help others while freeing up space for new memories.

Get on your way to a cleaner, less cluttered home with these tips:

Take it one room at a time. Whether you live in a modest apartment or a sprawling single-family home, overhauling your entire living space at once is an overwhelming prospect. Instead, focus on one room at a time with a timeframe that makes sense for your schedule.

Don’t save the worst for last. Avoid the temptation to leave your messiest catch-all room for the end. Instead, tackle it first and spend extra time thinking about where you can reassign some of the clutter, so it’s not all accumulating in a single room.

Give items meaning. Take a cue from stylist, author and TV host Emily Henderson and implement a rule that items you keep should be at least two of three things: functional, sentimental and beautiful. If an item is none of these (like an old food storage container without a lid), toss it. Especially if you are low on space, only hang on to those items that serve two or more roles.

Sort your stuff into piles. In every room, you’ll find items you need to keep close at hand, others you’d like to keep but could be stashed away, things that may have value to others and stuff that simply needs to be trashed.

Look for ways to give back. While it sometimes makes sense to resell unwanted items online or through a yard sale, donating is another way you can give these goods a second life and help bring warmth, happiness and smiles to others. Through its Glad to Give program, the Glad Products Company makes donating easy because you can fill a Glad ForceFlex bag, stretch it and stuff it with just about anything you want to donate. Clothing is one of the best things to donate so others can make better use of the gently-loved items you are hoarding, Henderson said. Unless a garment has been worn in the last four seasons, donate it. Other prime candidates for donating: toys, sports equipment, DVDs and home gadgets.

Organize what remains. Once you’ve cleared the clutter and determined which items will stay, find attractive ways to create order and manage the mess. You can choose from a wide range of organizational options – everything from shelves and baskets to storage furniture and closet systems – to help make the most of your space and reveal more inviting rooms that make you feel comfortable at home.

Find resources for giving back, and schedule a free local donation pickup for an organization of your choice, at GladtoGive.com.

Photo courtesy of Rachel Hollis, The Chic Site

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Dad’s Day Gift Ideas

wmanning — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:25:13 +0000

Feed dad’s interests with gifts he’ll love

Dad can be hard to shop for sometimes. Of course, he can never have too many ties, coffee mugs or tools. But doesn’t the man who taught you how to ride a bike, to play catch and to always try your best deserve something more personal and unique.

Sure, he will be happy regardless of what you get him, but why not help him enjoy more time with the interests he has outside of being a great father. Here are some Father’s Day gift ideas for every kind of dad – from the grill master to the car enthusiast and the clean freak to the hygiene centric and every kind of dad in between.

Let Dad Stand Out with a Million-Dollar Shine

Your dad can now achieve the million-dollar appearance of Barrett-Jackson car auctions in his garage. Their Premium Auto Care line includes washes, waxes and detailers formulated with synthetic hydrophobic polymers and genuine carnauba wax for lasting brilliance and easy application. Learn more about how to bring a long-lasting and brilliant, deep shine to your dad’s car at Barrett-JacksonAutoCare.com. Barrett-Jackson Premium Auto Care products, which range in price from $5.49 to $17.99, are available at retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Pepboys, Menards and select Home Depots, and through online retailers including Amazon.com. For the ultimate gift, go a step further and wash his car for him.

For the Dad Who Loves to Drive

What do you get a dad who loves his car and truly loves to drive? How about something that connects him to his car, like a shoe that enhances his driving experience? While comfortable and stylish enough for everyday wear, the Piloti Spyder S1 driving shoe features patented Roll Control heel technology, superior red suede and mesh panels for maximum comfort and flexibility as well as the perfect combination of support, size, grip and feel. Check out the Spyder S1 ($150) as well as Piloti’s complete line of luxury, casual and performance driving shoes at Piloti.com.

A Gift Dad Can Sink His Teeth Into

Make Father’s Day complete with a dinner he’ll remember for years. The Omaha Steaks Father’s Day T-Bone Gift package is a meal dad will be willing and eager to fire up the grill for. The package is headlined by two 18-ounce T-Bones and includes four Brisket Burgers and four Gourmet Jumbo Franks along with Omaha Steaks Seasoning. Regularly $194.95, you can now bring the family together to enjoy this incredible fare for just $69.99. For more information, visit omahasteaks.com.

A Spotless Man Cave, Workshop and Car

It’s the ultimate gift for dad and his man cave. The Dirt Devil FlipOut™ is a premium cordless hand vac, perfectly designed to keep his man cave, workshop or set of wheels spotless. The 16-volt, fade-free lithium battery means faster charging, longer runtime and continuous power. It’s compact and lightweight, and has versatile tools for quick and easy cleaning. The FlipOut is $49.99. For more information, visit DirtDevil.com.

Power Dad’s Smile

Be the power behind dad’s smile this Father’s Day with the Oral-B 7000 SmartSeries Electric Toothbrush with Bluetooth connectivity. The brush connects to the Oral-B App, which provides real-time guidance while brushing and records brushing activity that can be shared with dental professionals. With six different cleaning modes, it removes 300 percent more plaque compared to a manual brush. Upgrade your dad’s oral care routine and visit oralb.com for additional details.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

*FF

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Healthy housekeeping tips offer a fresh approach to spring cleaning

wmanning — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 15:59:48 +0000

After the long and cold winter experienced across the United States, families will be tackling spring cleaning with a passion this year. But for more than 40 million Americans living with allergies and 25 million with asthma, housekeeping comes with extra concerns and responsibilities. More than half of all homes in the U.S. have at least one person dealing with allergies or asthma, so spring cleaning needs to focus on removing common household allergens and irritants, and avoiding problems that some cleaning supplies could actually create.

“Allergen avoidance and environmental control are important parts of any asthma and allergy management plan,” say Dr. Beth Corn, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital and Medical Director of the Division of Immunology Faculty Practice Associates, “that means a patient should try and avoid contact with allergens like dust mite particles and pet dander that can be found in the dust of most homes. Exposure to irritants, like strong scents or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be found in some common household cleaners should also be avoided by patients with respiratory issues.”

If your cleaning routine doesn’t specifically focus on allergen control and removal, you may be only moving dust around, sending allergens and irritating cleaning chemicals into the air that could aggravate allergy and asthma symptoms. To create a “healthy home” this season, consider these simple tips from the asthma and allergy friendly Certification Program, a healthy home initiative of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA):

Use a certified vacuum that has a high efficiency filter with tight seams and seals to prevent particles from leaking out while you vacuum. Also, choose a style that requires minimal exposure during canister emptying or bag changes.

Use moist cloths or special dry dusters designed to trap and lock dust from hard or flat surfaces that rarely get cleaned, such as baseboards, door jambs, air duct vents, ceiling fan blades and window blinds and shades.

Certain cleaning products can contribute to airborne irritants, especially if they contain harsh chemicals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or have strong odors. Also avoid “green” products with natural allergenic ingredients, such as lemon, coconut or tea-tree oils.

Place certified allergen barrier covers on your mattresses and pillows. Wash your bedding at least once a week in 130 degree hot water to kill dust mites and their eggs.

Mold, a common allergy trigger, can grow anywhere in your home where moisture is present. Look for cleaning products that help kill and prevent mold from returning. Also, keep your household humidity below 50 percent and fix leaky pipes and cracks to reduce standing puddles of moisture where mold can prosper.

If you are unable to remove carpets and heavy rugs from your home, have a certified professional steam cleaning service care for them three to four times a year. The asthma and allergy friendly Certification Program has recently adopted a new standard for Professional Carpet Steam Cleaning Services. Visit www.AAFA.org/certified to learn more.

If children live in your home, look for certified plush toys. Dust mites, mold and pet dander can accumulate on plush toys over time. Certified toys can be machine-washed and dried, or placed in the freezer for 24 hours then rinsed in cold water to remove dead mites. Dry completely. Do this monthly.

Lots of air passes through window areas and airborne dust and allergens accumulate on all types of window treatments – which are rarely cleaned. In the family room and throughout the home, replace big, heavy linen drapes with more sensible window treatments such as wood blinds or flat screens that are easy to wipe and keep clean.

If your home uses central air conditioning or heat, replace the filter in the machine regularly, typically every 30 to 90 days. Choose an HVAC filter that has been certified to effectively capture fine airborne particles like pollen, dust and dander.

AAFA’s asthma & allergy friendly certification program helps consumers evaluate and verify the allergen-reducing effectiveness of a variety of products, from cleaning supplies, air cleaning devices and vacuums to toys, bedding, home improvement products, paints, clothes washers and more. You can learn more at www.AAFA.org/certified.

*BPT

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It’s All in a Days Work… 5 Hot Products for the Home!

wmanning — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 22:36:23 +0000

By Melanie K. Nelson

Summer is finally here and the last thing that you want to be doing is spending all of your time in the kitchen! Get ready for five products to make cooking and cleaning a breeze.

First thing first, lets start this like I start every day, with coffee! There is nothing wrong with the good old fashion coffee pot, except when everyone in your house likes different drinks! From light roast to dark roast coffee drinkers, tea to hot chocolate my family has it all. Instead of the hassle of strategically scheduling the coffee pot and shelves of various types beans, boxes, and cans, try a Keurig Brew Station. The Keurig K-Cup Single Cup Brewer is the mess-free way to brew a single cup of your favorite hot or iced drink. Pop in a K-Cup of your favorite coffee, tea or cocoa, and in less than a minute you have the perfect cup of your favorite beverage! With Keurig’s huge selection of different K-Cups you are sure to find the perfect one for everyone in your house. As someone who recently moved from the Minnesota to New York, I love that I can still enjoy my favorite coffee shop, Caribou Coffee, in K-Cups available right on the Keurig website, http://www.keurig.com/KCupSystem

Ok, now that we have caffeinate under control, let’s move on to food! My go to speedy kitchen mini-appliance is definitely my food processor. I use it for super fast salsa, soups, chopping veggies and my favorite summer snack: hummus! My beloved food processor is at the end of its life so I am in the market for a new one and the KitchenAid Architect™ Series 13-Cup Food Processor in Candy Apple Red is at the top of my list! What is so special about this food processor (other than the super cute color)? It has the first-ever externally adjustable slicing level, so you don’t have the fuss with the messy blades to change from thick to thin slicing! Check it out here: http://www.kitchenaid.com/shop/-[KFP1344CA]-403903/KFP1344CA/

Want a basic hummus recipe?

Ingredients:

1 16oz. of chickpeas (reserve the liquid from the can)
4 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons tahini
2 cloves of garlic
½ teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Throw all of the ingredients in your food processor, with the blade on a fine setting, and blend until smooth. Add the chickpea liquid to adjust the consistency, if needed.

Once you have mastered the basic hummus, try adding new ingredients to mix it up. My favorite combo is jalapeños, cilantro and lime juice!

Has the idea of smoking your own meat sounded like fun “in theory” but a nightmare in practice? The Orion Cooker produces tender, fresh smoked meat with that slow-cooked taste at an unbelievably quick speed. This outdoor charcoal grill is small, portable, and super easy to use. Simply load the cooker, light it and you are free to go enjoy the summer! This would be perfect for a hassle-free main dish for a backyard party, your guests will be awed and your can spend your time enjoying the party rather than being stuck in the kitchen. Try these “Hush Yo’ Mouth Baby Back Ribs” or check out one of their other recipes at http://www.theorioncooker.com

Hush Yo’ Mouth Baby Back Ribs

Preparation Time: 1hr 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Baby Back Ribs (1-6 racks)
Cayenne Pepper (1 tsp)
Orion’s Dry Rub Garlic (2 cloves)
Apple Cider Vinegar (1 cup)
Salt (to taste)
Ketchup (1 cup)
Mustard (5 tbsp)

Cooking Instructions:

Remove the ribs from the package, rinse, and pat dry. Apply Orion’s Dry Rub evenly. Affix the ribs to the rib hangers and place in the cooker. Then, fire up your Orion Cooker and cook for 1 hour 15 mins*, or until done. Best if cooked with mesquite chips.

Barbecue Sauce (optional): Mix vinegar, ketchup, and mustard until it’s a light orange color. Add the cayenne pepper, garlic, salt and Tabasco sauce to taste. Apply before and after cooking.

Additional Comments:

*This time is for six racks of ribs. For fewer ribs the time will be less.

Now it is time for some help with the clean up. There are few things more annoying than wasting time washing the faucet after getting it messy trying to turn it on with dirty hands, that’s why I am obsessed with the Moen Motion Sense Arbor Faucet! This touch-free unit is the perfect solution to the messy-hand situation or when you have your hands full. The sleek design and cool finish of the Oil-Rubbed Bronze complements almost any style of kitchen! http://www.moen.com/arbor-with-motionsense/oil-rubbed-bronze-one-handle-high-arc-pulldown-kitchen-faucet/_/R-CONSUMER%3A7594EORB

Finally, if you want some serious cleaning done but you’re not a big fan of elbow grease, there is nothing better than the Shark Sonic Dou floor cleaner. Watch the scrubbing pads do the hard work for you, cleaning your floors like nothing else. This one device will take care of just about every floor in your house including wood, hardwood, stone, vinyl & tile, carpets and rugs. Spend less time scrubbing and more time with your feet up, enjoying a nice summer drink! http://www.sharkclean.com/shark-sonic-duo/

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